# 2010 SDMB Chess Championship
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [May 7, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681 "2010-05-07T21:18:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 19
### Author:  [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/361 "2010-07-11T01:57:08Z")
ChessicSense challenged on gameknot!
---
### Author:  [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2010, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/362 "2010-07-11T08:18:55Z")
**garygnu** , I use gameknot. Is that cool?
Also what does ‘due w’ mean? I can play white?
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### Author:  [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2010, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/363 "2010-07-11T08:26:33Z")
So, it’s me and **Ed The Head** then?
Meet you at gameknot **Edward** , or would you prefer the other place?
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### Author:  [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2010, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/364 "2010-07-11T12:18:58Z")
Alrighty fubbleskag! You pick the site, and I’ll … try my best.
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### Author:  [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/365 "2010-07-11T14:37:15Z")
> [@Hamlet](#):
>
> Alrighty fubbleskag! You pick the site, and I’ll … try my best.
I’m fubbleskag on [gameknot.com](http://gameknot.com); and don’t worry, I only won my last game due to a timeout.
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### Author:  [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/366 "2010-07-11T16:17:38Z")
> [@Autolycus](#):
>
> Also what does ‘due w’ mean? I can play white?
It means you have to play White, lest you get 4 blacks and only 1 white in the tournament. Being due colors is breakable only if the person has played everyone in the tournament. You have to pair them against a new person, then give them due colors, then try to arrange them by points.
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### Author:  [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/367 "2010-07-11T21:55:31Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#):
>
> So, it’s me and **Ed The Head** then?
>
> Meet you at gameknot **Edward** , or would you prefer the other place?
I can’t play at gameknot, they kicked me off for having an ad blocker. I can’t play without paying. We have one at [chess.com](http://chess.com), but I’m white. We can start another game if you want.
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### Author:  [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/368 "2010-07-12T02:00:26Z")
> [@Autolycus](#):
>
> **garygnu** , I use gameknot. Is that cool?
>
> Also what does ‘due w’ mean? I can play white?
Sure, I’m “garygnu” there.
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### Author:  [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/369 "2010-07-12T17:03:06Z")
Looks like **Maserschmidt** and I will be playing a mainline Slav.
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### Author:  [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/370 "2010-07-12T18:24:54Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#):
>
> I can’t play at gameknot, they kicked me off for having an ad blocker. I can’t play without paying. We have one at [chess.com](http://chess.com), but I’m white. We can start another game if you want.
If it doesn’t matter, we’ll continue as is. Otherwise, challenge me as black and we’ll play the current one as a friendly.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/371 "2010-07-12T21:46:06Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#):
>
> Looks like **Maserschmidt** and I will be playing a mainline Slav.
Any bets on yet another 67-mover, then? 😃
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### Author:  [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/372 "2010-07-12T22:06:55Z")
> [@fubbleskag](#):
>
> I’m fubbleskag on [gameknot.com](http://gameknot.com); and don’t worry, I only won my last game due to a timeout.
At least you haven’t handed you Queen to an opponent. I’ve challenged you on gameknot. I believe you’re to be white. Good Luck.
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### Author:  [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/373 "2010-07-13T01:42:37Z")
Peek, I just challeneged you on gameknot.
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/374 "2010-07-13T20:02:59Z")
Like I said, I’m really feeling sheepish… 🙂
Game to **Malacandra** , I had to give up when I’m already a piece behind and the best ideas for attack belong to your opponent.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/375 "2010-07-13T20:23:57Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#):
>
> Like I said, I’m really feeling sheepish.. 🙂
>
> Game to **Malacandra** , I had to give up when I’m already a piece behind and the best ideas for attack belong to your opponent.
Spoken like a gentleman. That was a nasty [trap](http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=40225557#)you fell into although if you’d spotted the danger and castled on move 8 instead of thinking you were winning a pawn, I think my position was perfectly satisfactory - so 8. 0-0 by me wasn’t _just_ a trap pure and simple.
After seeing you hold **Maserschmidt** to a draw, I certainly wasn’t expecting anything so Hobbesian. If it’s any comfort, I’ve lost just as badly in my time, and even **Chessic Sense** carelessly left a mate in one on the board against a much weaker player only the other day. But at this place and time, that may be small consolation. This is where we adjourn to the clubhouse and get the seat near the TV. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/376 "2010-07-15T21:57:29Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#):
>
> Like I said, I’m really feeling sheepish.. 🙂
>
> Game to **Malacandra** , I had to give up when I’m already a piece behind and the best ideas for attack belong to your opponent.
