A Very Strong Tournament By Bo Bredenhof We are closing in on the fifth anniversary of CC Chronicles. It has been fun all the way. I hope you think the same. All previous columns can be found in the ChessCafe.com Archives. This month I will look at one of the strongest ever CC tournaments: the Witold Bielecki Memorial, which finished recently after over three years play. Thirteen players with ten GM's and three SIM's with ratings between 2561 and 2729. The crosstable can be found at the ICCF website via their "Tables and results" page. There were many interesting aspects to this tournament: one was that two players shared first place with identical results and SB points. Both Dr. … [Read more...]
Some Reflections From My Experiences
Some Reflections From My Experiences This is Chronicle no. 56. I initially thought this marked the five-year anniversary of the column, but that is not the case. Anyway, I had already made up my mind what to write for this occasion, so you get it a bit early. During these (almost) five years I have tried many openings in more than 350 games and achieved plenty of experience. Therefore, I have assembled my top pieces of advice for you from this period: 1) Chess engines can be divided into two groups: fast and slower. In the first group we have Houdini, Fritz, and others. In the slower group we have Hiarcs, Rybka, and others. Engines in these groups function differently. Fast engines … [Read more...]
How to Play for a Win
How to Play for a Win By Bo Bredenhof When I look into CC databases and search strong players (rating 2400+) the first move is almost always 1.e4 or 1.d4. I see a few openings with 1.c4 and 1.Nf3, but they almost always transposes to some 1.d4 variation. Why is this? I believe it has to do with initiative and the strong chess engines of today. Most long forced lines where White can keep the initiative begin with these moves. The one who deviates takes a risk and that is of course what the first player wants. In my December chronicle I recommended a few alternative ways of opening a game. It was 1.f4, 1.Nf3+g3 and 1.c4+Nc3. All of these are defensive in character. With 1.f4 you play … [Read more...]
Make Your Own Database
Make Your Own Database by Bo Bredenhof During the weekends I set aside some time now and then to build myself a new up-to-date database (DB) for CC searches. I seldom use a DB package, outside of what comes bundled with other software, but make my own every few years. Maybe it is because I am stubborn; or more likely because I want to create something myself. This time I started with the best chess engine DB I had: the Houdini4 Pro DB from 2013. It contained games from late fall 2012. In order to update the OTB part of it, I went to the website "The Week In Chess" (TWIC). They are kind enough to have an archive of weekly OTB files covering all important games played in tournaments … [Read more...]
A Secure Opening for White
A Secure Opening for White by Bo Bredenhof Last month I recommended the Leningrad Dutch as a secure choice against the queen pawn openings. This time I will have a look at the white side. Most players select 1.e4 or 1.d4. It is understandable but probably not optimal if one wants an opening in CC primarily to avoid losses. Both lead to very large opening complexes depending on black's answer. It is then impossible to avoid entering an opening or variation where your opponent is much more experienced. Instead I am looking for a relatively small opening where it is possible to become my own expert, and where I decide what type of position we will play. If you already play the … [Read more...]
How to Answer 1.d4 in CC
How to Answer 1.d4 in CC by Bo Bredenhof Last month I discussed my experiences in how to answer 1.e4. This time I will talk about different answers to 1.d4. I have tried many different opening variations over the years. I believe I started with 1...d5, with the Tartakower Defense as my main variation. This is very solid, and GM Adams has had a lot of success with it in OTB games. There is a problem of course; White do not have to comply. He often chooses the Exchange variation or the Bf4 QGD, just to mention two common alternatives. Both of these can be very difficult for Black to handle; and are more solid for White. The winning chances for Black are small in these variations. I … [Read more...]
Openings in CC
by Bo Bredenhof Opening choice and preparation in OTB chess are important. The goal is to reach a known position that offers adequate chances, and, if lucky, the opponent goes astray somewhere. It also saves important reflection time. In CC opening choice is even more important. There are many openings that are suitable for OTB play, but are not strong enough in CC, and these should be avoided. There is no room for bluffs, sudden tactical traps, or playing on the clock. Gambits are mostly only good for draws. Ratings are also a consideration of course. In CC it is very hard to win a game. Our computer engine assistants are very strong and they tend to find a way to a draw even in … [Read more...]
A New Style
This is my fiftieth chronicle, but I still feel privileged to be able to write about our fine CC sport. You can find the previous columns in the ChessCafe.com Archives. Last month I wrote about my new openings: the English as white, and the Caro-Kann and King's Indian as black. My games with these new openings have advanced to between ten and twenty moves and I am satisfied with the resulting positions. I am not worse in any game and may have a small edge in a few. The English can be played in many ways. Presently, I prefer the classical variations with 1.c4, followed by 2.Nc3. After that I vary between 3.g3 and 4.g3. There is also the Kosten/Marin alternative with 2.g3, which I use … [Read more...]