New answers tagged theory
1
You put too much faith in engines and too little respect for how actual people really play.
b6 is more than playable. I would not venture it against a GM but for any tournament I could seriously compete in it would work --IF it were compatible with my style which it is not. When they play b6 I generally win. That has more to say about me and my ...
10
It's completely playable below master level, probably playable to IM level and probably useful occasionally as a surprise weapon at GM level. Combined with the English defense it gives black a very solid opening repertoire with very little theory to learn. The only caveat would be to just be careful castling kingside into a strong attack.
22 ply is 11 moves. ...
6
Stockfish's @.3484814232843 shouldn't concern Black as much as Morphy's simple plan for White.
1.e4 b6 2. d4 Bb7 3. Bd3 e6 4. Nh3
Stockfish might be complaining because White gets free rein in the center, but Morphy said 'two pawns is enough', then as long as White continues developing, he's guaranteed at least equal development, and because it was the ...
0
The Sicilian Defence might be suitable for you too. 1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
You might try the black lion too. You can be passive or aggresive depending on how you play!
2
Give me something sound but aggressive.
Give me the moves, too, but I don't want to learn lots of lines.
You'll save maybe years of study time after you figure out that all you need to get out of the opening is a playable middlegame (most often attributed to Teichmann).
You're not a 1400 player because you're bad at openings, you're a 1400 player because you'...
0
I would recommend 1. e4, e5 for your level. In general, aim for lines that play Bc5 and d5 as soon as possible. Against the Ruy you have both the classical and the Archangel Defence which will stick to those basic ideas. If you want something more aggressive try the Schlieman.
There's also the Latvian and believe it or not there are some very aggressive ...
1
The Damiano Defense, also known as the five pawns gambit, is practically refuted. You can find the details on the Wikipedia page. The key line is:
e4 e5 2. Nf3 f6? 3. Nxe5! fxe5? 4. Qh5+ Ke7 5. Qxe5+ Kf7 6. Bc4+ d5 7. Bxd5+ Kg6 8. h4 h5 9. Bxb7
After which Black cannot stop Bxa8 with a decisive material advantage for White.
2
In this position, White king is still in the center.
I would go for Re8 (with ideas of Nxe4 followed by f5 in-case he has not yet castled; this in itself is a moral victory for Black, since White's center has been dismantled now)
If White castles immediately, then Nbd7 to add additional defense to e5 square and then look to expand on the queen side.
Also, ...
2
You shouldn't give a fig about "variations". Players don't lose games in the opening because they're bad at this variation or that system, they lose short games because they're bad at tactics (and that's your experience, yeah?).
Forget the dumb names of things. Pawn Storm This, Big Attack That. You have to learn enough tactics first.
2
The thing about the Modern Benoni is that White is usually trying to run you over on the e- and f- files. Black adopted a very small stance in the center (d6), and White's pawn play is the price to pay.
The difference between these two plans for white:
Bb5+, f4, Nf3, with a view toward e4-e5
and the one you describe here Bd3, Ne2-g3 with a view toward f4-f5
...
0
It is immediately punishable with 2...d6. White doesn't have a good way to protect the e-pawn.
f4 is going to get crushed by dxe5 followed by Qh4+
d4 is just bad. After 3...dxe6 4. dxe5, Qxd1 5. Kxd1 black is better
Nf3 is probably best but after 3...dxe5 4. Nxe5, Bd6 white doesn't really have anything other than moving the knight back to f3 and now black ...
-1
This looks like one of those Mieses Gambits? 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. b4?
In the first position given, White has more than enough compensation for the sacrificed pawn, but there's a lot of chess to be played. Asking if Black can equalize is a silly question. Of course Black can equalize. Anything can happen in a real game of chess.
Chessplayers ...
0
Black's going to have a hard go of it, for sure, though no plan for White stands out
1...g6 2. Rhe1 Bg7, now what? Can White bring any more pressure to bear on c7 or e7? Will a gradual expansion on the queenside do?
I think the second is more likely, because I think Black might opt to give up the a-pawn or the c-pawn because it's the only way to complete his ...
0
The move 0-0 leaves White's options open while developing. The other moves will determine White's plan.
Castling will allow White to play a better version of the Giuoco Piano, but without the ..Bb4+.
7
This move order, without e4 and Bg7, was employed by Botvinnik in the Tal-Botvinnik 1960 WCC match. If you're interested, check it out here. In his book on the match, Tal recommends going for a quick h6-g5-Nh5 maneuver to win the bishop pair before the kingside knight can be maneuvered to c4, which (in conjunction with the bishop on g3) puts uncomfortable ...
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