Chess Poll
 

Whether you play chess or not, feel free to vote. I am playing an international master this weekend and am white (my rating is about 2100 FIDE, so I am obviously a substantial underdog). He plays the classical sicilian and the semislav. I will either play the velimirovic or the Botvinik antimeran. I am generally a 1.e4 player, but play both the sicilian and the semislav extensively as black, so I am comfortable in both openings. Help me choose which:

Re: Chess Poll
 

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Whether you play chess or not, feel free to vote.

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I have no idea what anything between "and am white" and "I am comfortable with both openings" means. You sure you want me to vote?

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they got a puzzles and other games forum

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Velimirovic all the way.

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Your best chance imo is to pick some rarely played Botvinnik-variation from a book. An international master is surely firm enough in the Velimirovic or Sozin to not lose in the opening.

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Not sure if this belongs there or here (though I admit I forgot about the other one). If it needs to be moved, I will await the mods moving it.

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Whether you play chess or not, feel free to vote.

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I have no idea what anything between "and am white" and "I am comfortable with both openings" means. You sure you want me to vote?

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You sure you want me to vote?

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Sure, why not. The two openings are about equally well thought of theoretically to my knowledge and I play both about equally well, so it's really just a question of which one I feel like studying pregame. Call OOT my personal coin flip.

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Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!!

http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/files/pb3-se.jpg

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How well does he know what you normally play? Does he know you are usually an e4 player and will smell a rat an possibly play something totally different if you play d4?

And what is his name?

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How about something obscure like the Benko gambit?

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have you studied the Four Move?

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How about something obscure like the Benko gambit?

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That's nowhere near obscure for an IM.

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Whether you play chess or not, feel free to vote. I am a boshielocki duhferbuger and am orange (my pillkay rating is about 6x20EE2 SATA II 3GB/s, so I am obviously really substantially differentiated). He plays the baroque hyungdaddy and the hooflucksre. I will either buy a jungle gym for my dogs or move the house doodzilal velimirovic or communist manifesto read top gun. I am generally admitted to a public college but play both the italian currencies were saved by the euro and the bungmaster extensively as green, so I am comfortable with my sexuality and my cats. Help me bang some chicks from MySpace

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This is what I got out of it.

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His name is Francisco Hernandez from Costa Rica.

His FIDE rating card

I don't think he knows me very well, I've only played a couple of events here, and most of the games I have in online databases (as well as my games here) show a mix of 1.e4 and 1.d4 (though with more 1.e4 than 1.d4).

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Too little information supplied. Generally the Velimirovic doesn't work against IM+ players tho, also 6.Bc4 Qb6 is easy for Black and ruins most of the attacking fun. Maybe some nice prepared sideline in Botvinnik, like 7.a4, might throw him off sufficiently to get to whoop his ass in the opening.

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The Benko is an opening for black in response to 1.d4. I am white.

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The first result I ever got against an IM was as white in some kind of Sozin sideline. So obviously it should work for you too.

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What more information do you want?

I was thinking of going right for the jugular with the Ne5 lines in the Botvinik.

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i voted velimirovic because the botvinnik semislav is insanely complex. but then i read the responses and someone suggested prepping an obscure line the the botvinnik and i have to agree. that seems to be the best way to catch the IM in a dangerous, complex line that he doesn't know well.

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What more information do you want?

I was thinking of going right for the jugular with the Ne5 lines in the Botvinik.

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I guess it depends on who you think the complications favor? My chess kung fu is way rusty but it really depends on your comfort level. Just play the one that gives you middlegame situations you are most comfortable in.

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What more information do you want?

I was thinking of going right for the jugular with the Ne5 lines in the Botvinik.

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Name was good enough, not much help tho since the database games were old and had him playing Dragon and Benko Gambit as Black.

Ne5 variation? Hrm, does he play the Moscow variation (5.Bg5 h6 )or the Botvinnik? I don't remember any particularly critical Botvinniks with Ne5.

edit: ugh, he plays 6.Bc4 Qb6 in the sicilian.

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This is the line I was referring to:

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.exf6 gxh4 10.Ne5

Thanks for the note about him playing Qb6 - will probably mean I play for the semislav instead.

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Difficult to answer without knowing more info, like:

1) Are you looking to win, or merely to draw?
2) Do you prefer to mix it up with him or try to tie him down?
3) How prepared are you with d4 if he doesn't play into the semi-slav?

chesspain

P.S. FWIW, I'm rated 1910 USCF (approx. 1800 FIDE)

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1) Are you looking to win, or merely to draw?

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To win. I only play for fun nowadays so I always go for the win.

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2) Do you prefer to mix it up with him or try to tie him down?

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Mix it up - my strengths are tactical.

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3) How prepared are you with d4 if he doesn't play into the semi-slav?

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I can get by in most of the major openings and obtain a playable position.

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The IM will probably out book you in the Botvinik, so I chose the Velimirovic. GL

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This is the line I was referring to:

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.exf6 gxh4 10.Ne5

Thanks for the note about him playing Qb6 - will probably mean I play for the semislav instead.

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Ah that one. Good surprise choice, quite similar to the one I suggested. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] Get him.

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Velimirovic, Baby!

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wow dude, i was rated same as you back in the day, and i have no idea what you're talking about. just play for god's sakes.

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sounds like you'll have a fun game to post either way [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

probably should find someone conversant in both and play them online and get a feel for em again.

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man people get so worked up abotu openings.. just don't lose in the opening, know what you're doing, have a plan, you'll be fine.

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I don't have any games with him playing a Sicilian with d6, Nc6 and Nf6, so I don't think you'll get a Velimirovic. He seems to go for a dragon, accelerated dragon or some Nc6/Qc7 sideline.

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Maybe ask curtains? curtains

The FIDE site shows his rating as 2446

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Go for fools mate.

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I voted for Botvinik because it sounds cooler.

Good luck.

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and am white

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Not sure what your race has to do with this, but hey if you're proud of it, whatever.... j/k [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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I voted for Botvinik because it sounds cooler.

Good luck.

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and am white

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Not sure what your race has to do with this, but hey if you're proud of it, whatever.... j/k [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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are you kidding, this gives him a +2 to conquering his hispanic opponent

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I can't beat the chess program that comes with OS X, why do I suck? Is this program just badass? What's a good beginner page/free program?

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When I play, I like to use the queen a lot. I mean, it's like the most powerful piece, might as well get some use out of it, right? I hope this post has been informative and enables you to crush this guy.

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Kings indian, baby!