Martin vs The world Analysis thread

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USAuPzlBxBob

Ok, really not worth spending too much time deciding on our move.  Let's get some votes.

I vote Nxc4.

Analysis

If White captures with the pawn we are headed, most likely, eventually…  to a Draw.  In the process we would see a connected string of seven pawns for White, but it would be of little advantage for White.

Things would trade down quickly, and evenly.  We'd be able to get our back rank Knight to a good square to tie up White's resources on a White blockaded pawn (b file), and who knows if we could make gains from there.

If White captures with the Queen, we probably then play Bc6.  If she then moves to any square other than c2, she'll either be captured outright or attacked simultaneously with her Rook.  If she moves to c2, that whole situation will have to be analyzed thoroughly because there are Drunken Bishop traps against us, but they could be advantageous for us, instead.  We'll see if and when we get there.

USAuPzlBxBob

ry, if bxc4, I would recommend Qa4+.  He'll most likely move his Queen to b3 to block the check.  If we take, he gets the long pawn chain all the way across the board.

If we play Bc6, then he can play e5, and our Drunken Bishop loses its perch.  Its best relocation would be the capture at c1 by Bxc1.  Then he recaptures with his Rook, and the Rook and Queen are bearing down on the file next to our King once the dust settles.

gyrados06

Nxc4

USAuPzlBxBob

I think Martin will take with his Queen and that will lead to complications, so he's got to look at the board for quite a while.

He knows we spent a lot of time analyzing, recently, and that may have him worried about not seeing something that we saw.

USAuPzlBxBob

Current Position (Black to Move)

I've included a likely continuation of a few moves, but we need to look everything over.

Martin is full of surprises and you never know what he may do.

Overall, the game, technically, should be headed for a Draw.  However, he may believe he can eek out a Win with a possibly superior pawn chain and a powerful center.  So, we'll see.

USAuPzlBxBob

Vote Qa4+.

With this move I'm playing for a Draw.

I'm hoping he will trade the Queens by moving his Queen to b3.  We would then exchange them, and then we immediately exchange the dark square Drunken Bishops on c1.

  • Btw, we do not want to get fancy and bring our dark square Drunken Bishop to a3 before the Queen exchanges, with the intent of taking his Rook.  Martin would then go into the endgame with one Rook and two Drunken Bishops (against our single light square Drunken Bishop and both Rooks) … and they would shred us like a pair of scissors.

If he captures with the King instead of the Rook, it would be because he wants to play the game out with a Drunken Bishop and a Rook against our two Rooks.  I can live with that. (and get a Draw)

The continuation would go that we castle, he takes our remaining Drunken Bishop with his Rook, and we take back with our Knight.  From there we start setting up a dark square blockade to hem in (and render ineffective) his light square Drunken Bishop.  Knight to b5 and we'd be well on our way.

He'll never turn the trick of getting an advantage, and we keep setting up blockade after blockade until a Draw is eventually all but guaranteed.  (I wonder which side will offer it first.)

If he takes back our Drunken Bishop on c1 with his Rook (and not his King), then we need to assess the order of our moves, as the order is critical to a Draw outcome.

Of course, if Martin should blunder along the way, then we pounce for a Win.

Bob

Tja_05

Sorry I've been a little inactive here, but I don't think exchanging queens is for the best. I'm leaning more towards a move like c5 instead, to shake up the position. Or perhaps we can play Qc6 first, to attack the e4 pawn, and see what he does about that. B6 is also an interesting move, and he would still be forced to do something about e4.

USAuPzlBxBob

Well, he still has to get that f1 Bishop out of the way.  I think I know what you're saying about not doing Qxb3, but what worries me is his strong pawn center which is bolstered by the presence of his Queen being still on the board.  That f1 DB is two moves away from practically forcing a Queen trade.

There's a peculiar opportunity for us by playing b5 instead of Qxb3.  Worth a look, at least.

If his pawn just moves forward we capture his e4 pawn.  If he takes our Queen to double our pawns on the a file, then we play Bd3+, Ke1, and we capture his Queen with a pawn to boot!  (and there are other combos, too)

USAuPzlBxBob
JustARandomPatzer wrote:

Sorry I've been a little inactive here, but I don't think exchanging queens is for the best. I'm leaning more towards a move like c5 instead, to shake up the position. Or perhaps we can play Qc6 first, to attack the e4 pawn, and see what he does about that. B6 is also an interesting move, and he would still be forced to do something about e4.

If we don't get the Queens off the board somehow, as soon as he brings out either Drunken Bishop, and with his powerful pawn center, we're doomed.

Shake it up?  He holds all of the en prise options.  You can't threaten a center pawn with a Queen while he still has two DBs he can maneuver. Attack the e4 pawn with our Queen and he just moves that f1 DB out.  Threat neutralized.  Or he just moves his e4 pawn up and we're effed.

