#44
If 2 h3 is bad, then 1 h3 and 2 a3 must be even worse
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1026344
Preparing London with 2. h3
Sort:
I play an aggressive London Jobava, with my dark bishop playing forward in the main charge. I only use h3 to escape if things completely fall apart.
So probably depends on how you play the rest of your opening.
tygxc wrote:
#44
If 2 h3 is bad, then 1 h3 and 2 a3 must be even worse
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1026344
That's a stupid game, at least regarding Black's part. He plays 13...Rg8 (which is consistent but hardly necessary) and next move he does not follow with 14...f5, after which Black is winning.
Jun 11, 2022
0
#45
tygxc wrote:
#44
If 2 h3 is bad, then 1 h3 and 2 a3 must be even worse
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1026344
That's like saying the first move isn't an advantage and then showing a game where black wins.
Total nonsense.
#49
IM Basman played like that all the time.
It is not as bad as people think it is.
It is quite playable at IM level.
Grandmasters will not play it.
You cannot blame move 1 for what happened on moves 13 and 14.
In a respectable main line black will make some questionable move 13 or 14 as well.
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1026345
Jun 12, 2022
0
#47
tygxc wrote:
#49
IM Basman played like that all the time.
That has nothing to do with the point I made.
Strong players can play BS and win now and then, this is not news to anyone.
Openings have an impact on the result of the game, even at low levels. This is easily seen via statistics.
It's common for experienced players to tell low rated players not to worry about the opening because typically low rated players focus on the opening while neglecting literally all other areas. So in advice form it's reasonable, but objectively openings matter... after this post I wont waste time responding to anyone stupid enough to argue otherwise.
Jun 12, 2022
0
#48
Optimissed wrote:
zone_chess wrote:
nescitus wrote:
Please note that tewari analysis only tells that a move is sub-optimal, and not by how much.
Thanks for sharing. And I agree. Or rather - it's a fact. 2. h3 is suboptimal compared to other openings. And that's the right word. It's not a bad opening. I have checked several lines with Stockfish 15 and 40-50 depth. It's playable up to the highest level even if black gains more center pressure than in more established openings.
Well, it would be playable because white becomes black. But Stockfish doesn't understand chess.
Stockfish understands chess, it just doesn't understand how humans play chess. And I hope it never does.......
#51
"Openings have an impact on the result of the game, even at low levels." ++ No, that is false.
This is easily seen via statistics." ++ No, there are no statistics supporting that. The direct correlation is between the ratings of the players and the results. Better players usually play better openings. There are exceptions: several IM like IM Basman intentionally play openings with a bad reputation all the time. Carlsen even plays openings with a bad reputation against (weaker) grandmasters. Below grandmaster level the opening does not matter.
Back on topic. h3 sooner or later is a typical move in the London. A move order with 2 h3 seems not logical, but is probably not wrong either.
Jun 13, 2022
0
#50
tygxc wrote:
#51
"Openings have an impact on the result of the game, even at low levels." ++ No, that is
Do you ever get tired of being wrong? I know I'm tired of you being wrong.
Even among low rated players, they score a bit better as white, which means a small opening advantage, even on move 1, has an impact on the results, which means opening choice matters. This is very easy to understand, I don't like that I need to explain it.
#54
"Do you ever get tired"
++ Yes, I get tired of wrongfully being accused of being wrong.
Yes, at low levels white wins more often than black, at high levels less so.
White has an extra tempo and thus enjoys the initiative.
White can afford to lose 1-2 tempi, black can only afford to lose 1 tempo.
E.g. 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qd8 is fully playable for black despite the lost tempo.
Black has more moves that are errors than white.
At the lowest levels that is most clear, like 1 e4 e5 2 Qh5? Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6? 4 Qxf7# with no equivalent for black.
That does not imply opening choice matters: it does not.
1 h3 violates opening principles: it is loss of tempo and it weakens the pawn structure.
White can afford to lose 2 tempi, so losing 1 tempo is no big deal.
White plays h3 in many openings including the London, so playing it on move 1 or 2 cannot be that wrong either.
Even black can afford to play 1...h6.
IM Basman regularly played 1 d4 h6 2 e4 g5, not as an occasional prank.
Here is a game with long time control, British Championship, against a GM:
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1026276
This is not to say that it is in some way recommended, but that it is playable at IM level.
You will not see that at a world championship or in ICCF correspondence.
Wow, my old post has got some interest.