1. Montréal, Québec
    Joined
    18 Sep '06
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    11137
    13 Oct '06 18:58
    I am very disappointed in the lack of variety in the WCC games. 1.d4 was played on every single occasion. 🙁

    hats off to Mr. Kramnik for his win.
  2. Standard memberWulebgr
    Angler
    River City
    Joined
    08 Dec '04
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    16907
    13 Oct '06 20:10
    Originally posted by climb2high
    I am very disappointed in the lack of variety in the WCC games. 1.d4 was played on every single occasion. 🙁

    hats off to Mr. Kramnik for his win.
    In San Luis, 1.e4 was played in almost every game. The openings in Elista were refreshing.
  3. London
    Joined
    04 Jun '06
    Moves
    929
    13 Oct '06 20:14
    Topalov's handling of the white side of the Slav was original and fascinating.
  4. Joined
    02 Feb '06
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    8557
    13 Oct '06 20:28
    Originally posted by TommyC
    Topalov's handling of the white side of the Slav was original and fascinating.
    Yeah, but still, wouldn't a couple 1.e4 games have been nice to see?
  5. London
    Joined
    04 Jun '06
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    929
    13 Oct '06 20:35
    Originally posted by cmsMaster
    Yeah, but still, wouldn't a couple 1.e4 games have been nice to see?
    Kramnik neutralises 1. e4 with the Berlin (ask Kasparov) and Petroff. And now the elite are scared of the Marshall too. Whilst Kramnik himself would have been bonkers to risk facing Topalov's Najdorf.

    So, no, probably not. The only feasible exception I can think of that might have lead to a rich battle would have been a 5. Nc3 Petroff. I actually expected to see that in this match.
  6. Joined
    02 Feb '06
    Moves
    8557
    13 Oct '06 20:43
    Originally posted by TommyC
    Kramnik neutralises 1. e4 with the Berlin (ask Kasparov) and Petroff. And now the elite are scared of the Marshall too. Whilst Kramnik himself would have been bonkers to risk facing Topalov's Najdorf.

    So, no, probably not. The only feasible exception I can think of that might have lead to a rich battle would have been a 5. Nc3 Petroff. I actually expected to see that in this match.
    Well, 2.f4 IS an option 😀.
  7. London
    Joined
    04 Jun '06
    Moves
    929
    13 Oct '06 20:46
    Originally posted by cmsMaster
    Well, 2.f4 IS an option 😀.
    lol

    Yeah!
  8. 127.0.0.1
    Joined
    27 Oct '05
    Moves
    158564
    13 Oct '06 20:49
    Originally posted by cmsMaster
    Well, 2.f4 IS an option 😀.
    What about the center game?
  9. Joined
    02 Feb '06
    Moves
    8557
    13 Oct '06 20:54
    Originally posted by zebano
    What about the center game?
    Please refer to !~Tony~! for that one.
  10. Standard memberWulebgr
    Angler
    River City
    Joined
    08 Dec '04
    Moves
    16907
    13 Oct '06 21:11
    Originally posted by cmsMaster
    Yeah, but still, wouldn't a couple 1.e4 games have been nice to see?
    why?
  11. Joined
    02 Feb '06
    Moves
    8557
    13 Oct '06 21:20
    Originally posted by Wulebgr
    why?
    ...Why not?

    How about because I play 1.e4 and I want to see some new creative ideas after 1.e4!
  12. Montréal, Québec
    Joined
    18 Sep '06
    Moves
    11137
    13 Oct '06 22:17
    Originally posted by Wulebgr
    why?
    i enjoy diversity... all of one is boring, all of the other is boring. when you go to the restaurant, do you always eat pasta ?
  13. Joined
    17 Aug '06
    Moves
    22656
    13 Oct '06 22:33
    Kramnik has played the Cochrane gambit against Topolov no less,I don't think he's inclined to e4 though in general.
  14. Standard memberWulebgr
    Angler
    River City
    Joined
    08 Dec '04
    Moves
    16907
    14 Oct '06 12:15
    Originally posted by cmsMaster
    ...Why not?

    How about because I play 1.e4 and I want to see some new creative ideas after 1.e4!
    Most of the top 10 players play 1.e4 most of the time, and this was true in San Luis. Indeed, with the exception of Morozevich-Svidler, the only deviations from 1.e4 in that illustrious event were Topalov's four 1.d4 games and a single 1.Nf3. One might conclude that he won the event because he was the only player who avoided 1.e4, except that his 1.d4 games were all drawn.

    Even Kramnik had been playing 1.e4 the past few years. There is no lack of new ideas involving 1.e4 in top events.

    It was refreshing to watch a top event filled with Slavs and Catalans, with the players even reaching the same Slav position in two games, but with colors reversed.

    Against Vladimir Kramnik, 1.e4 leads, at best, to equality. The "new" ideas that have sucked the life out of this venerable beginning are the Berlin Defense in the Spanish Opening and the Russian Opening.
  15. Standard memberWulebgr
    Angler
    River City
    Joined
    08 Dec '04
    Moves
    16907
    14 Oct '06 12:18
    Originally posted by climb2high
    i enjoy diversity... all of one is boring, all of the other is boring. when you go to the restaurant, do you always eat pasta ?
    For me, eating pasta in a restaurant would represent variety, but that is beside the point. Inasmuch as 1.d4 has been the rare move in world championship matches, I'd say we got our diversity.
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