OT: Chess

[Elvis P]

@aufheben , just my 2 cents. For a White attacking opening against the Sicilian the Grand Prix is good. The Yugoslav is a good attack against the Sicilian Dragon.

For solid Black Defenses the KP Caro-Kann and QP Semi-Slav Meran Variation are good.

 

[ORRFForever]

@aufheben , just my 2 cents. For a White attacking opening against the Sicilian the Grand Prix is good. The Yugoslav is a good attack against the Sicilian Dragon.

For solid Black Defenses the KP Caro-Kann and QP Semi-Slav Meran Variation are good.

I LOVE playing against the Caro-Kann. As White, I never feel I am in danger.

 

[Pidto Files]

The power of passed pawns

"In the diagrammed position it is White to move and draw. White has a powerful passed pawn on g7 that forces Black's bishop to control the g8-square, but White is a pawn down and Black also has a powerful passed pawn that just attacked White's bishop on d3. Should the bishop go to b5 or to c2"?​

B5 you want to maintain the threat of taking the pawn and get the bishop to cover his pawn and diagonals from the middle of the board.

 

[Pidto Files]

An argument can also be made for the bishop to E6. This “freezes” the white king, maintains the threat on the pawn and gives the black king the ability to advance and take the white pawn. That would be black’s counter. In this situation white’s best hope is a draw.

 

[Pidto Files]

B5 you want to maintain the threat of taking the pawn and get the bishop to cover his pawn and diagonals from the middle of the board.

B5 you want to maintain the threat of taking the pawn and get the bishop to cover his pawn and diagonals from the middle of the board.

White bishop to E2 is also a good move. The bishop then blocks the black pawns advance, maintaining diagonals and can potentially take the black bishop.

 

[Elvis P]

White bishop to E2 is also a good move. The bishop then blocks the black pawns advance, maintaining diagonals and can potentially take the black bishop.

@Pidto Files After 48. h4 what should have happened in this game?

Wolfgang Unzicker vs Mikhail Botvinnik (1954)
Amsterdam Olympiad Final-A (1954), Amsterdam NED, rd 9, Sep-22
French Defense: Winawer. Retreat Variation Armenian Line (C18) · 1/2-1/2

Breaking news: Dubov leaves Tata Steel Chess Tournament

 

[Elvis P]

What do you guys think of this Black Dutch opening where Rapport and others are playing Be7?​

 

[Elvis P]

R11 Matches: Dubov forfeited to Rapport. JVF and Caruana won. The rest tied. @Harbour Dog

 

[Pidto Files]

Took to B1

@Pidto Files After 48. h4 what should have happened in this game?

Wolfgang Unzicker vs Mikhail Botvinnik (1954)
Amsterdam Olympiad Final-A (1954), Amsterdam NED, rd 9, Sep-22
French Defense: Winawer. Retreat Variation Armenian Line (C18) · 1/2-1/2

Breaking news: Dubov leaves Tata Steel Chess Tournament

Rook to B1. mate in 2

 

[Harbour Dog]

What do you guys think of this Black Dutch opening where Rapport and others are playing Be7?​

It doesn't look very good for Black at all. Like the kind of opening I'd slap out in a bullet game and instantly regret it.

I'm struggling to see much good about it actually. I really like playing Maroczy Bind formations, and this looks kind of similar; but it just doesn't feel like it does a good enough job of fighting for the centre.

 

[X66]

Finally hit 1500 on chess.com rapids.

Took a a year and change to get over the hump.

Maybe in a couple years I'll hit 1600 haha.

 

[Pidto Files]

It doesn't look very good for Black at all. Like the kind of opening I'd slap out in a bullet game and instantly regret it.

I'm struggling to see much good about it actually. I really like playing Maroczy Bind formations, and this looks kind of similar; but it just doesn't feel like it does a good enough job of fighting for the centre.

Must not like playing knights much, I’m guessing.. You can aggressive and defensive with two moves. Knight B8 C6, Bishop, E7 B4. Covers bishop with knight, challenging Queen (white)

 

[Harbour Dog]

Must not like playing knights much, I’m guessing.. You can aggressive and defensive with two moves. Knight B8 C6, Bishop, E7 B4. Covers bishop with knight, challenging Queen (white)

That Knight move is pretty much a necessity of the position, yeah. Then it's up to White whether he wants to leave that amazing e5 outpost available for potential late game shenanigans, or if he is okay trading there and having an oppressing pawn formation.

The Bishop move is fine, but then why play Be7 in the first place? Black is already cramped; giving away a tempo like that is very sketchy.

I'm sure the position is defensible, or else GMs wouldn't play it; but it's much tougher to unravel than one or two moves is going to solve.

Black can maybe cause enough turmoil with Ne4 to help the cause. There HAS to be enough compensation somewhere, or it wouldn't get played.

Just looked it up on explorer. In GM games, that position scores 131 - 92 for White with 99 draws. I would say that's not far off whatever the norm is.

 

[Elvis P]

Rook to B1. mate in 2

• The adjourned position after 48.h4 is lost for Black, but White agreed to a draw, so Botvinnik did not lose.

 

[Elvis P]

Caruana is in a five-way tie for fourth place. His performance rating is 2754. He's fourth in the world thirteen points ahead of Nepo. idk if he's having that bad of a tourney.

