12 Jul 04
In Soltis's notes in Bobby Fischer Rediscovered, he comments on Fischer-Uhlmann first few moves. 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 The chief virtue of this transpositional trick is to avoid 2. d4 c5... I don't understand this. Black can still play c5 and unless white wants to go into a KIA, he's going to play d4 anyway, so where's the advantage? Anybody have a clue on this?
12 Jul 04
Originally posted by buddy2Well, if Black plays an immediate c5 he is in a Closed Sicilian formation rather than a French Defense. Uhlmann was considered one of the top experts in the world on the French so maybe the Fish was trying to get him out of it and into less familiar (to Uhlmann) territory.
In Soltis's notes in Bobby Fischer Rediscovered, he comments on Fischer-Uhlmann first few moves. 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 The chief virtue of this transpositional trick is to avoid 2. d4 c5... I don't understand this. Black can still play c5 and unless white wants to go into a KIA, he's going to play d4 anyway, so where's the advantage? Anybody have a clue on this?
It's a pretty slow line against the Sicilian, however.
12 Jul 04
Originally posted by buddy2Well, the Fish was not above varying his openings for a specific match to catch an opponent unawares; I believed he even played an English in one of the championship games against Spassky. What did Uhlmann respond to 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3?
I can't see Fischer opting for a closed Sicilian as white.
16 Jul 04
Marauder, It went into a Winawer French, which is probably what Uhlmann wanted in the first place. I checked my trusty Wade-O'Connell. Fischer had played only two closed sicilians as white previous to this game. He liked open lines, but, as you said, he could play anything at any given time.
16 Jul 04
2 edits
Originally posted by buddy2I looked it up further, buddy2, and what Fischer is trying to avoid is the Franco-Benoni which normally goes 1 d4 e6 2 e4 d5, but which would transpose like Soltis notes. It seems he was willing to risk a closed Sicilian rather than let Uhlmann play a Franco-Benoni (who knows if Uhlmann even wanted to). That seems a neat trick for Black to use against attacking players though; to turn some of the sharp lines against the French into the Franco-Benoni!
In Soltis's notes in Bobby Fischer Rediscovered, he comments on Fischer-Uhlmann first few moves. 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 The chief virtue of this transpositional trick is to avoid 2. d4 c5... I don't understand this. Black can still play c5 ...[text shortened]... 4 anyway, so where's the advantage? Anybody have a clue on this?