The Manhattan Dodge

greenpawn34 View Profile

Only Chess

06 Jul '11 11:09

greenpawn34
e4
Joined
06 May '08
Moves
42492
06 Jul '11 11:091 edit
On the thread about the Belgium 2011 Championship there is
much specualtion about the puzzling game:

E. Provinciael (1791) - S.Vanderwaeren (2161)

Which was agreed a draw in this position.

The player in question, Serge Vanderwaeren, who was the higher graded
Black in that 'puzzling game' was perhaps pulling 'The Manhattan Dodge.'.

I'll explain.

Including him there are 25 players over 2000 in that tournament.
He is ranked 16.

By taking a draw in the first round you avoid tougher games till
the last few rounds. So far after 5 rounds he has avoided any 2000+ player.
A perfect example of the Manhattan Dodge.

Here is his playing record and opponent's grades.

Rd1 1791 ½ - ½ ('The Manhattan Dodge.)
Rd2 1777 he won
Rd3 1971 he drew (not part of the plan but see the game below)
Rd4 1935 he won
Rd5 1979 ?? being played today.

Here is his round 3 draw. No question at all he was playing for a win.
(but perhaps missed a good shot at the end.)

P.Boons - S. Vanderwaeren Rd.3 Belgium 2011 Open.

Invert Board PGN Comments

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Be2 Nxd5 5. d4 g6 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. c4 Nb6 8.Be3 O-O 9. Nc3 Nc6 {Been on the Black side of this a few times. I played 9...Bg4 instead of 9...Nc6} 10. c5 Nc8 11. d5 Ne5 12. Nxe5 Bxe5 13. Bh6 Re8 14. Qd2 e6 15. O-O-O Qh4 16. Be3 Ne7 17. g3 Qb4 18. dxe6 Bxe6 19. a3 Qa5 {19...Qb3 looks more looks better, more combative. Black missed White's next or underestimated it. Now it all gets heavy with Black determined to sac the exchange and White delaying it. To be honest I'm not too sure what is going on for the next 11 moves. Both players appear to be playing for a win but keeping a draw in their back pocket. } 20.Nb5 Qxd2+ 21. Rxd2 Nf5 22. Bg5 h6 23. f4 Bg7 24. g4 hxg5 25. gxf5 Bxf5 26.Nxc7 gxf4 27. Nxa8 Rxa8 28. Bd3 Bxd3 29. Rxd3 Rc8 30. Rd5 Bf8 31. Kd2 Bxc5 {The smoke has cleared, it is 2R's v RB and that f-pawn.} 32. h4 f3 33. h5 f2 34. hxg6 fxg6 35. Rd7 Rf8 36. Ke2 Re8+ 37. Kd2 Rf8 {Now the game was agreed drawn but Black has a trick here and it may indeed be winning.} 38.Ke2 Re8 39.Kd2 Be7 {To get the Bishop to give an x-ray attack on e1.} 40.Rxb7 Bh4 {Black is winning...Yes? The threat of Re1 looks good. Perhaps our new friend Vanderwaeren was pulling the Double Manhattan Dodge.}

Oh. and why do I call it the 'Manhattan Dodge'?
I don't know. I just made that up.
tvochess
Joined
08 Apr '09
Moves
19509
06 Jul '11 12:441 edit
Is there no way out for white after Re1, e.g. with Rb8+ or Rxh4?
torten
bedlam
Joined
20 Feb '11
Moves
6387
06 Jul '11 13:051 edit
Originally posted by greenpawn34
On the thread about the Belgium 2011 Championship there is
much specualtion about the puzzling game:

[b]E. Provinciael (1791) - S.Vanderwaeren (2161)

Which was agreed a draw in this position.

[fen]r2q1rk1/pp3ppp/2n1pn2/2b2b2/2B5/2N2P2/PPPPN1PP/R1BQ1R1K w - - 0 11[/fen]
The player in question, Serge Vanderwaeren, who was the higher graded
Oh. and why do I call it the 'Manhattan Dodge'?
I don't know. I just made that up.[/b]
It crossed my mind but with such a huge difference I thought it would hurt his rating too much.
And we all know most players rather lose their house than rating points!

Why Manhattan?You're a scot!
I've heard it being called "the swiss trick" "swissing" and "pulling a swiss"
ketchuplover
Isolated Pawn
Wisconsin USA
Joined
09 Dec '01
Moves
71169
06 Jul '11 13:13
Originally posted by tvochess
Is there no way out for white after Re1, e.g. with Rb8+ or Rxh4?
41.Rxh4 f1(Q) black should win

41.Rb4 g5 42.Rg4 Re1 43.Rxh4 f1(Q) 44.Rxg5+ Kf7 45.Rh7+ Kf6 46.Rhh5 black should win but not so easily.

41.Rb8 Rxb8 42.Ke2 (Re8+ or Rxb2+) should win

41.Rh7 Bg5+ 42.Kd1 Re1+ 43.Rxe1 fxe1(Q)+ 44.Kxe1 Kxh7 black should win but not easily imo.
tvochess
Joined
08 Apr '09
Moves
19509
06 Jul '11 13:24
Originally posted by ketchuplover
41.Rxh4 f1(Q) black should win

41.Rb4 g5 42.Rg4 Re1 43.Rxh4 f1(Q) 44.Rxg5+ Kf7 45.Rh7+ Kf6 46.Rhh5 black should win but not so easily.