 

[Elvis P]

Tata Steel Chess R11: Carlsen Misses Win, Dubov Tests Positive

"GM Magnus Carlsen continues to lead the 2022 Tata Steel Chess Tournament despite missing a win in his game with GM Vidit Gujrathi in round 11. GM Richard Rapport is half a point behind after getting a forfeit win vs. GM Daniil Dubov, who dropped out of the tournament because of a positive Covid test. GM Anish Giri fell behind as he lost to his compatriot GM Jorden van Foreest, who had success with a positional exchange sacrifice. Meanwhile, GM Fabiano Caruana defeated GM Praggnanandhaa R. with the black pieces".​

 

[Pidto Files]

It doesn't look very good for Black at all. Like the kind of opening I'd slap out in a bullet game and instantly regret it.

I'm struggling to see much good about it actually. I really like playing Maroczy Bind formations, and this looks kind of similar; but it just doesn't feel like it does a good enough job of fighting for the centre.

 

[aufheben]

If I can throw in my 2 cents...

e4 or d4...

Play whatever feels right to you. I can't play d4 - it just feels "wrong" and off balance. I hate d4.

Against e4, the Sicilian works nicely - as you know, a LOT of top players play it.

Against d4, I play the Grunfeld.

The English is pretty easy to play as black. Just mirror what White is doing until you're ready to go in a new direction.

Of course you can! The Grunfeld was actually what I was trying to learn when I started.

Awesome!

Given your style, I'd say go for 1.e4. Maybe look at the Smith-Morra Gambit when Black responds with the Sicilian. It leads to some big attacks (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3).

And when Black responds with e5, maybe you could try the Vienna Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3). I don't know much about it, but it has a reputation for leading to all out attacks from White.

For Black, I'd say to try the Sicilian against 1.e4. Pretty much any variation that you get comfortable with will have plenty of activity and tactics.

Against 1.d4 and 1.c4, it's more difficult to get a very active game without being worse. Maybe the Queen's Gambit Accepted or Albin Countergambit would offer games that you like, but I think it may be best for you to use games against 1.d4 and 1.c4 as opportunities to play some slow games. There's lots to learn from having to maneuver around a congested board and pick and choose pawn breaks.

The 1.e4 ideas sound good. I remember when I found out about the Halloween Gambit and I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Fair point in the closed games. I’m pretty terrible with pawn structures and just repositioning pieces all game.

 

[X66]

I have the second highest subscription on chess.com, which is something like $3-$4 a month, I believe.

I would pay that much for the analysis tool alone, much less the unlimited puzzles. It also allows you to watch so many lessons a month too, but I don't take advantage of that.

I'd definitely recommend getting a subscription. The difference between being able to use the analysis tool once a day vs. at will is pretty huge!

Took you up on this, got the platinum one as well(2nd highest) and it made a HUGE difference.

Not only are the unlimited puzzles helping a ton tactically, but the game analysis has been awesome. Just seeing the best move in positions I'm always in(and making the wrong move) has helped me win a lot more games.

 

[Harbour Dog]

Took you up on this, got the platinum one as well(2nd highest) and it made a HUGE difference.

Not only are the unlimited puzzles helping a ton tactically, but the game analysis has been awesome. Just seeing the best move in positions I'm always in(and making the wrong move) has helped me win a lot more games.

Awesome, I'm glad to hear it, Man!

That's what I find most useful with the analysis tool too. I play similar position a lot, and it helped show me what lines were okay, and what ones were blunders. Especially starting out, sometimes I never really knew when I was making a positional blunder.

 

[Harbour Dog]

Magnus about to clinch Tata Steel with five wins and seven draws... and only gain 3 rating points to get to 2868.

2900 is so far away! I just can't see him doing it.

 

[Brief Candle]

Magnus about to clinch Tata Steel with five wins and seven draws... and only gain 3 rating points to get to 2868.

2900 is so far away! I just can't see him doing it.

If it were anyone else, I'd say it can't be done. It is, however, Magnus. He's 31! He's got YEARS left in him at a top level. Regardless, he had an excellent tournament.

 

[Elvis P]

If it were anyone else, I'd say it can't be done. It is, however, Magnus. He's 31! He's got YEARS left in him at a top level. Regardless, he had an excellent tournament.

It's mathematically impossible.

Ding Liren	Rating	2799
Levon Aronian	Rating	2772
Anish Giri	Rating	2772
Wesley So	Rating	2772
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov	Rating	2767
Alexander Grischuk	Rating	2764
Richard Rapport	Rating	2763
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave	Grand Swiss	2761

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

My favorites: Ding Liren and Aronian
My dark horses: Giri and So
They'll only win in an eclipse on the Dark Side of the Moon: Tabatabaei and Bacrot. @Harbour Dog

 

[Brief Candle]

Don't mistake me, though. Magnus getting 2900 is a tall order. However if there's anyone alive who can do it, it's probably him.

 

[Harbour Dog]

It's mathematically impossible.

Ding Liren	Rating	2799
Levon Aronian	Rating	2772
Anish Giri	Rating	2772
Wesley So	Rating	2772
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov	Rating	2767
Alexander Grischuk	Rating	2764
Richard Rapport	Rating	2763
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave	Grand Swiss	2761

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

My favorites: Ding Liren and Aronian
My dark horses: Giri and So
They'll only win in an eclipse on the Dark Side of the Moon: Tabatabaei and Bacrot. @Harbour Dog

Ding and MVL are my two favourites.

Keymer, Shirov, and Nakamura, are probably the guys I'm most interested to see. Don't expect much from Shirov, but it would be a great story if he can manage to put a run together. Keymer has been under Leko's wing for years now, but it only just feels like he's starting to get to the level that was expected of him. And Nakamura feels like a huge wild card.