Originally posted by gaychessplayerBut what about the other 100 GM's who are beating other GM's and are not playing the London System?
So Gata Kamsky wasn't playing chess when he was beating GM after GM with the London System? He has even played it relatively recently. Guess you can teach a thing or two about chess to Mr. Kamsky, since he obviously doesn't know what he is doing.
Look at the games - the opening did not beat these guys they beat themselves. Then look at the draws white has had with it.
IM's and a few no m' are drawing against GM's who play it.
Ask yourself why stronger GM's than Mr Kamsky don't employ it all the time. Black has an equal positon after 4 moves.
But if you want to shed White's opening plus after 4 moves. OK.
Originally posted by greenpawn34I agree that objectively White obtains little or (more likely) no advantage in the opening when s/he plays the London System. But that doesn't mean that it "is not chess", as you claimed. In my opinion, the chief aim of the opening is to get a middlegame position that you enjoy playing, and the London System does just that for Kamsky. And that's chess!
But what about the other 100 GM's who are beating other GM's and are not playing the London System?
Look at the games - the opening did not beat these guys they beat themselves. Then look at the draws white has had with it.
IM's and a few no m' are drawing against GM's who play it.
Ask yourself why stronger GM's than Mr Kamsky don't employ it all ...[text shortened]... positon after 4 moves.
But if you want to shed White's opening plus after 4 moves. OK.
I know the opinion of a patzer like me doesn't count for a hill of beans, but I played against the london in a tourney against the top seed in my division, I played him to a draw, but a few others took him behind the woodshed ans pasted him. I don't think he'll be dusting off that old chestnut at the next tourney😉
yes it is true, you may not achieve an opening 'advantage', but what Kamsky and others did get was a sound position from which they could outplay their opponents. its a matter of taste that's all, like, say, i like listening to Greenday or Jimi Hendrix, you may not, but prefer something classical like Shostakovich, who can say one is better than the other? its simply a matter of taste, is it not? and me a Fischer disciple as well!, even Kasparov, probably the most successful chess player in history has played this system, why?