Watched the video and like the look of the Ulvestad a lot! I'm committed to Traxler as black though I might give it a couple of tries and it's good to know when playing white :) So any (a) good book(s) on
1) The fried liver
2) The Ulvestad
3) The Italian Game - Variations after 4. ... Bc5
That talk mainly of concepts and actually make the openings interesting?
The most detailed work on the two knights is by USNM Dan Heisman. Loads of material, but IMO not worth the buck: Too much computer analysis, too little prose and ideas, chaotic presentation.
Get the Pinski book, and study the mainstream ...Na5 variations, they are best by test. The Ulvestad/Fritz is enterprising, but no equalizer visible for black in the current main line 5...b5 6.Bf1! Nd4 (6... h6 7.Nxf7! is better for white) 7.c3 Nxd5 8.cd4! Qxg5 9.0-0.
Pinski has nothing about a currently very popular variation (4...d5 5.ed5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dc6 bc6 8.Bd3!?, but this position is not that dangerous for Black (and not that chessic, either), and IMO Black has full compensation with 6...Bd7 as well (which is an excellent practical choice).
What sucks about the Two Knights Defence with 4.Ng5 is that as white, you expect an attacking game with lots of scope for sacrifices. But when black plays ...Na5 etc., rest assured you'll be on the defensive, with a cramped position at that. Bad news for the swashbuckling romantic.
That's chess: you can't attack all the time. I believe 4.Ng5 is a good move, but in the main line with ...Na5 white must forget about an all-out attack, be a tad materialistic and care about his lagging development.
I rarely come across Na5 though. I think that may be why Ng5 is so popular for white at my level and even if I do come across Na5 black rarely knows how to play it. Usally I just trade off into an endgame where black is a pawn down with many weakneses in his pawn structure.
Also if I am gonna get a Pinski book shall I get the actual Two Knights defense one or the evans gambit + Italian Game one? And I think I will ask the Unit to fix me up another Tourney stwils but although I will be more experienced, I don't feel I will still really understand the opening. I would really like a book that goes in-depth with the Fried Liver though because thats what I get most of the time in live chess. Most the time my opponents don't know how to play it and overlook something stupid, but when they do know how to play it...
And ty all for all the reccommendations and infomation on the two knights defense. So, best books for the Italian Game, Classical Variation?
The Polerio variation (4.Ng5) combined with the Evans gambit make a good opening reperoire for newbies.
Neither the Polerio, nor the Evans Gambit promise any advantage for white, but in both of them, the road to equality for Black is not simple.
In any case, the Evans is much better than the old Italian with c3 and d4, which is at best equal, and at worst just better for Black. The restrained Italians with d2-d3 are the main course, but IMHO, if white wants to play like that, he should adopt the Ruy Lopez Steinitz order (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3!?) which is both trickier, and more rich in possibilities.
Yea, I think I need to develop a better opening repetoire. I did start learning some of the theory of the Sicilian Dragon untill I realised that no one actually goes with the mainline and I usally have no idea what I'm doing in the Middlegame. Thing is I like playing open/tactical games which aren't too complicated, with good chances to attack. I'm probably asking too much from an opening but the Classical Italian Game seemed to fit all that. The modern Italian (d2-d3) is far too positional. The Fried Liver gives decent chances to attack but I don't know many of the attacking ideas that come with it.
I have never really tried or studied the Ruy Lopez or Evans Gambit. When I first came across the Ruy Lopez, I though 'whats the point of moving the bishop to practically the least active square to attack a knight which it doesn't even pin?' And of course I see now that there is much more to it than that, but I've still thought it's a weird opening. The Evans Gambit just sacrifices a pawn for a tempo which I have no idea how to use effectively.
Anyone?
The whole point of the Evans Gambit is to gain a lead in development and get more central control.
But I don't know how to use the lead in development properly! I think I might get a book about attacking a castled King though
Oh, and IM pfren? I would swear you didn't have that title a few days ago. But that is awesome lol. I'm gonna have that title one day...
Oh and soz for posting three times in a row but i keep thinking of things to say
What is the best online information source on the 2 knights defense, including Polerio, Ulvestad, Fried Liver and Nd4(i have no idea what that opening is called) and what is the best one out of the three of them... in your opinion...
And is it possible in the fried liver for black to push through it and end up almost equal or even winning - that is, even if white played all the best moves?
The Fried Liver is (with correct play) equal, or slightly better for Black.
Why are you so concerned about it? 6.d4! (AKA the Lolli) is much stronger. Black's two best moves against it (6...Be6 and 6...Nxd4!?) aren't even properly charted, yet, because there are no good players who go for 5...Nxd5?!
Cause the fried liver puts you under a bit of pressure and you find cool tactics! And pessure is good! Makes you look harder and you find better moves. I mean, what can you really do after d4 with the lolli? You don't have nearly as many attacking chances.
Ok, you may seek for your losing chances at the Fried Liver at leisure. Plenty of literature available on the subject, but the truth is that after 6.Nxf7?! Kxf7 7.Qf3+Ke6 8.Nc3 Ncb4! white is at best seeking for a draw, and at worst losing.
I'm pretty sure Ncb4 loses after a3. If the knight takes on c2 then a1 mate follows preeety soon
Daymn the insert picture thing isn't working properly.
Go onto game explorer and see how many games black won after kxf7
I'm pretty sure Ncb4 loses after a3. If the knight takes on c2 then a1 mate follows preeety soon
Yes, it does lose... for white.
9.a3 is a very dubious move. White has to play 9.Qe4, 9.0-0 or the relatively unexplored 9.Bb3. Black can take the rook on a1 after 9.a3, and survive in two different ways.
You aren't. Lolli's 6.d4! gives white the advantage with little risk, while the fried liver is not clear at all. Some people that have analysed it in depth say that in the end Black may even be slightly better- but the variations are very complicated.