Thursday, March 10, 2005
DLM Opening
I think I have an example of an opening that fits the bill: C01 French Exchange.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. c4
Immediately pawns are traded and it seems to improve the mobility of the pieces, just like in DLM's article. I tried this only once last year as White but just wasn't prepared for the ensuing tactical showdown.
I have seen a few examples at chessgames.com and in Chessmaster lectures. Both Maurice Ashley and Joshua Waitzkin have played this with success.
I am considering preparing an opening that follows his advice, just to give it a shot. Unfortunately, playing 1. e4 in no way guarantees ... e6, so I am wondering whether or not this French Exchange is worth studying. The King's Gambit is a possibility, although there always is black's Sicilian response of 1...c5. The thing is I do not have a history of accurate gambit play. My regular White opening is Queen's gambit, which arguably does not gambit much of anything. I might be better off preparing a Black defense that follows DLM''s advice for e4 or d4.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. c4
Immediately pawns are traded and it seems to improve the mobility of the pieces, just like in DLM's article. I tried this only once last year as White but just wasn't prepared for the ensuing tactical showdown.
I have seen a few examples at chessgames.com and in Chessmaster lectures. Both Maurice Ashley and Joshua Waitzkin have played this with success.
I am considering preparing an opening that follows his advice, just to give it a shot. Unfortunately, playing 1. e4 in no way guarantees ... e6, so I am wondering whether or not this French Exchange is worth studying. The King's Gambit is a possibility, although there always is black's Sicilian response of 1...c5. The thing is I do not have a history of accurate gambit play. My regular White opening is Queen's gambit, which arguably does not gambit much of anything. I might be better off preparing a Black defense that follows DLM''s advice for e4 or d4.
-=-=-=-=-
Completed circle 4 of problems 160-208. 
Comments:
<< Home
Against 1. e4 c5
I play 2. c3 what gives you a solid position and a long lasting initiative. Suits your style I presume.
I play 2. c3 what gives you a solid position and a long lasting initiative. Suits your style I presume.
I took a little look at the Alapin Variation. It does look like a fit for the DLM opening, but there's alot to it.
If you don't like to learn a lot of variations you have to play for a position.
d4, Nf3, c4, Nc3, e3, Bd3, b3, Bb2, O-O, Qc2 is an example. You can vary the move order. On a certain moment you can force e4 and you get an attack on the kingside. I don't play it myself with white, but hate it when they play it against me. It's useful aganst a lot of replies from black.
d4, Nf3, c4, Nc3, e3, Bd3, b3, Bb2, O-O, Qc2 is an example. You can vary the move order. On a certain moment you can force e4 and you get an attack on the kingside. I don't play it myself with white, but hate it when they play it against me. It's useful aganst a lot of replies from black.
The thing that keeps me away from the French Exchange and Alapin Sicilian is that you have to be willing to play with an IQP (and I typically don't, but that's a personal preference). It does give you dynamic play, which might fit the bill for a DLM opening, but if your opponent trades most of the minor pieces you're left with a static weakness. The Alapin Sicilian can also lead to very positional games. A more attacking anti-Sicilian is the Grand Prix Attack: 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6/d6 3.f4 (1.e4 c5 2.f4 used to be more popular, but 2...d5! lets Black have all the fun). And against 1...e5 if you don't want to play the Spanish or the King's Gambit, there's always the Italian (maybe the Evans' Gambit or the Max Lange Attack), and even the Vienna.
From what I've seen of DLM's games, he played really questionable gambits to get out of theory immediately, and then he relied on his tactical strength to bring home the full point; not sure I'd recommend that approach :)
From what I've seen of DLM's games, he played really questionable gambits to get out of theory immediately, and then he relied on his tactical strength to bring home the full point; not sure I'd recommend that approach :)
Thanks for the ideas. This is alot to think about.
From what I've seen of DLM's games, he played really questionable gambits to get out of theory immediately, and then he relied on his tactical strength to bring home the full point; not sure I'd recommend that approach :)
That makes sense to me. Getting
somebody out of a deeply prepared opening quickly probably is worth a half pawn.
From what I've seen of DLM's games, he played really questionable gambits to get out of theory immediately, and then he relied on his tactical strength to bring home the full point; not sure I'd recommend that approach :)
That makes sense to me. Getting
somebody out of a deeply prepared opening quickly probably is worth a half pawn.
I might give this a try. I hate the French, and I just ahd a tragic loss with the Milner-Barry gambit. Ready fro something new.
Post a Comment
<< Home
