From zefrank

Voting CLOSED Until 7pm

Today's Suggested Moves have been posted, and the voting polls will open Wednesday @7PM EDT and close at Thursday 12AM EDT (Wednesday Night), in order to give time for enough deliberation before the votes are cast. Don't have a username/Id yet? Get one here! and take some credit for your contributions!

Remember to check back even if you've already cast your vote! .. there's still some disagreement between potential moves .. and analysis will most likely continue up until Sunday night when the polls close. It's also not too late to submit a vote for another move that has not been evaluated yet .. (although it looks like we have most of the best move options available, people can always miss things).

Use the following tags to help suggest moves, and remember if you want to throw up an example speculative board in the discussion, please refer to the Edit Guide on how to properly format it.

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 <!-- MAKE CERTAIN YOU ADD A COMMENT TO JUSTIFY THIS POSITION-->

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Just follow the instructions, and completely delete those lines .. and don't forget to replace 'Speculative Move' with the actual move name. Also bear in mind that anything after the clear tag won't be visible, so don't enter any text underneath it (unless you're adding another section)

Voting Instructions

Cut and paste the following to vote

# '''VOTE''' by ~~~~: add a comment! 

• You may vote for many moves as you like, but only one vote per move.
• When voting closes, the move with the most votes wins.
• If there is a tie, whoever tallies the votes breaks the tie.

Strategy Discussion

Contents 1 Voting CLOSED Until 7pm 1.1 Voting Instructions 2 Strategy Discussion 3 Suggested Move Summary 3.1 cxd6 3.2 Qxd6 3.3 Rf2! 3.3.1 Include Exclamation 3.3.2 Exclude Exclamation 3.3.3 Include Exclamation Sugartits 3.3.4 Exclude Exclamation Sugartits (hard charger alert!) 3.4 Discuss Ze's Responses to Rf2 3.4.1 g3 3.4.2 Rg1

Please take the time to familiarize yourself with some common middlegame tactics.

Suggested Move Summary

Suggested Position Suggested Move: cxd6

Suggested Position Suggested Move: Rf2!

Suggested Position Suggested Move: !

cxd6

• The obvious option. What else is there to say? MalteseFalcon 11:17, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• Maybe not so obvious after all :-P PTWhipplebang 12:18, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • I never said it was the best move :) MalteseFalcon 12:20, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • But definitely the most obvious.Kidnapped
      • Very true. I stand corrected. PTWhipplebang 13:00, 2 August 2006 (PDT)

Qxd6

• I like this move. It accomplishes the same thing as cxd6, but doesn't stick that pawn into a faceoff with Ze's pawn. CtrlBurn 13:31, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • It also gives Ze the c4 pawn and is in all ways inferior to "Rf2!". arc

Rf2!

