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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Ruy Lopez - Bird's Defence (Read 52102 times)
Michael Ayton
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Re: Ruy Lopez - Bird's Defence
Reply #6 - 06/15/05 at 14:53:15
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Thanks Christoph! -- interesting! So: 11 Na3 dc 12 bc and then? Maybe 12 ...Nc4 13 Nc4 Qd8? Is that right? I can see this is going to be sharp and complicated but is ...d5 going to happen? (14 d4!?, 14 Rb1!?)

Is 8 d3 nothing?
  
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IM Christoph Wisnewski
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Re: Ruy Lopez - Bird's Defence
Reply #5 - 06/15/05 at 14:00:06
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@Michael Ayton

I currently don't have access to my analysis (will post more details on this later), but my first thought is that after 11.Na3 Black can take on c3, and contrary to the main line, White has to take with the pawn on c3.

Granted, the Queen seems to be misplaced on b6 then, but so is the Na3 ... and I am not sure yet if White's pawn structure is favorable. If Black manages to play his typical break ...d6-d5, the hanging pawns could be a longterm weakness - while Black "only" has to take care of the half-open b-file. But those are only spontanouos ideas.

@Paddy

Thanks for your post! I have been trying for ages to get my hands on serious postal and/or correspondence games on the Bird. Is there any way to get this survey you mentioned?

In the meantime. Are there any opinions as to whether (besides the main line already mentioned) there are any systems threatening the Bird?
  

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Paddy
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Re: Ruy Lopez - Bird's Defence
Reply #4 - 06/15/05 at 13:18:50
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Quote:


The point is, that every single author in every single chess book about the Ruy Lopez, that has been published since Max Euwe's "Theorie der Schacheröffnungen" in the 1960s, virtually took the following "main line":

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.0-0 c6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Re1 d6 8.c3 Ng4 9.h3 Ne5 10.d3

where everyone only states "and after 10...Nxc4 11.dxc4 dxc3 12.Nc3 White has pressure on d6 and therefore a comfortable position".

I agree with that. BUT, Black does have other possibilities! He can play 10...Qb6!?, which I consider a viable alternative


Hi Christoph,

Welcome to the forum!  You might be interested to know that the strong English postal player Keith McLaughlin plays the Bird's Defdence at every opportunity and even has a good score defending 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.0-0 c6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Re1 d6 8.c3 Ng4 9.h3 Ne5 10.d3 Nxc4 11.dxc4 dxc3 12.Nxc3 Be7 13.Bf4 0-0. 

There was a big survey of his use of the Bird's in the latest issue of the BCCA magazine Correspondence Chess.

I'll have a look at 10...Qb6 though - looks interesting!

PS Against 1 d4 d5 2 c4 Keith McLaughlin plays the Chigorin!
  
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Michael Ayton
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Re: Ruy Lopez - Bird's Defence
Reply #3 - 06/15/05 at 13:14:45
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What's Black's plan after 11 Na3 intending cxd4 and Nc2?
  
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IM Christoph Wisnewski
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Re: Ruy Lopez - Bird's Defence
Reply #2 - 06/15/05 at 12:27:42
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Not necessarily what I had in mind for an answer, but I take it as a start for a conversation.

The point is, that every single author in every single chess book about the Ruy Lopez, that has been published since Max Euwe's "Theorie der Schacheröffnungen" in the 1960s, virtually took the following "main line":

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.0-0 c6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Re1 d6 8.c3 Ng4 9.h3 Ne5 10.d3

where everyone only states "and after 10...Nxc4 11.dxc4 dxc3 12.Nc3 White has pressure on d6 and therefore a comfortable position".

I agree with that. BUT, Black does have other possibilities! He can play 10...Qb6!?, which I consider a viable alternative (I discovered this move myself, although I found later that it was mentioned as a brief note without any analysis in a small booklet written by Colin Leach back in the 1980s). I played it in some tournament games and on numerous occasions on ICC, both with good results. Players in my area even avoid the Ruy Lopez against me, because they haven't found a way to secure an advantage yet.

But in this forum, maybe someone will convince me Smiley
  

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Re: Ruy Lopez - Bird's Defence
Reply #1 - 06/15/05 at 09:40:21
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If it were, it should be the headline of every chess publication... As I see it the Ruy is the only try at maintaining some advantage against 1. ...e5. So it would definitely render 1. e4 (already heavily plagued by the good scores of  the Sicilians)  an inferior opening move...
  
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IM Christoph Wisnewski
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Ruy Lopez - Bird's Defence
06/15/05 at 04:48:17
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I dare to make a challenging statement:

Bird's Defence (3...Nd4!) allows Black to equalize!

So, I am interested: What is your try to create an advantage against the Bird?!
  

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