2/09/2013
CHESS STRENGTH : A Comparison Between Correspondence Chess and OTB Chess
CHESS STRENGTH : A Comparison Between Correspondence Chess and OTB Chess
Before we begin to evaluate the comparison of various chess rating values, we have to make an important point. Rating is obtained as a result of games played by chess players. The point I am trying to make is that it doesn't say anything explicitly about the strength of the player or the played game. For example if you take a thousand players with a rating of 2000 and make them play amongst themselves some of the players' ratings can reach 2700.
We can make two types of comparisons. We can either compare the ratings or the games of the players at the time they were playing OTB or correspondence chess. We won't do the rating comparison because it is quantitative and unnecessary. The reason behind this is that although the FIDE and ICCF ratings of players may be different this is something that may vary according to the character of the player. While some players are good at fast games the others may close the gap as the thinking time increases. This is something decided in great proportion by the character specialties of a given player. Players with the highest rating in Correspondence chess may only reach 2200-2400 level in OTB chess. However the rating score of Rafael D. Leitao ( a Grand Master in both ICCF and FIDE) is very close to each other. From this we can derive that a player will get a higher rating in the area which he is more inclined to. In fact the correspondence performance of OTB players has always been a matter of curiosity. Oosterom who is a very strong GM acquired a very strong performance for a while.
On the other hand rating doesn't say anything about the game that has been played. It is only interested with the score of the game. For example the national rating and the international rating of a player is usually different.
There is an experiment where a player plays correspondence chess without interfering with the moves of the computer. ( http://chessok.com/?p=24526 ) . Here we see a 2386 rating performance. Considering the technological possibilities that are available today we can surmise that this performance rating can be increased up to the 2400s. From this point on the rating can only increase by the interference of a human with exceptional positional evaluation ability. We are still in an era where human intervention can improve or change the course of the game. One of the best games that demonstrates the power of correspondence chess and human intervention is the Chytilek-Langeveld game. ( http://chessactive.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-mysterious-chytilek-langeveld-game.html ). In this game there are some moves that the computer could not find. And this is in spite of the PC finding Langeveld's moves after a certain depth. For example Chytilek's move 13. Ng5! couldn't be found even at 31st depth.
We can say that the rating level of OTB games has increased by 100 points relative to the time when Karpov-Kasparov World Title match was being played. This rating increase is related to the increase of players with high rating.
We have to add that in some OTB games we encounter 'home preparation' moves which are equal in strength with strong correspondence moves. Home preparation moves are similar to human intervention moves in correspondence chess. The Nf7 move in the game Topalov – Kramnik game ( http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1482320 ) is a very good example to this. The second example is ( http://www.tatasteelchess.com/tournament/livegames )
the Aronian –Anand game in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament. These two parties include moves that can only be found in strong correspondence games. Instead of trying to figure out a rating we can say that the game comprises moves that are above 3000 rating level.
Another thing is that a correspondence player rarely completes the opening stage of a game poorly because he has access to very many databases that are available. When you look at the games at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament “Tata Steel Chess 2013” (http://www.tatasteelchess.com/tournament/livegames) in a 2700 rating average game we can find at least one big mistake with analysis by Houdini x64. But when the rating average increases to 2800 the mistake rate decreases more that the rating difference indicates.
The rating that CEGT gives to the strongest engine Houdini 3 in 40/120 games is 3042 http://www.husvankempen.de/nunn//40120new/40_120_ratinglist/40_120_AllVersion/rangliste.html . Under the light of all this information we can come up with a table like the one below.
In this chart red bars represent OTB chess and the blue bars represent correspondence chess. As you can see clearly a 3000 rating level game of OTB chess has the same strength with rating of a 2400 level game in correspondence chess. Aronian - Anand game and Topalov - Kramnik game reach around 3000 rating level of OTB chess.