If we castle, he can move his DB to b2, check, and gain a tempo.

Play b6, he plays Be2 

This is no time to shake things up… a wrong move here and we lose the game.  Ry will be posting, "Resign" one or two moves later.

 

USAuPzlBxBob
rychessmaster1 wrote:
Why not O-O-O?

For him, or us?

Current Position (Black to Move)

Here's the board again since we're on a new page.

USAuPzlBxBob
rychessmaster1 wrote:
Qa4+ I agree on, Qxb3 I don’t think I agree on. I think O-O-O instead of QxQ

Ry, for the castle, then he plays Bb2+, we move our King to safety, and then he plays e5. (Yikes!)

USAuPzlBxBob
rychessmaster1 wrote:
e5 isn’t scary after Be7. I’m not seeing it

Well, the Bishop is biting on granite and the Rook has to protect it, too.  Whereas, White's Bishop is on the perfect square, attacking the diagonals for all they're worth. (that doesn't bother you?)  Then, White plays Be2, preparing to castle long.  Getting the steamroller of Rooks and pawns warmed up, and coupling it with a pair of scissor-happy Drunken Bishops. (they like to play with sharp objects)

happy.png

 

USAuPzlBxBob

So, you're thinking Qa4+, play that drama out even if the Queens remain on the board, and then Bxc1?

That's ok.  We have to castle O-O-O anyway, to neutralize the Ne5 threat of the "classic" King & Rook fork.

USAuPzlBxBob

I know I can, but JARP wanted to shake and bake. grin.png

Tja_05

USAuPzlBxBob wrote:

I know I can, but JARP wanted to shake and bake. grin.png

Only because I feel that exchanging queens is tantamount to suicide.

USAuPzlBxBob

JARP, we still have three days to consider alternative moves.

If you can reveal something to consider, and your track record is pretty good in this regard, I, for one, am willing to listen.

Just so you know, personally, I have given the current position a lot of review.  But I have chosen a safe way forward, based on my experience in Chess in general.  I sort of know when I'm pushing my luck, when playing a computer.  Then the computer takes me apart, piece by piece, and later I realize that, yes, I was pushing my luck.

I liken Martin's play to that of a computer.  He is all calculation… he's actually very good.

So, I worry about going out on a limb.

I would prefer a boring position where Martin let's his guard down, and plays inaccurately, to a position where he is keenly focused, and finds one way that refutes our own inaccuracies.  This game may easily be won by the side that waits for the other side to blunder horribly.

Chess is like this.

Tja_05

I've been considering Nc6 and Qd7, followed by 0-0 and Rd8. It seems solid enough, and there isn't anything that can disturb our DB on a6, thanks to the exchange on c4.

USAuPzlBxBob

The only weakness I see for White is the lone pawn on a2.

That is made up for by his powerful center.

As long as the DBs remain on the board, tactics are meaningless.  There are no tactics.

All threats can be parried.  There are few binds, especially on Martin's side, because he has freed up, or will effortlessly free up, his rear elements into freewheeling attackers.  He is slowly clearing the way for him to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants.

Our side is full of ineffective pieces.  The DB on the a file couldn't be more ineffective.  The DB on the f file does have potential, but it needs to be moved to g7 to give it uninterrupted power.

What I don't like about castling O-O is that once Martin castles long, and probably with a fianchettoed position there, with his DB on g2, he'll have his pieces really working for him.

The best way to ruin his plans are by cutting him off at the knees.  Don't let him get pieces working for him, take them off the board.  Exchange down.

If we don't, that pawn center of his will eventually make its move and it will lay waste to all of our hopes and dreams.

What can I say… I'm a realist.  He holds higher cards than us right now, and you don't want to take him on, head-on.

JARP, your plans want to hit at his strong center.

He'll eat our lunch, and then devour us for dessert, a Hot Fudge Sundae, just because he likes a cherry on top for his efforts.

happy.png

USAuPzlBxBob

Ry, if you play Qa4+, I'm there with you.  Still my vote.

USAuPzlBxBob

Oh… and after we castle long, he then plays Be2, so he can castle.

That would introduce a surprise attack on our Queen. (his DB would align with his Queen)

Why wait for that?  We preemptively play Qa5:  he still can't castle, and our Drunken Bishop is one move away from attacking his Queen.  (by moving to a4)

To block the diagonal-threat that prevents his King from castling, he either puts his Knight in the way or his Rook in the way.  (the Rook is best)

We now play Kg8 (we have to or any plans we make have a fly in the ointment because of a check from his Queen moving to a3!) … and he finally castles.

All threats are neutralized, the game has a newness to it, and he has a weak pawn on a2, though it could be an anchor for his Drunken Bishop being protected by it there, and the DB would be on an ideal square: strafing the two light squared diagonals across the length of the board.