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Normal Topic Positional approach vs. McCutcheon, almost a TN (Read 852 times)
MartinC
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Re: Positional approach vs. McCutcheon, almost a TN
Reply #4 - 06/07/24 at 10:40:08
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Curiously SF even gives black a (really) tiny edge after 5 Ne2 de, which does match the database results. 
(47% - 53% in black's favour.).

5 e5 h6 6 Be3 Ne4 7 Ne2 isn't that good either mind. Since 7 ..c5 8 a3 just fails, the idea was always 7.. c5 8 dxc5!? o-o 9 a3 to play with tripled pawns. That's interesting after 9 .. Bxc3, but SF points out that 9 .. Bxc5 works quite cleanly.

6 Bf4 Ne4 7 Ne2 c5 lets white go 8 a3, then you either get tripled c pawns if black goes Ba5, or swap it all off in c3. Attractive in getting fairly standard pawn structures (minus one pair of knights), positional no.

Maybe the Bc1 or Be3 pawn sacrifices are more positional.
  
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FreeRepublic
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Re: Positional approach vs. McCutcheon, almost a TN
Reply #3 - 06/06/24 at 21:50:15
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George Jempty wrote on 06/04/24 at 10:48:44:
Fits in with another digression I'm adopting against the mainline French (e.g. 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2!?

There is also 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. Ne2
  
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George Jempty
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Re: Positional approach vs. McCutcheon, almost a TN
Reply #2 - 06/06/24 at 08:54:57
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MartinC wrote on 06/05/24 at 08:44:44:
I've seen the NNE engines suggesting that. Not insane at all.

6 Be3 ^ 7 Nge2 is just about known, but curiously the bishop is better on f4 because a black c5 then cxd4 doesn't threaten it. 

Quite useful to be defending e5 in advance if you get a tripled c pawn structure (quite common) too.

Not that it's always positional by any means!


Thank you for your overview of what might make 6. Be3 and 7.Nge2 reasonably effective.  I did indeed find it with my engine.

If you have time or interest, could you have a look at my post on the same day in the Rubinstein sub-forum about Bf4 and Qd3 against the Fort Knox variation.
  
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MartinC
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Re: Positional approach vs. McCutcheon, almost a TN
Reply #1 - 06/05/24 at 08:44:44
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I've seen the NNE engines suggesting that. Not insane at all.

6 Be3 ^ 7 Nge2 is just about known, but curiously the bishop is better on f4 because a black c5 then cxd4 doesn't threaten it. 

Quite useful to be defending e5 in advance if you get a tripled c pawn structure (quite common) too.

Not that it's always positional by any means!
  
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George Jempty
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Positional approach vs. McCutcheon, almost a TN
06/04/24 at 10:48:44
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5. e5 h6 6.Bf4!? and then on 6...Ne4 7.Nge2 and Black does not get the tactical melee that he seems to be depending on with the McCutcheon.  Fits in with another digression I'm adopting against the mainline French (e.g. 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2!?)  I usually don't play main lines, the French now being an exception, and this line against the McCutcheon will cut down the theory I need to learn, esp. as I'm committed to the Alekhine-Chatard attack.
  
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