Still not decided yet on the answer, but I know one thing for sure,: Knights can give some NASTY forks! (How do I know? Oh, having been the victim of them too many times too count, I speak from painful experience.)
Anyways, the ultimate, if you can pull it off is a royal or family fork. I don't believe Bishops can do that, or at least not with the finesse of a knight.
Hey, I like knights, but I'm still undecided. In fact, I have thought about this issue long and hard for a long time. To me, there doesn't seem to be any hard and fast, black and white answer. Only theory.
I think about Fischer here, and the little enigma of why he preffered to play the exchange variation of the Lopez, trading off that bishop early in the game. This is what really got me questioning established theory on the issue. Of course, i suppose with Fischer, it didn't really matter. Bishop or knight, they were BOTH deadly weapons in his hands. Perhaps that is the answer to the enigma, eh?
Originally posted by lucifershammerThat could be interesting.
Only one way to test it out ... forum game, anyone?
I have another idea. We could organize some set piece games between people who favor N's and people who favor B's.
Technically, in MPPC you can have two bishop players against each other, or two knight players against each other. But for our purposes we'd want to pair up knight players against bishop players.
Each pair should play two set-piece games with their preferred minor pieces, one game each with each color.
It would be best to pair people up whose ratings are close. I'd prefer to see games where opponents were within 100-200 points' strength of each other.
I could compile a .pgn as games get finished, and put that .pgn up on the web for all to access, and we could analyze and argue to our hearts' contents.
Find opponents by posting your preferred piece, preferred timeout settings, and current rating.
Whoever ends the game (by accepting a draw, resigning, delivering checkmate, delivering stalemate, claiming a timeout, or claiming a draw by repetition or 50-move-rule) should send me the .pgn by private message. Note, whoever actually ends the game, not both players, should send the .pgn to me.
I hereby register, electing to keep my bishops, preferring a timeout of 14 days (I might do 7 with a decent timebank), with a current rating of 1661 and a maximum rating in the past 30 days of 1673, as of this posting.
I will accept only one pair of games with one opponent, because I need to cut down on my game total. I would most prefer someone within 100 points of my rating. PM me if you are a knight player, with a rating near to mine, and willing to tolerate an opponent who generally moves only on weekends.
Originally posted by huntingbearAlright, I'm in.
That could be interesting.
I have another idea. We could organize some set piece games between people who favor N's and people who favor B's.
Technically, in MPPC you can have two bishop players against each other, or two knight p ...[text shortened]... to tolerate an opponent who generally moves only on weekends.[/b]
Preferred pieces - Knights. Preferred TO/TB - 7/14. Current rating - 1560. Peak 30-day rating - 1584.
Just to simplify tracking, I think the game links for the games can be posted on this thread with, perhaps, annotation by both players once games are completed.
Luc
Edit: One pair of games only, please!
The first set of games in the MPCC Bishops vs. Knights challenge - follow them here:
Game 740939
Game 740937
Originally posted by lucifershammerGood luck, Luc!
The first set of games in the MPCC Bishops vs. Knights challenge - follow them here:
Game 740939
Game 740937
Even though these are unrated games, folks, let's not have any comments on them while they're in progress. We don't want to disrupt the experiment 🙂
Originally posted by AThousandYoungI'm a bit swamped at the moment - and I'm playing huntingbear in a pair of matches. If you're happy taking the Knights, you should be able take up one of the other Bishop-happy guys on this thread.
My rating: p 1496
Highest rating in 30 days: 1508
Preferred minor piece - indifferent. I'll play either side of this.
Preferred TO/TB - 3/7.
lucifer, have room for another pair of games? Or a single?
Good luck (Knights rule!)
Luc
Originally posted by mateulose
So for those who think the bishops are better, you better plan on keeping them
I always plan on keeping any advantage I have in a game of chess, unless I transform it into a different advantage.
you will be defending all the time due to the knight player's early development, so it's not as easy as it sounds.
I think it's easy to over-estimate the development advantage of the knight. You will still need to spend time on pawn moves for central control.