Order Link for Opening Choices from Chess Active's 16.000.000 game PGN Chess Database
1/15/2013
The Mysterious Chytilek-Langeveld Game. (Heemsoth Memorial email 2008)
Chytilek, Roman vs. Langeveld, Ron AH
Heemsoth Memorial email 2008
This mysterious game which you may not be able to find in any ordinary database achieved the Beauty Prize of the tournament. We were amazed to find out that it escaped our attention and did not exist in our database. So we checked and double checked, and at the end a friend sent us the game in text format which we carried into PGN. It was a category 16 tournament, a very strong one (In fact the strongest tournament in ICCF history). On the iccf web site there was a special page where we were supposed to find the game with Chytilek's comments. However the web page contained only the first two moves with a note that said that the rest of the story will be supplemented. http://kszgk.com/iccf/?page_id=2679Another mysterious part of the game is that after the game (and the tournament) we don't see R. Chytilek around anymore. While R. Langeveld went on to win the 26th World CC title, we only see a few OTB games from Chytilek. What's more at the iccf tournament crosstable link (http://www.iccf-webchess.com/EventCrossTable.aspx?id=13481) the 'GET PGN' link is absent. The game was also important because if Lamgeveld had won the game he would also have won the tournament.
After narrating all this maybe someone who knows a little bir more than we do can comment about this game and its players.
[Event "Heemsoth Memorial email"]
[Site "ICCF email"]
[Date "2008.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Chytilek, Roman"]
[Black "Langeveld, Ron AH"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D27"]
[WhiteElo "2663"]
[BlackElo "2692"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Bb3 b5 8. a4 b4
9. e4!! +=
According to the Chess Active Queen's Gambit Accepted Database this move was first played in 1997 in Koge Open, between Hillarp-Yakovich (0-1).
9.e4!! Bb7
13. Ng5! Chytilek attacks early because of the absence of the Knight on f6.
13. Ng5! Be7 14. Qh5 Bxg5 15.Bxg5 Qd7 16. Rac1
After preventing castling on the Queen's side Chytilek prevents castling on the King's side.
20. a5!! Qe7
Giving up the hope on castling on the King's side also, Black tries to grab a few pawns.
22. Ba4+ Kf8 23. h4!
Black is nearly in partial zugzwang.
29. Be4! Na5 30. Bxb7 Nxb7 31. Qxd4 a5 32. Rc3!
A very strong move. Black Rook cannot be exchanged due to the march of the c3 pawn to c4 and c5 and so on.
32. Rc3! Kh7 33. Rf3 Qg7 34. Rf6 Nxd6 35. exd6 Rf8 36. Rxe6 Qxd4 37. Rxd4 Rf7 38. d7
Now the Black side will try to bring the King into play and grab the d7 pawn, while the White side will try to get at least 2 pawns in return.
38. d7 Rd8 39. Red6 Kg7 40. f3 Re7 41. b3 Re3 42. Rc4 Kf7 43. Rc8 Ke7 44. Rxg6 Kxd7 45. Rc5
( 45...Rxb3 Rxa5 wins easily. )
45. Rc5 Ra8 46. Rb5 a4 47. bxa4 Rxa4
After Rxh6 White will queen his 2 united passed pawns.
1-0
Order Link:
QGA - Queen's Gambit Accepted D20-D29
QGA - Queen's Gambit Accepted D20-D29
12/30/2012
The Complete English Opening PGN Database A10-A39
The Complete English Opening PGN Database A10-A39
The complete professional English Opening PGN database. A10 - A39 ECO codes. Over1.240.000 games. OTB, correspondence and engine vs. engine games comprise the product. The zipped file is approx. 329MB. A must for the avid English player and a very good tool for home preparation. PAY BY PAYPAL OR CREDIT CARDS
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| Complete English Opening PGN Database The Complete English Opening PGN Database Order Link |
12/15/2012
The Complete King's Indian Attack PGN Database
The Complete King's Indian Attack PGN Database
The complete professional King's Indian Attack PGN database. Over 162.000 games. OTB, correspondence and engine to engine games comprise the product. All transpositions of d3-e4 center have been included with the night entering the game from d2 or a3. KIA against the French, Caro Kann, Sicilian defences, London sysytem, Karpov system, Keres sytem, reverse King's Indian variations and the annoying symetrical system plus less known defences have all been included. The zipped file is approx. 42 MBs. A must for the avid KIA player. PAY BY PAYPAL or CREDIT CARDS.
