Is the opening 1. G4 the worst possible move in...

you use it every game?

Originally posted by chessisvanity
you use it every game?

Am I crazy?

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
Am I crazy?

As a loon.

Originally posted by HomerJSimpson
I just read an annotated grubenstein game, and Grandmaster Keene says, "G4 is the worst possible move you can start out with, even worse than f3 and h4"

I was wondering if the rest of you concur about that sentiment or have other ideas.

Here's the link to the game, he beat the author of, "The Killer Grob":

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1026281

Whats this I see an Open Invite "Dragon Fire is yellow"

I'll show you I ain't yellow - have a Grob (Game 3091829) and we will see if this is the worst opening ever!

and here is an indication of the Grobs strength (Game 3092030) and another (Game 3092029)

I’ve played it occasionally with pretty good results. I’m not counting the time I played it in CC and then found out my opponent was an OTB master and champion of one of the Canadian provinces.

Originally posted by HomerJSimpson
I just read an annotated grubenstein game, and Grandmaster Keene says, "G4 is the worst possible move you can start out with, even worse than f3 and h4"

I was wondering if the rest of you concur about that sentiment or have other ideas.

Here's the link to the game, he beat the author of, "The Killer Grob":

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1026281

The only time I ever took clear first in a blitz tournament at the Chess Palace in Los Alamitos, CA (now relocated to Westminster, CA) I played 1 g4 every game as White and 1...g5 every game as Black. I was seeded third out of six players. I never repeated the "experiment."

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
Whats this I see an Open Invite "Dragon Fire is yellow"

I'll show you I ain't yellow - have a Grob (Game 3091829) and we will see if this is the worst opening ever!

and here is an indication of the Grobs strength (Game 3092030) and another (Game 3092029)

More evidence that the Grob is playable.

Game 3092026

Grob is very good against weak yet very fast players in 1min bullet. It forces them to play more originally (=blunder more). Against strong but slow players it does not work that well.

Originally posted by Jusuh
Grob is very good against weak yet very fast players in 1min bullet. It forces them to play more originally (=blunder more). Against strong but slow players it does not work that well.

I do tend to agree. The Grob can be a very sucessful surprise OTB weapon but it is inherently weak so against strong slow players at correspondence it should fail, but against weaker players, especially those that move fast, it can cause serious problems very early as you get out of books and databses very quickly.

At the moment I confess to being reluctant to play anyone rated above, say 1800, with this opening whereas players rated below 1600 I feel I can give away weaknesses and even a pawn or 2 and perhaps claw it back in the middle / end game (if I bother to take my time). Against such players it gives exciting unbalanced games in which I can easily make an error.

... but, here is more evidence of its strength Game 3092031

and yet more Game 3093854

for a score to date

P16

W 15
D 1
L 0

Possibly the best opening ever.

Well I don't think DragonFire would play this against anyone stronger then him... but who knows. I am currently playing against him using the grob and I expect to be smashed in the middle-game, I can already see his attack coming... but thats not because the grob is all powerful, it is because I have allowed his attack to build... maybe if I would have played it differently it would be another story. Lets see how it goes, I can be quite dubious at times. 😉

Game 3078054

Originally posted by ChessJester
Well I don't think DragonFire would play this against anyone stronger then him... but who knows. I am currently playing against him using the grob and I expect to be smashed in the middle-game, I can already see his attack coming... but thats not because the grob is all powerful, it is because I have allowed his attack to build... maybe if I would have p ...[text shortened]... another story. Lets see how it goes, I can be quite dubious at times. 😉

Game 3078054

A typical Grob set up on move 7. Just waiting to get my Knight to c3.

I am better than in some of the other games I took on where I am coming unstuck against 1. ... e5! which seems to cause me all sorts of problems on the black squares although I think I have found the answer.

I can see it now......"Starting Out: The Grob!"

Guys I just started a game with Dragon Fire, which Im pretty sure I'll win, as I am a renouned Grob Killer, and undefeated against the Grob, including some impressive victories, after I beat Dragon Fire, I really hope all the hype surrounding this controversal opening will finally be put to rest.

Originally posted by HomerJSimpson
Guys I just started a game with Dragon Fire, which Im pretty sure I'll win, as I am a renouned Grob Killer, and undefeated against the Grob, including some impressive victories, after I beat Dragon Fire, I really hope all the hype surrounding this controversal opening will finally be put to rest.

Watch Game 3091829 for the demise of the renounced Grob Killer by the current undefeated champion of the Grob.