English Chess Forum

Yes, I know it was an exhibition game, however, who else in the 80s or 90s had the white pieces against Kasparov and then decided to move their King to f3, then to e3 in the opening with the queens still on the board and win!!!!! Can we put him down as Kasparov's most courageous opponent ever by a country mile? Who else rode their luck like that in the opening against him? Here's the game? Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like a bad idea to me to be playing the world champion and try to put your king in the centre of the board with the queens still on in the opening!!

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessga ... 124&comp=1

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 26, 2025 2:58 pm

Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like a bad idea to me to be playing the world champion and try to put your king in the centre of the board with the queens still on in the opening

Murray had a repuation as being well prepared with a good knowledge of theory. The line had already been played a few times by 1985.

Today engines seem to assess the position at move 13 as a little better for White.

It remains popular at all levels, with White generally doing well. One recent example

https://old.chesstempo.com/gamedb/game/5332463/ply/25

But to play it against Kasparov. That's brave!

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 26, 2025 5:40 pm

But to play it against Kasparov. That's brave!

More like nothing to loose It's in the same spirit of Tony Miles upsetting Karpov with the St George (he also beat Karpov with the black pieces playing a really off-beat caro kann allowing his pawn structure to be wrecked, on another occasion). No one expects them to win, may as well go for it, try to surprise them and hope for the best.

That line of the Caro Kann you mention (4....Nf6 5 Nf6+ gf6!?) was considered semi-respectable at the time, having been brought from obscurity by the likes of Bronstein and Larsen in the previous decade to when Miles played it in 1983. So not quite as outrageous as 1 e4 a6 really.

It does seem to be under a bit of a theoretical cloud at present, however.

Jon Mahony wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 26, 2025 5:50 pm

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 26, 2025 5:40 pm

But to play it against Kasparov. That's brave!

More like nothing to loose It's in the same spirit of Tony Miles upsetting Karpov with the St George (he also beat Karpov with the black pieces playing a really off-beat caro kann allowing his pawn structure to be wrecked, on another occasion). No one expects them to win, may as well go for it, try to surprise them and hope for the best.

Fair point but Karpov was not the only world champion whose name began with the letter K, was Russian and lost to and Englishman playing the St. Georges Defence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpQRzMLa0PQ

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 26, 2025 5:40 pm

But to play it against Kasparov. That's brave!

I find it hard enough playing against stronger opponents without timidly avoiding moves which I believe to be best.

By your logic, the really brave move was 6.Nxc6, after which the white king is destined for f3.

Yeah sure, but how many were happy to put their king on f3 in the opening against Kasparov? Not many. That's bravery to me.

Just to be clear, which alternative move do you believe Chandler might have played had he been less brave?

Not so much the moves but the approach as a whole. What other opening lione sees white putting his king on fe and e3 in the opening. It looked like how Steiniz used to play but if it was deeemed theoretecially sound them I am, to some degree unjusitified.

But since Karpov and Kasparov lost to the St. Georges Defence. How comes we dont see it a bit more if it can topple those two?

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 27, 2025 1:06 pm

What other opening lione sees white putting his king on fe and e3 in the opening.

There's a rare line in the Four Knights which runs

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Nxe5 Qe7 6. f4 Nxb5 7. Nxb5 d6 8. Nf3 Qxe4 9. Kf2 Ng4 10. Kg3

It may however be in Black's favour with correct tactical play.

The line that Chandler tried has long been considered playable despite its unusual appearance.

I doubt if Kasparov was actually that shocked by it, or indeed that it was a significant reason for his defeat.

So in the opening we can go as far as the third rank with the king but not the forth like Tolusch once did in the Soviet Championships, which also involved sacrificing his entire queenside as well. Sorry don't have my books with me to state the year or opponent. It's well accounted for in Cafferties Soviet Chess Championships.

There is an early game of Karpov's (he was White against the gone too soon Alexander Zaitsev) where he marched his king to the actual centre of the board (d4/e4) but somehow lived to tell the tale.