Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Blackmar-Diemer Ryder "Refuted?"

Jocelyn Bond comments about whether the Ryder Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.e4 exd4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Qxf3) and asks whether it has been refuted by 5...Qxd4 6.Be3 Qg4 7.Qf2 e5?

"This e5 variation is a refutation of the Ryder? 2 pawns up, it is a big material advantage.
I think in the other variations...I think about
5...Nc6 6.Bb5 seems ok for White
5...c6 6.Be3 is often played against me and
5..e6 6.Bf4 (6...Qxd4? 7.Nb5 is strong) 6...Bd6 7.Bg5 seems standard here
5...g6! 6.Bf4 seems to be a good plan for black. but I like to place my bishop on e5...
Anyway, Tim, you are very kind to do a blog on the Ryder accepted...
I heard about the Schiller book but nothing more... it seems excellent... Do you know if he says that the Ryder is refuted by Qxd4?"

"Refuted" in chess opening terminology has to do with theory or evidence. Basically, a variation is refuted if: when you play it, you lose.
There are three types of "refuted" variations:
1. When computer analysis overwhelmingly favors your opponent's side.
2. When the performance ratings are significantly below expectations.
3. When you lose regularly with this variation against your opponents.

Let's look at each one individually in regards to the Ryder Gambit and 7...e5 line.
1. Computer analysis favors Black, but not quite by two pawns. White usually has compensation for only one of the two pawns sacrificed. That is bad for White.
2. Performance rating for the Ryder is above expectations but after 7...e5 below. 5.Qxf3 scores 60% with a performance rating +52 points above actual rating (1346 games), but after 7...e5 White scores 47% with a performance rating -42 points below actual rating (272 games). This means about 1 in 5 players as Black has followed up 5.Qxf3 with all three moves, Qxd4/Qg4/e5. Those who play this way have scored well with Black. In the games where the other four players varied, White did well.
3. Are your opponents likely to regularly find very good moves for Black? The higher they are rated, the more likely they are to know this stuff. Diemer was still winning with the Ryder Gambit in his 80s, so there is practical value, along with real risk.

IM James Rizzitano recommends 7...e5! for Black in his book "How to Beat 1 d4" ("A sound and ambitious repertoire based on the Queen's Gambit Accepted. Rizzitano sites a few games as examples, the first one being Alex Lane - Tim Sawyer played in one of Tom Purser's thematic BDG tourneys in 1997. Lane chose 8.Be2. Better seems to be 8.Nf3 or 8.a3, but Black stands better in theory. To sum up I quote International Master James Rizzitano again: "The Ryder Gambit is unsound and the reader should be extremely skeptical of any claims to the contrary."

My Blackmar-Diemer Tactics with 500 combinations and mates.

Lane - Sawyer, corr BDG thematic (2), 1997 begins 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Qxf3 Qxd4 6.Be3 Qg4 7.Qf2 e5
8.Be2 Qf5 9.Qg3 Bb4 10.0-0-0 Bxc3 11.bxc3 0-0 12.Bd3 e4 13.Bc4 Qa5 14.Ne2 Be6 15.Bb3 Bg4 16.Bd4 Nbd7 17.Rhe1 c5 18.Bxf6 Nxf6 19.Rd6 c4 20.Bxc4 Bxe2 21.Bxe2 Qxa2 0-1



email: sawyerte@yahoo.com
Copyright 2011-2024

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Brian Wall's Fishing Pole Ruy Lopez

Brian Wall of Colorado is famous for many variations with creative names. One of Brian Wall's most well-known openings is the Fishing Pole in the Ruy Lopez. The Fishing Pole includes the idea of Nf6-g4 as Black, and if attacked by h2-h3, then h7-h5. This includes a trap as presented below. There I try a Fishing Pole in the style of Brian Wall.

There is more to the variation than just the trap. Taking the knight is very risky.
Here are the most common continuations:
A. 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 Bc5
B. 6.c3 a6 7.Ba4 Bc5
C. 6.d3 Bc5 7.c3 a6

I am not saying the variation is super strong or even completely sound. But it is tricky. Here I win a short and sweet blitz game vs the computer program "mscp".

mscp-Sawyer, ICC 5 0 Internet Chess Club, 29.10.2011 begins 1.Nf3 Nc6 2.e4 e5 Transposing to the Open Game. 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Ng4 This looks like the bait. 5.h3 h5 This is the pole. 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.hxg4 hxg4
8.Nxe5 Taking the bait. 8...Qh4 White cannot avoid checkmate. 9.f3 g3 10.d4 Qh1# White is checkmated 0-1



email: sawyerte@yahoo.com
Copyright 2011-2024