Team X Chess thread (1 Viewer)

[Joe T]

One thing to note about b4. I think it lowers our ability to castle queen side. After b4, if we decide to castle our defense is actually stronger king side. And we don't have his dark square bishop to contend with as much (eventually). And castling king side frees both our rooks to attack queen side.

I'm not sure we will end up castling at all, but I think after b4 castling queen side is less likely.

 

[Sand]

You guys have me convinced. I'm good with b4

One official vote for b4.

I'd like to see some analysis of my Rh2 consideration before everyone decides b4 is it, though.

 

[pizzatyme]

Sand, let's play out Rh2 in this thread.

As black, here are what I see as options:

Qg6 or Qh5

f5 or g5

Bh6

If I'm black, I play g5. I want to force the B back and then I push h6 if white goes h4.

Rb2 isn't bad by any means, I just think it gives away a tempo and we can play it later if needed.

Just what I see here.

 

[pizzatyme]

Sand, let's play out Rh2 in this thread.

As black, here are what I see as options:

Qg6 or Qh5

f5 or g5

Bh6

If I'm black, I play g5. I want to force the B back and then I push h6 if white goes h4.

Rb2 isn't bad by any means, I just think it gives away a tempo and we can play it later if needed.

Just what I see here.

 

[Joe T]

You guys have me convinced. I'm good with b4

One official vote for b4.

I'd like to see some analysis of my Rh2 consideration before everyone decides b4 is it, though.

As I mentioned above, I think this is really a strategy for the rest of the game decision. My opinion: Rh2 prepares us to castle queen side and soon start attack king side. This is tough since their defense is all king side.

b4 prepares us to attack queen side and NOT castle queen side, but potentially castle king side or not castle at all.

either way, I think we stay the course in the middle and continue to try to hold our advantage there.

Like I in my earlier post, I like b4 and the option of castling king side later. We attack where his defense isn't.

Would love more opinions though.

 

[Sand]

Sand, let's play out Rh2 in this thread.

As black, here are what I see as options:

Qg6 or Qh5

f5 or g5

Bh6

If I'm black, I play g5. I want to force the B back and then I push h6 if white goes h4.

Rb2 isn't bad by any means, I just think it gives away a tempo and we can play it later if needed.

Just what I see here.

I agree. I'll put in mine and give two official votes for b4. If we get a third we'll throw this over the fence and then wait for another ice age to pass while they cogitate on their next move...

 

[pizzatyme]

Thirdedrdeded

 

[Sand]

Thirdedrdeded

Done.

 

[Sand]

 

[Sand]

O has popped in with both moves.

In our white game: a5

In our black game: Bg3

Lots of options now. In our white game the obvious response is a3. Have done about .25 seconds worth of looking, though.

 

[pizzatyme]

White

a3 is no good.

Black

I think Qa2 looks okay. Still looking...

 

[Sand]

White

a3 is no good.

True - b5 looks much better.

 

[pizzatyme]

Black

Nc6 is a possibility. We have to be prepared for Nd6+ Bxd6 exd6

Nc6 attacks e5 with both knights. If they exchange Ns, I think that works in our favor.

Something to consider...

 

[nysfl2]

White

a3 is no good.

True - b5 looks much better.

White

b5 looks solid.

Na4 also looks decent:

Na4 axb4

Qxb4 ????

Looking to go Nb6 and put some pressure on them

 

[nysfl2]

Black

Sand - could you fix move 11 to remove the ambiguity (Nfd7)? I keep getting an error in Chess Tempo

 

[nysfl2]

Black

Nc6 is a possibility. We have to be prepared for Nd6+ Bxd6 exd6

Nc6 attacks e5 with both knights. If they exchange Ns, I think that works in our favor.

Something to consider...

Qxa2 attacks his rook, which we can still take at the end of that exchange.

Nc6 probably just gets a Nxc6 response, which opens up his queen, and isolates our pawns. I don't see much advantage coming out of that.

After Qxa2, we can look to move Qd5, which sets up an attack on a bunch of his pieces.

 

[pizzatyme]

White

a3 is no good.

True - b5 looks much better.

Whiteb5 looks solid.

Na4 also looks decent:

Na4 axb4

Qxb4 ????

Looking to go Nb6 and put some pressure on them

I looked at Na4 too. I think b5 closes things up after they go c5. I think I prefer the openness of Na4 better.

 

[Sand]

Black

Sand - could you fix move 11 to remove the ambiguity (Nfd7)? I keep getting an error in Chess Tempo

I thought that was the correct nomenclature. Have to look it up.

Edit: Fixed.

 

[pizzatyme]

White

Na4 b6

??

