is it bad to listen to Simon Williams’s opening advice? - Chess Forums - Page 2

jamesstack

Jul 28, 2021

0

#21

earikbeann wrote:

White doesn't have a forced win by moving first. With perfect play from black, you're going to end up in an equal position unless you're playing a dubious opening, in which case you'll end up worse.

Yes of course.....but its one thing if black equalizes by move 30 but something totally different if he equalizes by move 10 . With perfect play black can equalize but shouldnt white make him work for it? If white doesnt make him work for it maybe black will get the idea in his head that it is black who should play for a win even if the position is still objectively equal.

-BEES-

Jul 28, 2021

0

#22

jamesstack wrote:

earikbeann wrote:

White doesn't have a forced win by moving first. With perfect play from black, you're going to end up in an equal position unless you're playing a dubious opening, in which case you'll end up worse.

Yes of course.....but its one thing if black equalizes by move 30 but something totally different if he equalizes by move 10 . With perfect play black can equalize but shouldnt white make him work for it? If white doesnt make him work for it maybe black will get the idea in his head that it is black who should play for a win even if the position is still objectively equal.

There is nothing wrong strategically with equality in a complex position that you know better. Trying to get your opponent into those kinds of positions is a large component of competitive chess.

jamesstack

Jul 29, 2021

0

#23

-BEES- wrote:

jamesstack wrote:

earikbeann wrote:

White doesn't have a forced win by moving first. With perfect play from black, you're going to end up in an equal position unless you're playing a dubious opening, in which case you'll end up worse.

Yes of course.....but its one thing if black equalizes by move 30 but something totally different if he equalizes by move 10 . With perfect play black can equalize but shouldnt white make him work for it? If white doesnt make him work for it maybe black will get the idea in his head that it is black who should play for a win even if the position is still objectively equal.

There is nothing wrong strategically with equality in a complex position that you know better. Trying to get your opponent into those kinds of positions is a large component of competitive chess.

Yes that is what I was trying to get at with my question. If you are okay with playing for equal positions then all sorts of lines become playable. This seems to be the point of view of Simon Williams. Alexy Shirov has a different point of view. I have a few of Shirov's videos. In the one he did on the Rossolimo he said chessbase wanted him to have a section on the Moscow variation where black plays d6 and white plays Bb5+. He totally refused to do it since he believed the line is draw. Watching Shirov videos I get the impression that he believes if a line leads to easy equality for black the principled decision for white is to play something else where playing for an advantage is more logical.

0peoplelikethis

Jul 29, 2021

0

#24

I'm not sure why would anyone care how NMs handle openings. Most NMs are around 1900-2100 fide anyway, at least those who have an established fide rating. In Europe that would make you a very strong club player.

PSV-1988

Jul 29, 2021

0

#25

pfren wrote:

The only thing I've bought from him is a Chessable course on the Jobava.

The suggested variations are about OK, but the analysis and stuff is very poor indeed.

I guess it is the last time I get some of his work.

Guess I dodged a bullet then, I was going to purchase that very course but then it turned out that that website did not support the most commonly used payment method in the Netherlands

Kletsmajoor

Jul 29, 2021

0

#26

^

which is ‘rock - paper - scissors’!

BestSell

Jul 29, 2021

0

#27

TitanChess666 wrote:

There’s all these attacking gambits that personally I would love to play but I’m getting to that level around NM where this stuff starts to not work anymore. I feel like if I watch too many of his videos or read too many of his articles I’m going to start losing games because I gambited away too much stuff in the opening.

It sounds like you answered your own question, there . . .