CCC Practice Game

[tano-urayoan]

Oh no! Gerold might be an experienced player, and maybe should be trusted.
I also see the sense in keeping some control on the d6 square. But if White castles queenside, then I also have an interest in the bishop being fianchettoed, against it, going through the pawn on e5.
So a decision on e7 or not may not be urgent this move, so I will vote Qa5+ with intention of dropping back after Bd2 with Qc7.

It would not lose a tempo.

Oh, ALL right then!
Qc7 straight!

I vote Qc7.

(If anyone wants to change to this, do it quick! Be7 will not run away yet)

Qc7, 0-0-0 and now what Mr Taylor? Be7? why not finish our development first with Be7 and 0-0 and later decide if the queen goes to c7 or a5 better

[BubbaTough]

I agree with Tano-Urayoan Russi Roman. If you are not going to play ...Qa5 (with the idea of suffering in endgame) then ...Be7 makes the most sense.

Of course, after ...Be7 Bd3 I might suggest ...Qa5 Bd2 Qb6 into endgame again since ...Be7 Bd3 oo oo and black's position is just ugly (and ...Be7 Bd3 Rg1 Bc6 Rxg7 looks like more danger for black than white with those active bishops).

-Sam

[BubbaTough]

OK, given my own thoughts above maybe 11...Qc7 has the point of trying to sucker 12 ooo. White can play 12 f3 but then 12...Be7 13 Bd3 f6 and things get kind of complicated (which is good for black). So since ...Be7 is inferior to ...Qa5 given my analysis above, if folks don't like the endgame after 11...Qa5 then maybe ...Qc7 is worth considering since it discourages white from playing simple moves like Bd3 (though 11 ...Qc7 12 Bd3!? Bxg2 13 Rg1 still looks great for white assumably the computer is materialistic enough to not do that kind of sacrifice).

-Sam

[S.Taylor]

Oh no! Gerold might be an experienced player, and maybe should be trusted.
I also see the sense in keeping some control on the d6 square. But if White castles queenside, then I also have an interest in the bishop being fianchettoed, against it, going through the pawn on e5.
So a decision on e7 or not may not be urgent this move, so I will vote Qa5+ with intention of dropping back after Bd2 with Qc7.

It would not lose a tempo.

Oh, ALL right then!
Qc7 straight!

I vote Qc7.

(If anyone wants to change to this, do it quick! Be7 will not run away yet)

Qc7, 0-0-0 and now what Mr Taylor? Be7? why not finish our development first with Be7 and 0-0 and later decide if the queen goes to c7 or a5 better

I think it would be better if I checked my ideas with a computer, before I argue any further.
I was only thinking in general, just in case fianchetto (g6, Bg7 for black) was beneficial. But then maybe, there's no way to guard the center. So it might be nonsense, and so, not worth dreaming about. And therefore, Be7 is most safe.

I'm not concerned with a kingside attack by white against black. I'm more interested in a Queenside attack/pressure against white Queenside castled King.
If you are looking at a computer, then you must be right.

[BubbaTough]

I was only thinking in general, just in case fianchetto (g6, Bg7 for black) was beneficial. But then maybe, there's no way to guard the center. So it might be nonsense, and so, not worth dreaming about. And therefore, Be7 is most safe.

well your move is not that silly Taylor. I don't think g6 and Bg7 are in the cards, but the point of not playing ....Be7 and instead stalling with a move like ...Qc7 is if you leave the bishop on f8 it guards g7, which means white cannot develop his f1 bishop as easily so he MIGHT castle queenside (which you want so that you can do some attacking instead of just sitting there being a pawn down). If you play ...Be7 he can just play Bd3 and if you castle he also castles kingside and there is no attack (or much of anything else for black).

-Sam

[Matthias Gemuh]

Well I vote ...Qa5 with the idea of Bd2 Qb6 QxQ axb6 dumping us into an awful endgame where we have some mild drawing chances.
-Sam

We can't allow a queen exchange while being a pawn down.
Our hope in this game is to outplay T30 with tactics on an open field.
To do that, the queen has to be around for a while.

Matthias.

[BubbaTough]

Well I vote ...Qa5 with the idea of Bd2 Qb6 QxQ axb6 dumping us into an awful endgame where we have some mild drawing chances.
-Sam

We can't allow a queen exchange while being a pawn down.
Our hope in this game is to outplay T30 with tactics on an open field.
To do that, the queen has to be around for a while.

Matthias.

Well if you believe that (and most people seem to) then you must decide whether ...Be7 Bd3 or ...Qc7 looks better. I personally see no interesting tactics lurking after something like ...Be7 Bd3 oo oo and would rather try my luck in an active endgame. But for those hoping for tactics ...Qc7 seems like a reasonable positional cheapo. If you are voting for ...Be7 instead of changing your mind you should give some consideration to what you think black will be doing to combat the simple white plan castling KINGSIDE.

-Sam

[Spock]

I think it would be better if I checked my ideas with a computer, before I argue any further.

Entirely up to you of course, but I would try to discourage that - I kind of like this as a "CCC brains vs the Tasc R30" match. If we all start using Rybka, Fritz etc it takes the fun out of it for me. Maybe restrict any computer analysis to a 2300 or less engine, similar to the Tasc ?

[tano-urayoan]

Well if you believe that (and most people seem to) then you must decide whether ...Be7 Bd3 or ...Qc7 looks better. I personally see no interesting tactics lurking after something like ...Be7 Bd3 oo oo and would rather try my luck in an active endgame. But for those hoping for tactics ...Qc7 seems like a reasonable positional cheapo. If you are voting for ...Be7 instead of changing your mind you should give some consideration to what you think black will be doing to combat the simple white plan castling KINGSIDE.

-Sam

Well if Qc7 then white has the same plan Bd3 and 0-0, difference is white will have finish development first and our bishop needs to move someday. If white castle kingside play a la benko put a Rook a in b8 the other in c8 and apply pressure to white queenside., maybe Qa5 or pawn a5, a4.
As you said after Bd3 if Bxg2 Rg1 and Rxg7 and this really looks awful, white castles queenside and our king is stuck in the middle.

So we have Qa5+, Qc7 and Be7, any other possible move? maybe a5, Rb8.

[S.Taylor]

When is the deadline?
Make sure it's all ready before time up.