Agreed. We want to get past the opening in good shape, Of course with some kind of direction for the middlegame.Also, at this point, I vote Joffer and/or SBob take us through the opening and just be honest here about where you're unsure or where roads diverge on the theory. I believe if Qc2 here, usually C5 is played against me when I'm white - but again - I don't play vs many nimzos. You guys should help us not #### it up til we get passed the opening
as long as they express with confidence ("this is the move") and maybe drop a sentence or two about why, this is the way to go. Then our "advantage" should kick in with more eyes on things. It's too unfamiliar for me, and seems like you're in the same boat along with the rest of us.Agreed. We want to get past the opening in good shape, Of course with some kind of direction for the middlegame.Also, at this point, I vote Joffer and/or SBob take us through the opening and just be honest here about where you're unsure or where roads diverge on the theory. I believe if Qc2 here, usually C5 is played against me when I'm white - but again - I don't play vs many nimzos. You guys should help us not #### it up til we get passed the opening
Chess AND trolling -- it's a Bender fapfest.WowSo this show was apparently a thing about 10 years ago. They have all of the episodes up on Youtube and it's an amazing trainwreck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpamG7Pv6tU&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajq3H0UX4d8&feature=youtu.be
There goes my afternoon.
Thank you for this.
so trueChess AND trolling -- it's a Bender fapfest.WowSo this show was apparently a thing about 10 years ago. They have all of the episodes up on Youtube and it's an amazing trainwreck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpamG7Pv6tU&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajq3H0UX4d8&feature=youtu.be
There goes my afternoon.
Thank you for this.
Affirmativethis where we are?
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Bb4
we are black?
that was really good.John Bender said:BTW
Aviv Friedman (who is an absolute fantastic lecturer), just did a lecture yesterday on a Keres vs Botvinnik Nimzo-Indian Game for anyone looking for general "ideas" behind the opening and how the loss of a tempo in exchange for the bishop pair can be a advantageous for black. The loss of time in the opening for White in the nimzo proves deadly in this case. I know tim was asking about a few "whys" behind the Nimzo for black and this just does an amazing job of explaining them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijleBScNchw
Enjoy it, if watching chess lectures is your thing.
Also, SBob or someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but the Qc2 on move 4, a quiet variation, is now the most popular response in modern chess to the Nimzo
Qc2 is my prediction for white, after which we should castleJohn Bender said:Affirmativeotello said:this where we are?
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Bb4
we are black?
He's the best as far as relating "ideas" to the audience and has his own playlist on that channel if you want more.that was really good.John Bender said:BTW
Aviv Friedman (who is an absolute fantastic lecturer), just did a lecture yesterday on a Keres vs Botvinnik Nimzo-Indian Game for anyone looking for general "ideas" behind the opening and how the loss of a tempo in exchange for the bishop pair can be a advantageous for black. The loss of time in the opening for White in the nimzo proves deadly in this case. I know tim was asking about a few "whys" behind the Nimzo for black and this just does an amazing job of explaining them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijleBScNchw
Enjoy it, if watching chess lectures is your thing.
Also, SBob or someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but the Qc2 on move 4, a quiet variation, is now the most popular response in modern chess to the Nimzo
Don't think you canderek245583 said:How can I start a game on chesstime and just move both pieces?I'll send you a chess time invite where we can follow alongIs there a diagram to follow?
Possibly helpful.I like his videos.Kaspy was on a plane all day, he just landed.
4. e3
He writes:
Just landed. I think Qc2 is better here in this team vs. me format, but I'm well versed in the Rubinstein, so away we go.
![]()
I hope somebody here is well versed in the Rubinstein, too...
Oof. Well, 0-0 is pretty much the next logical move in response to e3 in the Rubinstein variations.Kaspy was on a plane all day, he just landed.
4. e3
He writes:
Just landed. I think Qc2 is better here in this team vs. me format, but I'm well versed in the Rubinstein, so away we go.
![]()
I hope somebody here is well versed in the Rubinstein, too...
Why? And let's talk about the Rubinstein.Oof. Well, 0-0 is pretty much the next logical move in response to e3 in the Rubinstein variations.Kaspy was on a plane all day, he just landed.
4. e3
He writes:
Just landed. I think Qc2 is better here in this team vs. me format, but I'm well versed in the Rubinstein, so away we go.
![]()
I hope somebody here is well versed in the Rubinstein, too...
There isn't really one Rubinstein because the guy had such a pervasive influence, but anytime anyone does e3 in a closed game, they're playing it against the Nimzo or its transpositions. I'd like to see what JB et al. say, but I'd say kingside castling is about 85% for the next move. In this case, it helps us because we are still on the attack with the pin and can take the time to tuck away our king.Why? And let's talk about the Rubinstein.Oof. Well, 0-0 is pretty much the next logical move in response to e3 in the Rubinstein variations.Kaspy was on a plane all day, he just landed.
4. e3
He writes:
Just landed. I think Qc2 is better here in this team vs. me format, but I'm well versed in the Rubinstein, so away we go.
![]()
I hope somebody here is well versed in the Rubinstein, too...
Why be7 after a3? Wasn't the whole point of Bb4 to take the knight?Nice, I play the Rubinstein as White. Lots of viable moves for Black here, but I prefer playing in the style of Fischer with ...b6! Black's bishop will go to a6 in some lines putting immediate pressure on the c4-pawn or it can play from a normal spot such as b7, putting pressure on the long diagonal and White's king.
