Chess Tournament

[Sleeping in EQ]

I haven't played in one in a few years, but now that an active chess club is practically in my backyard....

Does anyone else play chess?

A tournament at the end of August will be a swiss pairings game-in-60, so there's time to play closed openings.

As white, I like the lines in the Ruy Lopez. I'll play a King's Gambit if the mood strikes me. As black, I like to play the French against king pawn and the Benoni against queen pawn. I steer English and offbeat openings into either the French or QGD. I'll also sometimes play the Petroff, the Sicilian, and the Queen's Gambit Declined.

My taste probably frustrates some opponents. Tournament players who play king pawn often like aggressive, tactical play. The French is a cramped, but rock-solid defense that punishes aggressive play. Those who like careful, positional play often go queen pawn. The Benoni is a swindling, swashbuckling opening that few are prepared for.

[MikeWaters]

I was undefeated at summer camp.

But I don't know a single move you are talking about.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I was undefeated at summer camp.

But I don't know a single move you are talking about.

Do you make particular moves at the beginning of the game?

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

Do you make particular moves at the beginning of the game?

I might bring out the pawn in front of the kind one space.

Usually bring out the knights at the beginning.

[Archaea]

Now you're going to make me get out my books, dude.

What's the Benoni, that's the only one I don't recognize?

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

I haven't played in one in a few years, but now that an active chess club is practically in my backyard....

Does anyone else play chess?

A tournament at the end of August will be a swiss pairings game-in-60, so there's time to play closed openings.

As white, I like the lines in the Ruy Lopez. I'll play a King's Gambit if the mood strikes me. As black, I like to play the French against king pawn and the Benoni against queen pawn. I steer English and offbeat openings into either the French or QGD. I'll also sometimes play the Petroff, the Sicilian, and the Queen's Gambit Declined.

My taste probably frustrates some opponents. Tournament players who play king pawn often like aggressive, tactical play. The French is a cramped, but rock-solid defense that punishes aggressive play. Those who like careful, positional play often go queen pawn. The Benoni is a swindling, swashbuckling opening that few are prepared for.

I just started playing about five years ago but I love chess. I play on yahoo. Was really into it for a couple years and not much for the past few.

I hate closed games. I play Italian game usually on white and try to open up the middle.

My favorite is when they play d5 to e4 and then screw around with their queen roaming it all around the board while I develop.

Also I love trash talking on yahoo chess. Like I'll be castled up with e rank wide open and I'll say I'm gonna take your queen in 6 moves, and then jump my knight off with a discovered check.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Now you're going to make me get out my books, dude.

What's the Benoni, that's the only one I don't recognize?

You can arrive at the Benoni a number of ways, but typically it goes like this:

1. d4, Nf6
2. c4, c5

This forces white to do something about her/his exposed d pawn. Allowing black to exchange it and then recapturing with the queen will result in a loss of time for white after Nc6, and worse, that Nc6 will allow black to play e5 more easily.

White often plays 3. d5 and then black responds with 3...d6, 3...e6, 3...e5 (a more passive, strategic choice) or 3...g6 (with an eye to putting the king side bishop in fianchetto). Black's pawns at c5 and d6 end up becoming important for stationing black's knight's powerfully. White looks to play e5 and black mounts a queen side attack with a6 and b5.

The strategic problem becomes whether white's center will prove to be too extended and vulnerable, or whether white will push black right off of the board. It's a fun opening to play, although white players who want to avoid the scramble will play 3. Nf3 and transpose into a drawish variation of the English opening.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Originally Posted by jay santos

I just started playing about five years ago but I love chess. I play on yahoo. Was really into it for a couple years and not much for the past few.

I hate closed games. I play Italian game usually on white and try to open up the middle.

My favorite is when they play d5 to e4 and then screw around with their queen roaming it all around the board while I develop.

Also I love trash talking on yahoo chess. Like I'll be castled up with e rank wide open and I'll say I'm gonna take your queen in 6 moves, and then jump my knight off with a discovered check.

I'll play the Italian game now and then. I used to play it more. Once in a while I still yen for the Fried Liver Attack.

You're right about the center-counter game. I know of one line that is playable (Vishi Anand played it some years ago), but anyone who isn't at least master level has no business messing with it. After white threatens black's queen, black should retreat the queen to d8. Black can then work to make good use of the d-file, but it's tough going.

I don't play online much. There are too many cheaters out there who have their Fritz or Chessmaster program running on another tab or right next to them, or who have their books open. Blitz games aren't so bad for that, but then I like more time to play.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

I'll play the Italian game now and then. I used to play it more. Once in a while I still yen for the Fried Liver Attack.

You're right about the center-counter game. I know of one line that is playable (Vishi Anand played it some years ago), but anyone who isn't at least master level has no business messing with it. After white threatens black's queen, black should retreat the queen to d8. Black can then work to make good use of the d-file, but it's tough going.

I don't play online much. There are too many cheaters out there who have their Fritz or Chessmaster program running on another tab or right next to them, or who have their books open. Blitz games aren't so bad for that, but then I like more time to play.

you can't beat Chessmaster?

[Sleeping in EQ]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I might bring out the pawn in front of the kind one space.

Usually bring out the knights at the beginning.

There are reasons for white to start with the king pawn out only one square (such as to transpose to another opening or to get a computer out of it's database) but it's often easier for white to get a strong game by playing the king pawn out two squares.

On the other hand, black has more easily justified reasons for responding to white playing the king pawn, queen pawn, or either of the bishop pawns with moving her king pawn out only one square. My favorite French defense does this. With the king's file being "e" and the queen's file being "d" and the pawns starting on "2" for white and "7" for black, the French defense starts like this:

1. e4, e6
2. d4, d5

Black trades space for a strong d-pawn. If white plays too aggressively, as many white players feeling their oats are wont to do, his attack will break on the rocks and black will have an overwhelming counter-attack.