Just thinking out loud...

 

[Christo]

 

[Joe T]

White

Rb1?

I don't see any bad outcomes here.

 

[Joe T]

Black

Qxa2?

Looks fun. So many possibilities after that.

Qxa2

15.Rb3 Qa1+
16.Kf2 Bc5

 

[pizzatyme]

White

I like Qa2. That's my vote.

Black

I like Rb1 or b5. Good with either.

 

[nysfl2]

White

I like Qa2. That's my vote.

Black

I like Rb1 or b5. Good with either.

White - agree on Qxa2.

Black - good with either of these, or Na4, as well. If they go b6 in response to Na4, bxa5 should work out just fine.

 

[pizzatyme]

White

I like Qa2. That's my vote.

Black

I like Rb1 or b5. Good with either.

White - agree on Qxa2.

Black - good with either of these, or Na4, as well. If they go b6 in response to Na4, bxa5 should work out just fine.

I'm also good with Na4. That's 2 votes, oh Sand, please report to the white courtesy phone...

 

[Sand]

White

I like Qa2. That's my vote.

Black

I like Rb1 or b5. Good with either.

White - agree on Qxa2.

Black - good with either of these, or Na4, as well. If they go b6 in response to Na4, bxa5 should work out just fine.

I'm also good with Na4. That's 2 votes, oh Sand, please report to the white courtesy phone...

I haven't looked at these, but I am here today. Gotta do some stuff with the kids, but will chime in by late afternoon at the latest.

 

[Sand]

White

I like Qa2. That's my vote.

Black

I like Rb1 or b5. Good with either.

White - agree on Qxa2.

Black - good with either of these, or Na4, as well. If they go b6 in response to Na4, bxa5 should work out just fine.

I'm also good with Na4. That's 2 votes, oh Sand, please report to the white courtesy phone...

I haven't looked at these, but I am here today. Gotta do some stuff with the kids, but will chime in by late afternoon at the latest.

I agree on Qxa2. I am going to make that one. Haven't looked into our white game. That's next.

 

[Sand]

White

I like Qa2. That's my vote.

Black

I like Rb1 or b5. Good with either.

White - agree on Qxa2.

Black - good with either of these, or Na4, as well. If they go b6 in response to Na4, bxa5 should work out just fine.

I'm also good with Na4. That's 2 votes, oh Sand, please report to the white courtesy phone...

I haven't looked at these, but I am here today. Gotta do some stuff with the kids, but will chime in by late afternoon at the latest.

I agree on Qxa2. I am going to make that one. Haven't looked into our white game. That's next.

After looking I like the positions we get by moving b5. Making that one.

 

[timschochet]

Hey guys, I'm really enjoying following these games. I'm thinking that, when it's over, we ought to have another tournament.

 

[pizzatyme]

I'm up for being middle of the road once again!

I bet it's kind of fun to be able to peek into both threads and look at opposing strategy talk. Like a double agent.

 

[timschochet]

I'm up for being middle of the road once again!

I bet it's kind of fun to be able to peek into both threads and look at opposing strategy talk. Like a double agent.

It is. It's actually quite informative. When it's over, you could take all the posts on both sides, print them out in the order of posting, and it would make a very nice tutorial for a chess magazine- well worth reading.

 

[spOOfy]

i show 4 hours left on the white game. am i missing a move or something?

 

[spOOfy]

last move i have on white game is them moving to a5.

 

[pizzatyme]

Spoofy, we moved b5.

 

[spOOfy]

Spoofy, we moved b5.

thanks, just noticed sand say that. just hasn't updated the page 1 post.

good move, me thinks

 

[Sand]

Spoofy, we moved b5.

thanks, just noticed sand say that. just hasn't updated the page 1 post.

Yes I did! (just now )

I'm up for being middle of the road once again!

I bet it's kind of fun to be able to peek into both threads and look at opposing strategy talk. Like a double agent.

It is. It's actually quite informative. When it's over, you could take all the posts on both sides, print them out in the order of posting, and it would make a very nice tutorial for a chess magazine- well worth reading.

So, and you can spill here, how much is Otello talking to himself over there? Oh, and tell them that in not too long they're gonna feel like the white queen.

Thanks for popping in - now go make yourself useful and deliver some smack, will ya?

Also, as a general announcement, please note I will be travelling for work on Wednesday Thursday. 5:30am flight out, 8pm flight back. Ugh. May have some time at airports, but if there is radio silence that is why.

 

[pizzatyme]

Ok, the moves are in!

White game

They did bxc5. I think cxb5 is a nice option there. Also Nb5.

