"Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you." - Arnold Palmer

Wednesday 22 February 2012

4NCL: A Game From Match Pandora's Box Grantham vs Cambridge University

Chris Ross - Pandora's Box Grantham Chess Team player - has sent me his interesting game from the last match against Cambridge University. 

In his e-mail he wrote: 


"An instructive game from the recent weekend of the 4NCL.
Nevil Chan is a top guy, who plays slightly off-beat lines in the openings. Having prepped him for the match, I had the intriguing question on how to exploit his rather unorthodox opening repertoire.

Studying his games, I learned that he particularly liked developing his knights before the pawn structure was determined. Somewhat like in an Alekhine’s or Two-Knight Tango method. A dance of the knights, as it were.

Now, one of the main points of playing a rather unorthodox opening is to take the position into muddy waters, create complications and open up the opportunities for obscure tactics. How then, am I to set out to refute such aspirations?
Some data-base research, extensive theory-checking, a deal of careful consideration and my decision was made.
In the reality, so surprised was my opponent on move 5, that it took nearly 5 minutes over his practically forced reply. After my 6th move, he considered for 53 minutes!!
Being nearly an hour down on the clock, this did make his defence later on in the game rather difficult and when he eventually resigned, he had about 30 seconds to make the time control, which he would never have achieved, naturally.

Enjoy."

I think this is a brilliant description and now have a look at this game.


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