10/29/2012
Pirc-Ufimtsev-Robatsch Defences B06-B09 Complete Professional Database PGN FORMAT
Pirc-Ufimtsev-Robatsch Defences B06-B09 Complete Professional Database
If you insist on playing 1) ... g6 against every move this is your database against 1. e4 . 540.000 + games. B06 - B09. Zipped file is apprx. 127MB . The database covers transpositions too. Correspondence, OTB and engine to engine games. PGN FORMAT PAY BY PAYPAL
10/16/2012
Alekhine's Defence Complete Professional Chess Database PGN Format B02 - B05
Alekhine's Defence Complete Professional Chess Database PGN Format B02 - B05
Alekhine's Defence B02 - B05. Complete Professional PGN Chess Database. OTB, Correspondence and Engine to Engine games compose the product. Over 177.000 games included. This unusual defence seems to be a suprise weapon. Zipped file is 42MB in size. A professional tool for home preparation in PGN format. PAY BY PAYPAL
10/04/2012
Caro Kann Defence B10 - B19. Complete Professional PGN Chess Database.
Caro Kann Defence B10 - B19. Complete Professional PGN Chess Database.
OTB, Correspondence and Engine to Engine games compose the product. Over 687.000 games included. This positional defence seems to be very popular. Zipped file is 172MB in size. A professional tool for home preparation in PGN format.
9/20/2012
Trompowsky Opening - Levitsky Attack A45 - D00
Trompowsky Opening - Levitsky Attack and all transpositions. ECO codes A45 and D00. 1 d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 the Trompowsky Opening and 1 d4 d5 2 Bg5 the Levitsky Attack (also known as the Pseudo Trompowsky) are both in the database. All other transpositions are also included. Over 67.000 games in PGN format; the zipped file is 17MB. A complete professional database for home preparation. PAY BY PAYPAL.
9/16/2012
BEST 4 CHESS ENGINES AND THEIR STRENGTHS, ANALYSES AND NOTES BY M. ERGENEKON / MS. IT ISTANBUL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY-- HOUDINI, STOCKFISH, RYBKA, CRITTER
BEST 4 CHESS ENGINES AND THEIR STRENGTHS, ANALYSES AND NOTES BY M. ERGENEKON / MS. IT ISTANBUL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY-- HOUDINI, STOCKFISH, RYBKA, CRITTER
1) Ability to find original moves:
Houdini is the best, Rybka and Critter ara close to each other; on the short run Critter is slightly better but on the long run they are equal, maybe Rybka is even slightly better. Stockfish is very useful in middlegame and tactical positions but since it does not use tablebases it has a disadvantage against others in the endgame.
2) Position Evaluation
Here again the most realistic evaluation comes from Houdini, followed by Critter; Rybka and Stockfish. The best ranking for non-tactical evaluation is in the above order. For tactical positions and especially for middlegame combinations I suggest Stockfish.
3) The speed of anlysis
The speed in anlyses is as follows: Stockfish, Houdini, Critter and Rybka.
4) The ability to descend to depth
Again in proportion with the speed of analysis Stockfish is leading with Houdini, Critter and Rybka following. Although Rybka is the slowest engine in the speed of analysis it's ability to descend to depth is close to Critter. Here I want to express that stength of anlysis depth is not equal in all engines. Rybka's 30 depth anlysis is close to Stockfish's 40 analysis depth.
5) Does the engine get in to an infinite loop?
Houdini enters infinite loops very often. The others except Stockfish also enter infinite loops. But it seems that Houdini enters an infinite loop every time there is an unconcluded anlysis.
6) Official website
Rybka: http://www.rybkachess.com/index.php?auswahl=Home (Commercial, Author: Vasik Rajlich and his team), There is cluster supportfor super computers. Also Rybka has a very innovative and very strong opening book. To beat Rybka for a chess engine is a criteria for the candidacy for the world title.
(Free and open source, Authors: Tord Romstad, Marco Costalba, Joona Kiiski)
Critter, according to its authors differ from other chess engines by choosing the Knight, in Bishop Knight exchanges. But again according to their authors in positional evaluations there is not much difference except this. They are using “singular extention” for move elimination. Also it is stated that Stockfish increases its playing power with this method.
