Only Chess
22 May 08
22 May 08
3 edits
My opponent blundered his last move but I think I would win anyway.. For some reason people still rather play knight fork then Bxf7+ ...
Game 5023512
Is there some better alternative to 9...Nd6 which leaves me with double pawns and crippled, if not bad bishop for at least some tempo ? thanks !
22 May 08
the traxler, the KG and all those kinds of crazy stuff is enough not to play 1...e5 against 1.e4. ever 🙂
really, I'm playing the french exclusively for a while and planning to stick with it for about a year (or maybe even more), and I cannot imagine myself going back to any kind of e5 openings. I'm too anticipated by those theoratical traps and stuff. anyway, nice game 🙂
22 May 08
Originally posted by diskamylWell, I found KG and traxler very helpful exercises. When every move is so valuable, you can not afford to make bad moves and it really can sharpen your tactics vision...
the traxler, the KG and all those kinds of crazy stuff is enough not to play 1...e5 against 1.e4. ever 🙂
really, I'm playing the french exclusively for a while and planning to stick with it for about a year (or maybe even more), and I cannot imagine myself going back to any kind of e5 openings. I'm too anticipated by those theoratical traps and stuff. anyway, nice game 🙂
22 May 08
Originally posted by ivan2908Here is the game finished now. Checkmate follows on move 9. The crucial white mistake was of course pawn on f6... KG is often dangerous even for experienced players who never played it before. Very nice weapon to have in your arsenal... Suitable for miniatures
Well, I found KG and traxler very helpful exercises. When every move is so valuable, you can not afford to make bad moves and it really can sharpen your tactics vision...
Game 5023488
23 May 08
Originally posted by ChessJesterWell I put it in Fritz 10. Fritz agrees too. I wanted to keep the open f file at all costs and continue attack since I was a piece down. And without open file 11...Nd4 wouldn't be so strong. With 11...Nd4 you either capture white rook within two moves or you deliver a checkmate ...
yeah but he traded it for your other one in the played variation... so what would you rather have, doubled pawns or your opponent with a developed knight?
Edit: I think you made the right move.
23 May 08
Kf1? is a mistake and then you played the best moves, until Nxc2, where you could have forced an immediate win with Qg4! instead (no defence to Nf3+ or Ne2+) ...
I'm a great traxler fan too but unfortunately i think it is unsound, white has annoying lines both on Bxf7+ and on Nxf7. But he has to be very well prepared to know them !
24 May 08
Originally posted by shorbockI've never played the Traxler, but I've heard of Dan Heisman's analysis of the Traxler Counterattack. (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5?!) Are you familiar with it, and if so, what do you think of it? From the reviews I've read, it seems that White can get a small but safe advantage with 5.Bxf7+, Ke7 6.Bd5, but it doesn't sound like anything crushing for White.
Kf1? is a mistake and then you played the best moves, until Nxc2, where you could have forced an immediate win with Qg4! instead (no defence to Nf3+ or Ne2+) ...
I'm a great traxler fan too but unfortunately i think it is unsound, white has annoying lines both on Bxf7+ and on Nxf7. But he has to be very well prepared to know them !
25 May 08
Originally posted by Mad RookTo put it simply : theoretically a bit unsound (although played by many grandmasters), but in practice one of the deadliest openings you can find !
I've never played the Traxler, but I've heard of Dan Heisman's analysis of the Traxler Counterattack. (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5?!) Are you familiar with it, and if so, what do you think of it? From the reviews I've read, it seems that White can get a small but safe advantage with 5.Bxf7+, Ke7 6.Bd5, but it doesn't sound like anything crushing for White.
I started playing it after skippping trough a book about miniature games (less than 20 moves) in the italian game...in the traxler section, there were an astonishing 80% victory for black !!
In fact i forgot that it only means that when the game lasts less than 20 moves, it's usually a black win (slaughter is more appropriate in many cases...), and as i found out playing it, if the game lasts it generally means white repels the attack and since he's usually 2 or 3 pieces up, he often wins...
That's clearly the wildest opening i know, especially in the Nxf7 line, where you throw pieces at the opponent until it's mate 🙂
Here is an amusing example where black gives away all his pieces but 1 knight, but this knight checkmates !!
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1225116
If you like romantic games, i clearly recommend you give it a try !
25 May 08
looking at the stats in chessbase or chessgames.com confirms what i say about "deadly in practical play"... Hard to find an opening with better stats for black :
white wins : 23.9%
draws : 15.6%
black wins : 60.6% !
Of course playing it in correspondance play aginst a strong and well prepared player is another matter...
25 May 08
Originally posted by Mad RookTrue it's safer for white to play Bxf7+, but that's doesn't mean an easy life either.
From the reviews I've read, it seems that White can get a small but safe advantage with 5.Bxf7+, Ke7 6.Bd5, but it doesn't sound like anything crushing for White.
As an example, what better publicity for the traxler than this game where Karpov himself (in his best years) is held to a draw :
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1068378
25 May 08
Originally posted by shorbockAs I pointed out in a previous thread, Bxf7+ gives white a forced advantage. Belyavsky, who drew with Karpov in the game you mentioned, played it against Anand a year later. Although he managed to swindle Anand in the end, he was completely busted in the opening. That was about 20 years ago I think. To the best of my knowledge, the Traxler (Wilkes-Barre) hasn't been seen in serious top-flight GM play since.
True it's safer for white to play Bxf7+, but that's doesn't mean an easy life either.
As an example, what better publicity for the traxler than this game where Karpov himself (in his best years) is held to a draw :
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1068378
26 May 08
1 edit
Originally posted by Northern LadYeah it is this simple positionnal plan i was thinking of in my first post when i said "unfortunately i think it is unsound, white has annoying lines both on Bxf7+ and on Nxf7. But he has to be very well prepared to know them !"
As I pointed out in a previous thread, Bxf7+ gives white a forced advantage. Belyavsky, who drew with Karpov in the game you mentioned, played it against Anand a year later. Although he managed to swindle Anand in the end, he was completely busted in the opening. That was about 20 years ago I think. To the best of my knowledge, the Traxler (Wilkes-Barre) hasn't been seen in serious top-flight GM play since.
But white has to play very precisely still, and black's position isn't hopeless, just inferior.
Besidesl, last time i played the traxler OTB, i was winning on move 10, so i'll keep on playing it, though i know my stubborness might cost me some games, especially in correspondance play!
And i still recommend it to players below 2200 OTB as a great way to learn how to stop being too materialistic in their games, apart from studying tal's games!