Who's the most unorthodox player?

Who is the most unorthodox pro chess player out there? Also, who's the most unorthodox player on this site (that you know of)? Whoever that person is, I'd like to study his/her games.

I've found that "wierd" styles can rattle players. Also, I like unique chess moves anyway; always fun to watch.

Originally posted by vivify
Who is the most unorthodox pro chess player out there? Also, who's the most unorthodox player on this site (that you know of)? Whoever that person is, I'd like to study his/her games.

I've found that "wierd" styles can rattle players. Also, I like unique chess moves anyway; always fun to watch.

I have no idea if he's pro, but look up Emory Tate.

I had an interesting draw with Mr. Tate OTB back in mid-90's.

Originally posted by vivify
Who is the most unorthodox pro chess player out there? Also, who's the most unorthodox player on this site (that you know of)? Whoever that person is, I'd like to study his/her games.

I've found that "wierd" styles can rattle players. Also, I like unique chess moves anyway; always fun to watch.

I think you will find anyone sub 1400 has a weird style!
I guess what you are looking for is weird and good. I doubt that you will find anyone who is consistently weird but if you want to throw opponents of your level off why not study White openings other than c4/d4/e4 ?

As black against d4 I play the Czech Benoni and that leads to some weird positions (uncastled kings and a totally blocked centre). take a look at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_R1YakSIlo

Bent Larsen's games are fun. He often played flank openings. Personally, I like Bird's Opening as white, and the Dutch Defence as black against 1 d4. I'm still deciding what I prefer against 1 e4, but lately I've been playing Owen's Defence, 1 ... b6.

A couple of names spring to mind -

Rashid Nezhmetdinov (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=37199). His astonishing sacrifices come from nowhere!

Mike Basman (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=27319). Crushes weaker players with moves which just look wrong, but has a hard time of it against Grandmasters.

I'd consider Alexander Morozevich (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=11719) quite an unorthodox player by today's standards.

Gabor Kadas (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=32760) is someone who beat me once after playing 1.h4 e5 2.a4. Apparently he did this all the time!

Anthony Miles should be mentioned too (his win vs Karpov playing 1.e4 a6?!, for example).

I think that any master that plays the Chigorin against the queens pawn or the Nimzoveitch defence against the king pawn is pretty unorthodox.

By unorthodox you have to be meaning openings.
In his day Steinitz was classed as unorthodox both in openings
and the middle game before players began to understand what he was all about.

There is a quote about him from a fellow player saying something like.
"Pick up a chess set, empty it on the board and you have the style of Steinitz."
Or something along those lines.

Nimzovitch and the gang of Moderns had some unorthodox ideas most
of which have become accepted.

Openings:
You have to be a good player to go for these kind of openings.
Though at the lower levels as long as you have a sharpish tactical eye
then you can often get away with anything.

Tony Miles was mentioned and me along with I'd day hundreds of other
players around the world all have a 1...a6 loss tucked away in our memory.
He also played 1.e4 Nc6 (Nimzo's Other) quite a few times at a higher level
which is pretty unorthodox.

(EDIT: Robbie just mentioned it.)

The players Fat Lady and the rest ot the lads mentioned.
Jonny Hector and Tartakower spring to mind.
Again I have to stress you must be a good player.
Good player's know when to break the rules regarding opening principles.
Before you can swim against the tide, first you must learn how to swim.

Scotland's Roddy McKay a minor hero of mine played 1.a4 a few times
in the Scottish Championship in the 70's when winning it.
Though not a pro when Karpov was giving a simul in Glasgow he refused to
allow Roddy to play which speaks volumes for the respect he had.

Never dabbled in them myself although did go through a period of playing
1.Nf3 d5 2.a4 to get a QP opening in reverse.

I'm an unorthodox end game player, does that count?

Originally posted by vivify
Who is the most unorthodox pro chess player out there? Also, who's the most unorthodox player on this site (that you know of)? Whoever that person is, I'd like to study his/her games.

I've found that "wierd" styles can rattle players. Also, I like unique chess moves anyway; always fun to watch.

Offhand, I think of Bent Larsen, Duncan Suttles, and Michael Basman.

It's hard to say on the site, but I have played kingshill a few games, and he has a bit of the artist about him in that he will not always play what he knows is the assumed best move if he sees a more interesting alternative.

I admire guys who derive satisfaction from the game beyond merely winning, especially when it's by choice. They drive by the sun, the wind, and the stars, not by GPS.

I would love to hear what Greenpawn34 says, as I think his knowledge of players on the site must be unsurpassed.

