From zefrank
Predictions
I predict Bc1. What would our response be? Another prediction is Qc1. I'm more interested in Bc1. I don't think he'd play the other one. No harm in speculating. What do you think we should respond. I'm gonna see if I can't get a board setup. These ones are all blank. V 18:20, 28 July 2006 (PDT)
- In both we could just respond with pawn to f4. Jes ter23
- If Ze moves either Bc1 or Qc1, f4 looks best to me as well. Ze could respond g3, h3, or h4. g3 is no good because he can't take our f4 pawn with g3 without going into check from our queen. h3 might be good for Ze at this point, but we could still Rf6 with the follow-on Rg6, maintaining pressure on g2 - the trouble with this is he'd likely Rf2 at this point, we could follow with Rh6. h4 is no good because we can simply Qxh4. I like the potential of Rf6 followed by Rg6 in this line, essentially we'd be attacking his pawn chain at the base instead of in the middle. Otis 02:30, 29 July 2006 (PDT)
- Frankly, I think Ze might be better off if he moved Rf2 or h3 instead of either Bc1 or Qc1, but I think our response to Rf2 or h3 is still f4, with an eye to Rf6 and an overall strategy of breaking his pawn chain at the base instead of the middle. His pawn chain blocks off the g- and h-files from diagonal support, with the exception of c1 and e1. Even if Ze moves Rf2, e1's potential diagonal support is removed. f4 reinforces this diagonal restriction by closing off the diagonal support from c1; we can exploit this while focusing on breaking his pawn chain at the base. Thinking ahead a bit, our queen on the g- or h-file, supported by the rook (or even both rooks, potentially) on the corresponding g/h-file, puts Ze in big trouble. Thoughts? Does anyone see something I missed? Otis 04:26, 29 July 2006 (PDT)
- Alternatively, Ze could initiate the c4 exchange with his bishops, but I see us coming out ahead in that situation; we could still attack his pawn chain at the base with our queen and rook after the fireworks. Otis 05:22, 29 July 2006 (PDT)
Bc1
... Qg6
- I like this. I wonder if we can start exchanging f pawns after this. I know things will change, but I like that if we take e4 with one of our knights after the pawn exchange, the white king can't be on f1 (in case of rook exchanges) since we can check and get the queen. I know it won't pan out that way, but I think exchanging f pawns would really give our pieces mobility. V 18:42, 28 July 2006 (PDT)
Qc1
... QxQ
- I'm up for some queen on queen action. This usually leads to longer and less volatile games. V 18:47, 28 July 2006 (PDT)
- That's true, but I think we have a better chance of breaking up his pawn chain (at the base) with an f4 response, with a coordinated queen-rook attack. Otis 02:44, 29 July 2006 (PDT)
