Exchange Ruy Lopez

Do any of you guys play the exchange ruy lopez? I have an OTB tournament in a week and I need to find a respnse against 1...e5. I was thinking of playing this because its minimal theory, and I believe at my level 1900-2199 the black players will not know a lot of the theory that is there.

Do you think it has enough chances for a win at this level? Even though it is usually drawish at the higher levels.

Thanks

Originally posted by RabbitCold
Do any of you guys play the exchange ruy lopez? I have an OTB tournament in a week and I need to find a respnse against 1...e5. I was thinking of playing this because its minimal theory, and I believe at my level 1900-2199 the black players will not know a lot of the theory that is there.

Do you think it has enough chances for a win at this level? Even though it is usually drawish at the higher levels.

Thanks

I've always had the impression that the exchange variation indeed focused less on variations and more on thematics, particularly for white to trade and for black to utilize both bishops. But I would also agree that the numbers of draws will probably increase with such an early exchange; it works both ways.

Unrelated, but out of curiousity, why are you rated 1900 OTB and sub-1500 here?

Well, I had lots of timeouts because...I was not a subscriber and went on vacation and timed out on games. A lot of my losses are timeouts and I have not started playing again here because of school and gameknot.com. I will probally start play here again soon though.

Originally posted by RabbitCold
Well, I had lots of timeouts because...I was not a subscriber and went on vacation and timed out on games. A lot of my losses are timeouts and I have not started playing again here because of school and gameknot.com. I will probally start play here again soon though.

Are you sure? It doesn't look like that to me... you've never been 1600+ and clicking on random games you were the one claiming timeouts. Besides, at 1900+ most players will have faced the Exchange Variation hundreds of times (at 1700 OTB, I have faced it so many times I play on autopilot).

As I suggest, try a Scotch. Great opening until you get to IMs and GMs, when try something stronger- Lopez, English, Benoni etc.
Hope that helps.

Originally posted by RabbitCold
Do any of you guys play the exchange ruy lopez? I have an OTB tournament in a week and I need to find a respnse against 1...e5. I was thinking of playing this because its minimal theory, and I believe at my level 1900-2199 the black players will not know a lot of the theory that is there.

Do you think it has enough chances for a win at this level? Even though it is usually drawish at the higher levels.

Thanks

😴

Originally posted by mjolnir
Are you sure? It doesn't look like that to me... you've never been 1600+ and clicking on random games you were the one claiming timeouts. Besides, at 1900+ most players will have faced the Exchange Variation hundreds of times (at 1700 OTB, I have faced it so many times I play on autopilot).

As I suggest, try a Scotch. Great opening until you get to IMs and GMs, when try something stronger- Lopez, English, Benoni etc.
Hope that helps.

What games are you looking at...I just randomly clicked like eight losses and one of them was a resignation. All of the others were time outs.