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Unorthodox Chess Openings #1: Strange Rook Moves

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7th February 2008, 02:48pm
#1
by scandinaviandefense
Michigan United States
Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 459

Hi Everyone,

  I am posting 2 topics on Unorthodox Chess Openings: Strange Rook Moves and Strange King Moves. Here are the Rook moves: 1. Ampel Variation, 2. Twyble Attack, 3. Reti's Opening, Penguin Variation:


7th February 2008, 04:02pm
#2
by Graw81
Ireland
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 1066
Strange rook moves in the opening are always cool for blitz at least. I sometimes play 6.Rg1 in the Najdorf. I will try these openings out in my next few blitz games. Thanks for the heads up on these odd openings chesslover96.
7th February 2008, 04:09pm
#3
by neneko
Sweden
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 1747
What's the thought behind those rook moves?
7th February 2008, 04:16pm
#4
by Chessmaniac2000
San Diego United States
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 147

yeah...what's the point-to confuse your opponent or make him overconfident?


7th February 2008, 06:37pm
#5
by erikido23
United States
Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 1659
matthiassmall wrote:

Unorthodox way to enter the Grob or Polish?

I've played the Penguin variation of the Reti (just for fun) and often times get a position like this (if I'm lucky):

 


So basically your opponent has no concept of position and decides to open up the rook by (I am assuming) taking a knight with a bishop.  FUn,  maybe- if I want to lose a game. 


7th February 2008, 07:21pm
#6
by neneko
Sweden
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 1747

Here is the variation of najdorf Graw mentioned. It's very aggresive and very fun to play.

 

The idea with the rook move here is to later play g4. The g4 square is defended by blacks knight and bishop, if black capture the g4 pawn now white can trade it's rook for blacks knight and bishop. 

 


7th February 2008, 07:34pm
#7
by Unbeliever
United States
Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 1119
I play these openings, especially the Penguin Variation in Lightning Chess frequently.  Often it confuses my opponent when I do not play a standard opening in a minute-long match.
7th February 2008, 08:04pm
#8
by Jambux_Josh
Garden Grove, Ca United States
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 185
these strange rook movements would definitly put a halt to my usual game and confuse me.
8th February 2008, 01:55pm
#9
by erikido23
United States
Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 1659
matthiassmall wrote: erikido23 wrote: matthiassmall wrote:

Unorthodox way to enter the Grob or Polish?

I've played the Penguin variation of the Reti (just for fun) and often times get a position like this (if I'm lucky):

 


So basically your opponent has no concept of position and decides to open up the rook by (I am assuming) taking a knight with a bishop.  FUn,  maybe- if I want to lose a game. 


When I say fun, I refer to the use of creativity or originality in quick over-the-board games with friends. So (I am assuming) your usual pleasure, on the other hand, revolves around play of a more competitive nature. As such, your preference would obviously tend to openings that are recognized as constants over variable novelties. Differing viewpoints do have a tendency to make "fun" an objective concept.


WHile I see your point...The fact is there is MUCH room for creativity in any opening. 

 

 

And yes I am competitive.  But, mostly I play to have fun and improve :D.  I have played a total of 1 tournament in my life.  A few of the players I play with are trying to get me to play rated tournaments though. I spend enough time and money on billiards competition though. 


8th February 2008, 05:19pm
#10
by scandinaviandefense
Michigan United States
Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 459
I think these Unorthodox openings are playable in lightning chess, if you really think your opponnent will be confused into making a blunder because of lack of knowledge of the opening, but I think these openings are generally inferior to more "standard openings", and I can't recommend them in serious games. But, I DO agree that there is much room for creativity in the opening, and the moves played for centuries can be challenged with new theories, even by players like you and me!
8th February 2008, 05:32pm
#11
by neneko
Sweden
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 1747
I'm so tired of seeing bad/horrible openings explained with "it's good in blitz". Making subtle changes in known opening variations is great in blitz, playing some advanced gambits that puts alot of pressure on the opponent is great too but expecting your opponent to blunder because you make several blunders in the opening isn't going to work on anyone rated over 1000
8th February 2008, 06:19pm
#12
by Quix
Auckland New Zealand
Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 1173

I don't think it's a matter of hoping your opponent will blunder so much as hoping to take your opponent out of theory that they're familiar with early. Sometimes in blitz this can be good I think.

 On ICC Nakamura (one of the top online blitz players in the world) plays some crazy looking Alekhine defenses in 3 0. I have seen other masters play some "dubious" openings regularly as part of their 3 0 repertoire.

 Personally I find that I do best with openings that I'm familiar with - which are orthodox ones.

 BTW 6.Rg1 in the Narjdorf is called the freak attack. Cool name and perfectly playable Smile (often just becomes a normal looking sicilian after 0-0-0)


8th February 2008, 06:32pm
#13
by neneko
Sweden
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 1747

There are so many people here I'd love to play blitz with.

 

Steering the game out of book openings and known theory for your opponent and into a game that fits you is great both in blitz and normal otb games but playing BAD opening moves is not a good way to do it. What I was refering to in my earlier post is when people make openings wich are pure blunders and just waste tempo or even material then when they can't describe a single thought behind the moves they say "it's good in blitz". It's not good in any type of game if you play blunders, simple as that.


8th February 2008, 07:41pm
#14
by JeffY
California United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 12

I would never think to do any of those openings, but after looking at them I kind of like the one that moves the queen rook (cause i like the short castle).  I think i might try it in a game.  It seems like it protects that b2 pawn that is always vunerable after the bishop comes out.  It does expose the a2 pawn more, but i think youd get a quicker open b-file than an open a-file (maybe after a bishop for knight exchange).  A nice interesting (although maybe completely worthless) move. 


18th May 2008, 11:35am
#15
by Decoy321
Brabant Netherlands
Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 240

Did anyone ever did serious analysis on these attack openings? Did van Geet seriously play the Twyble attack?

Are these attacks unorthodox or just bad?


12th June 2010, 03:57pm
#16
by PawnBACM
United States
Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 83

Nice article.  I have an opening that provides for creative knight use and one that is strong for bishops.  I read this as I am trying to find one that caters to more open and creative rook play.  Thanks for the article.

17th October 2011, 02:22pm
#17
by LumpyGhost
Severna Park United States
Member Since: Jun 2011
Member Points: 1

This is my favorite variation of th grob i use

18th October 2011, 03:18am
#18
by melvinbluestone
Kranmar's Delicious Mystery Appetizer United States
Member Since: Nov 2010
Member Points: 856
neneko wrote:

Here is the variation of najdorf Graw mentioned. It's very aggresive and very fun to play.

 

 

The idea with the rook move here is to later play g4. The g4 square is defended by blacks knight and bishop, if black capture the g4 pawn now white can trade it's rook for blacks knight and bishop. 

 


 This does look like fun. But, in the Najdorf line, can't the rook on g1 become more of a liability than an asset.....

18th October 2011, 05:21am
#19
by gambitlover
Belgium
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 294
Decoy321 wrote:

Did anyone ever did serious analysis on these attack openings? Did van Geet seriously play the Twyble attack?

Are these attacks unorthodox or just bad?


Van Get did not, Twyble did !

19th October 2011, 03:40am
#20
by melvinbluestone
Kranmar's Delicious Mystery Appetizer United States
Member Since: Nov 2010
Member Points: 856

gambitlover's line is sheer balderdash! Black could have avoided that whole mess by simply playlng the obvious 5...d4, and if 6.Nd5, then 6...Be6.

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