English Chess Forum

David Robertson wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 16, 2018 2:46 pm

It's worth avoiding the Spanish (Ruy Lopez) too, at least in evening league chess. I do. Against any reasonable opponent, in many lines, you can reach the first time control (#30) still in book with barely a pawn exchanged. I exaggerate, but not by much.

I've had a few of those (as Black, I don't play 3Bb5 as White) And won them more often than not

I used to eagerly play the Lopez and score very well with it, but then when I returned to it later, even players graded 70 points lower than me knew enough theory to keep the game going. So David is right. One game in particular I only won as I forgot the theory and it so confused my opponent that not only did he miss the strong reply, but played such a bad move, he was busted in 3 more moves!

It may well be worth playing as black, but probably not as white any more.

I spent some of this weekend watching the Tera-final. The youngsters were playing a mix of openings, although the exchange French seemed far too prevalent for my liking. But even in an opening variation like the McCutcheon, failing to play a critical challenging line soon caused the game to peter out, even though one of the players seemed more familiar with the strategy than the opponents. There was also a twenty or so move Italian Game that never strayed beyond margins of playability according to my silicon friend. So what is one to play and how can one practice enough to gain competence? I agree with the article however that 'feel' is important - it was clear in several games, and I've experienced this over the board that players of all ages fail to identify the key middlegame plans after the opening, or mix up the thematic ideas. It seems to be a problem caused by more than just choosing between equally valid options, more a cloud of confusion that descends once the system moves end. Are we teaching and learning chess wrongly and neglecting this phase of transition?

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 16, 2018 3:45 pm

David Robertson wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 16, 2018 2:46 pm

It's worth avoiding the Spanish (Ruy Lopez) too, at least in evening league chess. I do. Against any reasonable opponent, in many lines, you can reach the first time control (#30) still in book with barely a pawn exchanged. I exaggerate, but not by much.

I've had a few of those (as Black, I don't play 3Bb5 as White) And won them more often than not

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 16, 2018 5:19 pm

I used to eagerly play the Lopez and score very well with it, but then when I returned to it later, even players graded 70 points lower than me knew enough theory to keep the game going. So David is right ....

It may well be worth playing as black, but probably not as white any more.

Hah! William Winter, in his Chess For Match Players (2nd ed 1951), said something like "I am unable to recommend this famous opening for match* play", giving very similar reasons to those stated by Matt, David and Kevin.

*He meant team matches, of course, not individual ones.

John Clarke wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:41 am

Hah! William Winter, in his Chess For Match Players (2nd ed 1951), said something like "I am unable to recommend this famous opening for match* play", giving very similar reasons to those stated by Matt, David and Kevin.

He was writing that in the context of games which finished with adjudication at move 30. If you are playing to a finish without an intermediate time control, the faster player is likely to have a small advantage, no matter how many moves have to be played. That said I can recall looking at the scoresheet in one of Stewart Reuben's 1970s tournaments, noting that the time control was at move 54 and concluding that it was time to try defending the Spanish in an orthodox manner. The lines were familiar from using them in five minute chess,

Slightly different week for The Bristol Chess Times this week.

Getting Started - A new page to help adult beginners not be scared of joining chess clubs.
https://bristolchesstimes.com/getting-started/

More importantly we launched The Bristol Chess Times YouTube channel! Two videos so far:

Welcome to The Bristol Chess Times - a short introductory video covering our ambitions for the channel (3 minutes)
https://youtu.be/fPlpuB77naQ

Practical decisions in the Symmetrical English - A review of an interesting tussle in a Division 1 clash between Clifton and Horfield CCs. (20 minutes)
https://youtu.be/fqUQh-fQsRA

Please subscribe to the YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYCaom ... 8ViGTloP7A) and if any clubs or leagues want to submit their games or want a shout out then get in touch at [email protected]

Feedback and suggestions welcome.

Enjoy!

Several new videos and posts in the last couple of weeks:

Whose attack is faster in a tactical semi-Slav? A 20min video on an exciting division 1 game in the Bristol league
https://bristolchesstimes.com/2018/09/2 ... semi-slav/

Bristol embraces blitz - A preview of several upcoming blitz events in Bristol.
https://bristolchesstimes.com/2018/09/2 ... itz-chess/

An aggressive anti-London system for club players - 16 minute video on some home cooking I’ve been working on against the London system
https://bristolchesstimes.com/2018/09/2 ... s-youtube/

Chess myths: Are there really three phases to a Chess game? Mike Harris thinks about how different players break down the game:
https://bristolchesstimes.com/2018/10/0 ... hess-game/

Enjoy, like and subscribe!