Chess Forum
uskidscompute.com << online chess - < chess - chess > - chess online >>
| From | Message |
| Posted by mattdw uskidscompute.com 9/26/2006 01:36:03 Play online chess |  Subject: Black's best defense against a Stonewall attack?Message: Matt |
| Posted by masros uskidscompute.com 9/26/2006 03:14:50 Play online chess | Message: The Stonewall Attack is a chess opening, more specifically it is a variation of the Queen's Pawn Game. It is characterized by White playing 1.d4, 2.e3, 3.f4 and 4.c3, usually playing 5.Bd3 as well, even though the moves are not always played in that order. The Stonewall is a system White sets up, rather than a specific variation. If White puts up the Stonewall formation it is called a Stonewall regardless of how Black chooses to defend against it. When Black sets up a Stonewall formation, with pawns on c6, d5, e6 and f5, it is a variation of the Dutch Defense. As the name implies, the Stonewall setup is a solid formation which is hard to overrun by force. If Black fails to react energetically to the Stonewall setup, White may launch a lethal attack on the Black king, typically by bringing a rook to h3, advancing the g-pawn, and making a well timed bishop sacrifice at h7. Often this attack is so powerful that White does not need to develop the knight and bishop on b1 and c1. Traditionally, chess computers have been vulnerable to the Stonewall because the positions are usually without clear tactical lines. White simply prepares for an assault by bringing pieces to aggressive posts, without making immediate tactical threats. By the time the computer realizes that its king is under attack it is often too late. The downsides to the Stonewall are the hole on e4, and the fact that the dark squared bishop on c1 is completely blocked by its own pawns. If Black defends correctly against White's attack, these strategic deficiencies can become quite serious. Because of this, the Stonewall Attack is almost never seen in master-level chess anymore, although it is seen occasionally among club players. However, Black playing the Stonewall Variation of the Dutch Defense is seen occasionally at master level. Black has several ways to meet the Stonewall. One choice which must be made is whether to fianchetto one or both bishops. Another is how to play the pawns in the centre. Black often meets the Stonewall with a ...b6 and ...Ba6 aiming to trade off the dangerous White bishop on d3. Since the Stonewall is used against a variety of Black defenses, the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings has trouble classifying it. Among the codes used are D00 (when Black has played ...d5), A45, and A03, the code for Bird's Opening. |
| Posted by ionadowman uskidscompute.com 9/26/2006 14:35:51 Play online chess | It may depend... Message: If he begins 1.f4, then the From Gambit (1...e5) is going to put a bit of a crimp in White's plans. If White begins 1.d4, you might consider the Benoni: 1.d4 c5. If White takes on c5, there doesn't seem to be much danger in 2.dxc5 Qa5+ 3.Nc3 (say) Qxc5 ... If he advances, 2.d5, just play 2...d6 and go into a King's Indian/Modern Defence set up. At any rate, White can kiss goodbye his chances of setting up a Stonewall... Cheers, Ion |
| Posted by loreta uskidscompute.com 9/26/2006 22:18:28 Play online chess | Good answer, Message: |
| Posted by mattdw uskidscompute.com 9/27/2006 01:44:45 Play online chess | Thanks Masros & Ionadownman Message: Matt |
| Posted by loreta uskidscompute.com 9/27/2006 02:20:29 Play online chess | Do not afraid Message: |
| Posted by ganstaman uskidscompute.com 9/27/2006 08:23:41 Play online chess | expanding on loreta's advice Message: In this situation, when white eventually plays d4, you'll see that he wants a stonewall. You probably shouldn't respond with ...d5, making a symmetrical stonewall. White has created the hole on e4 for you to occupy. In return, he wants the e5 square. If you play ...d6 instead of ...d5, you deny him that square, which is very good for you. |
| Posted by loreta uskidscompute.com 9/27/2006 11:59:18 Play online chess | As ussually Message: |
| Posted by ionadowman uskidscompute.com 9/27/2006 20:14:55 Play online chess | mattdw... Message: But the impression is that you would like to steer the game towards open positions, rather than to go along with the closed or semi-closed positions the Stonewall sets up. Fair enough. Just as it's likely you would be more comfortable with room to move, one who likes the Stonewall might find his agoraphobia coming on with an open game... Cheers, Ion |
| Posted by mattdw uskidscompute.com 9/29/2006 12:11:29 Play online chess | Ta. Message: |
Chess news: The f-pawn, part 5: is this a good position to push forward? -- It it time for black to use his f-pawn as a battering ram? We saw last week that advancing the f-pawn can leave you horribly exposed at the back if the attack stalls. Here Black has removed the knight from f6, clearing the way for the battering ram. Is it wise to advance the pawn to f5? RB When playing against 1 d4 I will often go for a Nimzo-Indian (as in the present chess game) or King's Indian. I have a liking for the kind of kingside attack that can arise – with certain key differences obviously – from both defences. With the centre safely closed, Black has ... Enter the dragon -- David Howell was one move away from a fine victory in the eighth round of the European Individual Chess Championships at Rijeka in Croatia but a blunder on the last move of the time control gave his opponent Laurent Fressinet of France the full point. Howell also nearly won his ninth round game but was just foiled in the endgame. Michael Adams was lucky to hold a draw with the white pieces against Romain Edouard, a young French GM who impressed at Hastings. Adams was close to lost but after a time scramble he emerged a pawn down in a rook ending where all the pawns were on the kingside and ... Can Karpov Be President of Chess Federation? -- The former world chess champion Anatoly Karpov announced on Saturday that he was running for president of the World Chess Federation. Karpov is trying to unseat Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who has been president of the federation (known as FIDE, its initials in French), since 1995. Ilyumzhinov is also the president of Kalmykia, a small Russian republic on the Caspian Sea. The federation president is elected for a five-year term, and there is no limit on how many times he (or she) can be re-elected. Karpov would not be the first ex-champion to serve as FIDE’s president. Max Euwe, the fifth world chess champion (1935-37), led the federation from 1970-78, a period of exceptional ... | |