Quote:I had a friend who used to play 1 Nh3 and 2 Na3 in blitz games, the rationale being that if Black took either knight as a time-saving device, it would open files of attack for his rooks. Made sense when you had five minutes on the clock, but was bone-useless as a strategic plan in "real" chess.
Zilbermints's approach to chess at speed is like drawing stick figures as quickly as possible and calling them art. What makes chess so interesting to me is the combination of sport, science, and art. Zilbermints's approach is only a sport--no time for critical analysis or real creativity.
And I'm a little put off by his constant attacks on correspondence players. Granted the slower rate of play eliminates some of the sporting element, but we are not all computer-using cheats and I resent the implication. For many of us, it's the lone opportunity we get to enjoy chess due to work/family commitments, health, age, or location. Just because Zilbermints doesn't have the patience (or ability?) to spend time analyzing a position does not make correspondence chess a game for cheaters. If your gambits are sound, what are you afraid of?
Let me respond to both Markovich and HgMan, point by point. Perhaps then you will understand where I am coming from.
First of all, T. Costa WAS NOT the first to play the Zilbermints Gambit in the Euwe Defense to the BDG. The first game on record is J. Fechner - W. Schneider, First Blackmar-Diemer Gambit World correspondence chess tournament, 1968-1975. Sources give this game as 1970.
Secondly, after this game, no one ever bothered to play 9 Kh1 again for a quarter century. I was the first one to deeply analyse the move and play it. Thus it is called the Zilbermints Gambit in the Euwe Defense to the BDG.
Thirdly, 1 Na3 and 1 Nh3 are perfectly good moves. You can play them in regular games as well. For example, 1 Na3 e5 2 b3 with a follow-up 3 Bb2. In some lines the Knight can go to c4. I could say the same about 1 Nh3, except it's on the Kingside -- 2 g3 and 3 Bg2.
Fourth, five-minute chess are good for testing ideas prior to playing them in regular tournaments. It is not my fault if people are too conservative -- or too chicken! -- to play 7...Nc6 and then 8...Nd4 in OTB tournament chess against me. Since 1998, I only had one (1) player do it.
Fifth, I never said postal chess was bad. All I said is that
I have no way of knowing when someone is using the computer to help or not. Granted, most correspondence players are decent folks. Unfortunately, all it takes is a few bad apples to spoil the barrel. But that can be said of any sport. Look at Tonya Harding is skating a few years back. Or baseball players using steroids. Or the infamous "Birchbeer" using a computer to play his BDG games on ICC from 1994-1998. Just making a point.
Sixth, my approach is not "drawing stick figures and calling them art". Baloney!! I have created many beautiful games over-the-board, beating masters and international masters. I analyse, all right. It is just that I do not have time for correspondence chess because it takes too long. The same way you prefer correspondence chess to OTB chess because of various commitments.
Sure, I played a few correspondence games back in 1995-96 and 2000. My win against German BDG'er Kurt Stummer with White is theoretically important. There I tried the line 1 d4 d5 2 e4 de4 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 f3 exf3 5 Nxf3 c6 6 a3!
The point is that in over-the-board chess, I can create lots and lots of complications, with a limited time control to analyse. In correspondence chess, however, you can move the pieces around -- something you cannot do in OTB chess -- and have more chance of avoiding all the complications. I am not going to sit there for hours and hours, figuring this and that, just to have my opponent move the pieces around and avoid the fun. Simply put, correspondence chess is not my style any more than OTB chess is the style for some correspondence players.
I prefer having my opponent to analyze in hours, not days and weeks. Puts more pressure on them, you see.
Later, I will post some of my few correspondence games here. I will also post some of my OTB games that demonstrate "sport, science and art" on my behalf.
You like correspondence, that is well and good. Me, I prefer playing over-the-board games. At least there I can be certain no one will use Fritz8 computer program to pull any tricks. Not when I see my opponent face to face.
Maybe at some point in the future I will try correspondence chess, but not now. For now I will stick with the over-the-board chess.