I think normally if white hasn’t castled king side in the second diagram I’d be very worried about the f pawn reaching f6 but as played with the white king there I’m not at all sure how to assess it. f5 e5 and I don’t see black’s counterplay so would probably panic play Rc8 after Nb3, and hope to exchange queens on c4.
But WDIK.
Just looked at it a bit with engine, f5 here is a bad move for white, but it’s met with d5 to put the dark square bishop on c5 and open the queen to be able to play Qg3+. e5 after f5 gives a solid advantage back to white because now white can get to f6, although it’s still pretty sharp and not crushing.
@ChrisV first worth posting Vienna win, dedicating it to 'Straya. Apparently it’s the Meitner-Mieses Gambit
Position after 6. Kd1
I looked this up last week and white’s king is totally fine here so, when black doesn’t know what to do and does this ??
You can safely follow up with
It’s over from eval point of view, but this move while scary makes it even worse for black
Comp says white is +8 here but it’s not a comfortable +8. I’d post the full game but Black didn’t resign and White’s finish was, while never close to losing, not too accurate.
I don’t know what’s up but 1800ish level on chess com > 2000ish level on lichess imo
Yeah I wrote about that line upthread, d6 is probably the most common move you see:
The thing to remember in that line is that while it looks scary, Black actually has no threats. For example, Ne6 is not threatened in the diagrammed position because it blocks Black’s bishop and you can then just take on h8. It’s fine to just play c3 in this spot. In the long term Black can’t defend the h8 rook, so all you need to do is control the position and consolidate. For example, say Black tries c6, counterattacking the knight. Best is Nc7+ but then after Ke7, don’t be tempted to take the rook! cxd4, now Black’s bishop is threatened, but after Bxd4 you simply revert to the plan and play Nf3. Rf1 is coming, the queen will be evicted, and Black will lose the rook on h8, there is no avoiding it. Always make sure Bg4 is prevented, control any other threats Black has, then evict the queen and win.
It’s the same in lines other than d6, while all the lines are winning for White, a lot of them are not easy. I do lose games in this line.
Also worth mentioning that once you get Nf3 in you introduce threats like Nf6+ and (in some lines, if your bishop’s attack on f7 gets exposed) Qxf7+ which are useful if Black tries tricky moves like Bh3.
smh I even said to myself reread chrisv’s posts before you post so you don’t beclown yourself. I reread the annotations to your game and forgot to scroll up for more.
There’s a cool move in this line from the game
I played Nxc7+ which is one of the best moves but Nf3 leads to something kinda cool if Black decides to take Nxf3:
And this is even better for White. A few moves keep White massively in the lead but Rf1 is sexy, continuing to realize the defensive resource of the bishop on c4:
At the moment I hate chess. I had to rage quit chess.com otherwise I would be degen’ing it up for another week. It all started with a modest goal of setting a best for UnstuckPatzer at > 1810 (my other account’s peak is 1928) and then taking a long break from it anyway. I was one game away like 5 times, and I gave away, I don’t know, 40 winning positions, like +5, +6, +7 positions where any opponent with just a hint of dignity would resign, and yet them not resigning induced so much tilt. Worst dog ever broke my concentration half a dozen times. The fury is real.
I just forgot my own advice in this line, after the standard moves Black tried Nf6:
I’ve seen this before, but not often.
What do you play here?
Pawn takes knight?
exd5 is +0.00 after Qxg2. Controlling Black is frequently more important in these lines than grabbing material. The great commandment is to control the g-file whenever possible, be super wary of allowing Qxg2 or Bg4. Correct is Qg8 or Qg7. Qg8 is better because Qg7 allows Qf6 getting the knight out of trouble, but you’re still up the exchange. Qg8 is more than +5.
I tried to evict the queen too quickly with Nh3, with the idea that after Qxg2 I’d give up the knight in exchange for his with Rf1, after which I have threats like Qf6+. However, since I’ve ceded the g-file, after … Qxg2, Rf1 Black can ignore the knight and play d6, threatening Bg4+ exposing an attack on the queen, and this is actually in Black’s favour. Black didn’t find this, but went on to make life difficult for me in other ways, eventually losing on time.
Does anyone have anything against the Caro-Kann that won’t make me want to resign in disgust the second I see c6 played? I’ve tried various things and the result is always a deathly dull grind that makes me want to quit chess.
I think it depends which line black plays.
Most players in my games go for Bf5 and after Ng3/Nf3/h4/h5 and its exchange on d3 followed by Bd2/0-0-0 white at least gets at least an unbalanced game with an interesting h pawn and file.
I most hate Nf6 because I’m not skilled enough to do much against blacks doubled pawns and solid king position.
I don’t mind Nd7 too much because some people still fall for the old Ng5 trick, though it does look very equal quite quickly otherwise.
I have played 2.c4 so far which trades having an IQP for active play.
I am looking in to 2.d4/3.Sd2 because I think it fits my play style better.
I try playing whatever the gambit is where you let them take on e4 then play f3. It’s OK but White doesn’t really have compensation for the pawn. It’s not very good against a competent Black. I think I’m going to try to figure out the Bayonet Attack (Advance Variation with 3 … Bf5 4. g4).
https://www.chess.com/news/view/2020-tata-steel-chess-round-7-firouzja
Now rated 2738 at 16 years old lol.
Very impressive game by Carlsen against Firouzja. Slowly strangled him to death.
At first glance it looks as if the cunning transposition into a Breyer where white wastes a move with a2-a3-a4 cost him in development and enabled black to seal the kingside to prevent white’s usual attack there.
If you can’t get Ne3/g3 and/or Nh2/g4 in to exchange some of black’s defensive pieces you’ll struggle for play because black usually dominates on the queenside and the centre is usually locked.
But then IANAGM.
I’d really hope Carlsen goes on to break 2900 this year or next and we have a battle at the top between him and the younger Firouja reminiscent of the great Karpov v Kasparov rivalry.
Carlsen needs a real challenger imo or he may quit out of boredom
Yes I think a premature retirements a real possibility at some point. He even talked about the possibility shortly after becoming WC the first time and seems to have more of a life outside chess than many.
