CCC Practice Game

[Spock]

Well there are about 5 hours left to vote (as i write)
the voting so far is..
27..Bb4-2
27..Bf8-1
27..Ba8-1

Regards
Steve

Well I'm looking at Be5 or Bc5.. no-one else is, which means either I got the position wrong, or they are hopelessly bad moves
One of them paralyzes white's rook, the other the pawn by the king

Edit: actually Qa5 looks really daring. Oh, decisions, decisions

[Spock]

OK I go for Qa5

For the only reason that something like Qc7 could follow, and get our queen back in the game

[michiguel]

Let's not hurry with Bb4.
what will we play after 27...Bb4 28. Qg4? 28...Kh8 (Bf8) looks forced and now white could even play Bxg6.
What you people think of this line?

I sense We are getting in a sort of zugszwang.

Qg4 can be anwswered with Bc3. Bxg6 hxg6 Qxg6+ Bg7 is fine for black, however, I do not like 27.... Bb4 28 Qg4 Bc3 19. h4 with the idea of h5 etc.

I change my vote from Bb4 to Bf4
we can take advantage that the machine play Bc2 leaving c4 protected only by b3 (see below)

if 29. Bxf4 Qxf4 30. Rxf4 avoiding b4. Ra1 is met with Ra8 and we can plan Kf7 + d5.
White pawns are immobilized because c4 will be hanging. if Bd3 Rd4 and we could play at any time Rb4 and a further Kf7 + d5

Miguel

[Christopher Conkie]

Bb4 because I think it will play Qg5.

[Matthias Gemuh]

Let's not hurry with Bb4.
what will we play after 27...Bb4 28. Qg4? 28...Kh8 (Bf8) looks forced and now white could even play Bxg6.
What you people think of this line?

I sense We are getting in a sort of zugszwang.

Qg4 can be anwswered with Bc3. Bxg6 hxg6 Qxg6+ Bg7 is fine for black, however, I do not like 27.... Bb4 28 Qg4 Bc3 19. h4 with the idea of h5 etc.

I change my vote from Bb4 to Bf4
we can take advantage that the machine play Bc2 leaving c4 protected only by b3 (see below)

if 29. Bxf4 Qxf4 30. Rxf4 avoiding b4. Ra1 is met with Ra8 and we can plan Kf7 + d5.
White pawns are immobilized because c4 will be hanging. if Bd3 Rd4 and we could play at any time Rb4 and a further Kf7 + d5

Miguel

I would answer Bf4 with b4, not Bxf4.

[Steve B]

Bb4 because I think it will play Qg5.

Updated voting with about one hour to go...

27..Bb4-2
27..Bf8-1
27..Ba8-1
27..Bf4-1
27..Qa5-1

Regards
Steve

[michiguel]

Let's not hurry with Bb4.
what will we play after 27...Bb4 28. Qg4? 28...Kh8 (Bf8) looks forced and now white could even play Bxg6.
What you people think of this line?

I sense We are getting in a sort of zugszwang.

Qg4 can be anwswered with Bc3. Bxg6 hxg6 Qxg6+ Bg7 is fine for black, however, I do not like 27.... Bb4 28 Qg4 Bc3 19. h4 with the idea of h5 etc.

I change my vote from Bb4 to Bf4
we can take advantage that the machine play Bc2 leaving c4 protected only by b3 (see below)

if 29. Bxf4 Qxf4 30. Rxf4 avoiding b4. Ra1 is met with Ra8 and we can plan Kf7 + d5.
White pawns are immobilized because c4 will be hanging. if Bd3 Rd4 and we could play at any time Rb4 and a further Kf7 + d5

Miguel

I would answer Bf4 with b4, not Bxf4.

That is what we want!

Bf4 29. b4? Bxh6 30. Qxh6 Qf4 (threats c4) 31. Qxf4 Rxf4 and white may have troubles defending the pawn because 32. b5 Rxc4! 33. bxc6 Rxb1+ 34. Bxb1 Rc1+ winning.

if 32. Bd3 Rd4 33. Re3 and possibly Ra8 with good chances of draw. Pawn down but all the pieces are active.

Miguel
Caveat = blindfold analysis.

[Steve B]

Let's not hurry with Bb4.
what will we play after 27...Bb4 28. Qg4? 28...Kh8 (Bf8) looks forced and now white could even play Bxg6.
What you people think of this line?

I sense We are getting in a sort of zugszwang.

Qg4 can be anwswered with Bc3. Bxg6 hxg6 Qxg6+ Bg7 is fine for black, however, I do not like 27.... Bb4 28 Qg4 Bc3 19. h4 with the idea of h5 etc.

I change my vote from Bb4 to Bf4
we can take advantage that the machine play Bc2 leaving c4 protected only by b3 (see below)

if 29. Bxf4 Qxf4 30. Rxf4 avoiding b4. Ra1 is met with Ra8 and we can plan Kf7 + d5.
White pawns are immobilized because c4 will be hanging. if Bd3 Rd4 and we could play at any time Rb4 and a further Kf7 + d5

Miguel

I would answer Bf4 with b4, not Bxf4.

That is what we want!

Bf4 29. b4? Bxh6 30. Qxh6 Qf4 (threats c4) 31. Qxf4 Rxf4 and white may have troubles defending the pawn because 32. b5 Rxc4! 33. bxc6 Rxb1+ 34. Bxb1 Rc1+ winning.

if 32. Bd3 Rd4 33. Re3 and possibly Ra8 with good chances of draw. Pawn down but all the pieces are active.

Miguel
Caveat = blindfold analysis.

27..Bb4-2
27..Bf8-1
27..Ba8-1
27..Bf4-1
27..Qa5-1

the voting is very close as we hit the Time control
if only one person changes his vote it could very well change the entire course of the game

Lets leave the voting open for a few more hours just in case someone will change

Regards
Steve

[Zach Wegner]

I like Bb4 here. Bf4 would make our last move Bd6 a (yet another) waste of a tempo. Ba8 is ugly, but I like that it gives our queen some space. I'd prefer to move the light bishop in the other direction though, after moving the dark bishop and advancing the center pawns. Bb4 forces white to either exchange or make some more pointless moves.

[Steve B]

I like Bb4 here. Bf4 would make our last move Bd6 a (yet another) waste of a tempo. Ba8 is ugly, but I like that it gives our queen some space. I'd prefer to move the light bishop in the other direction though, after moving the dark bishop and advancing the center pawns. Bb4 forces white to either exchange or make some more pointless moves.

OK
that seals it
27..Bb4 it is

http://www.talkchess.com/forum/viewtopi ... 951#279951

Move 28..To Follow Regards
Steve