jitb wrote on 09/28/09 at 18:07:42:


Presumably because Rybka is much higher rated than Fritz, has three engines ('normal' engine, Dynamic and Human) and more analysis features (e.g. Monte Carlo analysis). Fritz 12 is due to be released on October 7, but I would be very surprised if it competed with Rybka 3 in either playing strength or analysis.

IMJohnCox wrote on 09/18/09 at 23:49:32:


no worry, just wait for rybka 4/5/6 and the story goes on

I'd just like to say that I saw this book today and while the lines in it aren't my cup of tea it's clearly a labour of love and the sort of book to inspire people, help them score more points, etc. A book which is trying to make a difference, the sort we need more of.

I do just wonder how long this kind of thing can go on though. How many more rooms there are for us to go into, in Anand's phrase. When you see people convinced that their lines are best for both sides up to move 30, it's a bit depressing really, especially if they're anything like right.

I had the chance to attend a nice lecture of a local expert on the 4PA from the Black side. His main line was 9...Nbd7 and he made astrong case for it presenting nice lines full of energy for Black. The only time i watched this move was a long time ago in the Ward's modern Benoni DVD. He mentioned also a nice idea of Watson's after 10.e5 (the main line) 10...Ne8 which could be an interesting alternative to the messy 10...dxe5. 

All his lines seem nice when i put them in Rybka so my question is what ideas does Semkov has here? I don't have the book but i would be interested to discuss these analysis of the local expert and compare it to the book's.

Markovich wrote on 08/07/09 at 13:10:00:

Having recently played in a tournament where 4 out of 5 games were KID's against me, I decided to buy this book. Your point above is IMO bang on, the KID players I know aren't going to like these positions with an opened up centre with white firing away with heavy pieces. It is not for faint of heart white players either - few slow endgames a pawn up here, not about positional queenside pressure like so many KID lines. This is all about using whites tempo / space to fight to the death through the middle in the middle game - a courageous way to play chess (esp. given it is for d4 players).

Reading this book, there is quite a bit to learn / memorize (as the lines are not always intuitive), but is manageable, and I have more time to learn it than a KID player does (who needs to stay on top of all the other variations). The beauty of these lines is that many are forcing - one mistake, and black is doomed to an inferior position with no easy way to "wing it".

I think KIL KID is a wonderful book - it inspires a lot of confidence, and while it is no doubt not perfect (no opening, or opening book, is), it is perfect enough IMO, that a lot of black KID players are going to be in a tooth and nail struggle just to stay on the board, rather than trying to expand into and bash away at my king. I couldn't have asked for more - great book, thanks Semkov.

New 4PA game from the current Brits Champs (annotations by IM Malcolm Pein):

S Williams - M Hebden

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 Na6 7.Bd3 e5 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.d5 c6 10.0-0 Nc5
(10...cxd5 11.cxd5 Ne8 12.Be3 Nd6 is another line)
11.Bc2 cxd5 12.cxd5 b6
(12...Ne8 looks better, Black's knight never gets into the game)
13.b4 Nb7 14.Bg5 Qd6 15.a3 Bd7 16.Bd3!
(16.Ba4 b5!=)
16...Rfc8
(16...Nc5 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Bb5 a6 19.Bxd7 Nxd7 20.Rc1 with a positional advantages of a passed d5 pawn and superior minor pieces)
17.Rc1 a5 18.Qb3 axb4 19.axb4 Nh5
(19...Qb8 20.Qb2 Nh5 21.Bb5)
20.Nb5 Qf8
(20...Bxb5 21.Bxb5 and Rc6)
21.Nc7! Rab8 22.Ba6 Nf4
(22...Qd6 23.Nb5 Qf8 24.Rxc8 Bxc8 25.Be3 Qd8 26.Na7 but 25...Nd6 resists)
23.Bxf4 exf4 24.e5 Bg4 25.d6 Rd8
(25...Bxf3 26.Qxf3 wins the Nb7)
26.Ng5 Rd7
(26...Bxe5 27.Nxf7 Qxf7 28.Bc4)
27.Rxf4 Nxd6 28.exd6 Qxd6 29.Rxf7 Rxf7 30.Qxf7+ Kh8 31.Bc4 Qf6 32.Ne8 1-0

IM Pein said he was intrigued to find out what Williams would play as White since both Williams and Hebden were KID afficianados. And Williams chose the 4PA and won!

I don't have Semkov's book and therefore cannot tell how the game compares.

Now Top Notch, does that wish for the revival of 4-Ps Attack spring from a more self-interested motive? I seem to remember you posting that you wish to see more of it from the black side ...

As far as I know it's been accepted for at least several decades that Black should keep things fluid against the Benko Variation, i.e. he shouldn't play 11...f4 or 11...fg.  Possibly some of the people who played those moves would have done better with time to think.