Markovich wrote on 12/18/09 at 15:40:30:


Not at all!    At the time, it was $15 a week, one hour...I learned some cool things.  But he was patient enough with me as my curiosity stumbled around on the chessboard.  He did want to teach me some mainlines, but I have a hard problem sticking to one thing sometimes at the chessboard...chalk it up to an adventurous spirit!    But one week, for my $15, he did some personalized research on the From's Gambit (Bxd6 Nf3 lines), and he said it was good for him as well, since he was able to understand some of the lines.

Nowadays, he is more like $30 a class, I think...but I believe he will still negotiate prices.  As far as what he would have advocated teaching, his pet lines were the English (it is what I noticed him play quite a bit) - I watched him dash out a Reti 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. b4!? one time and asked him if he felt it was better than 3. e3 - He said, "Perhaps"...and one time in a simul, playing 1. f4, I lasted 61 moves against him.  I played the Antoshin setup with f4/Nf3/d3/c3/Qc2 preparing e4...  Here is what I can remember that he played (this has been probably three years)...

1. f4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d3 (I want to say ...g6 here) 4. c3 (He said,"White assumes a flexible pawn structure") Bg7 5. Qc2 (He said "An immediate e4 is better) Nc6 6. e4 e5...I cannot remember any more after that.  I DO remember that this setup caught me off guard - it was the first time I had ever seen anyone counterpunch my Bird with ...e5 in a Sicilian!

As far as the Black side, he knew some French, a lot of Sicilian, and QID/NID I think were his two main 1.d4 defenses he was going to teach me...but I was stubborn and said, "No, I want to learn the Bird and the Dutch!)...lol - I must have been a hard student to deal with.  He did show me the ...c6 Leningrad however, which he has played in the past, and showed me what Cheybalinsk (I think that is his name?) taught him back in the late 70's (?)...

Anyway, I know that was a lot of info...but to make a long story short, he called 1. f4 "a defensive system (or setup, can't remember the exact word)"...why play a defensive setup?  lol  But I like it!   

Well, part of my issue with playing the mainline From's is the dynamic possibilities that you give Black...it is not as much to my taste, honestly.  I prefer a more stable environment...it is more to my taste.  Not to everyone's taste...some do prefer the complex possibilities, that is for sure.  But when I see White having builded a "strong" pawn center and Black begin to counterpunch the center with tactics, well...I begin to question if this is the line I prefer.  Believe me, I also have a book on the King's Gambit - because I also want to understand possibilities after 2. e4...regardless of anyone's opinion.  But let's take the position of both mainlines (I know this thread was concerning 4...Nf6) - 

1. f4 e5 2. fxe d6 3. exd Bxd 4. Nf3 g5 5. g3 g4 6. Nh4 Ne7 7. d4 Ng6 8. NxN hxN 9. Qd3 Nc6 10. c3 Bf5 11. e4 Qe7 12. Bg2 (I think, this is from memory)  0-0-0 13. Be3...according to Taylor. 

This position, I asked my old teacher, Gavrikov, about...and he preferred Bf4 instead...so it is a matter of taste, I believe.  Of course, Taylor has studied 1. f4 much more than Gavrikov, so he understands the positions better...he regularly mentioned GM's not understanding the positions.   
But after 13. Be3, sure, the pin is broken, but is the position something you like?  I have dealt with it for a while, and from time to time, I like to explore new ideas, and so when I come back to my old ideas, I have new ones to go with.  I can't stand being stale (i.e. playing the same variation over and over - BORING!).
As for 4...Nf6, well...let's see.   

1. f4 e5 2. fxe d6 3. exd Bxd 4. Nf3 Nf6...well, we could even try Taylor's idea, 5. e4!?.  Not bad really...but is it going to be what you prefer?  White basically gets a good position, and still has one central pawn, with strong development chances after 5...Nxe 6. Bd3 with 0-0 in the mix...

I think it is important for From's players to study KG lines as well, because I notice similarities in pawn structures in certain lines (i.e. c3-d4 with a slow, strong pawn buildup).

And one thing about the Bird in general?  If you play 3. e3 or 3. g3 or 3. d3, 3. c3, 3. b3...the possibilities for White are quite interesting...But understanding the basic themes allows White to transpose into different openings.

SSSShhhsss ! (Please don't spoil my point machine !
Let them play the From, it's so much fun !
And if you  r e a l l y  need to quote Vigus' analysis, then add his line on the From being around for quite a long time and surprises not being excluded, will you ?!)

BirdBrain wrote on 12/09/09 at 18:06:35:



HUH?  Take the pawns! 

The From's Gambit is suspect from Black's standpoint.

Keep an eye out for one or two move tricks/threats...which usually include Blacks King's Bishop, and be patient. Look to swap that bishop and Queens off.   When black's initiative dwindles, White is usually left with a great endgame. 

 

This was discussed earlier this year, click on "linksspringer wrote" to view the topic:
linksspringer wrote on 06/26/09 at 10:10:50:

I have tried the following recommendation for quite a while, according to Taylor's book on Bird's Opening - 

1. f4 e5 2. fxe d6 3. exd Bxd 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. d4...

This move is fine, and if White knows what he is doing, I think he can fair well...but I think I have heard people also recommend 5. Nc3...does anyone on here have any experience with that line?