Another mistake:

Wagenbach: 4 Bc4 h4 5 Qe2 d6 6 Nc3 c6(?) 7 d4 g5 is indeed "another main line", but one Black needs to avoid.

Instead, 6...Nc6 is correct, when 7 d4 g5 8 e5 Bg7 is the same line as in the previous post.

Seems I didn't quite get these multitudinous transpositions down.

From https://www.chesspublishing.com/content/1/index.htm

"I received a copy of Jonathan Tait's 'A Disreputable Opening Repertoire' and I intend to look at some of his suggestions over the next few months, without giving too much of his analysis away, I hope."

oooo

MartinC wrote on 05/11/22 at 13:48:54:


Glad you like it

By Dave, do you mean Dave Adams? If so, he's more often taken White against me — for a +2 score from 12 games. Possibly because he's -3 from 8 games as Black

SWJediknight wrote on 04/28/22 at 21:29:15:


ah right, I'd forgotten all about this

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.c3 Nf6 5.e5 Ne4 sprung quickly to my mind as a disreputable but tricky response to the Göring, especially with 6.Qe2 f5 7.exf6 d5 8.Nbd2 d3!? in mind.  It's better for White with best play, but players who are unfamiliar with the line can get caught out, and Black's score in the line ending 8...d3 in the ChessBase database is 59%.

But Capablanca's line is certainly irritating to many devotees of the gambit, so much so that I generally avoid it with either 5.Bd3 or a MNb suggestion from a while ago, 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.cxd4 Bg4 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Be3.  

This line ending 8.Be3 is one of the very few sidelines that isn't covered in what is otherwise an impressively thorough coverage of White's options against Capablanca's response to the Göring.  (8.a3 is covered).  I remember discussing this at Jonathan's blog some time ago, particularly the line 8...0-0-0 9.a3 (not 9.Be2 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Qc4) 9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3, e.g. 10...Qa5 11.Rc1 sacrificing the a2-pawn for compensation.  Stockfish 14 assesses this as close to equal.  

I appreciate the references to the possible transpositions from the Chigorin Defence to the Queen's Gambit.  Although more rare, it's even possible to get into the 4...d5 Göring Gambit Declined lines via the Albin Counter-Gambit: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.cxd5 Qxd5 4.e3 exd4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.cxd4.  Yes, it really is the same position!  I've met 3.cxd5 on many occasions but usually White plays 4.Nf3 or 4.dxe5 instead of 4.e3.

Ah no, I'm getting old and hence forget a lot of stuff, including my own comments.
I'm happy to repeat louder that your book is great fun.

MNb wrote on 04/27/22 at 07:11:35:


I mentioned this once:
https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1641710533/13#8

To which MNB replied (reply #11):
"many weaker players are courageous enough to run the risk of losing against stronger opponents instead of being sensible and take the draw by following Ghizdavu-Sydor from the Olympiade 1972".

 

Yes, I found them this morning. My excuse is that I was tired yesterday.
A bit of a pity that against the Göring something very reputable and drawish is recommended. I had hoped for somethiing disreputable like 4...Nf6, Alekhine's blockading strategy from Nyholm-Alekhine, Stockholm 1912 or 6...Bg4 7.Be2 O-O-O with the knight going to e7 or h6.

MNb wrote on 04/26/22 at 16:42:17:

The Ponziani and the Göring Gambit are covered, at least in the ChessBase version of the book that I've mainly been referring to (where they're covered in database numbers 59-64).  Against the Ponziani he gives 3...d5 4.Qa4 f6 and 4.Bb5 dxe4 5.Nxe5 Qg5.  Against the Göring he gives 4...d5 and, if White allows it, the Capablanca Variation.

Jonathan Tait wrote on 04/22/22 at 11:11:41:


4... dxc6 always felt pretty ok but 4... bxc6 also looks pretty interesting. Looking forward to seeing your work.

RoleyPoley wrote on 04/22/22 at 09:32:36:


Post them here when you're done

RoleyPoley wrote on 04/08/22 at 09:21:58:


Quick update.

I misplayed one of the Ng5 games, but thankfully so did my opponent and it's become a fried liver attack declined. We're 13 moves in and I'm now a pawn and an exchange up, with the two bishops and my opponents pawn structure is a mess (iso pawns on d3, b3 and b2). I'm not sure I see good squares for at least 2 of white's remaining pieces. It's followed one of the lines given in the book.

