jsmith09 wrote on 04/18/09 at 00:07:35:


In his interesting book book "Story of a Chessplayer", GM Jaan Ehlvest described how he was taught to play IQP positions as a junior, and he wrote:

"This is the kind of position where you cannot get help from FRITZ. To play these positions well you must study in depth such games as those in the aforementioned match between Karpov and Korchnoi as well as those in another famous match between Spassky and Petrosian in 1969, where Spassky played the Tarrasch defense. The Russian-American GM Anatoly Lein is also a big specialist in how to handle the isolated pawn. It is not easy to handle – this is why Karpov and Kasparov often avoided these kinds of positions throughout their careers. On the other hand it is true that these positions are for lazy boys. You are not in danger ever as long as you know the general rules of handling them. In the 1974 match, Korchnoi drew all his games against Karpov in the French, and immediately lost two crucial games when he tried to surprise Karpov with another opening."

Shereshevsky gives similar advice in his book "The Soviet Chess Conveyor", recommending 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 exd5 exd5 for Black.

I find that amateurs who have learnt just a little positional theory are often very wary of giving themselves an IQP, yet it is good to get to grips with IQP positions fairly early on, to gain experience with this important structure and to learn the pros and cons.

Nevertheless, I see little point in constructing a whole repertoire around as many IQP lines as possible - this extreme measure would be self-limiting, missing out on other important position-types.

PS Let's agree to call it the IQP. The word "isolani" is a linguistic monstrosity.

2.c3 sic, exchange with c4 against both caro-kann,

Hi there,
You can't ALWAYS get an isoloni.  But you will get it most of the time this way:
Play 1.e4!
vs French play 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.ed ed 4. c4 which usually leads to isoloni
vs carokahn play Panov Botvinick 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.ed cd 4.c4
vs d6/g6 play the "150 attack" sharp positions most of the time
vs sicilian either play Open (as most would recommend here and me as well) or play 2.c3 
vs d5 or scandanavian you play early c4
vs 1.e5 play the 4 knights scotch variation or what is recommened by mnb

Now vs 1.d4 as black
Play the tarrasch defence and buy Meeting 1.d4 
vs 1.e4 buy meeting 1.e4 
You will get isoloni positions most of the time!!!
While you can't get it all the time you are still playing good open games which most would recommend doing.   
take care,
Zatara

jsmith09 wrote on 04/18/09 at 00:07:35:


Do you want to play with or against the IQP? In the first case the Tarrasch Defence is your best bet. In the second case I would say the NID (Karpov-system) and Semi-Tarrasch (3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5). If you want both I would say the Tarrasch Defence combined with all kind of 1.d4 d5 stuff, like S_X mentioned.
But I would strongly suggest to avoid onesidedness and combine these openings with quite different ones. Why always try to get the same kind of positions? Chesslife is too short for that.

It's been recommended to me to adopt a repertoire featuring a common motif, such as that of the Isolated Queen's Pawn.

If I were to form a repertoire around the isolani pawn formation, what openings would that include?

Which of those openings (Black and White) would go well together?

And, since I'm a relative beginner, can I find tactical/Open Game openings in this area?

Thanks for any feedback.