Ultimate 1. e4 challenge

After two matches, Team French is 1 and 1, with a 10-4 victory over Team Caro-Kann and a 9-5 loss to Team Sicilian.

After this uncertain result, it has been proposed to have an ultimate tournament between adherents of the "Big Four" replies to the King's Pawn Opening.  These are, of course, in descending order of popularity, 1. ..c5 (the Sicilian Defense), 1. ..e5, 1. ..e6 (the French Defense), and 1. ..c6 (the Caro-Kann Defense).

The first step is to confirm seven players for each of the four teams.  You may play for one team only.  Each team will then elect a team captain, who will then set the board order before each match.  A strict limit of no more than 2 titled players per team match.  If a team ends up with more than two titled players, some will have to sit out each match.

Each match will feature seven boards, each of which will play two correspondence games, one with white and one with black for each player.  White must play 1. e4 in all games, and black must reply with the opening corresponding to black's team.  Games will be via correspondence (Daily Chess), 3 days per move.

These matches could take months, and the whole challenge could take a year or more, so please, only sign up if you really want to play these long matches.

Once the team rosters are full, we'll set a full round-robin, so each team will eventually play each of the other three teams.  Total team score over the three matches (Max possible score 42 points) will determine the winners.  Once we're set to begin, I'll create a new thread for each match.

I hope folks from the first two challenges jump at the chance to play here, especially Team Caro-Kann - this is your shot at redemption!  Please post here to confirm you want to play, and for which team (Sicilian, e5, French, or Caro-Kann).  Once each team has the required 7 players, the teams will be asked to elect a captain.

Here are the team thread links:

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/team-sicilian-ultimate-1-e4-challenge

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/team-e5-ultimate-1-e4-challenge

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/team-french-ultimate-1-e4-challenge

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/team-caro-kann-ultimate-1-e4-challenge

And now the match threads:

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/sicilian-v-caro-kann-ultimate-1-e4-challenge - Team Sicilian wins 8-4

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/french-v-e5 - Team e5 wins, 9-5

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/french-v-sicilian-ultimate-1-e4-challenge

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/caro-kann-v-e5-ultimate-1-e4-challenge

Current Standings: Team e5 9, Sicilian 8, French 5, Caro-Kann 4.

The next match-ups will be Team e5 vs. Team Caro-Kann, and Team Sicilian vs. Team French

Reasoning here is if we had the e5/Sicilian match immediately, the winner of that match probably runs away with it.  This we, we give both Team French and Team Caro-Kann a chance to claw back into contention.

All teams have until JANUARY 1ST to recruit for the next matches.  I'll post the new Match threads then.  Those intending to play again or sit out round two please post your intentions on your individual team threads, or otherwise let the Team Captain know.  Good luck!

Sign up

Team french of course

SIgn up team french please if i can

French here as well

Team Sicilian

am i rated high enough to play? i just noticed everyone here is like 2000 and im only like 1600 rn lol

Lol there is no rating recqus I reckon

First page!!

q: do the already finished results matter here?

like do those matches already count as done?

or will they be re-done?

also im not participating since i play 1.e4 d5

even though i typically play the scandinavian (1. e4 d5) defense against e4, i will join team 1...e5

No one for team caro it seems

most of these caro players when we did french vs caro are people who had no idea and were just hating on the french because they know theory til move 3

i also play scandinavian

team sicilian

sign up team sicclian

I'm team french.

team french-

@chamo2074

@DaBabysBurner

@ThrillerFan

@verylate

@theoof11

team sicilian-

@AustinL0926

@ninjaswat

@Lord_Ultron

@Batman2508

team e5-

@adrian_mclain

team ck-

nobody

i feel bad for ck

Good question - we're starting over with a clean slate, since we're giving all teams a chance to update/strengthen their rosters.  Also, it wouldn't be fair to start with Team Caro-Kann in a -6 hole.  Let's give them a fair shot at redemption.

We're a very good team man

Put thriller on B1 (or maybe smartly but him on B2 because he lost to austin once), Verylate on B1/B2, me on B3 there you go that's the winning team