Hi All,
I've been plowing my way through Chapter 3 of Odessky's 1.b3 lately. I've managed to hang on to what the man has said up to page 33, Section B2. My issue is described below:

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bd6 5.Na3 Na5 6.Be2 a6 7.c4 0-0 8.Nb1 The game illustrations here are not at all convincing regarding his statement regarding this move. Neither does Odessky go into any detail about how Black exploits the White setup. I'm unconvinced about his conclusions here and there are a lot of gaps left in the analysis. 8...b6 [White wins it because of Black's Q trip across the board. ie., ‹8...c5 9.d4 Nc6 10.d5 Ne7 11.Nc3 Ng6 12.Nf3 Re8 13.h4 e4 14.Nd2 Nf8 15.g4 The real problem here seems to be Black's Q side development and his development in general.] 9.Nc3 Bb7 10.Nf3 e4 Why is there no comment made about this decision to block the long diagonal? 11.Nd4 g6 12.f4 c5 [12...exf3 Why is there no comment about this move?] 13.Nc2 Bc7 14.g4 d5 15.g5 d4 16.gxf6 Qxf6 Odessky says White can hardly avoid this position. He adds that Black stands better. Rybka 3 thinks it's equal after 17.h4 dxc3 [17...Bxf4 18.exf4 Qxf4 19.Nd5±;
17...Qd6 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.cxd5 d3 20.Bf1±] 18.Bxc3= seems like a logical follow-up here.

I'd like to hear some thoughtful comments about this variation. Odessky builds his readers up for the Na3-b1, citing GM J. Hodgson use of the move. I felt let down at this point in the book. I wondered if someone else had taken over the writing at this point or if Russian Vodka had created "an atmosphere" around the variation.

In any case, I felt like the show was over too soon. Does anyone reading this know what's going on?

I won this book at a youth day, and this was one of the only books that was left. I wanted the Budapest book (Not because budapest is such a great opening, but because I wanted to refute it). I looked at some pages, read some chapters (while I know I will never play 1.b3). and I love it. The only problem is.... It covers 1.b3

I am always amazed when i see this sort of statment : "What I have concluded after playing this opening (1.b3) is that you really can't have any advantage if black plays well." Because it sound's like white has the advantage anyway ... So tell me what is the move wich gives an advantage if Black plays well ? maybe it's better to say : Black has many ways of equalising ...

Gambit wrote on 03/01/09 at 00:57:06:


yes, an entertaining line

Gambit wrote on 02/28/09 at 20:27:12:


http://glennwilson.com/chess/labels/Wilson%20Gambit.html
hth

I prefer to postpone e4 for a move with 1.b3 d5 2.Nf3 c5 and now 3.e4!?. Some fascinating complications can result after 3...de4 4.Ne5 Qd4 5.Bb2 Qb2 6.Nc3 and White is down a piece, but Black's queen is trapped and White has a lead in development. Nc4 winning the queen is the immediate threat.

4...Nf6 is probably better, when after 5.Bb2 White is a tempo up on the Fajarowicz (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.de5 Ne4), but this should only suffice for equality.

White's play in the following game is quite amusing:

[Event "Kavala op 10th"]
[Site "Kavala"]
[Date "2001.08.24"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Rigo, Gianfrancesco"]
[Black "Vasilev, Milen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A06"]
[WhiteElo "2013"]
[BlackElo "2377"]
[PlyCount "76"]
[EventDate "2001.08.21"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "GRE"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2001.11.25"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. b3 d5 3. e4 dxe4 4. Ne5 a6 5. Bb2 Nf6 6. g4 h6 7. Rg1 e6 8. h4
Nbd7 9. Nc4 b5 10. Ne3 Bb7 11. Bg2 Nd5 12. Nc3 Nxc3 13. Bxc3 Qxh4 14. d3 Qh2
15. Rh1 Qf4 16. g5 Ne5 17. gxh6 Rxh6 18. Rxh6 gxh6 19. dxe4 Bxe4 20. Qh5 Nf3+
21. Kf1 O-O-O 22. Qh1 Be7 23. a4 Nd2+ 24. Ke2 Bxg2 25. Qxg2 Ne4 26. Be1 Bf6 27.
Rc1 Bc3 28. axb5 axb5 29. Bxc3 Nxc3+ 30. Ke1 Qe4 31. Qh3 f5 32. Ra1 f4 33. Qh5
Qc6 34. Ng4 Qd5 35. Qxd5 Rxd5 36. Nf6 Rd4 37. Kf1 f3 38. Re1 Rh4 0-1

For me the simplest way for Black is : 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d6(!) for exemple in the game Minasian - Adams 1992 4.Bb5 Bd7 (Qg5!?) 5.Ne2 a6 6.BxN BxB 7.00 Qg5! Black is already better and won a fine attacking game. Adams in his coments give a ? to 4.Bb5 but what to play is this thematic move is a mistake ?

Hi, if Black plays well, i dont think we have an advantage with another first move, but you know : that's just my opinion !
After .1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bd6 5.Ne2 as played by Morozevitch for exemple is interesting, after 0-0 6.0-0 Re8 7.Ng3 or 7.d4 White has some chances. (but ok Black has no big problems !)
I agree that after 4.c4 Black has a very easy game.