The other two two knights games are also still ongoing. Closer affairs but still following book lines.

I've now also got two Ruy Lopez's just starting up and am keen to see how those go as they look like they can get a bit hairy!.

No other games against 1.e4 yet

IMJohnCox wrote on 04/21/22 at 03:20:50:


Naturally I'd be very interested to see any of these games

Thanks, Jonathan and PANFR. I'm managing better with the 3 Knights now. Next step is to persuade myself that 4...Qh4 against the Scotch is really a goer - though I've done OK so far.

cathexis wrote on 04/09/22 at 22:38:09:

King's Gambit: 2 f4 exf4 and variiously 3 Nf3 h5, 3 Bc4 f5, 3 Nc3 Qh4+, 3 Be2 f5, 3 Qf3 Nc6, 3 d4 Qh4+.

As Jedi says, one line of the Quaade is covered via the Vienna: 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 f4 exf4 4 Nf3 g5 5 g3 with 5...Bg7 as a simple solution for Black.

Jonathan Tait wrote on 04/08/22 at 09:54:35:


I think that is more than fair, you are the one writing it, and I'm sure over the years I've seen more people on here state a preference in favour of the tree format than against, so my preference is probably a minority view anyway - and I think the quality of the book easily makes up for any minor discomfort I may personally have from the layout so much so that I barely notice it. 

SWJediknight wrote on 04/09/22 at 11:30:04:


@SWJediknight, you are one of the inspirations (along with Jonathan, @Katar and @smurfo) behind me picking up both the Smerdon lines a few years ago and now this book in switching to e4 & e5. Thank you.

The Quaade is covered in this book, even though the main recommendation against the King's Gambit is the Wagenbach Defence (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 h5).  Against 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Nc3, 4...Nc6 transposes into the Vienna Gambit lines that are covered via 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5.  Thus, Jonathan's book effectively provides a complete response to the Quaade, though you'd need to look elsewhere for coverage of other 4th moves after 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5.

IMJohnCox wrote on 03/29/22 at 14:19:06:

Yes, this does look ridiculous since 2 Bc5 isn't legal .

RoleyPoley wrote on 04/08/22 at 09:21:58:

I actually insisted it be done that way. Sorry. I just really like the old tree structure type format.

RoleyPoley wrote on 04/08/22 at 09:21:58:

Thanks

PANFR wrote on 04/06/22 at 21:50:17:

Certainly interesting to me. So 9...Qe8 wasn't a new move after all.

PANFR wrote on 04/06/22 at 22:01:28:

It always helps to have the motivation to defend a key part of your repertoire . I've now played 15 games with 9 Nxa7+ Bd7 10 Bxd7+ Nxd7 11 f4 Qf5 btw: W6 D9 L0. And in the engine contests at chess.com, CCC16 (2021-22) saw 20 games with 11...Qf5, all drawn.

PANFR wrote on 04/06/22 at 22:01:28:

Yes, even my main line of the Ulvestad seems sound, though not if you play like a complete idiiot:

IMJohnCox wrote on 04/05/22 at 21:51:12:


Hi. Could this be helpful?



I could probably play better at some point, but not sure at all where. IMO Black never had any serious problems in this game.

I must say I'm lost in admiration at JT's achievement in becoming a CC IM while playing this stuff. The one I'm finding most improbable in internet blitz is 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Bc5; I've yet to emerge from the opening with anything resembling a playable position. What's the trick?!

Yes, those two lines are almost lost for Black, that’s why I was hoping 🥺
I used to play the Traxler or Fritz/Ulvestad, and
avoiding all those “playing for two results” types and their Giuoco pianissimo and Scotch gambits is top priority (Coffee-house rep is sure to add to the latter category).
Looking forward to see what the book brings.

Congratulations on the book and reviews!
I am eagerly awaiting my copy to arrive, but
it will definitely be the perfect companion to the Elephant 😉
Had hoped for the Rousseau against the Italian, though.

Hah - well, the great Youtube Algorithm sees everything, and immediately after I posted here proposed this video to me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa6dorGlGvA&t=1011s

No doubt Stockfish's play here is dealt with in the book!

Bibs wrote on 03/30/22 at 14:01:10:

I face

1. Scotch
2. Spanish
3. Italian

I play

1. Vienna
2. various Three/Four Knights
3. Bishop's Opening
4. King's Gambit

And I would be very happy to face anything from the second group. 

Frequency, so order of study?