41.Rb8 Rxb8 42.Ke2 (Re8+ or Rxb2+) should win

41.Rh7 Bg5+ 42.Kd1 Re1+ 43.Rxe1 fxe1(Q)+ 44.Kxe1 Kxh7 black should win but not easily imo.
Why not Rxh1 after Rb4 or Rh7? Or Kxh7 after Rh7?
shorbock
Joined
17 Mar '08
Moves
1568
06 Jul '11 13:511 edit
In france we call it the "submarine technique"
Quite appropriate i think
greenpawn34
e4
Joined
06 May '08
Moves
42492
06 Jul '11 16:47
Our lad won as Black. The Manhattan Dodge is on a roll.

WHITE T`Sas, Jan
BLACK Vanderwaeren, Serge
RESULT *
WHITEELO 1979
BLACKELO 2161
ECO B01
Invert Board PGN Headers Comments

[White "T`Sas, Jan"]
[Black "Vanderwaeren, Serge"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "1979"]
[BlackElo "2161"]
[ECO "B01"]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. Nf3 g6 5. Be2 Bg7 6. O-O O-O 7. c4 Nb6 8. Nc3 Nc6 9. d5 Na5 10. c5 Bxc3 11. cxb6 Bg7 12. bxc7 Qxc7 13. Qa4 b6 14.Qh4 Qc2 15. Bd1 Qc4 16. Qxe7 Ba6 17. Re1 Qxd5 18. Qb4 Rfe8 19. Be3 Re4 20.Bb3 Nxb3 21. Qxb3 Bc4 22. Qa3 Rg4 23. Kh1 Qh5 {Setting himself up for the old sac on g2 - then Qg4+ picking up the f3 Knight. An old trick worht noting.} 24. Rad1 Rxg2 25. Kxg2 Qg4+ 26. Kh1 Qxf3+ 27. Kg1 Qg4+ 28. Kh1 Be2 {A pleasant resignation. White is only a pawn down but the more you look the more you see how Black is going to win. Still, as White I would plod on for a few more moves. I've won worse positions as White.}
ketchuplover
Isolated Pawn
Wisconsin USA
Joined
09 Dec '01
Moves
71169
06 Jul '11 19:07
Originally posted by tvochess
Why not Rxh1 after Rb4 or Rh7? Or Kxh7 after Rh7?
What piece can take the R on h1? After Kxh7 is Rxh4
yashin
Delft, Netherlands
Joined
17 Oct '03
Moves
64193
06 Jul '11 19:56
Isn't this Manhatten dodge called "the Swiss gambit" like torten sais?
Probably if Swissgambit would read this, he would slap you!
greenpawn34
e4
Joined
06 May '08
Moves
42492
06 Jul '11 21:00
It was called the Manhattan Dodge about 3 centuries before the
Swiss Gambit was invented.

The Spanish Monk Ruy Lopez mentions it in his book written in 1561
"Libro de la invención liberal y arte del juego del Axedrez."
trans = "Play the Ruy Lopez and Win".
Diophantus
Up a
gumtree
Joined
13 Jan '10
Moves
5151
06 Jul '11 21:19
Originally posted by greenpawn34
It was called the Manhattan Dodge about 3 centuries before the
Swiss Gambit was invented.

The Spanish Monk Ruy Lopez mentions it in his book written in 1561
"Libro de la invención liberal y arte del juego del Axedrez."
trans = "Play the Ruy Lopez and Win".
Don't be silly, Manhattan wasn't invented back then. I bet he called it the Espana Evade.
greenpawn34
e4
Joined
06 May '08
Moves
42492
06 Jul '11 21:36
Manhattan was named in 1492.

"How I discovered America." By C. Columbus. Page 16.

"We landed and were met by a man with a hat on."

ManHattan.

C.C. continues;

"He told us of a good way to avoid stonger players in the early
rounds of a chess tournament."

Don't you guys know anything?
greenpawn34
e4
Joined
06 May '08
Moves
42492
06 Jul '11 23:44
He has pulled Jan Rooze (2363) in round 6 with the White pieces.
Four rounds including this one left so he avoided the top guns for
more than ½ the tournament. The Manhattan Dodge.

(Good Luck Serge)
wolfgang59
Quiz Master
RHP Arms
Joined
09 Jun '07
Moves
48793
07 Jul '11 07:13
What happens when everyone plays the Manhattan Dodge? Do the same next round (The Accelerated Dodge)? Or maybe for 3 rounds (Hyper Accelerated Dodge)?

Any Game Theorists want to take a crack at determining if this strategy is sound?
tvochess
Joined
08 Apr '09
Moves
19509
07 Jul '11 08:04
Originally posted by ketchuplover
What piece can take the R on h1? After Kxh7 is Rxh4
Oops, I thought it was Black to move.

WHITE	T`Sas, Jan
BLACK	Vanderwaeren, Serge
RESULT	*
WHITEELO	1979
BLACKELO	2161
ECO	B01

Only Chess Forum

The Manhattan Dodge