To those who fancy 1. e4, I offer the following ruminations by USCF Senior Master Mark Morss:
I consider that 1. d4 is the best move on the board, the chief reason being that 1…d5 condemns Black to a long defensive struggle with very few winning chances. The analogous statement is not true of 1…e5 after 1. e4, a system where everything hangs on a tempo and Black often takes over the role of White after just one sloppy move by his opponent. By contrast after 1. d4 d5 2. c4, White by very simple means and with essentially no risk obtains a slight advantage and good prospects of converting it to a win. In the main lines of the Queen's Gambit Declined or the Slav, one or even two flaccid moves by White often leave Black still wondering where his counterplay is....
Entire article can be found at: http://www.correspondencechess.com/campbell/hard/h000331.htm
Originally posted by bassoDamn! If only the rules of chess allowed Black to make some OTHER move besides d5 in response to d4!
To those who fancy 1. e4, I offer the following ruminations by USCF Senior Master Mark Morss:
I consider that 1. d4 is the best move on the board, the chief reason being that 1…d5 condemns Black to a long defensive struggle with very few winning chances. The analogous statement is not true of 1…e5 after 1. e4, a system where everything hangs on a tempo and ...[text shortened]...
Entire article can be found at: http://www.correspondencechess.com/campbell/hard/h000331.htm
Originally posted by bassoMark Morss whooo?
To those who fancy 1. e4, I offer the following ruminations by USCF Senior Master Mark Morss:
I consider that 1. d4 is the best move on the board, the chief reason being that 1…d5 condemns Black to a long defensive struggle with very few winning chances. The analogous statement is not true of 1…e5 after 1. e4, a system where everything hangs on a tempo and ...[text shortened]...
Entire article can be found at: http://www.correspondencechess.com/campbell/hard/h000331.htm
The late great ironman played e4 with great success.