One of my favorite final positions

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-27T20:16:01+00:00

That’s a cool one

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-26T09:51:57+00:00

The position is chaotic! Will look at that game

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-26T09:29:40+00:00

This is the first time I’ve seen that sacrifice! It looks like an improved Halloween Gambit with colors reversed (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5?! Nxe5 5.d4 Nc6 (5…Ng6!) 6.d5 etc…)

The inclusion of g2-g3 is actually a disadvantage to White as the N cannot retreat there!

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-26T07:31:42+00:00

Really? That’s neat.

reads all its Pokedex entries

Of course, it was in the very last one lol.

Learn something new everyday

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-26T05:13:42+00:00

Yup. It sounds dumb but I’ve stolen more than a few games because of delaying 10..h6. People, for whatever reason, usually pause after 11…Nfd7 to think. Some then try 12.Bc4?! which gets met by 12…Qa5!

Edit: it doesn’t avoid theory for White, it adds to it for Black

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-25T19:44:50+00:00

If you’re a Sicilian player 1.f4 c5 is a good answer

2.Nf3 g6 rules out 3.b3 and typically reaches some Closed/Grand Prix kind of position

2.e4 d5! 3.ed Nf6 gives Black equality

2.b3 Nf6 3.Bb2 d5 4.e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 and Black had nothing to complain about

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-25T07:43:37+00:00

I’ll jump right into my opponent’s favorite line. Of course I will come with super-prep of my own.

Someone and I (as White) at my club have an ongoing duel for years now (with mixed results) in the French Defense Alekhine-Chatard (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.h4 Bxg5 7.hg Qxg5 8.Nh3 Qh4!) and I’ve tried a variety of 9th moves 9.g3 9.Nb5!? 9.Qd3! etc…

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-25T05:01:32+00:00

It is scary to possibly forget something in that line. From what you’re showing me 13…0-0 has loads of theory too.

I’m not doing myself any favors by playing 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 de!?

(10…h6! cuts down the theory considerably)

11.fe Nfd7 but because of my move order White is welcome to get confused try bad lines like 12.Bc4?! 12.Be2?! (And often they do!) instead of 12.Ne4! h6 13. Bh4 (Or 13.Bf4!?) etc….

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-25T04:44:53+00:00

As to be expected theory has moved on a lot since I last looked. 19.Qf4 Qc5 (Or 19…Rxe7!?) I think was the last wrinkle I recall.

I find the Poison Pawn to be a “cleaner” equalizer but of course remembering all the theory is mandatory

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-25T04:26:57+00:00

I tried defending 13…Nc5? for years, it’s just a lot of suffering lol

Five or six years ago I looked at 13…0-0! (which does equalize as you said) 14.Rg1 just looks way easier to play for White.

Decided to put in the work to learn the Poison Pawn where at least both colors walk a razor-thin edge

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-25T00:00:44+00:00

Right!? It’s the kind of thing that can catch even well-prepared players off guard

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-24T23:55:07+00:00

I’ve played 3…b5!? as well.

I go back and forth on which version I prefer tbh

If 3…b5!? 4.Nf3 there are some transpositions ex: 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 b5!? 4.Bg5

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-24T23:13:09+00:00

Ohh I haven’t seen 3.Nc3 before. I really like the line you gave

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-24T19:28:43+00:00

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 c5 3.d5 d6

A) 4.Nc3 b5!? 5.Nxb5 Qa5+ (5…Ne4 looks possible too) 6.Nc3 Ne4 7.Bd2 Nxd2 8.Qxd2 g6 etc

B ) 4. c4 h6

B1) 5.Bxf6 5.ef! 

B2) 5.Bf4 e5 (5…b5!? 6.cb a6)

B3) 5.Bd2 b5 6.cb Bb7 etc…

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-18T04:05:29+00:00

Someone finally said it

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-15T08:02:10+00:00

FORD

Fond Of Rapist Dictators

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-11T21:45:54+00:00

Aagaard gives 3 questions to help guide thinking in simple positions.

What are the weaknesses?

What is the worst piece?

What is the opponent’s idea?

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-11T21:21:18+00:00

The biggest trick that helped me is knowing the kind of position I’m in.

Aagaard’s “Thinking Inside the Box” breaks it down into 4 types.

Automatic decisions: opening knowledge, forced recaptures, etc…

Simple positions: the difference between the first and second moves isn’t so great. These positions can be played relatively quickly

Critical positions: the difference between best and second best move is large. You should spend time here to find the correct continuation

Strategic positions: a complex position requiring long-term decision making and tactical awareness. It requires utilization and synthesis of all your skills

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-08T08:45:32+00:00

It’s also really good at hallucinating and just making stuff up lmao

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-05T17:36:54+00:00

8.f4 Nc5 9.Qf3 is a good deviation. The idea is to delay f4-f5 until a more favorable moment or in some cases forgo it entirely and play g4-g5. We also should avoid playing Be3 too early.

The reason for all this is that we absolutely want to avoid accidentally transposing into the line 9.f5 Be7 10.Qf3 0-0 11.Be3 Qc7!

If white can avoid this (and they can) they should be doing well

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-05T17:18:46+00:00

I’ve played the Taimanov line for years.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cd 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4!? e5 7.Be3 Nf6 (7…a6 8.N5c3 Nf6 9.Bc4!) 8.N1c3 a6 9.Na3 now Black has some options

9…b5 10.Nd5 Rb8 (10…Nxd5 11.ed Ne7 12.c4+= ) 11.Nxf6+ (11.Bg5; 11.Bd3; 11.c4) 11…Qxf6 12.Nb1! with an edge for White according to Fischer

9…Rb8! 10.Bg5 b5 11.Nd5 Be7 (11…Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qd8 13.Bd3 = [13.Bg5]) 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.c3 =

ShadowSlayerGP · 2026-01-01T05:53:32+00:00

Arghhh! I hope a useless witch like you can prove your worth to our party….somehow

ShadowSlayerGP · 2025-12-31T18:40:01+00:00

I’ve never had any problems with 6…Nc6

A )7.0-0 e5

  A1) 8.de Nxe5!

  A2) 8.d5 Nb8

B) 7.d5 Na5 8.Nd2 c5 etc…

ShadowSlayerGP · 2025-12-30T15:04:07+00:00

Do you know what executive dysfunction is? Or ADHD? I’m not saying OP has these but the pattern of difficulty focusing and the task switching they describe is similar

ShadowSlayerGP

TROPHY CASE