| Mar-08-03 | | Marnoff Mirlony: I don't see the reasoning behind Vallejo Pons letting his Castle go. Would 6...d4 not work? It seems to be a natural developing move without consequence. |
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| Mar-09-03 | | alhine: To Mirlony: White won, so it can't be that bad. White wants to get ahead in development. 6.Bc4 sets the trap 6...Bg4? 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Ng5+ followed by Qxg4. White doesn't want to open the d-file yet, if 6.d4 black can play 6...Bg4 with effect. |
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| Mar-09-03 | | drukenknight: For those who consider the English to be a Sicilian in reverse, is this like a Taimanov Sicilian in reverse? So why not a3 or something? |
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| Mar-09-03 | | drukenknight: what is wrong w/ 7 BxN? |
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| Mar-09-03 | | Spitecheck: <7..BxN> Perhaps white wishes to preserve his king's bishop with the help of the extra tempo in this reverse Sicilian lookalike. Certainly it looks a little silly to be moving the king back and forth, but black is also losing tempos with the knight so....perhaps he prepared this line. |
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| Mar-09-03 | | drukenknight: isnt the way to gain tempo to hit the Q w/ the Ne5? Then get your queen over to h5? Maybe too much blitz this week. |
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| Mar-09-03 | | Spitecheck: Yeah but if black play's Qd4 Qh5 g6 no? Then what Qg5?! I think it's a little early for the knight to make it's way to e5. After Ne5 you want to throw in f4 (wild) so the Knight can live unaided without the Queen. How's about Qb3 first, threatening Ne5? Than perhaps Be6 Qb5+ Qxb5 Nxb5 Na6!? d4....looks okay for white :). Be6 not good.... |
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| Mar-09-03 | | Spitecheck: Actually after Be6 Qxb7 and there's no tricks. |
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| Mar-09-03 | | alhine: To drukenknight: Black wouldn't mind trading queens after 7.Bxd3 Qxd3 8.Qe2, white is supposed to be trying to win. I haven't looked at whites move Ne5 harrassing the black queen. I prefer to focus on improvements for the losing side. Anyways, I think a3 is avoided in the English (or so-called reverse sicilian) because it defeats the purpose of having an extra tempo in hand. White can quickly castle and welcomes the bishop pair after blacks maneuver Bb4-Bxc3. I'm certain this was a prepared variation that backfired on black. It certainly wasn't book. |
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| Mar-10-03 | | drukenknight: alh: But I prefer to focus on the losing side too. Oh gee now I realize it is black that lost! hmmm, castling 000 could not have been smart why was it so much better over there? exchanging Qs on the 27th move does not look good. Why not Qd5? Still I suspect there is something I am missing earlier than that. |
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| Mar-10-03 | | alhine: In general, I try to look early for improvements. 15...0-0-0 does not look good. 15...0-0, then 16...Rad8 looks much more solid, despite whites pawn center (I guess black wanted a rook on d8 immediately after 0-0-0, but his position suffers). Good question about 27...Qxb1 instead of 27...Qd5 tripling. Unfortunately, this leaves the b-file wide open. Strong for white is 28.f3, then Qb4 and Rb1. You have the right idea, its exciting to discuss those opportunities missed at move "28" or "32" or whatever, but look earlier, and there is your answers. |
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| Jul-17-07 | | acirce: Fine win by Vallejo against the eventual tournament winner (shared with Kramnik but 1st on tiebreaks). 16.Nb1! is a gorgeous move vastly improving on Stohl's recommendation 16.h3. 13..Bc4+?! was tempting but wrong, 13..Qa5 is better. Today Lékó would hardly have entered this kind of line as Black when in shared lead with three rounds to go. He beat Anand in the next round to regain the lead. |
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| Sep-30-11 | | Resignation Trap: This opening line has been known for a long time. 6. d4? is bad due to 6...cxd4 7. Nxd4 Qxd4! |
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| Sep-30-11 | | SimonWebbsTiger: @<Resignation Trap> I play this line with white. It has always struck me us utterly nutty. In the ...Nb4 line, white wants to sac a pawn with b4; black says no, it wants to sac the pawn instead with ...g6! Utter mayhem results. Compare to ...Nxc3. Black can find itself in trouble if it doesn't know the endgame after dxc3! Two vastly contrasting positions result (a third, the Gruenfeld/hypermodern really, upon ...Nxc3, bxc3) |
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| Sep-30-11 | | SimonWebbsTiger: ps. an additional observation.
This is a variation which can lead to three types of position (tactical melee, endgame, hypermodern pressure on the centre) and in some instances result in the white king not castling in all three lines/type of play! |
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| May-20-17 | | Saniyat24: Black lost some tempo in the opening, but fought hard...but Francisco's defense was resolute, then his attack with the two Knights and a Rook was spectacular...! |
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Oct-11-20
 | | plang: The gambit 9 b4 is the main line but Vallejo had only played 9 Ne5 previously so Leko may have not been prepared. Rogers on 9..g6:
"Until now 9..g6 had been considered a reasonable counter-gambit but after this game it may well be described as a pawn blunder. Acceptance of the gambit looks necessary, after which White can choose between 9 Nd5 and 9 Ne2, both offering fair compensation for the pawn." Leko spent 40 minutes on 15..0-0-0!? ("After 15..0-0 I am just a pawn down"); 15..Rd8 was suggested as an alternative. 16 Nb1! was a novelty Vallejo had prepared some months earlier; 16 h3 had been played previously. After 21..Rd3? White won fairly easily; better was 21..fxe 22 Ng5..Bd4 23 Bxd4..Rxd4 24 Qg4+..Kb7 25 Ndxe4..Rf8! 26 Qe6..Qxe6 27 Nxe6..Rd1+ 28 Kg2..Rxh1 29 Kxh1..Rb8 and Black may be able to hold. |
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Kibitzing
sac: 18.Rxc4