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| Thread: Reflections on chess |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 · «PREV |
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Galaad
Hero of Order
Li mort as morz, li vif as vis
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posted January 28, 2017 08:12 PM |
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No no no 
The advantage to know the key positions of finales is there is no need to count. 
The key of the position is not to know if the king will be in the square or not, but that the white bishop is a bishop of white squares and that the promotion case for the pawn is a black one, and that the black is inside the square! Impossible to get him out of h8.
If it was the pawn at a2 instead of h2 then it gains in line. No need to count if the king will be able to reach the promotion sqaure of promotion in time, all it takes is that he is in the pawn's square, namely diagonal of the square (h1 a8).
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OhforfSake
Promising
Legendary Hero
Initiate
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posted January 28, 2017 08:19 PM |
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Yes it is indeed impossible to get him out of h8 once he get there, too bad he won't reach it from a8 if it is white to move. 
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OhforfSake
Promising
Legendary Hero
Initiate
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posted August 12, 2017 03:02 PM |
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Galaad said:
A few reflections on the Sicilian opening.
[...]
This game from Vachier-Lagrave (Dortmund 2016) starts with a Najdorf with ...d6, then the variation of the "poisoned pawn", after ...Qb6 to take the pawn in b2.
There have recently been a game at the Sinquefield cup with many of the best players of the world participating, where Vachier-Lagrave played the poisoned pawn variation versus Fabiano Caruana.
There was an exciting novelty by Caruana at move 10, Qd3, leading to this position:
Vachier-Lagrave turned away from the best move to capture on b2 and playing the poisoned pawn variation, because (most likely) this was a move he had never met before at this level and couldn't within the constraint of time control expect himself to fully understand the consequences.
The best move was indeed to take the pawn, but the following complication without proper preparations could have led to an advantage for Caruano.
The alternative route of not taking the pawn, which Vachier-Lagrave went for also gave white a better position, though it ended in a draw, following the game was very exciting and I think it is fantastic to see that even the best players can be beaten in an opening they themselves are particular known for.
The game can be found here, but without engine analysis I don't think the moves themselves will tell much of a story:
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1883687
Anyway congratulations to Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and France with winning the very strong competition.
Also sadly the images of the previous pages do not load for me anymore.
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Galaad
Hero of Order
Li mort as morz, li vif as vis
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posted August 15, 2017 11:20 AM |
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It is obvious Vachier-Lagrave understands the interest of playing ...Qxb2 with real tactical chances to win, but being first in ranking and playing against a weak Caruana in this tourney, he favors playing more positional and stay in comfort zone to easily draw and stay in the lead.
Qd3 isn't a surprise, a move slightly inferior to Qf3, but as he didn't revise the line, and that's he's not willing to take risks, then the slightly inferior move but postionally stable is chosen. On a side note we can notice during the last game against Neponimach the quality of Vachier-Lagrave's positional play which was remarkable (ATM n2 worldwide).
To be continued, the great return of Kasparov...
OhforfSake said:
Also sadly the images of the previous pages do not load for me anymore.
I know, will fix it.
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OhforfSake
Promising
Legendary Hero
Initiate
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posted August 15, 2017 12:16 PM |
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Well considering white had a winning advantage 9 moves later, I think the game shouldn't be thought to have been anything to do with the word "easy".
Anyway I only wanted to point out the good thing that even the top specialist in a given opening can be "out of book", or at least out-prepared if you prefer.
Edit: I have not been able to find a position with Qf3 after the move Qb6 in the opening database. Usually it comes before Qb6 or after Qc7 as far as I can tell.
Also please note at move 7 Vachier-Lagrave played h6, and at move 9 Caruana played a3, the only move in the database at move 10 for white is Bf2. Similar positions without h6 or a3 does contain Qd3, but not with these moves combined, meaning there is a case for calling it a novelty.
Here are the positions of interest:
Without 7. h6, 8. Bh4:
Only move in the database is Qd2
Without 7. h6, 8. Bh4 and without 8. a3:
Here Qd3 is the third most popular move.
With 7. h6, but without 9. a3:
Again Qd3 is the third most popular choice.
The position in the game with 7. h6 and 9. a3:
Here the only move in the database is Bf2, hence Qd3 is probably a novelty.
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Galaad
Hero of Order
Li mort as morz, li vif as vis
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posted August 15, 2017 02:14 PM |
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Forfy said:
Anyway I only wanted to point out the good thing that even the top specialist in a given opening can be "out of book", or at least out-prepared if you prefer.
I only responded that indeed MVL was out of his preparation, and that he could solve tactical problems he didn't know in this position by positional treatment. Since he is specialist of Najdorf (and Sicilian and poisoned pawn) he chose a positional treatment from which the springs are already acquired for him. Which could allow him to draw easily.
I don't deny the computers were evaluating a small advantage to Caruana, there indeed exists a very advanced theory and the variations you propose are interesting, but that wasn't my point (yes, Qf3 is on another line, you are right).
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Ghost
Undefeatable Hero
Therefore I am
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posted August 15, 2017 02:28 PM |
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Don't select this variation. Greater masters will avoid the opening game. I can't remember nor I can't feel find explanations.
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Tsar-ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted November 14, 2017 12:55 PM |
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After a few dozen games and hundreds of scenario simulators I realized that initiative is absolutely key. When i started out i fell into the trap of being too reactionary and only taking oppotunities that were handed to me (ie baited).
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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artu
Promising
Undefeatable Hero
My BS sensor is tingling again
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posted November 14, 2017 01:28 PM |
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But that's the thing, a real good player can be baiting you calculating 5 moves ahead, so your impression of an initiative may still be a bait in disguise.
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Are you pretty? This is my occasion. - Ghost
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Ghost
Undefeatable Hero
Therefore I am
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posted November 15, 2017 06:28 PM |
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Same as http://ficsgames.org/openings.html You select the strongest player, and standard game, what I recommend for chess. You can also download mega database
You will find my games! NB I played three years, and I went to chess tournament, so you know what my level was. You need chessbase reader, if you download mega database. Remember the strongest player, and old stars like that Fischer, Alekhine, Capablanca, so you will find to the best move.
https://torrentz2.eu/search?f=mega+database
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