04 Dec 07
1 edit
a while ago, I ran an experiment on the Exchanged French.
I was determined to prove that in the symmetrical position, that white was better.
well, it turns out that if white does have any advantage, it is insignificant. anywho, here's a nice beautiful trap I set for my unsuspecting friend.
here is the main argument against excessive opening study:
once your opponent gets you out of book, you are often left sitting like a chicken with its head cut off. here, black obviously relies way too much on his mainline French theory, and he suffers horribly once I take him out of book via the Exchange Variation.
[Event "RHP Blitz rated"]
[Site "www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2007.12.4"]
[Round "?"]
[White "rubberjaw30"]
[Black "john telker"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. e2-e4 e7-e6 2. d2-d4 d7-d5 3. e4xd5 e6xd5 4. c2-c4 d5xc4 5. Bf1xc4 Ng8-f6 6. Nb1-c3 Bf8-e7 7. Ng1-f3 O-O 8. O-O Nb8-d7 9. Rf1-e1 Rf8-e8 10. Bc1-g5 Be7-b4 11. Qd1-b3 Bb4xc3 12. Bc4xf7 Kg8-h8 13. Re1xe8 1-0
04 Dec 07
Originally posted by rubberjaw30You might like to look at the first Capablaca-Alekhine world
a while ago, I ran an experiment on the Exchanged French.
I was determined to prove that in the symmetrical position, that white was better.
well, it turns out that if white does have any advantage, it is insignificant. anywho, here's a nice beautiful trap I set for my unsuspecting friend.
here is the main argument against excessive opening study:
on ...[text shortened]... 1-e1 Rf8-e8 10. Bc1-g5 Be7-b4 11. Qd1-b3 Bb4xc3 12. Bc4xf7 Kg8-h8 13. Re1xe8 1-0
championship match game.
04 Dec 07
Originally posted by Freidenkerbeats all the other crap I come across in the mainline French
You should be ashamed, playing such a boring variation 🙂
here's another one, with a different opening.
I got behind quickly, and was easily lost.
but I found one move that secured the draw. the game itself was pathetic on my part, but this move was, modesty aside, genious.
[Event "RHP Blitz rated"]
[Site "www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2007.12.4"]
[Round "?"]
[White "rubberjaw30"]
[Black "wolfgang59"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
1. e2-e4 d7-d6 2. d2-d4 Ng8-f6 3. Nb1-c3 g7-g6 4. Bc1-e3 Bf8-g7 5. Qd1-d2 O-O 6. Be3-h6 a7-a6 7. h2-h4 b7-b5 8. Bf1-e2 Bc8-b7 9. Be2-f3 b5-b4 10. Bh6xg7 Kg8xg7 11. h4-h5 b4xc3 12. h5-h6 Kg7-g8 13. b2xc3 Bb7xe4 14. Bf3xe4 Nf6xe4 15. Qd2-e3 f7-f5 16. d4-d5 Nb8-d7 17. f2-f3 Ne4-g3 18. Rh1-h3 f5-f4 19. Qe3-d4 Nd7-f6 20. Ng1-e2 Ng3-f5 21. Qd4xf4 Nf6xd5 22. Qf4-d2 Nd5-e3 23. Ne2-f4 e7-e5 24. Nf4-d5 Ne3xd5 25. Qd2xd5 Kg8-h8 26. O-O-O Nf5-e3 27. Qd5-d2 Ne3xd1 28. Kc1xd1 Ra8-b8 29. Kd1-c1 Rf8-f5 30. g2-g4 Rf5-f4 31. Qd2-d5 Qd8-g5 32. Kc1-d1 Rb8-f8 33. Qd5-c6 Rf4xf3 34. Qc6xc7 Rf3-f1 35. Kd1-e2 Rf1-f2 36. Ke2-d3 Rf2-d2 37. Kd3-c4 Qg5xg4 38. Kc4-b3 Qg4-e6 39. Kb3-b2 Qe6-f7 40. Rh3-f3 Rd2xc2 41. Kb2xc2 Qf7xa2 42. Kc2-c1 Qa2-a1 43. Kc1-c2 Qa1-a2 44. Kc2-c1 Qa2-a1 1/2-1/2
40. Rf3!! saved the game and I spotted it and analyzed it and determined it was good with 37 seconds left in a 10/5 game. of the mistakes, 26. 0-0-0 was probably the last one I made. considering the material disadvantages, I think I played perfectly from that point forward.
