MNb wrote on 12/20/07 at 03:32:18:


Indeed, I feel the same, that white is a little better if he does not allow the black to exchange the white square bishop for Nf3. therefore I decided to play 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd5 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 (after Bd3 maybe dxc3, as white will have to move again his Bd3 to c4 or b5) Nd5 and we are in Alapin. I took this ideea from Rogozenco's Anti-Sicilians and i really like it. the play in Alapin is very different from Morra and is more likely to be unsuitable for a Morra player. After 1.e4 c5 2.c3 I play also Nd5, while after 1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3.c3 I continue with Accelerated dragon, as I like these positions (also I play Panov with both colours).

Fernando Semprun wrote on 02/13/09 at 11:02:42:


Oh no doubt, if you want Black's side of the Bind, there are several ways to get it.  You can get it from a KID Classical, for example, playing ...c5 instead of ...e5.  Personally that's not my cup of tea.

Still Pachman thinks 6...Bxc3+ better for Black, something which is confirmed by practical results. White may try to trick Black into this line with 5.Nb3 and only after Nf6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.g4. Most players will chose 5...Bg7 though.

Fernando Semprun wrote on 02/13/09 at 11:00:32:


If you post them I won't ask.

I've lost plenty as white but PLEASE don't ask me about the games!

Unownasofyet wrote on 12/07/08 at 22:27:34:


I agree..this is one of the best starting out books.

Here is what Silman+Donalson say in their book:

10.Bf3 d6 11.Nd5 [11.Nd4 Bg4!? 12.Bxg4(12.Nd5 Nbxd5 13.Bxg4 Nxe4 14.Ne6 fxe6 15.Bxe6+ Kh8 16.Bxd5 Nxf2! 17.Rxf2 Qb6 18.Bf3 Bd4 19.Qe2 e5) 12..Nxg4 13.Ndb5 Ne5 14.Nd5! Nc8?! 15.c3! +/= (Tompa-Hodgson 1983)] 11..Nfxd5 12.exd5 Bf5 13.c3 Nd3 etc, giving the game Gurevich-Mariasin 1992 (0-1)

But now there is maybe an improvment somewhere in theses lines. And one of the comment about 10.Bf3: "however, as Black I wouldn't stay awake nights worrying about 10.Bf3"

About 10.e5, it's not covered in this book. It may be interesting (only 8 games in chesslive scoring 5,5/8 for White, but there is no game at GM level, the strongest ELO was Ghinda (2455)-Marasescu(2350): 10.e5 Ne8 11.f4 d6 12.Be3 Bd7 13.exd6 with a draw agreed just now. So not very helpful but Black's position seems pretty solid here too.

About transposing into a "true" Dragon, it can't be bad, as it's not the most dangerous line for Black! So it's probably a matter of comfort, what type of positions you like the most, "true" Dragon against Be2 Nb3, or the "Accelerated way" with ..a4 ..Nb4 and ..d5 if possible, or ..d6.

TopNotch wrote on 09/27/08 at 04:29:44:


I am beginning to think all this theory business is simple: with black there is no clear path to equality (less so is you even pretend to keep some winning chances (what?) ) with white no clear line for an edge.

So one would forget about the whole business and solve tactical positions and blow opponents off the board, but every once in a while one is in the receiving end of a theoretical debate and the whole cycle starts again.

It is also true that the more lines one can play, the more difficult is to prepare against...