Repertoire books

Very true, I messed around with the Alekhine briefly years ago, and I would just play 2.. d5 against 2. f3.

sidenote, whenever White plays Bc4 before developing Knights and they have that crazed sac happy look in their eyes the sane player will play e6



I use the same approach in the Sicilian when these guys try avoid theory by playing 1. e4 c5 2. Bc4 type stuff.

e6 is coming and that Bishop can chomp on granite...

Chicken. I would have sacced on f7 next move.
But at least Black is out the book which was the object of the exercise.
£14.95 and hours of memorising lines all down the toilet.

key takeaway here-

It's far better to work gradually deeper into an opening by working things out for yourself than to buy an mco and memorize lines (although that is what Nakamura and Fischer did...)

Hmmm.......

No idea about Nak but Fishcer was games. He devoured complete games
from all the era's in any language. His games are littered with discarded ideas
that were thought no good and he found something hidden in them,
often turning them into mainlines.

You won't get that from the MCO/BCO/NCO/ECO of any of the O's.

Interesting. Some lad has done a bit of research.

http://www.bobby-fischer.net/evolution_of_bobby_fischer.html

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Chicken. I would have sacced on f7 next move.
But at least Black is out the book which was the object of the exercise.
£14.95 and hours of memorising lines all down the toilet.

who memorises lines? I think chess players are too lazy for that.

I memorize Colle lines so I can crush lazy system players in 1min chess.

🙂

Do you really play that many colle people or are you just anti Robbie?

The Colle is like a punishment for drinking and playing blitz. Everytime I do that and my rating dips about 200 pts I get a slew of Colle's. Combine that with the fact that almost every Class B Colle player plays the same way and it is well worth your time to know how to stifle it.

What worries me are the guys savvy enough to move order into a Colle Zuck when I am still sipping pints...

Originally posted by greenpawn34
I have Watson's book on the French as well. It's OK.
Never read his strategy books - heard mixed things.

Wolfgang Uhlmann. Great player, has dozens of simply
brilliant games on his CV.

Hi Paul.

I answered the OP. Know nothing about him and his current games are
still in the opening phase so have to assume, becaused he asked...

(...good pla ...[text shortened]... iddle game, not of their choosing and suddenly
play it like a Grandmaster.

"Not a great discovery picked all this up from 'Most Instructive Games of Chess.'
Tarrasch's Best Games by Reinfeld. And then hours and hours of of studying
and solving tacitcs or playing over short games. "

I dare say that the books mentioned in your quote above have more GM games than amateur games. I actually think that Tarrasch's Best Games would be an excellent choice for a player looking to learn about openings and get some ideas. Your quote is an excellent formula for improvement, and any GM games in those book will not hurt anyone, I believe!

I'm a little unclear how my stats with Alekhine's Defense with 2. Nc3 relate to this, but I can say that I got the 2. ... d5 idea from Kengis, so it is another example of how studying a GM's approach to the opening can prepare you to play.

(I think my win/loss stats are also very dubious, as I will play anyone regardless of rating, and I never refuse a challenge or brush off anyone simply because of a rating, but that's a side point.)

I have also sometimes simply transposed to the Pirc because I have played it in the past, but that's as much mood as anything.

For anyone looking for annotated Kengis games in Alekhine's Defense, there are several in GM Davies Alekhine's Defense and John Cox's Starting Out: Alekhine's Defense. Both books, especially the second, are written for the amateur player and are highly recommended.

Originally posted by Eladar
Do you really play that many colle people or are you just anti Robbie?

Actually he knows its true, you gotta watch a Roman Dzindzichashvili video, just for the
laughs, he chastises chess players for being lazy and not memorising lines before
tournaments, lazee lazee chess players he calls them. I think its hilarious, its the way
his crazy hairdo gets in the way when hes chastising lazee chess players, you gotta
watch one just for the laughs. But who does memorise chess lines, this is the
question? who thinks it works? I have never played in a tournament so I dont know,
the most lines i have memorised are up to move 7, although i have memorised two
games, Morphys and a Bishops opening, opening trap, but that's it.

this is my opening repertoire,

1.e4 as white

as black

against 1...e4 ...c5

against all other black defences including 1.f4 1.d4 1.c4 1.Nf3 etc i am now simply
going to play the KID

Hi Paul (again) 😉

"I dare say that the books mentioned in your quote above
have more GM games than amateur games. "

But they are not written by GM's.

My quibble is that seeing the title GM on a cover does mean
they can write or instruct.
They are good a playing a game, nothing more. Writing is an art.

Writing is not gathering a pile of GM games from a DB.
Leaving a computer on for three days to analyse them and
then tart it up with stock phrases or + -+ = +- symbols.

Chernev's prose and choice of games make this an excellent book.
(if only he had put in Alekhine v Yates Carlsbad 1923 - I might have,
no I would have been a KID player before 75/76.)

