| Oct-18-04 | | Shadout Mapes: You gotta admire him for attempting the stalemate. |
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| Oct-18-04 | | Knezh: I know Raja personally. He is only 15 years old, and very talented. I remember we have been often blitzing with each other, but he had the upper hand in most games.
He is very good at tactics. |
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| Oct-19-04 | | shr0pshire: Wow, what an opening! Great execution. |
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| Oct-19-04 | | mack: This really is a fascinating game - one which needs much more attention. |
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Oct-19-04
 | | IMlday: 18..Nc7? was a tactical blunder but I think White was slightly better anyway.
White has the safer King. Chigorin-Blackburne games in this line were 2-0 for White iirc. |
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| Oct-19-04 | | Zaius: What was the reason behind 23.Kf2 ? I assume it was to put the king in a safer spot, but I do not see how it is better. How is it better than, say, 23. O-O-O ? |
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Oct-19-04
| | IMlday: The main point of 23.Kf2 was to protect the g3 pawn and mobilize the defensive N/f1. Black has no attack and the King is a wonderful 'cement' piece for defence. Then the N/f1, freed of its defensive duty, has a clear highway f1-h2-f3-g5-e4 while Black just sits there. |
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| Oct-19-04 | | Zaius: Very interesting! Thank you. |
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Oct-20-04
| | IMlday: I played in a Kitchener Futurity that Raja was in last Summer. He likes 1..b6!?. It is an interesting move if one doesn't mind playing Hippopotamuses formations.
Ergo Spassky tried it, and me many times. So 1.e4 e6!? 2.Qe2!? (Chigorin) b6!? (Blackburne): an Owen's (1.e4 b6) with a goofy move for White instead of the obvious 2.d4. Ray and Tony Miles in the 80's did a lot to make 'English' variations respectable,
especially 1.c4 b6 or 1.Nf3 b6. When Fischer stayed at the Biyiasas's back in the 80's the book he was devouring was Blackburne's Best Games~~a much under-rated player claimed the Bobby.
But as for pawn structure what is instructive in this game is the relation with King safety. If Black goes Kingside then g3-g4 is pointy, while if he goes Queenside then White is set up for the b3-b4 line-opener. So White has an advantage in *flexibility* strategy-wise. That is how I look at such positions. |
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| Aug-19-05 | | aw1988: <ImlDay> Smyslov would be proud. By the way, where did you get such information on Fischer? |
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Jun-24-19
 | | fredthebear: <IMlday> FTB agrees this is an Owen's Defense preceded by 1...e6 (which might be the best way to reach the Owen). FTB thinks Black should have played 7...c5 and stayed in French Defense waters. Black eventually plays 15...c5 w/the knight on rim. A French Defense book featuring a mix of Bb7/Bd7/Be7 (the reader is given some choices, depending upon White's opening variation) was written by Neil McDonald entitled "How to Play Against 1 e4". Otherwise, 3.b6 and 4.Bb7 or 4.Ba6 is not very common, perhaps because it's not considered best. McDonald is well-respected for his ability as a writer and for his specific knowledge of the French Defense. This game proceeds to 10...Ne7, which comes around to a Hippopotamus Defense w/both knights in front of royalty and the bishops fianchettoed (definitely no longer a French Defense). Then White masterfully expands and makes good use of his space advantage, making Black look a bit foolish at times. |
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Jun-24-19
| | fredthebear: <IMlday> Perhaps this is the game you referenced above w/a similar start: Chigorin vs Blackburne, 1899 |
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Jun-24-19
| | fredthebear: Correction for above: Otherwise 3...b6 and 4...Bb7 or 4...Ba6 of the French Defense is not very common. One should be prepared for this slightly delayed approach for both colors in the Qe2 lines: Morozevich vs Lputian, 2000 |
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Jun-27-19
| | fredthebear: Here's another 2.Qe2 b6 battle:
Chigorin vs Blackburne, 1905 |
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Jun-27-19
| | fredthebear: This one seems to be a bit more famous. Notes by Stockfish 9 are included: Chigorin vs Blackburne, 1898 |
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Kibitzing
sac: 19.Nf6+