Normal Topic The theoretical state of the grunfeld! (Read 3815 times)
ygramul
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Re: The theoretical state of the grunfeld!
Reply #4 - 11/21/05 at 11:40:07
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Well I have been a Grunfeld fan since 1983, and the opening has always repaid me with excellent results (my best scores with black are just with Grunfeld!)

So I hardly agree with you.

Please consider that theory is often  fashion.  I.e. the Gruenfeld was considered un unbeatable defence when it was adopted by world champion Kasparov.  Maybe that now is out of fashion simply because it is not adopted by the strongest GMs!

Anyway I'm completely satisfied with my Gruenfeld repertoire.  Of course Black has to play active and has to be available to sacrifice a pawn or the exchange. 

  
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Smyslov_Fan
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Re: The theoretical state of the grunfeld!
Reply #3 - 10/09/05 at 22:55:40
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Glenn, 

I pretty much agree with you, but I'll add the caveat that White has to know the theory too.  Granted, White only has to become an expert in one, maybe two lines while Black has a slew of critically important variations to memorize.   

I'm blessed/cursed with a pretty good memory so that part of the game doesn't bother me.  what bothers me is that there are so many critical lines where White just seems better.   

The opening may undergo a revival, but I think it will mostly be sporadically played in much the same way the Evan's Gambit or Philidor's Defense is a rare visitor at top levels of play.
  
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Glenn Snow
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Re: The theoretical state of the grunfeld!
Reply #2 - 10/09/05 at 21:07:34
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I never really understood why any amateur player would want to make the Grünfeld Defence their main weapon against 1.d4.  Yes, it's a very combative opening but the amount of theory one has to learn just to get a playable position (in more than one variation) just seems very impractical to me.  I do remember someone writing a book (or maybe it was a video or some other media) advocating offbeat variations for Black to play with the Grüfeld, but I assume White has come to grips with the lines now.  As for the theoretical state of the Grünfeld I doubt it will stay down for long.  I could be wrong but it just seems like one of those openings that should be sound (admittedly I don't have a lot to base that on).
  
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lost highway
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Re: The theoretical state of the grunfeld!
Reply #1 - 10/02/05 at 12:20:06
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Quote:
I am asking this, because after much reflexion, I was considering playing the grunfeld again

Why did you quit playing it?  I gave up on it because the exchange lines were so easy for white to play, and most of them gave white an advantage.  That's a bad combination.  Why did you quit?

- Lost Highway
  
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krugman
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The theoretical state of the grunfeld!
10/02/05 at 02:56:33
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Hi to all!

Looking at some grunfeld games in the latest CBM, I found that Black has an abysmal score! Admitedlly, the sample is not large enough to draw conclusions, but still, something like 63-37 is a wige gap...
Hence, I am under the impression that the grunfeld is under attack in several lines, and even experts like Sutovsky seem to have some trouble handling the black pieces...
Any opinion???

I am asking this, because after much reflexion, I was considering playing the grunfeld again...the only downside might be that it is highly theoretical, and then, you can't even be guaranteed (one might argue that it is the case with most openings when you are playing black... Wink) of an equal game...
Anyway, any opinion would be greatly appreciated!
  
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