"I'm a little unclear how my stats with Alekhine's Defense
with 2. Nc3 relate to this."

Dedicated Opening Books v Rep Books.
A book on the Alekhine will give GM games in all the main lines covering 2.e5.
Pages and pages and pages on 2.e5.

Then tucked away at the back 2.Nc3 and never if at all 2.Bc4.

Your stats prove, (a third of your 28 Alekhines met with 2.Nc3)
that at the lower levels games branch off into the sub variations
and then into uncharted water.

Telling our OP to look at GM's games when there is a very strong
chance he will out of the book by move 8 is (in my opinion) well meant
advice but not too good.

Post a game played by one of us and some lad will ask a question.
(which is wonderful, someone has missed a point or a trick and wants to
see it.... I'll answer any question, if I can and not be phased one bit.
It's why we post games, to boost our ego and hopefully someone somewhere
may pick up a trick.)

If some of the lads cannot come fully to grips with our games
then what hope do they have looking at a GM game?

These books should have a 'Black Museum' chapter.
20 or even 50 short wins with very light notes showing the typical
blunders and ½ cocked yet succesful attacks, that under 2000 player
will see and meet.

Grotty, messy, uncoordinated, planless games but with one
simple tactical trick that WORKED

I can see I'm going to have write one.
I'll fill it with RHP games from the 1400-1900 DB.

The Black Museum £4.95

Blurb.

Do you want to see what really happens when you play
those opening moves from that expensive glossy book
you just bought but cannot understand.

And don't stand there feeling insulted.
If you were any good you would not be buying chess books.

Come and wade through the mire of games you will
understand and see all the games you are going to play.

Meet Mr Unsound Sacrifice, his brother Mr Premature Attack.
Very succesful players in all openings.

Say Hi to Sac all my Pawns Sammy and Pieces for free Pete.
Two more succesful players that GM's don't know about or tarnish their
'works of art' with.

All games under 25 moves, not an ending in sight and more
one move blunders than you thought were possible.

WARNING
There is no Fritz or Rybka or any other computer used in writing this book.
Infact running one of these games through a computer is liable to crock it.

Now Give the man your £5.00 tell him to keep and change and this
time next week all your glossy expensive poorly written computer vomit
opening books will be on EBAY.

🙂
-----------------------------------------

You rec'd the Davies book. I've thumbed through it.

You have read it and play the opening. I cannot argue with that.

That Davies book is sitting in a 2nd hand book shop
not 400 yards from where I live for £4.00.

Give them a call, they do mail order.

Main Point Books
8 Lauriston St
Edinburgh EH3 9DJ
0131 228 4837

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Hi Paul (again) 😉

"I dare say that the books mentioned in your quote above
have more GM games than amateur games. "

But they are not written by GM's.

My quibble is that seeing the title GM on a cover does mean
they can write or instruct.
They are good a playing a game, nothing more. Writing is an art.

Writing is not gathering a p ...[text shortened]... er.

Main Point Books
8 Lauriston St
Edinburgh EH3 9DJ
0131 228 4837

I appreciate the point you are making, but the essence is that I think a player is better off playing through a book of Capablanca's best games or some other collection of Master games than they would be looking at the 1400-rating database.

(Of course, we both know that there are more elements than just these two, but I thought I would mention it anyway so that anyone reading who doesn't already know us won't think we are more crazy than we actuall are!)

I see value in both, but we definitely disagree as to the relative value of each.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
But who does memorise chess lines, this is the question? who thinks it works?

Professionals, that's who. And with good reason. Are you a professional? No? Then don't bother, with equal reason.

Richard

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
I appreciate the point you are making, but the essence is that I think a player is better off playing through a book of Capablanca's best games or some other collection of Master games than they would be looking at the 1400-rating database.

(Of course, we both know that there are more elements than just these two, but I thought I would mention it any ...[text shortened]... ll are!)

I see value in both, but we definitely disagree as to the relative value of each.

It makes me wonder if opening books should be written in a format where instead of analyzing branches of lines it should be done based chapters of player strength.

i.e.

Chapters 1-4 are typical plans, traps etc.
chapter 5-6 is common lines in the u1400 database
chapter 7-8 slighly more sophisticated stuff for Class B players
chapter 9-12 Class A ideas
chapter 13-16 Expert
chapter 17 (just lines with little explanation) Master section.

haha.

I do think any B player or lower who neglects playing through the old masters is doing themselves a great diservice.

Originally posted by Shallow Blue
Professionals, that's who. And with good reason. Are you a professional? No? Then don't bother, with equal reason.

Richard

Did Capa memorise any lines, nope, in fact when he was challenging for the world
championship all he had read was one book on the ...f5 Lopez, there is a lot to be said
for originality in chess at any level.