One of the best ways to increase the the playing power of a chess engine is to enhance the algorithm called Alpha-Beta Pruning . In simple terms this means the betterment of move eliminaton method. The best engines which use this method are Critter and Rybka and maybe also Houdini but Stockfish uses (singular extention)as I mentioned above which is basicly a method where you increase the depth by one if there is a viable only move or a singular move. The other 3 engines find this method expensive in terms of using computing and computer resources. The reflection of this choice on the chess board is as follows: Stokfish becomes very strong in finding powerful moves in the middle game which lead to a win but the anlyses may miss intermezzos. But Rybka and Critter do not miss the intermezzos but since they cannot descend to depths like Stockfish they cannot come up with the conclusion to their anlyses. On the other side Houdini behaves in an optimum fashion between these two extremes and that is why it is the strongest engine.
Advice (incase you may use it!): If there is already a move in your mind and you are looking for variation instead of a move;first use Stockfish then use Houdini this will be more advantageous. But on the contrary if you are looking for a move first check with Rybka or Critter and then analyse the move you find with Houdini and Stockfish .
Among these even the Houdini 1.5a version is better than the other engines. Critter is better in (40/4 blitz) and Stockfishis much better at 40/40 (move/minute) time control games.
Stockfish's final version is very advanced but the last version of Critter doesn't look too different from 1-2 versions. (Source: http://www.computerchess.org.uk/ccrl/ )
M. ERGENEKON MS. ITU Istanbul Technical University
9/09/2012
Chess Database -- Queen's Gambit Accepted D20-D29
QGA - Queen's Gambit Accepted D20-D29
PGN FORMAT
Order Link:
QGA - Queen's Gambit Accepted D20-D29
QGA - Queen's Gambit Accepted D20-D29
8/09/2012
The 2010 Turkish Correspondence Chess Championship has ended. Nejdet Esen makes it two in a row.
The 2010 Turkish Correspondence Chess Championship has ended. Nejdet Esen has defended his title which he obtained in 2009. Here we have an interwiev with the champion.
1) You have won the Turkish Correspondence Chess
Championship consecutively now.
Can you share your success secret with us?
I think things done in the road to success are no
longer considered a secret; they can be expressed as basic requirements for the
aforementioned labor. In short, in the language of chess we can say; patient,
long and intensive anlyses, correct opening choices and a little bit of luck
maybe.
2) You are also the 8th Asia-Africa Zonal Champion;
what kind of preparations have you made for the World Championship and other
notable championships?
To put it frankly I never set long term goals for
myself; but in every tournament that I entered I tried to obtain the best
posssible result. At the moment I am playing the preliminaries of the 34th and
the 35th World Championships. My first goal is to advance to the next round;
and in both of the tournaments I have mentioned, I am very close to this goal;
of course the next milestone is to get to the Finals. In the case of reaching
the Finals; I want to go as far as possible.
3) At the moment you don't have a title or a norm;
however I would like to direct you the following question: when do you think
you will attain the GM title?
Correct, at this stage I don't even have a norm but I
am very close to SIM norms in two tournamnets that I am playing. When I become
a SIM, I will try to get a GM title in two years time.
4) Can you analize a few of your games for our readers.
To choose among games that you put your effort for one
or two years is difficult. I personally like games which I have expended my
greatest efforts.
5) Do you think that the monetary prizes the Federation
( TSF - TCF) allocates for the Turkish Correspondence Chess Championships are
adequate?
Correspondence Chess is not well known yet in our
country and it hasn't acquired the necessary deference. At this juncture the
adoption of correspondence chess by the Federation( TSF - TCF ) and its
allocation of prizes for the campionships is a very important advance. In this
process when correspondence chess is better understood among our people, the
prizes will also improve. However we cannot criticize the amount of prizes at
this conjecture.
6) Which player inspired you the most?
I have no singular answer for this question. In
different times I was inspired by different players. In the stages when I frist
began playing chess, due to my first chess book, Capablanca has a separate place
for me; but I was inspired by different world champions at different times. I
was also influenced by non-World Champions like Carlos Torre, Paul Keres, and
Paul Murphy who was well ahead of his time.
7) What are your favorite openings and what is your
favorite stage in achess game?
