GameKnot: GameKnot related, suggestion for tournament start-up positions

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GameKnot related: suggestion for tournament start-up positions

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flatlander
24-Feb-11, 16:40

suggestion for tournament start-up positions

How about allowing tournaments where there can be one start-up position for white and a second start-up position for black? So that, if you're really interested in playing the black side of the Sicilian, for example, but have no interest in playing the white side, you aren't locked in to playing half your games on what feels like the wrong side of the board.

perdurabo
25-Feb-11, 15:02

While I have no problem at all with having this option available for players who want it, I would not play in such a tournament myself.

Reasons:
1) If I want to explore an opening I want to get a feel for it from both sides. Even if only one side is of practical relevance to me, it will help me to develope a better feel for the weaknesses and such. You know, the key squares that are of great importance and the general positional ideas.
2) Some openings, while still perfectly within theory and book moves, are quite favorable to either black or white (example: the Muzio Gambit). So it seems only fair to play the same position once with white and once with black to keep the overall chances equal for both players.
3) I actually enjoy trying out a new opening once in awhile, even if I know I'm probably never gonna use it in "real" otb chess and even if I don't like the opening much (like the Caro Kann for instance; I hate the positions you get playing it, and yet I toy around with it every now and then). This is to help me against playing openings too automatic and not thinking enough (which happens to me, if I always stick to my favorite opening systems) and to develope a somewhat better understanding of chess (at least that's what I hope).

sccadams
25-Feb-11, 17:21

Also

For someone to play the black side of an opening, somebody has to play the white side.

flatlander
26-Feb-11, 05:59

In response to sccadams -- I take your point. This idea doesn't work for tournaments as they are currently structured on gameknot. What I'm suggesting would be more of a team match situation. There would always be an even number of players involved. Half the players would sign up to play, let's say, the English, 1c4 e5, from the white side and the Sicilian, 1e4 c5, from the black side. The other half of the players would sign up to do the opposite. You would never play someone on your "team."

Probably it's a bit too complicated to actually work -- just an idea.

flatlander
26-Feb-11, 06:21

In response to perdurabo -- we basically agree that it would be okay to have this option available.

As to perdurabo's three reasons for not playing in such an event:

1) Sure, many players want to study an opening from both sides. What I'm suggesting would be best for players with limited time to study openings and for beginners -- for instance, a young player who is devoted to 1e4, let's say, as white, but who is trying to figure out what to do as black when his or her opponent plays 1d4, etc.

2) This is a good point. When I made the suggestion I was thinking of something like playing the white side of the English (Reversed Sicilian) 1 c4 e5 and the black side of the Sicilian 1e4 c5. Two options that would be balanced and somewhat connected. If a highly unbalanced set of starting positions were proposed, it would be up to gameknot members to avoid that event -- or to enter at their own risk.

3) Don't see how this suggestion prevents anyone from trying out a new opening.

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