• Mate threat. g3 forced by white. Correction: g3 loses. Rg1 best by white. (I think)V 11:21, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • No, 26. g3 loses (see below).
  • Can't white also do an Rg1? What's the response to that one? 64.7.149.152 11:46, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • 26. Rg1 cxd6 and 27...Nc5 will win the e-pawn. -Axl
• Rf2 also sets up the skewer, pinning the bishop, preventing Bxc4. Otis 11:23, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• And we can still move cxd6 next move if we want to... mick129 11:24, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• Even better, we can move Bxd5!208.60.177.45 11:27, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • Scratch that. Qh6. The game is actually over in three moves. 25. Bxd6 Rf2 26. g3 Qh6 27. ??? Qh2 (and whatever the notation for 'mate' is).bobby_mac^{rap at me} 11:38, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • Ugh. I didn't consider Bf3. That would stall checkmate...but we'd get his queen.bobby_mac^{rap at me}
    • Sorry...I got overexcited by this. There are plenty of moves Ze can make to stall mate. We're still playing for awhile. But this is a great move.bobby_mac^{rap at me}
    • That would be ++ This move just made my day. MalteseFalcon 11:39, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • Well, there's 25. Bxd6 Rf2 26. g3 Qh6 27. h4 and our attack is pretty much warded off. We can however then recapture Ze's bishop and we still come out on top TtT
      • I believe that 27. ... Qe3 by us, black, gives us the win as it threatens mate in two and white will lose at least a piece trying to defend. V 12:27, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • Yep, squeeze him. This game is as good as over. Otis 11:28, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• Please count this as a vote for me when the polls open. And someone set the board up for the rematch... Good night, Ze. Otis 11:29, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• This is definitely the move to make but it's not a forced mate. But Ze will have to give up heavy material to avoid it. For instance, 25...Rf2 26. Rg1 cxd6 27. Nc1 Bxd5 etc. Snark 11:44, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • Yeah, this line seems more likely Geedubber 11:47, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• Main line: 25. Bxd6 Rf2 26. g3 Qh6 27. h4 Qe3 Mate threat in two. I'm wondering about 28. Rf1 I know we can take back a bishop or trade. Can anyone clear this up? It looks real good either way though. V 11:41, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • I think 26. Rg1 is White's best defense. But it's still pretty hopeless. Snark 11:46, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • This is my vote as well, but I don't see a forced mate. 25. ... Rf2! 26. Rg1 and white can hold it together and probably struggle through to the endgame before losing. Jeff 11:47, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• After 25...Rf2, 26.Rg1 is forced (only attempt at defense), after which we recapture on d6 with an overwhelming advantage. Ze obviously wasn't reading the Fabuloso discussion last move. His 25.Bxd6 loses almost immediately! The position is resignable for White after we play Rf2. It's a shame, really; this has been fun. Now, we will eviscerate him utterly... -Axl
  • Why settle for the bishop when you can have the queen? 25. .. Rf2 26. Rg1 Bxd5. (27. exd QxQ, or else 27. Qd2 Bxe4 mate to follow) Kidnapped
    • Perhaps more likely is the response 27. Bd3 Rxc2 28. Bxc2 cxd6, winning the queen and a pawn for our rook. Kidnapped
• Did some more looking. (25. Bxd6 Rf2! 26. g3 Qh6 27. h4 Qe3) 28. Rf1 loses. RxB wins outright. If he takes with the Queen, after the trade, he can't protect both his rook and his bishop. And our knight is very well positioned to protect the f8 square. If he moves it away, we can maneuver to get both rook and queen on the second row (and/or take back bishop on d6). Just a matter of time after that. I will look at Rg1 now. V 11:59, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• Maybe we should be hardchargers and quickly update the Wiki with our move Rf2! Skip voting. That will shock Ze. Snark 12:00, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• (25. Bxd6 Rf2! 26. g3 Qh6 27. h4 Qe3) 28. Rg1 loses to RxB too. If he takes with queen, we're up. Otherwise, he can't protect both the queen and his bishop. So we'd be a piece up with his position completely destroyed. I don't see a way out for white. V 12:04, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • I think you need to check the position you're using for analysis. 26...Rxe2 after 26. Rg1 gives away all of our advantage. Snark 12:08, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • Fixed position. Meant at move 28. Rg1 V 12:15, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• Besides the fact that this is the best move, it ALSO has an exclamation point after it! Arc
  • Nobody votes against exclamation points. I too think we should skip the voting an submit this right now. SUBMIT NOW V 12:18, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • The only problem with that is that some hard charger could submit a move tomorrow that is terrible! Maybe someone will show up that can show why this move is terrible in the meantime, but I doubt it! arc
    • Notation question from chess novice: What qualifies a move to have the exclamation point? Or is it more subjective? Either way I love it. Also, I'm all for hard-charging when the situation demands it, but I don't think it would hurt to vote just in case. PTWhipplebang 12:25, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
      • Not sure. I just put it there based on previous moves discussion. It is subjective I guess. However, is there anyone that doesn't think this move kicks ass? Let's vote on the exclamation! HAHA JK V 12:30, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
      • The ! after a move in chess is generally a subjective indication that the move is really good but the reason it is good is not immediately obvious. This move doesn't really qualify IMO but I'm not going to spoil the fun :-) Jeff 12:31, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
        • It is generally bad form to mark a move as either "?" or "!" DURING the game. That is saved for post-mortem analysis. No matter how good a move is in correspondance chess, you just don't add punctuation. It is akin to gloating at your opponent. It's rude. Kingpatzer 12:46, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
          • I certainly agree it's obnoxious, but didn't we start this game taunting each other? There's not much trash talking in grandmaster play either. :-) Snark 12:56, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
          • I assumed this whole thing was a joke. I agree that actually including the "!" would definitely come off as arrogant. PTWhipplebang 12:51, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
            • Rude? Arrogant? Are we or are we not Fabuloso? Let's act like it! We're playing against Ze Frank, 90% of whose comedy is based on mocking others and himself!
              • "Rf2! Sugartits!" arc
                • I like it! How about "Rf2. Zwischenzug, Sugartits!" Snark 13:56, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
            • It's all fun and games until someone gets their eye poked out with a "!". arc
• yeah, this destroys white's game utterly! Kingpatzer 12:38, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• I miss Ze's verbal taunts of us. Just putting his move on the page makes it feel like an afterthought. Sniff. Does Ze still love/hate us? Snark 13:06, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • We must taunt him into a reply. arc

I like "Is this the part where you kick our ass?" bobby_mac^{rap at me}

Supposedly he reads the wiki to find the move, we could always include it with the move at the top. arc

Include Exclamation

1. VOTE by MalteseFalcon 12:36, 2 August 2006 (PDT): I don't think Ze will have seen this coming. The '!' is appropriate.
2. VOTE by AdamD 13:25, 2 August 2006 (PDT): You've gotta put the '!' on. It's all in good fun.