I'd guess Ruy first, then Two Knights (d3 then Ng5), then Scotch. 
Then 'other'.

That's what I see, and my casual empiricism.

But that likely depends on locale, and will vary.

Marcellus wrote on 03/23/22 at 21:57:09:


Thanks for buying it. And well, the cutlass is the CB repertoire icon

IMJohnCox wrote on 03/29/22 at 14:19:06:


Thanks, John. Yes, you can play any old rubbish really. And that's a nice way to look at the Calabrese

I'd just like to wish this book well. I suspect the best that AlphaZero and its like would say about some of the lines is that it is just possible that they don't lose by force, but let's face it, we all play so badly it doesn't really matter if they do.

Thinking about it, 1 e4 e5 2 Bc5 f5 looks absolutely ridiculous, but on the other hand it seems unlikely that White would be simply lost in the King's Gambit Declined if he passed on move three.

PANFR wrote on 03/22/22 at 08:42:27:

up now

https://everymanchess.com/products/a-disreputable-opening-repertoire

Bibs wrote on 03/03/22 at 08:56:22:

Best I can do there is that I once saw Patrick Stewart disappearing down some stairs back stage at some theatre or other

Bibs wrote on 03/03/22 at 08:56:22:

I sent it off a while ago. Dunno how long they wait after book publication before releasing the digital versions. It must be due soon I guess.

Now that really is impressive

tracke wrote on 02/27/22 at 20:44:30:


many thanks for your kind words; very happy you like the book

re typos/errors, I've found four so far: two incorrect diagrams, an erroneous reference, and a misquote. It seems no matter how careful you are, errors always slip through...

P207: in the first diagram, the h-pawn should be on h3
P251: in the first diagram, there should be a pawn on f3

my fault: I must have tweaked the diagrams and then failed to proof them properly

P285: line "D2" should be "E2"
P307: final word of the first Swiercz quote should be "piece" not "pawn" (I guess I had the word "pawn" stuck in my head)

these are corrected in the CB version

Richard Palliser likes it anyway

https://twitter.com/richardpalliser/status/1498008243859337218

Jonathan Tait wrote on 02/20/22 at 08:33:04:


On shelves or running riot in stacks?

A very entertaining review by a certain J. Upham:

https://britishchessnews.com/2022/02/06/a-disreputable-opening-repertoire/

I plan to purchase it as soon as the pdf becomes available at Everyman (the spouse banned hard copies more than a decade ago).

Sorry, did not men to derail. I thought it was an actual error. Not knowing an Adelman from Adam.
Bit odd that a staff member puts his name to basic admin posts, like uberkeen trainee journos. Then again, it's Everyman.

Wagenbach KG is just bad though isn't it?! Best thing is that it's slightly less terrible than it looks. That looks the wobbliest of the lines chosen, even dumping on sketchy Scotch ...Qh4. But, we shall wait and see what is conjured up to salvage such! 
Other lines, game on.

Hope to see CBV/PGN posted soon...

RoleyPoley wrote on 02/11/22 at 17:20:43:


They don't. PlayMagnus now owns Everyman

Bibs wrote on 02/11/22 at 09:29:06:

Are you looking at the name of the person who posted the news item? E.g. "Dan Addelman" here:
https://everymanchess.com/blogs/news/a-disreputable-chess-opening-repertoire-in-...

Bibs wrote on 02/11/22 at 09:29:06:


I'll send them off today

an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 02/01/22 at 17:42:40:


I will

a box of author's copies just arrived

I too tend to meet 1.Nf3 with 1...Nc6, then if 2.e4 e5, or 2.c4 e5, often with 3...f5 to follow.  I wonder what the idea is after 2.d4.  I've tended to go 2...d5, intending 3.c4 e5, or otherwise playing Chigorin-style but without c2-c4.  2...d6 is another possibility, which could again lead to an Old Indian.

MNb wrote on 12/03/21 at 17:54:34:

Thanks for this - I often play 1.c4 e5 2.g3/Nc3 f5, but haven't yet faced 2.Nc3 f5 3.d4 - I might well have gone for the more natural 3...exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6.

Excited for the release! Is the ebook expected next month?

I'm happy to hear that; in general I'd prefer to play 6...d6 over 6...Bc5 (and the lines after 7.Bxc6).

Can I ask what you recommend against 4.d3 in the Jaenisch? That’s currently the main disincentive for me to start playing 3…f5.