Grand Chess Tour events: Paris GCT and Leuven, Belgium

[NickFaulks]

If Carlsen punts 1. f4, can he do better than Kramnik? But perhaps the world champion would be more respectful.

I don't believe Botvinnik thought he was being disrespectful when he played the Dutch. What's the difference?

[Roger de Coverly]

I don't believe Botvinnik thought he was being disrespectful when he played the Dutch. What's the difference?

Did Botvinnik or any top Soviet play the Bird's?

The story behind Carlsen playing 1. f4 against Kramnik was apparently that Kramnik had said that Larsen wasn't highly regarded as a role model in the former Soviet states.

[Chris Rice]

Kasparov tweets wondering if he's going to have to retire if its turns out to be a disaster.

[Matt Mackenzie]

If Carlsen punts 1. f4, can he do better than Kramnik? But perhaps the world champion would be more respectful.

I don't believe Botvinnik thought he was being disrespectful when he played the Dutch. What's the difference?

Strange given that the Bird is effectively the Dutch a tempo up, but the latter genuinely seems better regarded.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Strange given that the Bird is effectively the Dutch a tempo up, but the latter genuinely seems better regarded."

Except black doesn't have to play 1....d5

[Matt Mackenzie]

Though they *usually* do.

[Kevin Thurlow]

True - I used to play 1....e5, and accidentally found a good TN in one line, but then there is the danger of 2.f4 to confuse you.

There was a guy at my work club and another from the home club who habitually played 1.f4, so I got plenty of practice against it.

[NickFaulks]

Though they *usually* do. { reply 1...d5 }

I did wonder myself why Botvinnik never punted 1.f4. Maybe he was worried about the From, probably not. More likely, I felt, he was thinking of independent replies, perhaps Pirc-like, where the positional player may wish his pawn wasn't on f4. Interesting, but just idle speculation.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"I did wonder myself why Botvinnik never punted 1.f4. Maybe he was worried about the From, probably not. More likely, I felt, he was thinking of independent replies, perhaps Pirc-like, where the positional player may wish his pawn wasn't on f4. Interesting, but just idle speculation."

Probably the latter. He played Pirc-like things himself, so might have been wary.

[Paul Cooksey]

Did Botvinnik or any top Soviet play the Bird's?

I find that era fascinating so I was interested enough to check. Bronstein, of course. But also Smyslov and Kortchnoi.

In view of the Botvinnik speculation, interesting that Ragozin, his second, played 1.f4 several times. So he surely knew about it. But I'm not sure how much of a factor respectability would have been, since Botvinnik was ploughing new territory in lines we now consider respectable. Perhaps not the Dutch though, which was probably in higher regard when Botwinnik was playing it than now.

[Richard Bates]

I think this discussion needs perhaps to consider the respectability of the various lines of the Dutch, and therefore associated approaches to playing the Bird's.

ie. Classical, Stonewall and Leningrad. Neither the classical nor Stonewall approach have much of a reputation with white, with good reason I think, and was the Leningrad Dutch considered particularly respectable (with either colour) in Botvinnik's time?

[Tim Harding]

I think this discussion needs perhaps to consider the respectability of the various lines of the Dutch, and therefore associated approaches to playing the Bird's... was the Leningrad Dutch considered particularly respectable (with either colour) in Botvinnik's time?

For my 1976 Batsford book on the Leningrad Dutch (the first to appear I think) I did an historical introduction, but in those pre-database days I may have missed some anticipations of the opening. The name derives from investigations from about 1936 by masters from Leningrad, especially K. Vinogradov and E. Kuzminikh, later also Korchnoi.

Anticipations of the idea of combing the Dutch with a kingside fianchetto had been seen earlier.

An important early win for Black was the following game where N. Kopylov (later an ICCF IM) defeated Botvinnik (since you're asking) in the 1951 USSR Championship. There followed an article by Vinogradov in Shakhmaty v SSSR 1952. After this C.H.O'D. Alexander sometimes played it.

[Event "URS-ch19"] [Site "Moscow"] [Date "1951.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Botvinnik, Mikhail"] [Black "Kopylov, Nikolai Georgievich"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A81"] [Annotator "Harding,Tim"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "1951.11.11"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "17"] [EventCountry "URS"] 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. Bg5 Nc6 6. Qd2 d5 7. Bxf6 Bxf6 8. Nxd5 Bxd4 9. Nxc7+ Kf7 10. Nf3 (10. Nxa8 $5 Bxf2+ $1 11. Kd1 Qxd2+ {was Kopylov's intention} (11... Be3 $1 $11 {Stockfish8}) 12. Kxd2 Rd8+ 13. Kc3 Bd4+ 14. Kb3 Be6+ 15. c4 Na5+ {but Stockfish prefers White after} 16. Kb4) 10... Bxb2 $5 (10... Bxf2+ 11. Kxf2 Qxc7 $11 {when Kopylov gave} 12. Rhf1 {(Not best probably)} Qb6+ 13. e3 h6 14. Kg1 Be6) 11. Rb1 Qxd2+ 12. Nxd2 Bc3 13. Rb3 (13. Nxa8 Rd8 14. O-O Rxd2 15. Nc7 Rxe2 16. Nd5 Bd4 {but Stockfish prefers White}) 13... Bxd2+ 14. Kxd2 Be6 15. Nxe6 $6 (15. Nxa8 Bxb3 16. axb3 Rxa8 17. Bxc6 { Kopylov}) 15... Kxe6 16. Rxb7 Rhd8+ 17. Kc1 Nd4 18. Re1 Rac8 19. Rb2 Rc5 20. e3 Nb5 21. Rd1 Rdc8 22. Rd5 Rxd5 23. Bxd5+ Kxd5 24. Rxb5+ Ke4 25. Rb7 Re8 26. Rxa7 $2 Kf3 27. a4 Kxf2 28. a5 g5 29. a6 Kxe3 30. Rd7 e5 31. a7 Ra8 32. Rxh7 f4 33. gxf4 gxf4 34. Kd1 f3 35. c4 Rd8+ 36. Kc2 f2 37. Rf7 Ra8 0-1

[Chris Rice]

http://grandchesstour.org/news-press-re ... lent-saint

According to this article FIDE Ethics Commission to study comeback by Kasparov Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, has claimed that Kasparov must first be cleared to compete. Given that Kasparov was disqualified for two years for alleged corruption and vote buying at the 2013 FIDE Presidential election in Tallinn in Estonia.

[LawrenceCooper]

http://grandchesstour.org/news-press-re ... lent-saint

According to this article FIDE Ethics Commission to study comeback by Kasparov Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, has claimed that Kasparov must first be cleared to compete. Given that Kasparov was disqualified for two years for alleged corruption and vote buying at the 2013 FIDE Presidential election in Tallinn in Estonia.

I guess that FIDE could threaten not to rate the event but not sure what else they could do.

[Roger de Coverly]

Given that Kasparov was disqualified for two years for alleged corruption and vote buying at the 2013 FIDE Presidential election in Tallinn in Estonia.

As the election was in 2014, and in Norway rather than Estonia, the article is rather low on accurate factual reporting.

Neither Kasparov nor Leong were banned from playing.

https://www.chess.com/news/view/fide-et ... leong-8492

Mr Kasparov and Mr Leong are both banned for a period of two (2) years from holding any office or position within FIDE, including its member federations, continental associations or any other affiliated international organisations, as well as participating in any FIDE meeting as delegate, proxy-holder or other representative of a FIDE member.