Least/Most Prefered Opening Moves...

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Wondering, GP, in what situations you might first

develop a few pieces with an eye toward castling.

Footnote: Wondering when your green pawn

avatar will receive its seasonal decoration?

Hi Gramps.

Yes as always, but have to wait till Dec 13th. the 12th day before Chtistmas
and back to normall 12 days after.

Everyone start designing your Christmas Avatar now, only 6 days to go!!

Originally posted by tomtom232
Actually mobility IS an advantage in and of itself. If the opponents pieces become restricted then you will control the game.

Mobility is beside the point at the first move, since you can only move one piece at a time.

There is no doubt that the various sequences of opening moves available to a player offer varying levels of mobility after each successive move, but at move 1 it is hardly the most important factor- otherwise we'd also be praising 1. e3 for exactly the same reason.

And I'm sure we have some 1. e3 players out there [ The "French Attack"? 😉 ] who are all ready to jump on that bandwagon, but I don't think they'll have too many followers.

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
Mobility is beside the point at the first move, since you can only move one piece at a time.

There is no doubt that the various sequences of opening moves available to a player offer varying levels of mobility after each successive move, but at move 1 it is hardly the most important factor- otherwise we'd also be praising 1. e3 for exactly the same re all ready to jump on that bandwagon, but I don't think they'll have too many followers.

Yes, point is good for even in the end, a bishop may have all the mobility in the world, but if there are no targets, it may simply be attacking air. It does seem, certainly true that in many instances, mobility is a factor, thus in a positional sense we try to get our opponent to use his resources to defend pawns, thus their mobility is reduced, or we can do a Capa and restrict a piece to a particular area of the board and attack on the other side, but mostly it appears to come around tactically when the 'horizon of movement', of a piece is severely restricted, as in pin. I really like the Purdy approach to the opening, with its emphasis on files for rooks, for if your rooks have open and semi-open files, your usually in good shape.

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
Mobility is beside the point at the first move, since you can only move one piece at a time.

There is no doubt that the various sequences of opening moves available to a player offer varying levels of mobility after each successive move, but at move 1 it is hardly the most important factor- otherwise we'd also be praising 1. e3 for exactly the same ...[text shortened]... re all ready to jump on that bandwagon, but I don't think they'll have too many followers.

Well on the higher levels it is an important factor but 1.e3 has other limitations to it that 1.e4 doesn't.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Yes, point is good for even in the end, a bishop may have all the mobility in the world, but if there are no targets, it may simply be attacking air. It does seem, certainly true that in many instances, mobility is a factor, thus in a positional sense we try to get our opponent to use his resources to defend pawns, thus their mobility is reduced, or ...[text shortened]... files for rooks, for if your rooks have open and semi-open files, your usually in good shape.

Well, if we have better mobility then it is our job to create a target. But that is beside the point, I was just saying that mobility is an advantage and its not for us to say if it isn't important or not... thats for the top players to figure out.

Originally posted by Maxacre42
I hate it when I open c4 and the opponent c5! The symmetrical is just impossible to get an advantage against!

That's interesting, I play 1.Nf3 and if black plays 1..c5 i go into the symmetrical deliberately. I will say that this is specifically because most people who play c5 in this position are trying to transpose into a Sicilian, which means that a symmetrical English opening probably doesn't sit well with their style of play. I've lost count of how many games i've won this way. 🙂

Originally posted by tomtom232
Well on the higher levels it is an important factor but 1.e3 has other limitations to it that 1.e4 doesn't.

Absolutely- that was my point, so we are on the same page!

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
[b]Least/Most Prefered Opening Moves...



Least: Ho hum frontal E4/D4. Most: Flank pawns with knights & bishops

in the fray. Why? Why not? If not us, whom? If not now, when? Yours?


..............................................................................[/b]

e4 "best by test" -Fischer

Then you got d4 and c4. Both good.It all depends on what you are looking for. Open or closed game?

However,NF3 is one of whites "equally best" moves. Its a great spot to be and you can transpose wherever, depending on black.

Originally posted by utherpendragon
e4 "best by test" -Fischer

That would be "P-K4".

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
Mobility is beside the point at the first move, since you can only move one piece at a time.

There is no doubt that the various sequences of opening moves available to a player offer varying levels of mobility after each successive move, but at move 1 it is hardly the most important factor- otherwise we'd also be praising 1. e3 for exactly the same ...[text shortened]... re all ready to jump on that bandwagon, but I don't think they'll have too many followers.

'And I'm sure we have some 1. e3 players out there [ The "French Attack"?"


Still seems that 1.e3 holds a certain contrarian/maverick appeal.


2010 NFL Footnote: Disconcerting, Paul, to watch

TB finally suffering through late season injuries.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
"French Attack"?"

That my friend is an oxymoron.

Originally posted by ChessPraxis
That my friend is an oxymoron.

Rec'd, because that it LOL funny at so many levels!

Originally posted by nimzo5
I play the Symmetrical opening 1.c4 c5 with the express goal of killing any enjoyment of the game for White so the English opening is retired to the dustbin of lame openings.

Somehow I don't think that's going to work out.

McShane, Carlsen, London Chess Classic, 12.8.10-

Originally posted by Thabtos
Somehow I don't think that's going to work out.

McShane, Carlsen, London Chess Classic, 12.8.10-




[pgn][Event "London Chess Classic"] [Site "London ENG"] [Date "2010.12.08"] [EventDate "2010.12.06"] [Round "1"] [Result "1-0"] [White "L McShane"] [Black "M Carlsen"] [ECO "A37"] [WhiteElo "2645"] [BlackElo "2802"] [PlyCount "78"] 1. c4 c5 2. g3 g6 ...[text shortened]... 1+ 35. Kxf1 Bc4+ 36. Kg1 Bxa2 37. Ba4 e5 38. f3 Bh6 39. Bb3+ 1-0[/pgn]

Wow... look at how those knights bullied the black pieces. Too bad for the almighty bishop pair.