Building the Berlin Wall

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11th June 2009, 05:36am
#1
by PaladinIsBack192
Canada
Member Since: May 2009
Member Points: 133

Hi guys, I need some help with a line of the Ruy Lopez, the Berlin Defence. I know it is a very solid opening for black, very drawish despite the king in the centre. 

Kramnik managed to hold 5 draws out of 6 when playing the Berlin Defence against Kasparov, who was white.

I need help with building the "Berlin Wall", any suggested lines?

11th June 2009, 09:58am
#2
by Alphastar18
Groningen Netherlands
Member Since: May 2009
Member Points: 682

Why is Ng5 the best? To be honest I think that's a worthless move. Black just replies Ke8 and then chases away the knight with ..h6, and you have achieved what exactly?

I'd say 9. Nc3 is the best move. That knight has to be brought into the game anyway and it's OK on c3.

11th June 2009, 10:38pm
#3
by LYCAN148
Auckland New Zealand
Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 1170
Bystanderz wrote:

Someone with a rating like yours should stop worrying about openings and go work on endgames.


exactly!

11th June 2009, 10:45pm
#4
by 3secrets
Canada
Member Since: Jun 2009
Member Points: 10

It's worthless to spend so much time on openings.  Work on endgames, middlegames, strategy, and especially tactics.

On the especially tactics note, stop playing the berlin defense, it's useless for beginners.  It's passive, so you don't learn tactics OR attacking as quickly as you do in other openings.  There are so many sharp and instructive positions, why play the berlin defense?  Because kramnik plays it?  Well kramnik doesn't need to learn tactics and how to attack, he already learned that as a beginner.

12th June 2009, 02:32am
#5
by PaladinIsBack192
Canada
Member Since: May 2009
Member Points: 133
LYCAN148 wrote:
Bystanderz wrote:

Someone with a rating like yours should stop worrying about openings and go work on endgames.


exactly!

Im not exactly an endgames expert but i do noe all the basics and theories of endgames like active king, bad or good bishops, forcing promotions...

My chess coach (he is almost a GM, just needs a hundred or so points) says that my endgames theories are good enough for my level SO PLS I NEED HELP WITH THE OPENING.

ALSO DO NOPT JUDGE PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR RATINGS, I JUST DONT PLAY OFTEN ON CHESS.COM!


12th June 2009, 03:28am
#6
by erikido23
United States
Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 979

http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=21905534

 

I was curious how you actually play.....

 

When black resigned they could have played b-f2+ winning the exchange.  From this very small sample you do in fact need to work on tactics.

 

 

This is actually a good problem becauase correct would have been d4, r-e1, n-d2 and c3

12th December 2009, 09:37pm
#7
by spikey11
California United States
Member Since: Sep 2008
Member Points: 151

Sounds like you need to go with the "Great Wall Of China" your Berlin Wall will be torn down - get real dude............

12th December 2009, 09:48pm
#8
by NM tonydal
United States
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 4648

If you really want to learn about this opening, why not do something like crazy, like, I don't know, consult an opening manual?  Or look it up online?  Why in the world are you asking in some chess.com thread about an opening that was played over and over again in a match by two geniuses?

12th December 2009, 10:15pm
#9
by timeless_thoughts
United States
Member Since: Sep 2009
Member Points: 289

Geez you people aren't cutting him no slack. Look in my option just go buy a the book or google the opening.

Timeless

12th December 2009, 10:23pm
#10
by slvnfernando
Colombo Sri Lanka
Member Since: Aug 2009
Member Points: 127

Dont talk about ratings here. Either you help him with his question or just keep silent.

Every body  knows that you should know the endgame before you study opennings.

12th December 2009, 10:49pm
#11
by NM tonydal
United States
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 4648

Does everybody know that?  I don't think they do.

12th December 2009, 10:58pm
#12
by timeless_thoughts
United States
Member Since: Sep 2009
Member Points: 289

I didn't know that lol, when I first learned how to play chess I learned the opening. Thats probably why I'm so good in the opening and towards the end of the middle game I start to blunder and do stupid stuff. I have to say learning the opening really hurt my game. Now I'm learning the middle game, maybe one of theses days I will start to study the end game :)

12th December 2009, 11:50pm
#13
by orangehonda
enid United States
Member Since: Jan 2009
Member Points: 126

You said your coach estimated your endgame skill on par with your level -- well I'm telling you your opening knowledge of the Berlin is above par already.  In fact you could make it to 1800 knowing only what you just showed us.  As westcoastchess pointed out us class players loose because of tactics or endgame -- not by virtue of opening theory like the pros.

If you're under 2000 you get to eat tactics and endgames.  As far as openings go, all you need to do is choose an opening that fits your style, then without memorizing much more than you've shown us, play it for at least a year.

In fact, I'm 1800 and the only thing I could add to what you know already is that often white plays Nc3 and h3 then either doubles his rooks on the d file or, when black moves out his bishop to e6 early plays b3 and Bb2.  I can't tell you why any of that though, I just kinda remember that (guy at my club used to play it all the time).  Also black often plays h6 but I have no idea why... if he didn't should white play Ng5/Bg5?  I don't know... I don't know any of the theory... and I don't need to, I'm only 1800 :)

13th December 2009, 02:04am
#14
by Estragon
United States
Member Since: Jun 2009
Member Points: 213

The strength of the Berlin Defense is that it gives Black an exceptionally solid position, offering White few chances to win.  At the international level, where round-robin events are common, strong players often like to equalize with the Black pieces, being quite willing to accept a draw.  In a match, drawing with Black is almost always good strategy, since it neuters your opponent's Whites and leaves you in control of your destiny with White.

At lower levels, in Swiss-system events or online tourneys, you need to win with Black almost as much as with White, so choose more aggressive defenses, which will necessarily be riskier.  Especially young or improving players have little benefit from seeking draws.

 

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