04 Dec 07
Originally posted by SquelchbelchI'll try that, honestly, I played c4 without a clue as to whether or not it was entirely sound/popular.
I prefer the variation
1.e4...e6
2.d4...d5
3.exd5...exd5
4.Nf3...Nf6 (or Be7 etc)
5.Bd3
Rather, I knew it was sound, I just didn't know much about its usefullness.
I assumed it couldn't be too entirely different than the Panov-Botvinnik Attack, and I am familiar with the general ideas associated with IQP positions. i.e. white gets rapid development, while black can hold out for d4 becoming an easy target later.
it worked, and I like it's simplicity much more than trying the mainline French
although, if I HAD to go mainline, I'd probably stick with the Tarrasch, just because it looks better.
05 Dec 07
Originally posted by rubberjaw30It wasn't really that Brilliant Qxf7 looks better and besides you didn't draw the game by force your opponent let you. I mean ...Rxc2+?? better was ...Qg8.
beats all the other crap I come across in the mainline French
here's another one, with a different opening.
I got behind quickly, and was easily lost.
but I found one move that secured the draw. the game itself was pathetic on my part, but this move was, modesty aside, genious.
[Event "RHP Blitz rated"]
[Site "www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2007.1 ...[text shortened]... g the material disadvantages, I think I played perfectly from that point forward.
There hows that...A taste of your own medicine and in case you don't believe me I will play a set game from that position and show you what a mess you would have been in after ...Qg8
05 Dec 07
Originally posted by rubberjaw30Back when I played 1.e4, whenever I came to the French as white I would almost always play the exchange variation. From there, if my opponent was higher rated, I could almost always trade down into a draw, but if my opponent was lower rated, I could occasionally turn it into a positional game and squeak out a win.
...Exchanged French...I was determined to prove that in the symmetrical position, that white was better...
05 Dec 07
1 edit
Originally posted by rubberjaw30Black takes on c4 too early in this game.
a while ago, I ran an experiment on the Exchanged French.
...
[Event "RHP Blitz rated"]
[Site "www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2007.12.4"]
[Round "?"]
[White "rubberjaw30"]
[Black "john telker"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. e2-e4 e7-e6 2. d2-d4 d7-d5 3. e4xd5 e6xd5 4. c2-c4 d5xc4 5. Bf1xc4 Ng8-f6 6. Nb1-c3 Bf8-e7 7. Ng1-f3 O-O 8. O-O Nb8-d7 9. Rf1-e1 Rf8-e8 10. Bc1-g5 Be7-b4 11. Qd1-b3 Bb4xc3 12. Bc4xf7 Kg8-h8 13. Re1xe8 1-0
It's obviously better to wait for White's Bf1 to move then take ... gaining a tempo over the game.
That said, I think (having played against it as Black many times) an early c4 in the Exchange French is an entirely reasonable way to go.
05 Dec 07
Originally posted by rubberjaw30You're right about the similarities betwen this line and the Panov-Botvinnik attack. The only difference in this French Exchange line is that after, 4. c4 Black has a pawn on c7 instead of one on e7. My feeling is that favours Black.
I'll try that, honestly, I played c4 without a clue as to whether or not it was entirely sound/popular.
Rather, I knew it was sound, I just didn't know much about its usefullness.
I assumed it couldn't be too entirely different than the Panov-Botvinnik Attack ....
As to it's popularity ... OTB I've found it to be favoured particularly by juniors in the range of BCF 140 and below. That could be a peculiarity of the London area of course.
It certainly gives White a 'pattern' to play to - and chances of a direct attack. Black doesn't normally have to worry about that in the mainline French. Indeed that's the reason why many of us favour 1. ... e6 in the first place. For that reason alone exd5 and c4 has a practical value, if not a theoretical one.