FreeRepublic wrote on 03/16/26 at 15:48:21:

FreeRepublic - I've bought that database. Let me know if you have any questions about the content beyond what's shown in the previews.

FreeRepublic wrote on 09/17/23 at 18:21:55:

FreeRepublic - Your statistics in Reply #3 inspired me to do some searching in ChessBase's Mega Database. For all ratings, White scores 55.0% against 3...Bb4 and 54.9% vs 3...Nf6, so the two moves are essentially comparable from this point of view. If the Winawer Poison Pawn is defined as 7.Qg4, the White score is 55.9%, which is only slightly above the overall score for the Winawer as a whole. However, 7.h4 scores better at 59.3%. I wonder if this result suggests that the relative newness of this variation hasn't allowed Black to work out solutions as fully as with the Poison Pawn. 

I haven't tried filtering results by rating before, but assuming I'm doing it correctly, White scores 57.7% in the Winawer when both players are above 2500, and 54.5% when both are in the 1800-2200 range that you used. (These results and those that follow are for games played in the 2000 - present time period). These data are in line with your finding that the Winawer is decent for play among mere mortals.

For the Winawer Poison Pawn, White achieved 63.7% when both players were >2500. Trying find a bit of solace for Winawer PP players, I filtered the >2500 data further and found White scoring 65.4% against the older 12..Bd7 line, while the newer 12...d4 gave a White score of only 56.3%. No wonder 12...d4 is being advocated in those repertoires that recommend the Poison Pawn for Black. These 12...Bd7 vs 12...d4 results must be taken with a large grain of salt.  In both cases, there's a small sample size of only a few dozen games. Any anomalies such as losses by blundering or overstepping the time limit in a winning position could change the results by several percentage points.

an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 09/18/23 at 19:02:01:


Thanks I did not realize that.

I've only used the video a few times so far. I think there can be an emphasis or clarity in the video that I miss in the text.

FreeRepublic wrote on 09/18/23 at 13:48:32:

If there is video content, Modern Chess provides a download link for that as well.

I have never purchased from Modern Chess and wanted to ask you a question FreeRepublic:

Are the purchased products something that is permanently and completely on my PC? For example, there is no on-line only content. I don't need a subscription to access it. I pay one price and it is mine and permanently resident on my pc. TIA!

FreeRepublic wrote on 09/13/23 at 12:20:57:

FreeRepublic - I feel the same way. Cheparinov's line might be better, but it's hard to switch. [/quote]

I had a thought after reviewing two recent speed games where I played the White pieces. The engine found moves for White that I consider hard to find.

In theory, some of it deep, the Winawer poisoned pawn appears acceptable for Black. What about practice? I checked a database of games. White scores 56%. I reasoned that, as with my recent experience, White had to find some hard moves. I restricted the search to 1800 to 2200 rated players. White scored 53%. That is certainly good enough for Black.

Above 2500, the score was 61%. There are countless ways to do statistics, including delving into particular variations. So nothing that I have mentioned is meant to be definitive. Yet it does seem to me that the Winawer is viable at the level of most players.

One of the computer's top lines nowadays for White (after 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4) is 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Nxf6!? Bxf6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. Nf3 O-O 9. Qd3!? 

I wonder what Cheparinov recommends against this - on first glance, it appears to be an innocuous approach from White, but it's been seen in correspondence play and it's not so easy to equalize.