MOVED from USCF Issues: Karpov vs. Polgar

[narceleb]

@Brenan

@Ron Suarez

I stand corrected. I did say that I was going by my recollection only. I do recall Karpov asking for a different first move. That is where I left it.

Now as to Brenan claiming how bad 1. g4 is, well it ain’t necessarily so.

I play weekly with a friend that often plays 1. b4 as his first move. He has won quite a few games with this opening, even against a Master and a few Experts. That’s not too bad for a Class B player.

Also Sam Sloan played an Expert, Bill Brock, awhile back in a grudge match held in Chicago. People actually gave money to fly Sam to Chicago and have a $1000 prize to the winner. This was all done through the group on rgcp before this forum was even a twinkle in Mike Nolan’s eye. Anyway, Sam won that match. I might be mistaken but I think 1. g4 may have been seen by Sam in that match.

While the Grandmasters of the world will claim these openings are busted, it isn’t necessarily so in real play. Sure, theoretically that may be so, but let’s face it when playing over a chess board the practical often varies quite a bit from the theoretical.

1b4 is not the same as 1g4.

Indeed, even Karpov has played (as Black) 1.Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 b5. Three times, in fact.

BTW, I believe that Horowitz called 1.g4 “The Spike.”

[ppwchess]

@Brenan

@ppwchess

@RandyShane

@BrianLafferty

If elected to the board, I will consider a rule change to prohibit the use of 1.g4 in any USCF sanctioned event.

Not sure I can vote for you, then. I WANT my opponents to play 1. g4.

If you’re going to prohibit anything, make it the French Defense.

– Randy “Needs To Learn Something Other Than The Exchange Variation” Shane

Ban the Smith-Morra Gambit. Though I don’t think Dr. Hecht would go for that since he’s beaten me several times with it. I guess I can’t vote for him. LOL

If you hate the Morra Gambit, you can always decline it and force White to play the c3 Sicilian. But you have to be comfortable with the …Nf6 version of the c3, not the …d5 one.

That’s exactly what I do.

@Brenan

But taking the pawn is fun.

I do not find it fun, to get attacked like crazy, and try to hold on for dear life, or walk into some stupid book trap that loses horribly.

@Brenan

I like Bent Larsen’s comment in his annotations to a Ken Smith game from San Antonio '72. When Smith’s opponent, who was Mario Campos Lopez, played the French against Smith’s 1e4, Larsen gave the move …e6 a (?) and wrote, “Stronger is P-QB4, which wins a pawn…”

LOL