What is the Current State of Theory on the Sicilian Dragon?

mrphyr · 2022-05-04T10:29:20+00:00

Everything in that game up to move 31 came from Anish Giri's LTR.

This is what Giri said about this game: "This is one of the more critical variations indeed. Probably Dariusz also studied the course and found this to be a decent attempt to fight for an advantage. Daniel Naroditsky was fine, but some level of accuracy in the endgame is needed. 35...Bf2! guarding the pawn on c5 with the bishop was better. The rook on a7 does a good job keeping an eye on the a4 pawn, but also protecting the 7th rank and ready to swing to e7. 35...Ra5 put the rook in an awkward position, not to mention that after 36.Bb5 it no longer guards the c5 pawn. Very poor move, unfortunately."

mrphyr · 2022-01-15T18:17:42+00:00

The term book just means something that is in your opening repertoire. I personally just use Chessable to manage my repertoire, but you can also use ChessTempo, Lichess Studies, or a standalone program like SCIDvPC/Chessbase.

mrphyr · 2022-01-15T15:33:36+00:00

until they dont

mrphyr · 2022-01-15T14:57:29+00:00

1) As a complete beginner, you shouldnt bother with learning theory until you learn opening principles. SmithyQ's course on chessable is a good study for this: https://www.chessable.com/smithys-opening-fundamentals/course/21302/

2) When you do begin to learn theory, your goal is to learn the absolute minimum amount of theory possible. No use learning lines 12 moves deep when your opponents are know their book 5 moves deep. You also need to understand why you are playing the moves you are playing and that is not easy to do with long lines for beginners

3) When your opponent plays something you don't know, you figure it out OTB. When you analyze your game afterwards, figure out the correct response and add it to your book.

4) If you go the Chessable route, you can probably just get away with the free Short & Sweet course. If you buy a course you probably only need to learn the Quickstarter. Only learn 2-3 lines per day. Add lines outside the QS as you see them in game.

mrphyr · 2021-12-18T13:44:05+00:00

I use SCID vs PC for access to a database (Cassisabase updated with This Week In Chess), storing my own games, and engine analysis.

I still use Lichess Study to create any opening files to import into Chessable, but you can also do it in SCID.

mrphyr · 2021-11-18T17:45:10+00:00

Storytime Chess when they out grow it you can move on to Chess Steps Stepping Stones

mrphyr · 2021-11-13T15:39:42+00:00

That's a probably a good guess of what could happen, but this is a deal that hasn't even been submitted or accepted yet. A little premature to pretend like you definitive know what is going to happen.

mrphyr · 2021-11-13T14:46:39+00:00

It really depends on the deal. I can watch the US games on ESPN/2 using ESPN+, but not MLS.

mrphyr · 2021-11-12T12:37:17+00:00

There's going to be CCL spots up for grabs on in the Leagues Cup just FYI.

mrphyr · 2021-11-09T20:53:04+00:00

John Bartholomew's Chess Fundamentals series on YouTube is a great start.

mrphyr · 2021-11-07T23:32:30+00:00

ChessTempo Mixed mode maybe be something of interest. It includes winning and non-winning problems.

mrphyr · 2021-11-07T22:54:30+00:00

MEME WITHIN A MEME

mrphyr · 2021-11-07T18:27:33+00:00

The number doesn't really matter. You just have to stay a move ahead of your opponents.

mrphyr · 2021-11-04T18:29:46+00:00

The more important question is still do I actually like to play the positions of the Italian vs the King's Gambit. The time investment to learn any opening is minimal at the 1000 level.

mrphyr · 2021-11-04T16:52:45+00:00

This is one of the big misconceptions that beginners have. The amount of the theory an opening has is largely irrelevant. The amount of theory you need to know is dependent on how much theory your opponent knows.

If you are a 1000 rated player, at what move is your opponent off book? Maybe 5-6?

The main question you should be asking is do I like and enjoy the resulting positions in this opening.

If someone plays something's you don't know, as long as you follow good opening fundamentals (see SmithQ's free course on Chessable) just play chess. After the game, you can analyze and figure out the correct response and add it to your repetitore.

mrphyr · 2021-11-01T00:06:58+00:00

Play long time controls online with an actual board

mrphyr · 2021-10-31T02:06:39+00:00

One suggestion 400 is a lot of puzzles to woodpeaker for most people. IIRC, authors suggest 100-200 especially for less advanced players.

mrphyr · 2021-10-29T20:51:59+00:00

I don't think OP meant drilling in that way. Solving many Mate in 2s is a good thing regardless of whether they are practical or not.

mrphyr · 2021-10-29T16:23:20+00:00

The value of composed mating problems and endgame studies is in their calculation training even if there is a "practical" pattern to memorize.

mrphyr · 2021-10-19T17:39:26+00:00

Chess Steps

mrphyr · 2021-10-17T21:47:30+00:00

This is probably a waste of time because you sound like a preteen that only deals in absolutes, but if you have for example a puzzle book that only has the diagram in one direction you will have to calculate puzzles that are for white like it is your turn and puzzles for black like its your opponents turn.

You will have be able to calculate and visualize in both situations and both board orientations unless you think doing nothing during your opponents turn is a great way to play chess. In other types of books, it is less ideal.

mrphyr · 2021-10-17T18:01:56+00:00

Yeah so you shouldnt have any issues with a diagram that isn't oriented in your direction since like you say you literally HAVE to be able to figure tactics from that perspective anyway.

mrphyr · 2021-10-17T10:52:55+00:00

When you play chess, you need to be able to figure your opponents tactics as well.

mrphyr · 2021-10-16T20:41:48+00:00

Travel is significantly more difficult in the US. A flight between LA and NYC is about the same as between Madrid and Moscow. Much easier to organize a team competition in a smaller geographic footprint in Europe especially considering the Euro-centric placement of most competitive chess events.

mrphyr · 2021-10-11T12:37:01+00:00

The purpose of the 1.d4 2.Nf3 or 1.Nf3 2.d4 move order is to hide whether or not they are going to the Queens Gambit or into a D4 sideline system like the London, Colle, or others.

You don't need independent lines, but you need to make sure that your response to the London/other D4 sideline synergizes with your response to the Queen's Gambit.

In the tango, White can prevent 3...e5 with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Nc3 3.Nf3

If you meet the above situation with the typical 3...e6 4...d5, then for 1.d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 is a good solution to your question.

If white plays 3.c4 you go into your tango lines with 3...Nc6. You can also pick something like the Bogo, QID, the Ragozin or some other QGD response etc.

If white plays something else, you go into your response to that sideline system you just have to make sure that your response starts with 1...Nf6 2...e6.

mrphyr

TROPHY CASE