What do I do if my opponent deviates from theory?
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When your opponent deviates from thirty, just play chess!
Thoery
Apr 28, 2019
0
#24
Laskersnephew wrote:
There is nothing sacred about theory! You must always be prepared to react to the changing situation on the board.
This.
Theory was not handed down by God. It's based partly on analysis, partly on experience, partly on fashion and partly on prejudice.
Chess Grandmasters are as fashion-conscious as teenage girls.
"... Around the 1400 rating my opponents usually deviates from theory less than 10 moves in. … Does my opponent deviating from theory usually mean I have an advantage? ..." - safeassign
"... If he strays from ‘theory’ then it’s time to figure out what he did wrong and why it’s wrong. Note that, if it were not wrong, it would be a book move, if we’re talking within 10 moves... …" - blastforme
"Just learn to play chess. If his move in that position (theory) hasn't been played before it doesn't mean anything. Could be good, could be bad, could be equal. Just play the position, the best u can, based on ur understanding." - DamonevicSmithlov
"... [The DamonevicSmithlov] answer is short and best." - playingnotknown
llamonade wrote:
… If explaining nothing while spouting truisms is best, then sure, it's great.
I'm not saying he's wrong, but I'm saying it doesn't tell the OP anything.
"His move could be good, it could be bad, just play what you understand, and learn to play chess"
Come on. Even a non player could have wrote that.
It seems to me that the DamonevicSmithlov comment was a reasonable reaction to the earlier blastforme comment.
Apr 28, 2019
0
#27
Not every novelty before move 10 is a mistake.
In most positions there are lots of reasonable moves that aren't considered in books. For example many positions where white gives black quick and easy equality.
safeassign wrote:
Around the 1400 rating my opponents usually deviates from theory less than 10 moves in. I'm confused because I don't know if I must keep with theory or react to their moves. Does my opponent deviating from theory usually mean I have an advantage? I play the french defence and when they move out of theory I usually move out on theory and win by luck it seems. Thanks
You should of course react to their moves. Personally I love when someone deviates from a socalled book line which I happened to play, because at that moment they deviate I feel that I start playing chess instead of just following a line I already know. The game has started for real so to speak. I am on my own.
If the opening is an opening I have played lots of times I am still familiar with the type of position which has now arrived but the lack of a known line means I feel am playing the game myself.
Always react to your opponent's move, or you can say react to the position that appears on the board.
Apr 28, 2019
0
#29
safeassign wrote:
Around the 1400 rating my opponents usually deviates from theory less than 10 moves in. I'm confused because I don't know if I must keep with theory or react to their moves. Does my opponent deviating from theory usually mean I have an advantage? I play the french defence and when they move out of theory I usually move out on theory and win by luck it seems. Thanks
Don't confuse "book" with theory. There are non-book moves that still fit with opening principles, so when someone deviates from a book move that does NOT necessarily give you an advantage.
The thing to do is to make sure you understand opening principles about developing your pieces, trying to control the center, gain space, make threatening moves, and making sure your pieces are protecting each other and key squares like f2 or f7.
Many of the 1800-2000 players I play in daily games leave the book early - sometimes to get me out of a prepared line. Personally, when I play the Sicilan as Black, I tend to play the Kan (1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 a6) or Taimanov (4...Nc6 5 Nc3 Qc7) variations because if you don't follow the book moves in order but make good developing moves, it doesn't kill your game like it can with some other variations like the Dragon.
Back in the 1990's, the Bishop's Opening, 1 e4 e5 2 Bc4, had been out of favor with masters for 60 years, but it's easy to plan a middlegame attack with it when you castle O-O-O, then launch a kingside Pawn attack so I taught it to the high school chess club I coached. My team won often with it, sometimes because their opponents thought my players were making a bad move and got overconfident.
Then Kasparov used it in a World Championship match and suddenly it was in-favor again!
Thanks to all that have commented I have read them all and learned a lot.
Apr 29, 2019
0
#31
if he played a novelty you will just have to refute it over the board.
Is there a reason to believe that every "novelty" can be refuted?
Deviating from theory is how I win games.
blueemu wrote:
Laskersnephew wrote:
There is nothing sacred about theory! You must always be prepared to react to the changing situation on the board.
This.
Theory was not handed down by God. It's based partly on analysis, partly on experience, partly on fashion and partly on prejudice.
Chess Grandmasters are as fashion-conscious as teenage girls.
LOL, that's funny.
Surely deviation is self exploration of another possibility.How else was theory invented?
Jun 21, 2019
0
#37
Meh I love these players! Apparently now DEVIATING from theory can be a plausible idea 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 You guys come on!! You are disrespecting the minds of grandmasters & world champions... What next...some 650 elo claiming to be positional or playing like Tal...save those stories for the tooth fairy PLEASE 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
"... what is good at world-championship level is not always the best choice at lower levels of play, ..." - FM Steve Giddins (2008)
It depends on the opening. If you are in a well-analyzed opening, such as the King's Gambit, and if you know the theory very well, you should be looking for an advantage. Doesn't mean you will find it, but stop and look. If your knowledge of theory is so so, be aware that maybe your opponent just played(without even knowing himself) one of the many variations not used lately. Don't look for an advatage. Just play the best chess you can. Some theory opening variations extend 15 to 20 moves. If you don't know those lines, you lose. But that is part of learning openings. So how much theory should you learn? After your games with 1400's, see how many moves they knew of theory. Go pass that number just one or two moves. Also now, use an opening book to determine whether their move was good or a mistake. Next time, if a mistake, you will know how to exploit it. Good luck.
Nwap111 wrote:
It depends on the opening. If you are in a well-analyzed opening, such as the King's Gambit, and if you know the theory very well, ...
Perhaps worthwhile to think about what it means to "know the theory well".
"... John Shaw has taken an ancient and currently unpopular opening and produced an entertaining and instructive volume clocking in at a little under 700 pages. …"
http://marshtowers.blogspot.com/2013/09/chess-reviews-223.html
I am serious @llamonade - kindly don't take me wrong. I am new here and you are much experienced. I liked as it was very short answer. But you discussed in detail. Sorry. Kindly don't think that I've taken things lightly. No. You seriously discussed it with detailing.