Chess Forum
mailcafe.net << - < - > - >>
| From | Message |
| Posted by andy94 mailcafe.net 10/07/2008 12:09:55 play online chess |  Subject: Chess opening.Message: I started to use English opening and I won about 90% of games played. But, in theory, what are English opening's pros? And what opening do you play more? Thanks for reading and, please, comment. |
| Posted by dysfl mailcafe.net 10/07/2008 13:19:31 play online chess | Just enjoy it for now Message: I'm another beginner. I don't think the choice for first move would make that much difference, at least at your level or mine. I have never played other than 1. d4 for a while, but even I play 1. h4, my winning rate would not change more than 5% to either way. I have played many other players in GK, with a little higher than my level, and some play pretty lame opening moves, but beats me down to the ground in the middle game. If you have 90% success with English, that’s great. Maybe it suits you for now. If it happens to me, I would enjoy it while it lasts. |
| Posted by tugger mailcafe.net 10/07/2008 16:44:16 play online chess | Message: As Black, I tend to variate a little. I usually reply to 1. e4 with 1... c5 (Sicilian), but am comfortable with 1... Nf6 (Alekhine). Sicilian, statistically speaking, is Black's strongest defence, but most players are familiar with this opening, so sometimes I think it's best to play a defence that white is less comfortable with. As for 1. d4, I do not play this myself. I religiously defend as Black with 1... f5 (Dutch), and take the Leningrad line (g6 followed by Bg7, and castling behind). I have a win rate of better than 50%, I suspect this is because the majority of players at my level are not prepared for the kingside attack that comes with this defence. I have never played 1. c4, though I have had it played against me a few times. The database suggests 1... c5 is best reply, but I always take the opportunity to play Dutch in this event, since as Black I am very comfortable with this. If opening theory is something you wish to learn more about, then first stop should be the database here at GK. Before I started playing here, my opening knowledge was very limited. No sooner had I started to study, my rating soared by 200 points to 1600 over a couple of months. It's a very useful tool. |
| Posted by ccmcacollister mailcafe.net 10/12/2008 13:19:53 play online chess | English = Message: You might want to check into IM John Watson and CCM Stephen Gerzadowicz for some interesting English and closed opening ideas. 1.c4 and 1.g3 type |
Chess news: A Year With No New Champs but Plenty of Big Winners -- Viswanathan Anand of India, the world chess champion, and Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia, the women’s titleholder, were able to rest on their laurels in 2009. That was because for the first time in six years there was no world championship match or tournament. That did not mean there were fewer big matches. In some ways there were more than ever. In addition to the traditional elite chess tournaments in Linares, Spain; Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands; and Moscow, upstart events in Sofia, Bulgaria, and Nanjing, China, thrived, and a chess tournament had its debut in London. And Russia played host to the World Chess Cup. Buoyed by victories in Nanjing and London, Magnus Carlsen, ... Can Kramnik find a bold move? -- The former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik had a superb year. But how did he turn this game to his advantage? Kramnik-Kosteniuk, World Chess Cup Blitz Moscow 2009. White to play. Apart from Magnus Carlsen's breakthrough, the major story of 2009 was Vladimir Kramnik's comeback. Since he lost the world title he looks more relaxed, his opening preparation is more thorough, and his play is sharper. This game is a good illustration of Kramnik's chess style. RB This looks to me like a pretty evenly balanced middlegame, and I can find nothing – nothing – at all for White. I can't see any tactical strikes. 1 Nxf7, 1 Ng6, 1 Rxc7 and 1 Bxd5 are all ... The game enjoys a calmer decade -- After the turbulent 1990s, the world of chess needed a calmer period. Here are my reflections on the past decade and a few guesses about the future: Bobby Fischer, probably the most famous chess player ever, died in 2008. Fischer had not played publicly since 1992, but he grabbed attention with vile anti-American statements and a long battle to avoid extradition from Japan. He eventually won the battle, sparing chess fans and the U.S. government more embarrassment, and spent his final years in exile in Iceland. His "improved" version of the game, Fischer random chess, has attracted few adherents. Garry Kasparov, another colossal chess figure, retired in 2005. He quickly ... | |