I like the Sicilian defence both with White and with
Black. I also like the Indian systems and openings with distinct attack plans
like Greco- Möller Attack, Marshal Attack and Torre Attack... etc. To answer your second question I'll have to
say that in some games I like the opening, in others the middle game and in
others the end game. To give a more general answer I can say that I like
sections of the game where there are more options and rich possibilities.
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| Nejdet Esen before an OTB game. |
8)What are yor short and long term goals.
My goal in the long term is to play in the Final of a
World Championship; and in the short
term is to complete my SIM norms.
9) Do you use PCs during your anlyses. Which engines
are you using? Can you share your thoughts on the usage of computers in
correspondence chess?
Of course I am using computers for anlysis; and unless
you have a GM friend with whom you can
discuss chess matters, I think that computer assistance is a must for every
player. I don't think correspondence games are like OTB and other games where
you exhibit what you have prepared. In correspondence chess preparations are
continuing throughout the game and the environment is more like a place where
the player is trained. Therefore since contemporary masters are using computers
in home preparation I don't see anything more natural then correspondence
players doing the same thing. Of course relying on computer analysis is not
sufficient, during the game one must search for ideas from books and try to
obtain the opinions of different people, otherwise one will be stuck at a
certain level in correspondence chess. Here I have to note that, there are many
instances where the computers were easily deceived in correspondence chess. To
know positional ideas, to be in command of strategical concepts, openings and
middle game pricipals are all important; besides these, a computer will be a
good workout partner. In my analyses I use
Rybka and Houdini engines very often; when I have difficulty in creating
an original idea or a plan I consult other engines also.
10) Do you have a message that you would like convey?
I wish all correspondence players much success. To
people who have joined correspondence play recently or are planning to join in,
I advice patience . To acquire benefits from correspondence chess and to be
able to use it in normal tournaments, they have to know that there is a long
way to go. Like all other sports branches, in correspondence chess there is no
way for fast success.
EventCrossTable.aspx?id=21830
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2009 Turkish CC Championship Final Standings
http://www.iccf-webchess.com/
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8th AA Zonal Final Standings
http://www.iccf-webchess.com/
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6/02/2012
An Interview with European Champion Fatih Atakisi
This time we have an interview with European Champion Fatih Atakisi ( pronounced as Faa-tihh Ata-kishi) on his victories and the current situation of chess in general.
The Interview:
1) When did you attain the European Championship? What kind of stages did you have to pass during the process?
In 2000 I won the 53rd European championship. A year earlier in the 47th European Championship although I scored half a point more (11,5/15 p ) than the tournament where I became the champion, I came second. In those days you had to pass a preliminary stage. I came 1st in the preliminary stage tournament (EU/M/GT/315 ) and obtained the right to enter the Master's tournament. I came 1st amongst 15 masters in this tournament and reached the final. In the final I played gainst very strong players of the time and grasped the championship on tiebreak points. I have to say that to clinch this title is very difficult and requires the application of strict discipline.
2) When you became the European Champion the chess software weren't as strong as they are now. Are you using PCs during your games? Can you elucidate?
When I became the champion PCs were just begining to be used and did not add up to anything. During my championship I never used a PC. Nowadays I use PCs because everyone has a few of these things at their disposal and to beat anyone has become more difficult than ever. However I have something interesting to say: Since 2006 due to my intensive vocational obligations I entrusted myself to PCs. The result is a complete catastrophy. The PC lost most of its games. From this I deduct the following: If you play tied to your computer it is difficult to beat your opponent, however if you can direct your computer according to your own moves, it is poassible to beat the opponent who is receiving PC assistance. Now of course correspondence players do not follow the PC move without probing. This is making draws the final outcome of most games and it is becoming nearly impossible to win any games at all. As a result I can say that PCs are about to totaly annihilate high level correspondence chess.
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| European Champion GM Fatih Atakisi |
3) Can you analyse 2 of your games that you like the most.
3a) Does the perspective of Turkish Chess Federation on correspondence chess satisfy you?
I don't think that TSF has any study or planning on correspondence chess. I f there was any labour worthy to be mentioned the number of Turkish players would have increased. When I became a GM nobody from the Federation congratulated me which is interesting. They only gave it as news on their website; it seems that I couldn't attract any of their attention.
4) Can you comment on the World Championship of Tunc Hamarat...
