TL Chess Match 4 - Page 35

Standard move in this situation.

I think the positional soundness of 5.O-O would suit my personal play style (and is what I usually go for in similar positions). When followed by 5...Nxe4, I would follow 6.Qe2, with d4 and Re1 soon to follow.

That being said, we're playing a team game here with a lot of brain power on our side, and tactics are going to be our friend. Also, I would like to look into something I personally would feel uncomfortable playing (for very selfish reasons). 5.d4 is aggressive and dynamic, and has a much higher opportunity to result in very sharp play that will be to our benefit, imo. I think the reasons presented for both are compelling and either position is sound enough for a good game.

standard, and solid.

GUYS GUYS GUYS


OK so this was a good move on 4, and i'll be damned if we don't goddamn fucking castle now that we have the chance. TIME IS SHORT GENTLEMEN AND WE NEED TO DO THIS EARLY. i'm like totally serious. Most people who voted for 4. c3 were like "we'll just castle next move, no need to be safe right away"

well, it's already next move, so it's time to castle. If you don't castle, elly the esports elephant will cry. this is literally true.

YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE ELLY CRY

Ok so tactics are gonna be our friend, right? well, i'm tactically saying we need to castle. Sharp play is great but making the RIGHT MOVE and castling is even better-- cause we need to castle. I think this much should be clear. Just because we are many and he is few doesn't mean we should shoot ourselves in the proverbial e-foots (e-feet? e-feets?) here. Let's go for O-O and like, not get into a huge positional disadvantage just because we think we can think our way out of it?

I find 5.d4 + whatever moves are reasonable a very ugly position compared to 5.0-0 0-0 6.d4 . Most of it is instinctive, part of it is that 0-0 is standard in this position probably for a reason. Also all the lines that people analyzed after 5.d4 seemed worse for white than lines after 5.0-0. Sorry that I do not have any hard analysis, but I find it too soon into the game to be analyzing too much I would stress one thing someone already posted, 5.0-0 is more developing move that keeps control in our hands. After 5.d4 we may be forced into some ugly exchanges/lines that black initiates and thus we give him more control over the future course of the game then we need or want to.

In summary 5.0-0 keeps us in control and develops well and we will play d4 next move anyway with already somewhat active rook, giving us more aggressive possibilities.

Seems you did not really read what was people's motivation for 4.c3. There were many. One was to control d4, for example to prevent Nd4. Other (mine) was that after 4.c3 black can play f5, which he won't do after 4.0-0. The 4.c3 prepares d4, does not mean we have to play it immediately as playing 5.d4 again has different consequences than 5.0-0 0-0 6.d4 . In my opinion which I already posted somewhere is that 5.0-0 keeps us more in control of the game and instead of going quick exchange route gives us one more semi-active piece we can use to pressure the black. Also after 5.d4 there in most likelihood will be no castling on 6. as we will be in bound to some exchange line.

Also calling people zombies, because they chose against your wishes in a situation where neither move has any superiority that can be demonstrated is really classy.

if he tries to take our pawn with the knight then we can just trap with Rook to e1, no need to trap twice.

I've read every bit of this thread, and I question if you have given your hostility at the end of your post. Nd4 could have been sticky, sure, but the main reasoning in most arguments was to prepare for d4 immediately after, most of them even say this. 5. d4 easily allows for 6. 0-0 because he will not give up his bishop or his e-file pawn.

As far as claiming I'm not classy because of a joke about "zombies" is pretty silly as well. I simply meant the mass of people posting c3 with no spoiler attached, or the word "standard" in spoiler, was just a joke, perhaps you're taking this a little too serious.

I think you're missing the point where after 5. d4 we might not have time for 6. 0-0 because you don't know what black may do. He could keep the tension and we may have time to play 6. 0-0, or if he chooses to exchange, then we're forced to go down a different line which doesn't allow us to easily castle.

No, I totally agree. I just voted for d4 hoping to put the pressure back on him versus letting him play any out of the ordinary tactics. There is nothing wrong with castling here, I'd never argue against it. I even tried to make a strong case for it on move 4, I'll be fine with whatever move wins here as it's obviously d4 or 0-0, we're in great position either way.

I'd prefer 0-0 due to the pressing, urgent need to castle that we currently have. What if 6. 0-0 isn't a possibility because he gets all up in our business? We should castle right away.

Hostility was just reciprocity as your post "sounded" definitely more hostile than joking. As for the rest let's leave it be as I do not really want to go back and count how many people said exactly what and compare the numbers on both sides of the 4.0-0 vs 4.c3 divide.

I think that castling is the tactically sound move here. Even though it hands him back the initiative, so to speak, it's important that we make this move now while we have the chance. We control d4 already with c3, we can play d4 later if we want... but we need to castle ASAP.

castle

My thoughts.

The only reason I wouldn't have castled last move was our position after 4...Nd4 is a bad one. And while 5. d4 is perfectly playable and indeed may even be objectively better, it is, in general, more difficult to play accurately in large group voting, and so I would rather take the more solid position than the more aggressive/risky one.