Exclude Exclamation

1. VOTE by Kingpatzer 12:39, 2 August 2006 (PDT) : not subtle enough to qualify and providing valuations with moves is rude.
2. VOTE by arc 3:54, 2 August 2006 (EST) : I think the exclamation point in and of itself deserves its own move.
3. VOTE 209.113.182.94

Include Exclamation Sugartits

1. VOTE by Jeff 14:09, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
2. VOTE by Snark 14:11, 2 August 2006 (PDT): I recommend "Zwischenzug, Sugartits!" Ze will have to look that up and he'll respect us. Update: Okay, here's a link.
3. VOTE by arc 14:11, 2 August 2006 (PDT): Excalamations are always better with sugartits. The downside of Zwischenzug is I'll also have to look it up.

Exclude Exclamation Sugartits (hard charger alert!)

Discuss Ze's Responses to Rf2

g3

• Here's what I think:

• 26. g3 Qh6 27. h4 Qg6 28.Rf1 Bxd5

It's hard enough to guess 1 move ahead let alone 3, so I'll stop here. I'm advocating for Bxd5 rather than cxd6 because it threatens check with Bxe4 and utilizes our pin of the e4 pawn.bobby_mac^{rap at me}

• I looked at this. It loses for white utterly and completely unless I missed something. 27. ... Qe3 is MUCH better me thinks. V 13:13, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • Yes, agreed: 27...Qe3 is the move. Snark 13:16, 2 August 2006 (PDT)

OK, I'm off the Bxd5 train...that didn't take long.bobby_mac^{rap at me}

Rg1

• I still like Bxd5 here:

• 26. Rg1 Bxd5 (I edited this...said Rf1 but I think that was a typo. -Snark) thanks!

Again, this exploits the pin on e4 and probably wins the e4 pawn at least.bobby_mac^{rap at me}

• I think cxd6 is a more prudent response to 26. Rg1. We need to keep an eye on the material and we can still play Bxd5 later. Snark 13:15, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
• Look at the board by Kidnapped. 25. Bxd6 Rf2! 26. Rg1 Bxd5 This looks devastating to me (on white that is). (edit: I no longer think so. I've reversed my opinion and think this is bad.) V 13:18, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • After 26...Bxd5 then 27. Bxc7 and what is our response? If 27...Bxe4 then 28. Bxc4+ and black can resign after either ...Rf7 or ...Kh8. If 27...Qxe4 then 28. Qxe4 Bxe4 29. Bxc4+ and White is up a piece in a won position. Snark 13:22, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • Me too. Otis 13:18, 2 August 2006 (PDT)

Yeah, once he moves his queen, Bxd5 doesn't really do anything for us anymore. I'd rather use it while we can do some damage. I think he'll be too busy over the next few moves to move his bishop on d6, so that's the move I think should come later.bobby_mac^{rap at me}

• Guys, 26. Rg1 Bxd5 is not a good move. After 27. Bxc7 our best option appears to be 27...Kh8. After something like 28. Qd1 Bxe4 29. Bf1 Qc6 30. Bxe5 Rxa2 we still have the best position but it's not nearly as good as just taking 26...cxd6 and cooling our heals for a second. Snark 13:25, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • Just adding on, there are some things that Black does have to worry about, like our Knight hanging on d7 if the Queen moves to d1, and our weak back rank, which prevents us from just moving the Knight. So there are a few things to look out for. Snark 13:27, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • I agree. Removing that center pawn isn't as good anymore. I don't like the variations that can come of it. V 13:31, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • OK, what about this? 26. Rg1 Bxd5 27. Bxc7 Bxe4 28. Qd1 Bxg2+ and it's over...isn't it?bobby_mac^{rap at me}
      • But he won't do 28. Qd1. He'll do Bxc4+ Now, we lose our rook. V 13:37, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • ahh...this is why I asked! 28. Bxc4+ does look bad. thanks, Snark (and V)bobby_mac^{rap at me}
• So has it come down to hoping that Ze doesn't see this stuff? Or are we still safely ahead? PTWhipplebang 13:42, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • We just won't play Bxd5, and instead will just off his bishop. He'll get the next move, but we are looking pretty damn solid at that point. Arc
• I was sort of thinking 26. Rg1 Bxd5 27. Bxc7 Nf6 28. Qd1 (or Bxe5) Bxe4 - any problems here?Otis 13:44, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
  • We'd still be winning but only by a little. If we play cxd6 White is going to give up gobs of material to avoid mate. Snark 13:46, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • By the way, in your line, play 28. Qd1 Qxe4, not Bxe4. Or else he places Bxc4+ again. Snark 13:49, 2 August 2006 (PDT)
    • Yep, your right. Ok, so Bxd5 isn't looking quite as good now, especially if he decides at that point to trade queens... What's the other line? Otis 13:52, 2 August 2006 (PDT)