I cannot find any words to praise the achievement of Tunc Hamarat.
The Austrian Government for which he played on behalf of,
is planning to print a stamp in his name to commemorate this achievement. What a great way to honour someone...! I hope one day it will be our turn...
5) Can you comment on the concession of the World Title by Tansel Turgut on tiebreak points?
There is rumour that Tansel was defeated by the tongs of other players. Whatever the reality may be in my eye the champion is Tansel Turgut. I never came across someone who plays correspondence chess so easily and cleanly. I think his personal life is also under discipline and it won't be long before we see him as the Champion.
6) Who is the player who inspired you the most?
I am quite fond of Tansel Turgut as I mentioned above.
7) What is your advice for the people who want to become strong correspondence players?
Don't played tied to a computer, try to direct them. Spare time for personal analysis.
8) Which one ICCF or FIDE?
ICCF is a bit amateurish, for the progress of chess I say FIDE. ICCF is ideal for people like us who can't find time for OTB play due to vocational obligations.
9) You are also a FIDE Master and a Senior Chess Trainer. Do you have goals like developing your FIDE title or becoming a Technical Director.
When I retire in the future I would like to become a Technical Director. My age is not suitable for OTB chess, to cope with young players is difficult for us. However I have some humurous friends who say that I haven't said my last word.
10) Can you comment on the progress of Turkish Chess? What do you think of the performance of our National Players?
Relative to the past the progress and the emergence of new masters catches the eye but I personally think that day by day chess is becoming a rich man's game. Sooner or later the negative impact of this factor will be noticed. I am also against converted masters. This will only help to camouflage insufficient progress. Foreign trainers may be useful but foreign (converted) national player idea is to me is displeasing and it won't be beneficial. In the way it stands now I think that only masters with monetary possibilities will proceed and I don't expect other achievements.
11) What are your favorite openings? What stage of chess do you like the most?
I like d4 openings and middle game is the phase that I like the most and where I am more succesful.
12) What will be your next move and do you have a message?
I plan not to play correspondence for a while after I finnish about 15 games that I have in progress. Then I will only take on a small number of games to increase my rating and I will watch out for World Championship Finals.
As a player who served the purpose of the development of correspondence chess quite a bit I invite people who cannot play OTB chess to play correspondence chess. The idea should be to improve chess not to win or loose.
3/30/2012
GM Tansel Turgut concedes the 24th ICCF World Championship on 0.25 SB tiebreak points.
T. Turgut won 5 games so far. He was the leader of the group for approximately 7 months, however late wins by M. Semrl decided the outcome. At http://www.squidoo.com/computer-chess-analysis link Marjan Semrl askes the question :"Who will be the next world champion? Turgut, Gerhardt, Wunderlich ... or ... may be ...?". He was of course going to say " maybe me?" but did not, chose to be humble and went home with the title.
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| Dr. Tansel Turgut |
Turgut's games esspecially the ones he won were in a class of their own. The Turgut-Kunzelmann game is a fine example of acquiring a win out of nothing. This game like many of Turgut's others excell all world champions and computer software (deep! or not) . Most moves like Nb1, the pawn sacrifice on e3 and the quality sacrifice on f5 are non-computer moves which lead to a win unphantomable by chess software.
I still cannot comprehend how Turgut won against Tiemann. In the ICCF forum which is now discontinued Turgut claims that in the final position, if the pawn is on h6 White wins, and if it is on h7 Black wins. These are positional comments which have a deep base which I cannot grasp at my present level. If you understand how the final win came pls feel free to comment!
Novak-Turgut game is an example of how Turgut fares under attack, creating an unbalanced position by returning a quality sacrifice to quell a Knight sacrifice which he had to accept.The game is also a good example of the Tourton theme at this level.
Turgut-Jacquin game is an example of how he exploits the slightest advantage (the passed g pawn and a rook against bishop and Knight pair in this case) and converts it slowly to a win.
A pawn sacrifice in the opening and a game forcing the opponent to defend the weaknesses created by the extra pawn tells the story of Turgut-Sabaev game. Black tries to smother White's intentions by landing a Knight on d3 where it is immediately annihilated by a quality sacrifice which leads to a winning kingside attack.
