how to read MCO-14
Sort:
Nov 2, 2020
0
#22
Letters like (b) after 6 d4 refer to a note (b) listed below the table of moves. It usually shows an alternative on the same move and gives a summary annotation and reference game.
Impractical wrote:
Letters like (b) after 6 d4 refer to a note (b) listed below the table of moves. It usually shows an alternative on the same move and gives a summary annotation and reference game.
Thank you so much! You are awesome!
@Choowd3 thank you! i needed some help and was searching all over google for some answers until I found a link that brought me here so thank you :) :)
Nytik wrote:
addisondog wrote:
I second Gimly's question--what IS a good book on openings with theory?
Admittedly the OP is asking a question, but the book is one of the best. To get properly comprehensive, however, you would need to buy a seperate book on each opening.
From what I gather Watsons book might be the go to reference for intellectuals. For me it it sounds like it would be a great sleep aid. At this point I need something a little more basic and readable, like Chess opening for Dummies by James Eade
I have MCO 13 and love it. I've owned it since the late 90's. It isnt a reading for pleasure book but an awesome reference.
I realize your question has been answered but maybe I can further clarify.
the columns are across the top are the variations, the roes are the move order.
for instance in the page you posted, h4 is whites fourth move in variations one and two, and bc4 in variations three through six.
hope this helps.
Hey guys, I’m having a little trouble understanding how to read the table, I see it was answered but I am a little confused still.
Like when it says exf4 what does the ex stand for? As well as just maybe describing how to read the table a little easier. Anything can help, thanks!
Choowd3 wrote:
Hey man I noticed nobody answered your question and only talked about how the books explain the opening theory I love MCO because of the explanations it give on the purpose of the openings before the diagrams anyways by now you have probably figured it out but ill still say this for anyone else wondering
"KING'S GAMBIT
1e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3Nf3 g5
_____________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6
kieseritzky Philidor Hanstein Muzio
4 h4..................................Bc4(1)
g4 Bg7.....................g4
5 Ne5(a) h4..........0-0 0-0(t)
Nf6.........Bg7 d6 h6 h6 gxf3
6 d4(b) d4 Nxg4 d4 d4 Qf6
d6 Nf6(f) Nf6 d6 d6 Qf6 "
So the Line under the name are the first moves
The rows that have 4 5 6 ect are the most popular continuations of the opening so for instance after those first moves the most popular move is h4 the moves to the right of h4 are other variations so bc4 isnt the most popular but is still a noted variation. and the most popular move after h4 is g4 with another variation being bg7 then g4. whenever there are a line of periods between moves it means that after this move is played eventually this one should be. if you have any further questions please ask and ill be happy to answer have fun playing the kings gambit
The only useful answer, it should be pinned.
theendgame3 wrote:
Forget about reading it as 'ex'. exf4 means; e captures on f4.
The pawn on e3 captures the pawn on f4 so it's written as exf4.
x in notation means captures or take.
There's another example on that board- gxf4.
Pawns are only denoted by the square they are sitting on.
Hey thanks! I have one more question, regarding how to read the actual table. Is it left to right, and is the bottom or top movie black or white, and which ones do you start with? For example under Kieseritsky, is black or white h4?
thanks!
Here is the picture I was referring too in the last comment above:
Jan 26, 2021
0
#31
In the case of the page you are showing, look at the top set of moves before the table:
1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 nf3 g5
which tells you the next move is white's move.
And as the above commentors explained, the h4 is whites fourth move in variations one and two (and three I think he meant), and bc4 in variations four through six.
sangahm wrote:
In the case of the page you are showing, look at the top set of moves before the table:
1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 nf3 g5
which tells you the next move is white's move.
And as the above commentors explained, the h4 is whites fourth move in variations one and two (and three I think he meant), and bc4 in variations four through six.
Hey thanks! That makes a lot of sense now haha.
Thank god I found this post! You'd think a book that includes a brief section "Tips for the novice" would include an explanation on how to read the bloody thing! 🙄
Feb 28, 2021
0
#34
Wow.....80% of the conversation didn't deal with the original poster's question. The order of moves for white and black are read down the column. So if you read all the way down column 1 think of it as the main line. Hence, the main line is1e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Nfe g5 4 h4 g4 5 Ne5 Nf6 6 d4 d6.
Column 2 moves are 1e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Nfe g5 4 h4 g4 5 Ne5 Bg7 6 d4 Nf6.
Anything with a (a), (b), etc. refers to the footnotes to the Table that provides additional sidelines that could result in place of that move typically. It is a very concise way of providing a lot of information in a small table.
I hope that makes sense. At a beginner's, sub 1400 level an MCO and Reuben Fine's Ideas Behind the Chess Openings would make a good pairing.
Nunn's chess openings (NCO) is the opposite and the lines are read from left to right as each move progresses. Everyone praises NCO, but can anyone with a copy show me where the Old Indian lines are discussed? Never found it in NCO.
Mar 2, 2021
0
#35
Thanks!..I figured it would be lumped in the other Indian Defenses. When I scoured the Table of Contents I missed it in that location.
Mar 2, 2021
0
#36
Do I rate the book? Well, I find that each of these books that I cited are excellent resources. However, sometimes the anomalous moves that occasional opponents throw in fall outside of theory requiring you to do additional research. It would be nice if a couple of those lines would be covered. A lot of times you get Nf3 before Nc3 and the occasional Bg5 thrown in. I think the nice thing about Jude-Hickl is that the structure can be played against e4 so so if someone wants to play d4 first and instead of c4 play e4 to trip you up it is still playable. That lands you in the modern treatment of the Philidor. The setup is also playable against the english opening where c4 e5 kicks off your set-up.
Mar 2, 2021
0
#37
oops, sorry I had another thread I responded to on the old indian. Anywho, both Nunn and MCO have the main lines in them, but I haven't had a chance to compare them with each other. I doubt they are very different given that this is infrequently used nowadays compared to the more dynamic openings that are popular with GMs that everyone tries to play.
Hey man I noticed nobody answered your question and only talked about how the books explain the opening theory I love MCO because of the explanations it give on the purpose of the openings before the diagrams anyways by now you have probably figured it out but ill still say this for anyone else wondering
"KING'S GAMBIT
1e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3Nf3 g5
_____________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6
kieseritzky Philidor Hanstein Muzio
4 h4..................................Bc4(1)
g4 Bg7.....................g4
5 Ne5(a) h4..........0-0 0-0(t)
Nf6.........Bg7 d6 h6 h6 gxf3
6 d4(b) d4 Nxg4 d4 d4 Qf6
d6 Nf6(f) Nf6 d6 d6 Qf6 "
So the Line under the name are the first moves
The rows that have 4 5 6 ect are the most popular continuations of the opening so for instance after those first moves the most popular move is h4 the moves to the right of h4 are other variations so bc4 isnt the most popular but is still a noted variation. and the most popular move after h4 is g4 with another variation being bg7 then g4. whenever there are a line of periods between moves it means that after this move is played eventually this one should be. if you have any further questions please ask and ill be happy to answer have fun playing the kings gambit
I have a questions about the letters in prentices for example (a) or (d). What does that mean? Also how do I read that book? like on the bottom there are some combinations written and they start with like move 6... . How do I know which are the 5 moves before that?