Martin vs The world Analysis thread

I'm sorry, I'm not following.

The sequence goes, Qa4+ Qb3, then Qa5?

No, it goes Qa4+, then we see what Martin does. (our current position)

If he plays Qb3, then we play Bxc1.  Do you know why we are doing this?

Most likely we get Rxc1.

Then we castle long.

In doing this we are, and have been, removing multiple threats from all over.

Can you identify the threats?  (I've been aware of them but no one likes to discuss them much.)

If you like, JARP, we can leave our Queen on a4, and she'll be captured in two moves.

Do you see that?

Edit:  Pardon me, 3 moves.

Yes.

Who knows, Martin may become reckless, trying to maintain his winning status, and try to force an "inaccurate" response, hoping for a Win.

But he will be overreaching, and then suffer the consequences.

So far, I don't see any glaring mistakes in this game.  Games like this end evenly.

So, we just step up every time our move comes up, and a Draw should happen.

To expect anything else would be overreaching, given the conservative play, so far.

For someone to Win a game, someone else has to Lose a game.

When that's not happening, a Draw occurs.

The Drunken Bishops eliminate troublesome binds common to normal chess.

Moves are made, binds are not impossible to solve, even trade downs occur, and an endgame is reached with fewer pieces left on the board to gain an advantage.

That's where we're heading.

I actually like trading the queens and DSDB's. Then we can start attacking d4.

Current Position (Black to Move)

Well, at least Martin is becoming a little more predictable:  we thought he'd play the move he did.

From our last discussions, we're thinking that we want to exchange Drunken Bishops on c1, now.  But look the position over, and consider each and every option available to us, so that we don't overlook a "best" move.

I've got to get up, make coffee, and then I'll have a window of further analysis for around an hour because I take my car in for service 3 hours from now.

Maybe I'll vote before I head out.  If not, then at least 5 hours from now.

Just due diligence with the game.

Vote Bxc1.

I concur.

I looked ahead, and if Martin has incredible insight and agility, we may be in for a high risks game on our left flank… especially if he can untangle his Queen and bring her over at the last minute.

If he brings his Knight into the center of our left flank, his Drunken Bishop can follow suit very quickly and compliment the Knight on two simultaneous pawn attacks.  Our position looks defendable, but I always get nervous when pawns get raised around a castled King.

Maybe c5? Example: 12.dc DBxc5 13.Rb1 Qxb3 14.axb3 b5 and White's center breaks.

Chas,

Looking over your idea.  Appreciate the help.

Thanks.

Bob

P.S.  Computer was crashed all of last night; may be buying a new one today.  By freak luck, just managed to get it working this morning, after half an hour.  3 hours total of trial and error and I'm back up and running.

Thought I was a goner this time, since nothing was working!

Chas, here's what I don't like, with all the firepower on the board...

11.    …      c5
12. dxc5   Bxc5

At this point White can decide to go into the endgame with two Drunken Bishops.

That could be suicide for Black.

13. Ng5    Bxa1
14. Bxa1

Black cannot castle at the moment, but things are extremely interesting!

14.            Qd7+

And the White King will never castle!

So, there may be something to your c5 move.

Anyone?

c5 has a lot of potential, everyone.

Give it close study!  Many possibilities!!

My Bxc1 move vote is revoked right now until we settle this c5 move controversy.

At this point, my vote is...

c5!

Reasons

1. Martin played a blunder last move
   1. Hard to believe, but he did!
      1. He pinned his Queen on his King in a Drunken Bishops Game
2. He has left two major pieces en prise
   1. His Queen and his Dark Squared Drunken Bishop
3. All of his other pieces are constrained if we play c5!
   1. Rooks are temporarily worthless
   2. Bishops are temporarily worthless
4. c5! is a further level of attack that overwhelms his position
   1. Essentially, he thought he was invincible
   2. He's really just a mortal man
   3. Should have known the World would rise to the occasion
5. Several Noteworthy Continuations
   1. Ne5
      1. Bxc1, Rxc1, O-O-O, and if Martin brings his LSDB out to assist the Knight, we attack it with h5, he takes, and we take the d4 pawn.  If he then castles, his King is on a light square, so is our Drunken Bishop, and so are Martin's pawns
         1. Awww, but awe for us!
         2. This fact, alone, buys us a tempo at some point.
   2. Nd2
      1. Bf4!, dxc
         1. If he doesn't move that pawn, he's in trouble
         2. We start to make a mess of his hoped for castled King
   3. dxc
      1. Qd7+!, he moves something, all sorts of good moves for us
   4. e5
      1. Bf4, he's in a jam again, just like above
   5. Bb2
      1. cxd, Nxd, Qd7 attacking/pinning the Knight and a pawn attack is a move away
   6. d5
      1. Bf4, Rb1, O-O-O, Bd2, b6
      2. Murky from here on
         1. Probably Martin's best continuation
   7. Qxa4
      1. Bxa4, Nd2, O-O-O

If anyone can see much further, please comment.

We may win this game!

c5!

Since Martin is going on vacation, I just thought I'd show something interesting about the Drunken Bishops, and the reach that a pair of them together have on the board.

They're so powerful!

I've used white pawns to show the attacking squares of two DBs together and have used black pieces to obviate the location of the King and the DBs.

Shown is their killing field that thrusts ahead of their location.  But look how if they each move closer to the King by just one square, the King is completely engulfed as the attacking pattern completely surrounds him.  Not shown, but just add in a few obstructions (pieces) and a mating net is all too easy to create.

I still wonder if Martin knows how powerful they are.  He must know.  But we haven't tested him yet.  The test may come when there is a choice of capturing another Drunken Bishop or a Rook… which would he capture, or favor to protect more, if he had a choice of the outcome.

At this point, my vote is...

c5!

Continuation

Still worried about Martin playing d5.

We should probably play Bxc1 next, if he does, and not Bf4 that I detailed.

Then… Rxc1, O-O-O.

It is the only continuation of his that seems troublesome.

I keep exploring this continuation, and as soon as Martin sees we played c5!, he'll have at least 15 days to respond; 12 days vacation left and 3 days for his move.

Perfect time for him to take a vacation, btw.

How's the analyses going, Bob?

I agree, however I'm just curious.