I finnish my article with Turgut-Semrl game which ends with a rook sacrifice forcing a perpetual check draw, which both sides seemed to be happy about.
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| 24th ICCF World Championship Final Standings |
2/26/2012
Is there a definite refutation of the Sokolsky Opening- II
The second myth about the so called refutation of the Sokolsky opening is based on the advance of the c pawn (of course to c5). I remember about 25-30 years ago Cem Karadag (then the Turkish Junior Champion and an avid Sokolsky player) holding the top of the c pawn upside down and saying regretfully that if it wasn't for this pawn he would preferably play the opening throughout his carrier. However as you will see below White still has excellent chances after a c5 at a given moment.
After the exchange of the Black's final central pawn (the d pawn) Black can only hold on to the center with c5 and f5.
After c5 White can sometimes play d5 with the idea of e4 (first f3 and then e4 if necessary). As a precaution f5 comes in handy at these times.
If after c5 White doesn't or can't respond with d5, Black has the option of exchanging one of the center pawns back with cxd4. Responding with exd4 leaves White's d4 pawn weak and a strong game can be initiated using the weakness of this pawn.We can see an example in the Urzica-Adorjan game which was played in 1969 in World Junior Championship. Karpov won the tournament. Urzica had he won this game would have had sole second place. However after this loss they tied for second. In the game Adorjan first retreats the Black Bishop to e7 (instead of a5 pinning the d pawn ) and then attacks the center with c5. Adorjan tries the same manouver againt Smyslov 1971/2 Hastings. Pls note that together with c5 this Bishop exchange manouver on f6 is very strong and effective. Smyslov-Adorjan. Muri-Stankevicius Volke-Schaefer
As these above 2400 rating games show so far we don't have a refutation. White still has excellent chances.
The Oldekop Variation
We can of course play c5 without retreating the Bishop to e7 and maintaining the pin on d2. In this variation c5 control is used in collaboration with the pin on b4 and also Black's white Bishop is placed on f5 to apply more pressure on White's camp. Nekashkevic-Oldekop Treskunov-Oldekop Shustef-Oldekop Rudenkov-Oldekop Prosvirin-Oldekop
Mr. Oldekop who ever he may be seems to have had a field day in this variation which looks like a bizarre refutation. But not so. After c5 an early Qc2! tips the tables for White giving excellent chances on both the kingside and the queenside. Katalymov-Giterman Muri-Ponelis Kural-Jonsson. I salute the Kazakh player for his deep insight of the position and for coming up with a beautiful solution to the c5+Bf5 problem.Now I know a sneaky thought is coming to your mind. What if we play Bf5 first at move number 6 and play c5 a move later to force an Oldekop variation. It has been tried before : Kural-Osipov
This, in my opinion a highly professional analysis of possible refutations of the Sokolsky Opening yields one result: there is no refutation. In most games both sides have excellent chances with reciprocative possibilities.
2/17/2012
Is there a definite refutation of the Sokolsky opening? - I
There is a definite answer to this question; and it is: no! The myth of Sokolsky's refutation is based on two pillars and of course they both belong to the exchange variation : 2 ... Bxb4!.
1) A certain Rook sacrifice on e3.
2) The advance of Black's c pawn to c5 to stop the advance of White's central pawn majority which is usually with d4.
Tha latter of these two pillars of refutation pertain to more advanced players.
But let's take the first one and examine it carefully.
An early Re8 in the exchange variation with the pin of the Bishop on b4 and the collaboration of a Knight on d5 causes extreme pressure on e3. White does not have time to castle and hence comes the Rook sacrifice on e3. But is it sound? The game Lapshun-Sinn demonstrates this very well. The Queen escapes to b3 and the King retreats to d1. Black must develop his Queen side pieces in order to attack. Be6 is met by Queen exchange offer on d3 and swiftly the Rook gets to g1 and commences operations. White is not better because he is a whole Rook up but because he has active play.
Please check our annotated selection of strong games for a personal opinion:
Durka-Drvota
Muri-Van der Kooij
Muri- Bjorn
Torassa-Gross
The second pillar of refutation is based on the advance of the c pawn in the exchange variation.
I will soon continue with this subject which must be dealt in detail.
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