1. b4 vs 1. g4
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bong711
Dec 17, 2018
0
#1
Many amateurs like to play unorthodox openings to take their opponent to unfamiliar chess territory. Which is more sound or effective? Please give your opinion.
I’d definitely have to say that the Polish Opening would be my preference, for the Grob Opening weakens the kingside to an extent. From my experience, I’ve also had much better game results with the Polish than the Grob.
It is worth mentioning that the Grob opening has some pretty sneaky traps!
It is worth mentioning that the Grob opening has some pretty sneaky traps!
Dec 17, 2018
0
#3
The Sokolsky is far more sound than the Grob.
The Sokolsky is equal with best play from both sides. The Grob gives Black the advantage with correct play.
Dec 17, 2018
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#4
I would prefer b4 too. I'm comfortable with sacrificing the b pawn in poisoned pawn variations. g4 looks early weakening of the kingside.
Dec 17, 2018
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#6
1. f4 weakens the kingside too like Grob. Probably doesn't matter in amateur games.
Dec 17, 2018
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#7
This is like asking if you want to surprise your opponent like the Romans did to Hannibal at Cannae (where Hannibals double envelopment wiped out an army) or if you want to surprise your opponent like the Germans did to Napoleon at Austerlitz (when a delayed attack on a key hill split his opponents and left them trapped out of position).
You can play standard openings and leave the book somewhere in the first ten moves and still have a good game. You should surprise your opponents that way!
Why not both? 1.g4 b5!?
Dec 18, 2018
0
#9
congrandolor wrote:
2. Bb2! and white have advantage
Why not both? 1.g4 b5!?
Dec 18, 2018
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#10
congrandolor wrote:
Oops. Can't delete post using phone. I mistake it for 1. b4 g5 then Bb2!
Why not both? 1.g4 b5!?
I would go Grob just for the fact that I don’t want to queenside castle. Takes too much time.
Dec 19, 2018
0
#12
NikolaiSpongnikov wrote:
I would go Grob just for the fact that I don’t want to queenside castle. Takes too much time.
Maybe you mixed them up? The Grob weakens the kingside so white would be happy castling queenside, while in the Sokolsky white would castle kingside
Now I keep hearing “weakening kingside”, and maybe I’m blind but how?
The a, b, and c files are the queenside while the f, g, and h files are on the kingside. If you castle kingside while playing the Grob (1.g4) you will end up with a hole in the wall of your castle, which will allow your opponent to attack your king quite easily.
I believe in overprotection, so I would just support the g4 push with f3 and h3 and then castle later, I just believe in abandoning the queen side and putting all pieces on kingside. The Grob hole only becomes a problem when white tries to fight blacks pieces with the kingside pieces instead go all out!
Dec 22, 2018
0
#16
NikolaiSpongnikov wrote:
I believe in overprotection, so I would just support the g4 push with f3 and h3 and then castle later, I just believe in abandoning the queen side and putting all pieces on kingside. The Grob hole only becomes a problem when white tries to fight blacks pieces with the kingside pieces instead go all out!
Supporting g4 with both f3 and h3 is terrible, the dark squares are completely trashed and the LSB is locked in.
Dec 22, 2018
0
#17
TheTaleOfWob wrote:
my137thaccount wrote:
NikolaiSpongnikov wrote:
I believe in overprotection, so I would just support the g4 push with f3 and h3 and then castle later, I just believe in abandoning the queen side and putting all pieces on kingside. The Grob hole only becomes a problem when white tries to fight blacks pieces with the kingside pieces instead go all out!
Supporting g4 with both f3 and h3 is terrible, the dark squares are completely trashed and the LSB is locked in.
How would you know?
OK, here's the clearest example:
Even if white avoids the checkmate though, the weaknesses are permanent and would give black a decisive advantage. The only possible benefit of moving the g-pawn to g4 at this stage is so that the bishop can be placed on g2 (of course begging the question of why not play the better move 1.g3?). Playing f3 then completely defeats the entire point of the opening is there ever was one. Even f3 is not played, the h3 move permanently weakens g3 which gives black a target to attack.
Dec 22, 2018
0
#18
TheTaleOfWob wrote:
my137thaccount wrote:
TheTaleOfWob wrote:
my137thaccount wrote:
NikolaiSpongnikov wrote:
I believe in overprotection, so I would just support the g4 push with f3 and h3 and then castle later, I just believe in abandoning the queen side and putting all pieces on kingside. The Grob hole only becomes a problem when white tries to fight blacks pieces with the kingside pieces instead go all out!
Supporting g4 with both f3 and h3 is terrible, the dark squares are completely trashed and the LSB is locked in.
How would you know?
OK, here's the clearest example:
Even if white avoids the checkmate though, the weaknesses are permanent and would give black a decisive advantage. The only possible benefit of moving the g-pawn to g4 at this stage is so that the bishop can be placed on g2 (of course begging the question of why not play the better move 1.g3?). Playing f3 then completely defeats the entire point of the opening is there ever was one. Even f3 is not played, the h3 move permanently weakens g3 which gives black a target to attack.
I'm sure I could achieve such a setup and still beat you.
Feel free to do so.
Lol my bad was talking about bird. Still like Grob though. Call me bad but I almost always play Botvinnik system this is my hell Opening.
Dec 26, 2018
0
#20
I would say that 1. b4 can possibly transpose into familiar positions. In some openings, pushing the b-pawn is part of the plan. I wouldn't play it that early but it is definitely better than 1. g4 where black gets a good position even if doesn't know anything.
The funny thing is that the grob's main trap doesn't even work.