Chessworld.net Instructive Game: Another stodgy draw - need more CIC maybe!

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Chessworld.net Instructive Game: Another stodgy draw - need more CIC (Continual Imbalance Creation) maybe!

T.Gavriel vs. G.Hollis Jan 16 2011

1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Be3 a6 5. a4 b6 6. Bc4 e6
7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h4 h6 9. h5 g5 10. d5 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 e5 12. Nd2 Nc5 13. g4 Bd7
14. Bxc5 bxc5 15. a5 Ne7 16. Qe2 Qc8 17. f3 O-O 18. O-O Kg7 19. Rfb1 Ng8 20.
Nf1 Ne7 21. Ne3 Rd8 22. Rb2 Rf8 23. Rab1 Rd8 24. Qf1 (24. Rb7 Bb5 25. Bxb5 Qxb7
) 24... Re8 25. Ra2 Rd8 26. Qc1 Ra7 27. Qb2 Qa8 28. Qb3 Kf6 29. Rab2 Bb5 30.
Bd3 Bd7 31. Qb8 Rxb8 32. Rxb8 Qxb8 33. Rxb8 Bc8 34. Nf5 Bxf5 35. gxf5 Kg7 36.
Bf1 Ng8 37. Bh3 Nf6 38. Bg4 Nd7 39. f6+ Nxf6 40. Bc8 Nxh5 41. Rb7 Ra8 42. Rxc7
Kf6 43. Rc6 Ke7 44. Bxa6 Nf4 45. Rb6 h5 46. Rb7+ Kf6 47. Rb6 1/2-1/2

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• chess
• letsplaychess.com
• chessworld.net
• stodgy
• draw
• need
• imbalances
• more
• avoiding
• preparing
• punches
• hippo
• hippopotamus
• defence
• flexibility
• no
• strategic
• breaks
• exploitable
• weaknesses

[tuoljg]

kingscrusher dont draw to quick conclusions, you outplayed him pretty hard here, in other games your going to win, this is better games then last years games you posted it looks more sound.

[kingscrusher]

@tuoljg Opponent under far less pressure though... No exploitable weaknesses except potentially a6 during the game.

[Lubosucks]

By all means, unstodge your games and start sac'ing the kitchen sink, because league win or not, its just not good television. One of the reasons I like watching your blitz is because you try this audacious, tactical stuff and have the skill to pull it off much of the time..

I love the idea of y our teammates wiping their faces moaning, "Oh Christ, Tryphon's sac'd another piece." Then you win the game cooly and walk over like you're confused why their worried. Love the vids big fan

[kingscrusher]

@Lubosucks Yes the sacrificial aspect might however get one a reputation of being unsound or wreckless or just plain silly. However, I think it does offer potential for great results.

[GreenCastleBlock]

You might consider playing 4.f4 instead of 4.Be3 if Black plays this move order. Since you can't play Bh6, the B on e3 isn't doing anything besides getting a piece off the back rank. I used to play restraining moves like a4, h3, and such, but I have since found the only real way to take advantage of a defense like this is to fight to increase your space advantage. Putting a pawn on f4 and a N behind it is a good start :)

[pilgrimproost]

A crossroads. You are drawing more and your rating is higher. A few new tools in the toolbag we have to thank for this. Why shun those tools and revert to the old ways? There are still vacant slots in your tool chest, perhaps. Keep your tools and build on what you have learned. Time to go to the mountain.

[7777Ralph]

Also the other mistake was assuming black would close up the center after the move d5. The slight oversight of BxN was what cuased problems and allowed a4 to be a target because it isolated that pawn. I've made this mistake myself, just assuming black will close the position, but of coarse black only closes it if there is nothing to be gained.

[7777Ralph]

I think the drawish move from white in the game was not a4 but h4. Most of the attacks and plans you talked about were not prevented from a4 but they were prevented by the move h4.

I'm no expert, but just trying to figure out where to attack this defense as white myself. One thing that is clear is there are few points for attack and one faulty move can shut everything down and completely lock up the position - if black so chooses to.

[7777Ralph]

I'm not sure how a4 can be considered a "lame move" when all the GMs play that move in response to a6. I understand the point that you're not a paid GM, but still....if all the GMs play that move in the position it's not a "lame move." The hippo itself could be considered lame in that the main goal of it seems to be to do nothing and just wait for white to make a mistake in his attempt to move the game forward. I think to give your self a bad position from a sac gives black exactly what he wa

[YsnipezYMw2]

I recommend that you try to play more dynamically with some gambits or attacks in your games. A pawns just a pawn.

[AwNNeR]

I have very little experience with the Hippo system. What is recommended to fight it? An aggressive attack on either the Kingside or Queenside?

[robberval]

Maybe a little bit of excessive prophylaxis considering you were playing the white pieces. Maybe. But I agree with what's been said here in the comments. You outplayed him pretty hard.

I believe Naka's strange style may be born from a review from the theorical stuff he new but hindered more than helped his success rate.

Bring us the epic games with heroic sacs if that's what you're missing! I know you can do it! I'm cheering for you and the whole team!

Paulo, from Brazil

[kingscrusher]

@zonamamuta Maybe f4 can be played positionally with idea of simply e5 and be4 later to get rid of black's bishop pair, and maybe work on exploiting weaknesses on black's queenside. The Moro game fragment I posted was heavily "trod" on path.

[kingscrusher]

@pilgrimproost Very nice metaphors here :) Yes, I guess we also need to carry on that evolution of style series, and not just be stuck on Lasker. It would be interesting to try and understand the style evolution and let it add tools to our toolkits.