EDIT: GP posted the same time I did- serendipity!

Hi Paul we just posted at the same time.

On Here and the players I know who are genuine good OTB players.

Agree Kingshill puts in a few nice shots, not seen a lot of his games though.
Pawn Riot & atticus2 produce some fine games with that wee bit of polish.
Northern Lad who appears to have gone was another and of course Korch.

Also Think the OP will do a lot better by looking at the games of David Tebb.
He has a nice clear syle.
Fat Lady (now scraping the bottom of the barell) has a few clinical wins
with some nice wrap ups. But most are stodge.😉

"I think his knowledge of players on the site must be unsurpassed."

Only under 2000 and I very rarely look at above 2200 games.

Tony Miles defeated reigning World Champion Anatoly Karpov, a couple years before I stopped playing OTB chess, with what was called the "Birmingham Defence" at that time, after Miles' hometown. I had several people play it against me and I even tried it myself, but lost since I am no Tony Miles.

Anatoly Karpov–Anthony Miles, European Team Championship, Skara, Sweden 1980:

[Event "European Team Championship"]
[Site "Skara Sweden"]
[Date "1980"]
[White "Anatoly Karpov"]
[Black "Anthony Miles"]
[Result "0-1"]
1. e4 a6 2. d4 b5 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Qe2 e6 6. a4 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Nbd2 b4 9. e5 Nd5 10. Ne4 Be7 11. 0-0 Nc6 12. Bd2 Qc7 13. c4 bxc3 14. Nxc3 Nxc3 15. Bxc3 Nb4 16. Bxb4 Bxb4 17. Rac1 Qb6 18. Be4 0-0 19. Ng5 h6 20. Bh7+ Kh8 21. Bb1 Be7 22. Ne4 Rac8 23. Qd3 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Qxb2 25. Re1 Qxe5 26. Qxd7 Bb4 27. Re3 Qd5 28. Qxd5 Bxd5 29. Nc3 Rc8 30. Ne2 g5 31. h4 Kg7 32. hxg5 hxg5 33. Bd3 a5 34. Rg3 Kf6 35. Rg4 Bd6 36. Kf1 Be5 37. Ke1 Rh8 38. f4 gxf4 39. Nxf4 Bc6 40. Ne2 Rh1+ 41. Kd2 Rh2 42. g3 Bf3 43. Rg8 Rg2 44. Ke1 Bxe2 45. Bxe2 Rxg3 46. Ra8 Bc7 0–1

I was trying to do the pgn of the game but I seem to always goof it up.

YOU CAN PLAY OUT THE GAME ON THIS LINK:

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1068157

For geenpawn34:
Perhaps Miles used psychology on Karpov. What do you think?

Originally posted by RJHinds
Tony Miles defeated reigning World Champion Anatoly Karpov, a couple years before I stopped playing OTB chess, with what was called the "Birmingham Defence" at that time, after Miles' hometown. I had several people play it against me and I even tried it myself, but lost since I am no Tony Miles.

Anatoly Karpov–Anthony Miles, European Team Championship, S Kd2 Rh2 42. g3 Bf3 43. Rg8 Rg2 44. Ke1 Bxe2 45. Bxe2 Rxg3 46. Ra8 Bc7 0–1
[/pgn]

your pgn sucks Ronald.

Originally posted by Rank outsider
[pgn]1. e4 a6 2. d4 b5 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Qe2 e6 6. a4 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Nbd2 b4 9. e5 Nd5 10. Ne4 Be7 11. 0-0 Nc6 12. Bd2 Qc7 13. c4 bxc3 14. Nxc3 Nxc3 15. Bxc3 Nb4 16. Bxb4 Bxb4 17. Rac1 Qb6 18. Be4 0-0 19. Ng5 h6 20. Bh7+ Kh8 21. Bb1 Be7 22. Ne4 Rac8 23. Qd3 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Qxb2 25. Re1 Qxe5 26. Qxd7 Bb4 27. Re3 Qd5 28. Qxd5 Bxd5 29. Nc3 Rc8 30 ...[text shortened]... Bc6 40. Ne2 Rh1+ 41. Kd2 Rh2 42. g3 Bf3 43. Rg8 Rg2 44. Ke1 Bxe2 45. Bxe2 Rxg3 46. Ra8 Bc7[/pgn]

It looks like Karpov's mistake was move 23. Qd3 because it allowed Miles to gain a pawn. Was there any psychology that might have caused Karpov to make this mistake?