How to combat the hippo setup?
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Recently I've been facing opponents in blitz who play the hippo and destroy me with it. Is there a refutation to this setup or at least a good way to fight against it?
Jan 2, 2022
0
#2
try to get at least 3 pawns in the center, keep the center solid and only push for more space when absolutely safe to do so or when a very concrete advantage is spotted. Dont be afraid to throw in a an early h4-h5, you want to provoke black to play g5 and then play f4.
darkunorthodox88 wrote:
try to get at least 3 pawns in the center, keep the center solid and only push for more space when absolutely safe to do so or when a very concrete advantage is spotted. Dont be afraid to throw in a an early h4-h5, you want to provoke black to play g5 and then play f4.
Honored to receive advice from a master. Thank you
Jan 3, 2022
0
#4
dont get discouraged if things dont work out perfectly, its a hard nut to crack even for masters, (there is a reason the hippo has been played even at the world championship level!) you could have accumulated small advantages but one slip up and the hippo formation could come out with incredible counterplay in the wings. You need to especially watch out for a possible, c5-b5-,c4 maneuver which can trap a bishop on d3.
There is no refutation
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106728
Great
4 pawns in the center and you'll do fine
Jan 3, 2022
0
#8
dont let this happen to you https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1403922
this is exactly the horror scenario you can encounter vs a good hippo player. white retains a healthy advantage the whole game but black will play sturdy and keeps his immense pawn flexibility lurking waiting for an opening, white must eventually push for a space-advantage eventually, but this just means, weaknesses in the opposite color of the white pawn mass. (which miles does expertly via bg7, nd7 and ng6 dominating dark squares). next thing you know, there is a breakthrough somewhere and the hipppo unleashes all its potential energy.
The main idea of the hippo, is the same one as in the hedgehog formations: Let white occupy space (in the case of the hippo: a LOT of space), set up a solid position, and wait for a mistake from your opponent. Briefly, Black is doing "nothing", and waits from white to do "something".
While white's task is much easier than in the hedgehog, you can bust the hippo by methodically improving your piece placement, and waiting for the opportunity to do "something" whenever this is tactically justified.
How is this magic done? Sorry to say, but there is no formula. You just have to play well! (easier said, than done).
So far, I have met the hippo only twice- against a CM, and a GM (Attila Czebe, a guy famous for his unorthodox openings).
Against the CM I won, although my play was far from ideal. Against Czebe, I played almost textbook, got a completely winning position, and then, short of time, offered a draw, which of course was eagerly accepted.
Sorry for not having any of these two games handy right now.
Jetez un coup d'œil à cette partie #chess #échecs : anesboumazza contre choleric_queen - https://chess.com/live/game/35048408479
[Event "anesboumazza vs. choleric_queen"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022-01-04"] [White "anesboumazza"] [Black "choleric_queen"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1449"] [BlackElo "1472"] [TimeControl "standard"] [Termination "anesboumazza a gagné par abandon"] 1. d4 b6 2. Bf4 d6 3. Nf3 g6 4. c4 Bb7 5. e3 e6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Be2 Ne7 8. e4 Nd7 9. a4 Nf6 10. Qc2 c5 11. d5 e5 12. Bd2 Bc8 13. a5 Bg4 14. Nb5 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 O-O 16. axb6 axb6 17. Rxa8 Qxa8 18. Nxd6 Ne8 19. Nb5 Nf6 20. b4 Qa1+ 21. Bd1 Ra8 22. O-O Ra2 23. Qd3 Qb2 24. Bc3 Qc1 25. d6 Nc6 26. Bb3 Ra1 27. Bxa1 1-0
That's a game i played it yesterday against the hippo setup