A standard continuation here might be
4... b6
5. Ne2 Ba6
6. a3 Be7
7. Nf4 d5 (continuing with pressure on the c4 pawn)
5. Bd3 would be White's other try, when Black instead develops the bishop to the long diagonal, castles short and plays d5
It depends. Just like with Qc2, 5. Ne2 will allow White to recapture with the knight and avoid the doubled pawns. So in that case, Black decline taking the knight and instead redeploys to Be7. Black isn't losing any time because the knight on e2 must move again if White wants to castle.Why be7 after a3? Wasn't the whole point of Bb4 to take the knight?Nice, I play the Rubinstein as White. Lots of viable moves for Black here, but I prefer playing in the style of Fischer with ...b6! Black's bishop will go to a6 in some lines putting immediate pressure on the c4-pawn or it can play from a normal spot such as b7, putting pressure on the long diagonal and White's king.
A standard continuation here might be
4... b6
5. Ne2 Ba6
6. a3 Be7
7. Nf4 d5 (continuing with pressure on the c4 pawn)
5. Bd3 would be White's other try, when Black instead develops the bishop to the long diagonal, castles short and plays d5
OK that makes sense. What about taking the knight right now then, or Ne4?It depends. Just like with Qc2, 5. Ne2 will allow White to recapture with the knight and avoid the doubled pawns. So in that case, Black decline taking the knight and instead redeploys to Be7. Black isn't losing any time because the knight on e2 must move again if White wants to castle.Why be7 after a3? Wasn't the whole point of Bb4 to take the knight?Nice, I play the Rubinstein as White. Lots of viable moves for Black here, but I prefer playing in the style of Fischer with ...b6! Black's bishop will go to a6 in some lines putting immediate pressure on the c4-pawn or it can play from a normal spot such as b7, putting pressure on the long diagonal and White's king.
A standard continuation here might be
4... b6
5. Ne2 Ba6
6. a3 Be7
7. Nf4 d5 (continuing with pressure on the c4 pawn)
5. Bd3 would be White's other try, when Black instead develops the bishop to the long diagonal, castles short and plays d5
That was very helpful. It looks like b6 and c5 are both pretty aggressive, while castling is the more conservative approach. Thoughts?Possibly helpful.I like his videos.Kaspy was on a plane all day, he just landed.
4. e3
He writes:
Just landed. I think Qc2 is better here in this team vs. me format, but I'm well versed in the Rubinstein, so away we go.
![]()
I hope somebody here is well versed in the Rubinstein, too...
I like b6 and later fianchettoing the bishop. And if he allows us the luxury of delaying castling, maybe castle on the queen side later? He may not be expecting that.Just throwing out food for thought, remember I'm still a 1200's player.That was very helpful. It looks like b6 and c5 are both pretty aggressive, while castling is the more conservative approach. Thoughts?Possibly helpful.I like his videos.Kaspy was on a plane all day, he just landed.
4. e3
He writes:
Just landed. I think Qc2 is better here in this team vs. me format, but I'm well versed in the Rubinstein, so away we go.
![]()
I hope somebody here is well versed in the Rubinstein, too...
Can you translate into 3rd grader English for me. I'm curious and want to learnHe usually plays C4 after D4.Nf6 keeps things flexible, Kings Indian or Grunfeld - both can be much sharper than a slav. I'd prefer to keep it solid and play D5 followed be C6d5 and Nf6 are both good options. I don't know much about NF6 opening lines, but probably a lot of you do. What kind of game do we want here?
Yikes. Then we're relying on one guy- Sacramento Bob- to work us through it. He seems to know his stuff though. What say you guys?I like castling, but b6 is interesting. Haven't really played it myself.
IF we play b6 we're not going to fianchetto the bishop, because the only guy here who knows the lines for b6 wants to play the Fischer variation which is Ba6, putting added pressure on the c4 pawn. So if we play b6 we're going to follow Sac Bob's lead through the opening. Which is fine if that's what you guys want. Or we could just play it safe and conservative and castle which apparently more of you are familiar with.I like b6 and later fianchettoing the bishop. And if he allows us the luxury of delaying castling, maybe castle on the queen side later? He may not be expecting that.Just throwing out food for thought, remember I'm still a 1200's player.That was very helpful. It looks like b6 and c5 are both pretty aggressive, while castling is the more conservative approach. Thoughts?Possibly helpful.I like his videos.Kaspy was on a plane all day, he just landed.
4. e3
He writes:
Just landed. I think Qc2 is better here in this team vs. me format, but I'm well versed in the Rubinstein, so away we go.
![]()
I hope somebody here is well versed in the Rubinstein, too...
John Bender said:WowThere goes my afternoon.SacramentoBob said:So this show was apparently a thing about 10 years ago. They have all of the episodes up on Youtube and it's an amazing trainwreck.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpamG7Pv6tU&feature=youtu.beJohn Bender said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajq3H0UX4d8&feature=youtu.be
Thank you for this.
I'm familiar with what Bob advocates and have played it. I just don't like it.Kaspy was on a plane all day, he just landed.
4. e3
He writes:
Just landed. I think Qc2 is better here in this team vs. me format, but I'm well versed in the Rubinstein, so away we go.
![]()
I hope somebody here is well versed in the Rubinstein, too...
Well, because either 5.Ne2 or 5.Bd3 effectively neutralizes the position (just IMO) and I feel like we've lost a tempo. I do understand what you're saying about castling against him, but I feel as though we've bought some time and maintained equality with our current position, and I would like to see what he does in response to a conservative move so we know what line of attack to pursue.Why don't you like it, AA?