Best answer to H6?
Sort:
Hightider
Aug 28, 2025
0
#1
d4. You get control of the center.
Fetoxo hat geschrieben:
d4. You get control of the center.
I normally play that, but just never really get to continue the idea there and game shifts for me.
Think of opening principles.
Your opponent could have developed, but didn’t. Now you can get a big lead in development with Nc3, d4, or O-O
Your opponent could have developed, but didn’t. Now you can get a big lead in development with Nc3, d4, or O-O
One other way to think about about it is by asking yourself what is wrong my opponent which is a funnier version of asking what is wrong with their move and you should ask this every move and it will help you find out the correct response. If you ask it and you see that your opponent’s move doesn’t develop usually the best moves are striking in the center or developing or if your opponent’s move creates a weakness make a plan around that weakness or if your opponent is not castling then strike in the center.
d4
CockroachDolly hat geschrieben:
h6 is the kind of stubborn, self inflicted move you see from lower intermediate players. There’s no real threat of Ng5, yet they play it anyway, a nervous, scared move. Even after being shown multiple times how to properly handle these positions, they keep falling back on the same bad habit. It’s like they can’t break free from their own reflexive mistakes, repeating them over and over instead of actually learning
I mean, it's a valid defence. It stopped me from a nice gambit or even checkmate combination. I forgot what it's called again, but you know the one.
Hightider wrote:
CockroachDolly hat geschrieben:
h6 is the kind of stubborn, self inflicted move you see from lower intermediate players. There’s no real threat of Ng5, yet they play it anyway, a nervous, scared move. Even after being shown multiple times how to properly handle these positions, they keep falling back on the same bad habit. It’s like they can’t break free from their own reflexive mistakes, repeating them over and over instead of actually learning
I mean, it's a valid defence. It stopped me from a nice gambit or even checkmate combination. I forgot what it's called again, but you know the one.
It isn't solid, quite the opposite. Black loses a tempo for no reason, and now white has a big attack.
magipi hat geschrieben:
Hightider wrote:
CockroachDolly hat geschrieben:
h6 is the kind of stubborn, self inflicted move you see from lower intermediate players. There’s no real threat of Ng5, yet they play it anyway, a nervous, scared move. Even after being shown multiple times how to properly handle these positions, they keep falling back on the same bad habit. It’s like they can’t break free from their own reflexive mistakes, repeating them over and over instead of actually learning
I mean, it's a valid defence. It stopped me from a nice gambit or even checkmate combination. I forgot what it's called again, but you know the one.
It isn't solid, quite the opposite. Black loses a tempo for no reason, and now white has a big attack.
In that position, I don't see any big attacks. What were you thinking?
White should play d4 and attack. Black has no development and the king is not ready to castle, all because of that dumb h6 move.
If black is worried about Ng5, he should play Bc5 instead.
4.d4 is definitely most principled. If black takes, white has the Scotch game basically tempo up. Otherwise black can easily get into a trouble, for example
CockroachDolly hat geschrieben:
Hightider wrote:
CockroachDolly hat geschrieben:
h6 is the kind of stubborn, self inflicted move you see from lower intermediate players. There’s no real threat of Ng5, yet they play it anyway, a nervous, scared move. Even after being shown multiple times how to properly handle these positions, they keep falling back on the same bad habit. It’s like they can’t break free from their own reflexive mistakes, repeating them over and over instead of actually learning
I mean, it's a valid defence. It stopped me from a nice gambit or even checkmate combination. I forgot what it's called again, but you know the one.
It is not a valid defense lol. You are a classical example of what I described. The only reason you think it saves you is because your opponent is equally clueless and doesn't understand how to punish a garbage move like h6
I was playing as white, but okay.
@borovicka75 Thanks mate, I didn't see those moves. I am not overly familiar with all openings yet and I should look more into scotch, but it's helpful that you posted this reponse. I know, for your it's probably just super basic but we're all at different levels in chess, and to me this was something relatively new.
I like when my students play Scotch game. It teaches you to fight for the centre and also opens queenside bishop. I saw many kids taught “play e4, Nf3 and Bc4, it´s Italian “ and that’s it. And they never use queenside pieces. Very sad to watch such games.
borovicka75 hat geschrieben:
I like when my students play Scotch game. It teaches you to fight for the centre and also opens queenside bishop. I saw many kids taught “play e4, Nf3 and Bc4, it´s Italian “ and that’s it. And they never use queenside pieces. Very sad to watch such games.
I used to play scotch some time ago, but back then I had the philosophy of "Don't need to waste time learning opening theory. Just learn game theory and the openings come by themselves, just learn basic opening principles and go with it".
Please Sign Up to comment.
If you need help, please contact our Help and Support team.