Anonymous3 wrote on 08/28/08 at 04:42:09:
I think that 6 Re1 in the Open Ruy Lopez is very underestimated. What Glenn Flear recommends against it in his book Open Ruy Lopez seems to lead to very unclear positions. What do you guys think about 6 Re1? Tony Kosten, can you look at 6 Re1 in your next 1 e4 e5 update?
Thanks
(I promise from now on to only write serious posts)
I think the Re1 move can frustrate Black. It tends to lead to very even positions in which if Black pushes for a full point, (s)he will end up losing instead. I think White can maintain a slight nagging pull, but cannot engineer enough imbalances in the position to play for the full point without Black's consent.
As Black, I am not confident in the lines in which Black loosens his position with agressive pawn pushing (f6-f5-f4) but instead prefer to keep the pawn structure solid, activate the rooks and keep white from finding any real targets.
Re1 tends to be solidly boring chess and a good way to gain half point for Black.
farg wrote on 08/29/08 at 09:49:48:
i would be interested,too
7. Nc3 is a litte annoying , how to drum up some play ?
and i was once pretty badly curshed with the following
7. Bxf6 dxc6 8. Nxe5 Be7 9. d4 Ne6 10. Be3 0-0 11. c4
i was unsure if i could weaken my king with f6 (and didn't do it) and fell into a horrible bind
I think best may be to kick the Knight with f6 and then play Rf7 to shield the diagonal in case White essays Qb3. Then the black Knight can go to g5 to engineer some piece trading.
edit 2x