Symslov, if I have made a major discovery there may be reasons not to publish it immediately.
I am sure you could think of several reasons why someone making a major discovery in a chess opening may not want to publish it immediately.
I did not say I have an utterly unique way of analysing chess that nobody else has.
The people who play and have studied an opening are the very ones who enjoy novelties discovered in it; a novelty in the main line all the more so; and a very early novelty in the main line most of all.
I remember several years ago, was discussing this Ponziani variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 d5 4. Bb5 At the time this move 4. Bb5 had been played by masters and grandmasters and even super grandmasters for maybe 100 years. And I ventured my opinion that 4. Bb5 was actually a very bad move which would probably result in a loss game with the correct follow up by Black. I was raked over the coals as "arrogant" and "egotist" and a few other choice words to think that I could say that a move that had been played for decades was incorrect.
People often have preconceived ideas about things/chess and if you go against such ideas-- sometimes they lash out.
But to answer your original question Ponz, there is niothing moraly wrong with publishing new lines you think may be viable. That is simply the evolution of Opening Theory. The only possible way progress happens.
If all chess masters in history kept their secrets to themselves for afear of offending somebody, we would stll be in the days of Grecco and Lopez.
Ponz, I belive you are morally OBLIGATED to publish.
Yes, seome old lines may get thrown out. Replaced by new ones. Its called progress.
varelse 1
1. no one should publish a variation until they are very sure that it works.
2. I never said I would not publish a variation that I discovered.
3. I agree that progress must continue in chess and sometimes that means undoing previous analysis and books.
4. Do you remember our former world champ from the United States who discovered a very important line in the Petroff- He had a very good reason not to publish the line immediately--the line would have come out eventually so he was not holding it back forever. So there can be times when it is not a moral obligation to publish something you have discovered immediately.
5. There are sometimes a line so complex that it takes months to figure out if the whole line is sound and has no holes...[this is an extension of #1]
"moral obligations" can be relative. There are several possible reasons, I have not even mentioned why it may not be wise or smart or a moral obligation to publish immediately a new idea.
When a person makes a baseless accusation to tarnish another's reputation I'd say they have a moral obligation to apologize and set the record straight. If this person is arrogant this is highly unlikely to occur without some other form of... persuasion. I wouldn't hold my breath. Best of luck with the opening Ponz111.
Alexei Shirov once discovered a variation that changed how a key variation of the Sicilian was evaluated. He chose to play it ...
in the Melody Amber tournament!
When he was asked why he wasted his innovation on a meaningless tournament, he said that it was only a matter of time before someone else would find it and use it.
Modern chess is fast! If you have a novelty that you think is important, publish it or play it... soon!
Melody Amber is not necessarily a meanlingness tournament.
There is really no good reason for someone like super grandmaster Shirov to publish a variation he discovered before he gets a chance to use it. He knew it would be fairly unlikely that someone else would discover his exact variation before he got a chance to use it in a major tournament.
How many super grandmasters do you know who give the public their analysis on various openings before they have a chance to use it in person? [if they did this-they would not be supergrandmasters long]
I can think of zero who do this--so it is not all black and white if a novelty someone discovered should be given immediately to the public.
There are many possible reasons to wait a while before unleasing a major novelty or series of moves. Just use your imagination and maybe you could think of a few such reasons.
Melody Amber is not necessarily a meanlingness tournament.
There is really no good reason for someone like super grandmaster Shirov to publish a variation he discovered before he gets a chance to use it. He knew it would be fairly unlikely that someone else would discover his exact variation before he got a chance to use it in a major tournament.
How many super grandmasters do you know who give the public their analysis on various openings before they have a chance to use it in person? [if they did this-they would not be supergrandmasters long]
I can think of zero who do this--so it is not all black and white if a novelty someone discovered should be given immediately to the public.
There are many possible reasons to wait a while before unleasing a major novelty or series of moves. Just use your imagination and maybe you could think of a few such reasons.
And you don't think this was a condescending answer?
I said that you should publish or play your line. Previously, I stated that you should seek compensation for it by getting it published in a book. You could definitely get a publisher since you are a former US correspondence champion and you claim to have a novelty that will put a major variation out to pasture.
Don't talk about it here. Get it published or play it yourself. The old masters had it right: test your ideas in the furnace of competition or publish your analysis and see how well it stands up to the scrutiny of strong chess players.
I agree with SmyslovFan.
First of all I never said I had a finished line or variation or innovation. I am working on a couple of lines but they are not ready to be published.
It was a theoretical question and various people gave their opinion.
But to fault me for not publishing a line that is not complete and could have some holes is beyond the pale.
It does not make sense for me to publish any line that could have major errors even though I may have worked on such lines or line for months.
Sure there is a chance that someone else will find the exact same line and publish it before me. This is highly unlikely but possible. If it happens, more power to whoever is able to finish up the line and get it published before me.
There is no reason to cast apsersions on me for not publishing something which is not ready for publication.
If I died today the new possible lines would not be lost to the chess world.
And, as I have said before--even if I had a finished product there could be many very good reasons not to publish such product immediately.
Those who cannot think of reasons not to publish a finish product immediately lack a lot of imagination.
Lack of imagination is not a reason to throw aspersions.
I agree with Ponz111.
That wasn't his point ponz111, whether it's finished or not. He said:
"The old masters had it right: test your ideas in the furnace of competition or publish your analysis and see how well it stands up to the scrutiny of strong chess players."
Do you disagree with that?
Yes, I disagree with that as we have new technology which was not present for the old masters. They had no choice but to test their ideas in the furnace of over the board competiton. Now we have far more choices and can choose the way we want to test new ideas.
The old masters could not possibly envision the technology we have today and the different ways we have to test our ideas.
Also, today, if you give an unfinished product to a possible book publisher they would think there is something wrong with you--they expect a finished product and when they get the finished product then they try to make it even better.
Time equals money--they expect you/me to take the time to finish the product before it is ever given them to review for possible publication.
As someone who has had books published, I know this..
I still don't understand what your moral dilemma is. Why would you post what you did and follow it with such a teaser-"I haven't worked it out yet"? So, you have a moral standard that keeps you from working on it? Before posting? Or using it in games? You have been on this site for years, but have not played one game. You are an attention hound.
Give me a break. Publish it or play it. Or, work on it, and if it's the next mousetrap you will get the recognition you're after.
I've discovered a new way to have sex. But I only get 15% of the way through it before I'm unsure of its accuracy. I've decided not to publish. Yet.
Now, that's interesting.
Ponz, you are claiming that you have an utterly unique way of analysing chess that nobody else does.
I see that as arrogant. If you have made a major discovery, publish that discovery before somebody else does. You're not as unique as you think you are.