**GIGO** , I’m not sure what that opening was. Playing 2…e6 wasn’t _exactly_ wrong, because it shows up in a lot of main lines that lead to Scheveningen structures, but you could have done better. What really made it an error was pushing e6-e5. If you were going to go for the Sveshnikov structure, you really have to play e7-e5 in one move because Black is already behind in tempo. The Svesh is one of those lines where just ONE extra move by Black would yield an impossible advantage to him, so you can’t afford to give White yet another tempi.
After 5. Nf3, Black’s main problem is that huge, gaping, weak square known as d5. I say that dramatically because if you’re to be a successful Sicilian player, you need to respect the power of d5. Your move order left it a bleeding, infected wound in Black’s setup. White’s moves 6-10 leap right on that like a lion on a gazelle.
THAT, my friend, was your major undoing. Without that hole, you losing a piece doesn’t happen. Even if you hadn’t snatched the pawn, that weakness is permanent and would have won White material eventually anyway.
So next time, mitigate the “piece to d5” threat and don’t surrender a tempo with e7-e6-e5.
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### Author:  [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/377 "2010-07-15T22:40:05Z")
Oh geez louise, sorry **garygnu** , I forgot all about this tournament. I’ll challenge you tonight.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/378 "2010-07-17T14:46:00Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#):
>
> **GIGO** , I’m not sure what that opening was. Playing 2…e6 wasn’t _exactly_ wrong, because it shows up in a lot of main lines that lead to Scheveningen structures, but you could have done better. What really made it an error was pushing e6-e5. If you were going to go for the Sveshnikov structure, you really have to play e7-e5 in one move because Black is already behind in tempo. The Svesh is one of those lines where just ONE extra move by Black would yield an impossible advantage to him, so you can’t afford to give White yet another tempi.
>
> After 5. Nf3, Black’s main problem is that huge, gaping, weak square known as d5. I say that dramatically because if you’re to be a successful Sicilian player, you need to respect the power of d5. Your move order left it a bleeding, infected wound in Black’s setup. White’s moves 6-10 leap right on that like a lion on a gazelle.
>
> THAT, my friend, was your major undoing. Without that hole, you losing a piece doesn’t happen. Even if you hadn’t snatched the pawn, that weakness is permanent and would have won White material eventually anyway.
>
> So next time, mitigate the “piece to d5” threat and don’t surrender a tempo with e7-e6-e5.
Yes to all. There are some good Sicilian systems where Black plays …e5, such as the [Boleslavsky](http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessopening?eco=B59) - the man himself found it quite a potent weapon - and others, even the forthright [Pelikan](http://www.chess.com/article/view/the-sicilian-pelikan-a-blast-from-the-past-ii2) system. But they all have as a precursor that you shouldn’t waste a move playing …e6 first.
There’s nothing wrong with the …e6 Sicilian either. Many players like the Dragon, putting their bishop on g7 after making way with …g6, but the Dragon’s not the only game in town and there are [lots](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Defence#2...e6_3.d4_cxd4_4.Nxd4) of lines that don’t put the Bishop there.
This may seem like a lot of book learning, but at lower levels you will do fine without. Just remember that as a rule if you want a pawn to advance two squares then don’t push it one square at a time unless you gain something tangible by so doing. 2. … e6 did nothing for you given that you followed up with 4. … e5.
As **Chessic** says, my basic plan is simplicity itself: keep you from playing …d5 and line up a lot of crap against your helpless d-pawn. Managing to sucker you into a trap was a side benefit - the point is that not only am I threatening to win a pawn a number of moves down the line but I will make you inconvenience yourself hugely trying to make a fight for it, which is likely to cause further weaknesses.
In the final position, as you rightly say, I’m the one making all the running - Ba3 is only one of the obvious threats as your Rook is tied to f7 on pain of mate. There are plenty of others. To make matters worse, I don’t even have to fear …e4 as if you take my Knight on f3, your King is going to have to explain himself to a Rook on the open file (and that’s _after_ you’ve dealt with the threat of Ba3). I don’t think you lost much by resigning. 🙂
How’s everyone else doing? Is **peekercpa** planning on turning up?
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### Author:  [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/379 "2010-07-17T14:55:03Z")
I’m not sure what happened to Peeker. I sent him a PM here a couple of days ago as a reminder but I haven’t heard back from him.
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### Author:  [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-sdmb-chess-championship/538681/380 "2010-07-17T16:47:11Z")
> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> How’s everyone else doing? Is **peekercpa** planning on turning up?
**Maser** and I are still developing our pieces. It could go in a number of directions at this point, but I think I’ve got the best of it so far. I just have to be careful and not blunder into any material-losing tactics.
[Here.](http://gameknot.com/chess.pl?bd=14184781&rnd=83587)
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