Martin vs The world Analysis thread

Another issue I think is after

... Qc5

Bxb7 Rb8

Red1+ Kc7

Martin has Bb5 saving the bishop and preparing a deadly attack on our centralized king

It might be worth the pawn after something like

... Qc5

Bxb7 Bxb7

Qxb7 0-0-0

But at that point Martin is definitely playing for two results and we will have to defend extremely well to hold a draw.

We should consider something like Qb6 trying to get our bishop back in and trade Qs

Matt, have to look at your analyses, but the question will be where and when to drop the pawn.

The trouble for us is we're so hemmed in while Martin, if he doesn't like the way things are going in one place, just pivots easily to somewhere else.  Time is always on his side.  He can load up files to his liking and we have to parry each and every threat.

It's like we have to reload a cannon while he moves around with several grenades.  His guys stop, have a smoke, cup 'o joe, tell some stories and then they're back on their feet again, fully refreshed, enjoying the heat of battle.

In my analysis, first diagram, move 3, the glimmer of hope I saw was by not playing Rab8, but instead b6.  We keep our defenses intact and he trades his DB for our Rook.  Then our other Rook is merely one ply away to defend the d file.  Get rid of the Queens somehow, and maybe we'll see a little daylight.  Might have to contend with his pawn on e5 getting passed, but all our troops are there to hold down the fort.  Our DB makes for a great defender if we make the left pawn bank into a parallelogram by playing g6 and then leave its "shape" alone unless attacked.

See if you see anything from that approach.

ry, have to look at that.  Saw it early yesterday before I had pushed things out, and didn't like the possibility of doubling the pawns, so I abandoned it and went looking elsewhere.

Matt, #522 may be solvable.

But it is so complex, it's like the most difficult Daily Puzzle you can imagine.

We can bring our other Rook to bear, and then just don't take anything on the 5th rank light squares.

My first analysis yesterday for these moves was to drop the pawn here.

So, Bxb7, Bxb7, Qxb7, O-O-O.  Then just harass his Queen until he trades her, and maybe we can hold off his Rooks, force a Draw. (draw by tedium)

Update

• All Qc5 do not work
  • Lose b7 pawn, but then we O-O-O
  • Martin plays Qe4, Kg8
  • f4, and he will win his attack
    • we can't post pieces well at all
    • he just has to come right at us
      • will tear our castle down
• Qc7 as first move
  • Rcd1     Ke7  one of our Rooks is useless
    Qb4+   Ke8
    Rd6     Rd8
    Bb3+   Rd7
    Red1    Bc6
    R1d4     f6     escape hatch?
    Qd2     Rf8
    Bxc6   bxc6
    Rxd7   Qb8
    Rd8+  Kf7
    RxQ    RxR
    Rd7+  Ke8
    Qd6   Mate in 1
  • Go the other direction: Kc8
    • Same torture  one of our Rooks is useless
• Qb6 as first move       last hope  (to be continued; looks best)
  • Qxb6+   axb6    doubles pawns
    Red1+    Kc7
     Rd6      
  • Qd3+      
  • 
    
    

Yeah I'm definitely leaning towards Qb6 even if we get doubled pawns since we have some compensation like the open file and Martin's two isolated pawns

Qb6 is better i feel

Just noticed, from the Main Line, assuming Martin plays Red1 instead of Bxb7, then on that second diagram I detailed, our move 6, I have Rc8.  It should be Kc7 and the Rooks do not get exchanged.

I may have other inaccuracies elsewhere.

Didn't see any Bd7 (value for us) and I tried it at some point.

I'm not too concerned about the Qc5 version.  It's too removed.  He'll know we should have have protected b7 better, and look closer, and see the weakness.

So, essentially, the Main Line I posted has little import.

It's gotta be Qb6.  The only thing I don't like is he'll see the weakness of that move immediately.

Wait, let me look at Bd7 anew.  You're saying Qc7, Rd1 (either one), and then Bd7.  right?

Yeah, I think Martin just plays Bxb7 and we lose there. But it could be something important to consider at some point.

From the Qc7 first move, here's a position that just developed.

White to move.  Look at how many degrees of freedom Martin has.

Not even Houdini could get out of this straightjacket.

So, Bd7 is no good.

Edit:  Then he just brings his King and a couple of pawns for a walk in the park down the  g and h files, laughing to himself about us not knowing when to resign.

Ok so I vote Qb6 then

I'm doing the analysis on Qb6 now, to get a handle on it.

Incidentally, that bind I show on the Bd7 diagram (above)…

That straightjacket position for Black is very sound!

But the degrees of freedom for White would be unbearable as White would find some way to solve things, and chip away at the position in time.

Still, it is a beautiful straightjacket!

Qb6 for Black continuation...

If Qxb6 we may win the game!

Don't know what will happen if these don't trade off, but we can worry about that later.

Queen does not take our Queen

Looking at the outcomes of various positions, we're most likely going to get a Loss, not a Draw, and not a Win.

It might be best to play quickly and hope Martin blunders.

I vote Qb6, too.  We've got some moves posted, so at least we're very familiar with the positions.  And Martin might be thinking something else.