Black game

They did Rd1. I like Be7. A lot of possibilities here too. Nc6 or a move by the Q.

 

[Sand]

Ok, the moves are in!

White game

They did bxc5. I think cxb5 is a nice option there. Also Nb5.

I updated the move posts. Note they did cxb5. I looked at this possibility when we moved last and the two main options are as Pizza stated. I think if we move cxb5 they counter with a4 to hang that pawn out to dry. I personally tilt toward Nxb5. It exposes their lack of a pawn threat there, giving us a nice knight outpost. It directly attacks c7 and more importantly d6. Black has essentially no way to challenge this piece. He can't get a knight over there. An exchange with his light side bishop is a big win for us, considering all of our pawns are on light squares. Any downsides anyone see?

I honestly think this is a bit of a mistake from them. I don't see how allowing our knight there helps them.

 

[pizzatyme]

Sand, what's our play after they follow with Bd7?

I think we could go a4 if they did that.

 

[Sand]

Black game

They did Rd1. I like Be7. A lot of possibilities here too. Nc6 or a move by the Q.

This one requires more thought, but initially Be7 and Nc6 look like the first candidates. I worry about them moving Nc3 a bit, so Qb2 should be on the table.

 

[pizzatyme]

My guess is that they view our Ns as more valuable in a closed game and they'd gladly trade their B for our N on b5.

 

[Sand]

My guess is that they view our Ns as more valuable in a closed game and they'd gladly trade their B for our N on b5.

That's a mistake, IMO, as we have a couple backward pawns on white squares. I think we come out ahead there. And I agree with the a4 response.

 

[pizzatyme]

Black game

They did Rd1. I like Be7. A lot of possibilities here too. Nc6 or a move by the Q.

This one requires more thought, but initially Be7 and Nc6 look like the first candidates. I worry about them moving Nc3 a bit, so Qb2 should be on the table.

I kind of like Qd5 as it threatens the N and if they move Nc3 we go Qa5 with the threat of Bb4 next to double pin the N against the Q.

 

[Joe T]

White

I like Nxb5. It seems obvious, simple, and appears to put us in a great position.

 

[Joe T]

Black

I like both Be7 and Nc6. I think Be7 is slightly more conservative and may be slightly better, but I could be talked into either one.

Be7 leads us next to either f6, o-o, or Nc6. But I like the idea of Be7 followed by f6.

 

[Joe T]

Black game

They did Rd1. I like Be7. A lot of possibilities here too. Nc6 or a move by the Q.

This one requires more thought, but initially Be7 and Nc6 look like the first candidates. I worry about them moving Nc3 a bit, so Qb2 should be on the table.

I kind of like Qd5 as it threatens the N and if they move Nc3 we go Qa5 with the threat of Bb4 next to double pin the N against the Q.

Hmmm... I didn't see Qd5. I'll look at that one too.

 

[Sand]

Just as another note I will look at this heavily tonight and would like to wrap up our moves by tomorrow night. That way my work trip will be on their thinking time on Thursday.

 

[pizzatyme]

Also, if we did Qd5, not only does it attack the N, it also attacks the e pawn and almost forces Nc3. Then we get in Qa5.

We force them backwards and with the Q on a5, it protects against d8 while also pinning the N to the Q. This almost forces Rb1 to protect against Bb4. If they don't do Rb1, then they end up having to retreat the other N to e2 or else they lose the N.

So...

Qd5

Nc3 Qa5

Rb1 at this point, we win another pawn with Nxe5

Play it out and see if I'm missing anything here. I like this line a lot!

 

[nysfl2]

Also, if we did Qd5, not only does it attack the N, it also attacks the e pawn and almost forces Nc3. Then we get in Qa5.

We force them backwards and with the Q on a5, it protects against d8 while also pinning the N to the Q. This almost forces Rb1 to protect against Bb4. If they don't do Rb1, then they end up having to retreat the other N to e2 or else they lose the N.

So...

Qd5

Nc3 Qa5

Rb1 at this point, we win another pawn with Nxe5

Play it out and see if I'm missing anything here. I like this line a lot!

I doubt they go Rb1. They probably go Nf3 or Qe3 to protect the pawn, but I don't see this as a bad thing. We can still go Bg7 to bring another attacker on the pawn.

My biggest concern would be along the lines of

Qd5

Qe3 ?????

Qf3 ?????

Nf6+, getting our queen, but I'm pretty sure that we could easily diffuse this during our ?????s

We'd also have to make sure that we never left f6 unprotected.

 

[nysfl2]

White

Just have looked quickly, but I like Nxb5, followed by a4 if he goes Bd7.