| Apr-08-04 | | Taidanii: Why is 9...h6 even being considered over 9...Na5? |
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| Apr-08-04 | | Kenkaku: Actually, I feel that the Breyer or the Flohr-Zaitsev (popular these days) may be the best, rather than the Tchigorin. This is the Closed Ruy Lopez though, so any strategy can be effective, including the waiting move 9...h6 (it keeps the knight off g5, and will be useful in fighting off a kingside pawn storm as well, of course). |
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| Apr-08-04 | | BiLL RobeRTiE: The problem with 9...h6 is that the tempo spent on it allows White to complete the knight maneuver b1-d2-f1-(e3 or g3) with impunity - of course this is also present in the Breyer and some lines of the Chigorin. The Flohr-Zaitsev is probably Black's most testing line, as the pressure arrives at e4 fast enough to stop said maneuver. Given the choice, I would probably go for either the Zaitsev or the Breyer over the slow Smyslov and the "knight on the rim" Chigorin, but of course they are also both viable defenses. |
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| Apr-08-04 | | acirce: Yes, 9. - h6 is slow, probably unnecessarily so because Ng5 isn't often too effective. That is why Smyslov isn't so often played, but it is not unsound. |
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| Apr-08-04 | | ruylopez900: 9...h6 seems to be a waiting move, seeing what White will do. I agree with ken and bill that the Flohr-Zaitzev is the most testing line for White in the Closed Ruy Lopez. |
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| Oct-25-04 | | Helloween: I don't like moves that commit the pawn structure when there are at least 3 or 4 better moves on the board. To me, this is a poor man's Flohr-Zaitsev, since h7-h6 is an almost universal move in that system anyway. I play the Karpov variation (9...Nd7) almost exclusively in the closed. |
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| Jul-22-05 | | Backward Development: <I don't like moves that commit the pawn structure when there are at least 3 or 4 better moves on the board...h7-h6 is an almost universal move in that system anyway.>
Thus, the move doesn't really commit anything, since the move is common. Examining the main lines of the Zaitsev, white has many strong, forcing variations at his disposal which seem to leave black in trouble of being mated. While the QS majority is very important, quite often the weakness of Black's KS is more telling. In the Smyslov, direct attacks seem to happen less frequently and Black's QB in particular can benefit from the flexibility of 9...h6. In the closed positions after a d4-d5 push, it's well known that a bishop on d7 is generally more useful. I believe that critical difference is a reason to favor the Smyslov. The Karpov variation follows the maxim of making no weakening pawn moves, if possible. Although the main-line positions are very solid, they don't seem to offer black many winning chances. I'm learning how to defend the Spanish, and I think the Smyslov is maybe best. |
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| Jul-23-05 | | OneBadDog: If Black doesn't want a three move repetition in the Flohr-Zaitsev, he should be prepared to play the Smyslov. |
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Jul-23-05
 | | offramp: It is only a 3-fold repetition if one of the players claims it, as Van der Wiel vs Karpov, 1989 shows. Both players got nearer to the time-control with the multiple repetition. |
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| Aug-01-05 | | gambitfan: is it the Zaitsev variation of the Ruy Lopez ??? |
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Apr-09-06
 | | WTHarvey: Here is a little collection of puzzles from miniatures of the RL Closed, Smyslov (C93): http://www.wtharvey.com/c93.html What's the best move? |
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| Aug-17-10 | | rapidcitychess: <gambitfan? Er, no. 9...Bb7 and then 10...Re8
Seems like a the classical(Not like the Corden or Moller) defense, in order to play 10...Re8, 11...Bf8, 12...g6, 13...Bg7. Just to get a basic Ruy Lopez setup. |
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Mar-12-12
 | | Penguincw: Opening of the Day
Ruy Lopez, Closed, Smyslov Defense
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5. O-O ♗e7 6.♖e1 b5 7.♗b3 O-O 8.c3 d6 9.h3 h6
click for larger view |
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| Sep-29-13 | | Kikoman: <Opening of the Day> Ruy Lopez, Closed, Smyslov Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 h6
click for larger view |
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May-12-16
 | | eternaloptimist: <Opening of the Day>
The Ruy Lopez is 1 of my favorite openings & Smyslov is 1 of my favorite players! I plan to try out this variation vs a computer (at my rating level or weaker) soon. |
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Kibitzing
