Martin vs the world analysis thread #4

alright then, i chamge my vote to c4

Ok

I think I'll vote 3. Nc3.

Yep same

Yeah Nc3 obv, I reckon he starts an event before deciding whether to go Grunfeld or KID, which is probably what we should have done last game.

CP2-(3PO) : Nc3
ry: Nc3
cap, mycap: Nc3
USAu: Nc3

Requerimos uno más.

Yeah I agree with tug, we should have started an event earlier last game. I would actually go a step further and say that we should probably have started an event before deciding whether to go 2...e6 or 2...g6.

I don't think starting an event really early as black is a bad idea at all. Doing so means you're less likely to choose an opening setup that's bad for the events (since 1 event has already been started). It would make the game more about skill and less about luck (since at least 1 event has already been started before committing to an opening/making a committal opening move). And if we assume that black openings are more likely to be bad in events than white openings (this seems to at least be true for d4 openings, but I'm not even completely sure about his), then it makes sense for black to start an event early.

He's played Bg7, so no event and no Grunfeld.

e4 is the standard here, but Nf3 is ok too and we can still transpose into the Grunfeld.  I would go e4 here though to take control of the centre.

I think as white, we should wait to use our event, until Martin has fired first. There is an advantage here, the person who starts the event moves first, and so if we're starting the second event, then Martin cannot use his event to rectify a bad position. As black I think we have to make things happen to equalise, but as white I think we should wait.

e4 I think

I vote 4. e4.

vote e4

That's an interesting move from Martin. He's allowing us to play e5 and gain more space in the centre (and forcing his knight to go to e8). But if we want to keep the strong centre after playing 5. e5 we might have to play 6. f4 after he plays 5...Ne8, and playing 6. f4 seems slightly risky in event chess. Otherwise after 5. e5 Ne8 he will probably play ...d6 at some point and we will either have to take on d6 or get an isolated pawn on e5.

Maybe we should just play the calm move 5. Nf3 here?

I suggest we start an event, then we decide whether e5 is beneficial. What we don't want is to play it or not play it and then be surprised with an unfavorable event.

We can’t play e5 before start event

I vote start event. e5 could be very good in some events

I think we should wait until Martin has used his event. I suspect the second event is more powerful.

Agree with ry here. Tug, you've got a point, but like ry said we can't play e5 before start event. So if we play Nf3 or something we are missing out on a big chance that would occur if we get a good event for e5, of which there are many. 

Martin's made a mistake in expecting us to back down here. We need to take advantage of it.

And if we get a bad/neutral event, we can always just play developing moves and try to work it out from there.

I disagree with tug. Let’s do an event now and see if we can make e5 strong 

e5 isn't that strong, according to the database I'm using (ELO 2000+) it favours black after Ne8 (sample size 58). Granted, we have a LOT of space, which probably favours us in event chess, but I think starting an event is a weapon that we should only use after a) Martin has used his, or b) he has equalised. Black hasn't equalised yet, Nf3 favours white in regular chess.

But I'm just one voice. If you guys disagree, start an event. I don't think it's the equivalent of a blunder. I just think starting an event is a powerful thing to do, and slightly favours the person who acts second.

of course, thats why we start an event BEFORE playing e5