- Joined
- 03 Sep 03
- Moves
- 87628
Of the 540 games in my database where I was white and I played 1.f4
I have met 1..c5 22 times and have a w/d/l record of: 9/3/10
Game, Winner, White, Black
Game 609031 B tmetzler evanj
Game 759194 B tmetzler cern
Game 822078 B tmetzler no1marauder
Game 883824 B tmetzler Dragofonz
Game 924753 B tmetzler Yozzer
Game 1131569 B tmetzler davaniel
Game 1267076 B tmetzler Tigran Vartanovich
Game 1345448 B tmetzler GauravV
Game 1949943 B tmetzler 39er
Game 2291908 B tmetzler arrakis
Game 701536 D tmetzler paultopia
Game 719792 D tmetzler paultopia
Game 753771 D tmetzler Panuka
Game 815302 W tmetzler Windsor Mike
Game 933467 W tmetzler Rhett
Game 1044146 W tmetzler Parmenion
Game 1064631 W tmetzler oishi
Game 1096727 W tmetzler Red Matrix
Game 1286667 W tmetzler ggoulam
Game 1865332 W tmetzler Drax946
Game 1937833 W tmetzler kcshiker
Game 2013955 W tmetzler Jeronimo
Originally posted by z00tthat game wasn't a really good judge of my skill... i was kinda giddy about finding this site when i was playing that game and didn't really pay attention...
slickhare, I saw one of your games where you did not see a simple attack on F7. I would suggest you look at the threats of your opponent and not rush out with your Queen moves.
Most games at 1200 level end because of overlooking simple threats. Don't worry, with time you will learn to see these things.
Originally posted by cmsMasterIn only my second otb game in the league my opponent opened with that, I took about 10 mins for my first 3 moves which is very slow for me as I usually move very quickly in the opening (75 min game) but as I was new to otb and had never come accross it in CC, I took my time, I responded with D4 and eventually won even though I was outgraded
Yes, I think that experience is a major factor with this opening. Throw 1.f4 at black OTB and watch their face. 😛 Of course, you better know what you're doing when you play it!
Nice game, draws against significantly higher rated opponents are always nice to have! 😀
I rate the Bird, I really do!
As has been pointed out earlier I believe 1..e5 is unsound. Its based on a lot of one move tactics and if you know the correct path its dead easy to come out with a superior position and an extra pawn.
Game 2387493
Game 2581031
The second is a game in progress so no comments please.
Regarding other answers to 1. f4 the hardest to meet for me is 1...c5.
It is all too easy to move into a sicilian (which i am far from familiar with). I usually wait until the d-pawn has comitted to d6 before any e-pawn advance.
I think generally that Bird's is under-rated. Its effectively a Dutch Defence with an extra tempo.
Yes I will admit that you may frequently come into the middlegame with little or no advantage but in this day of highly over-analysed openings with theory 20 moves deep I personally find it quite refreshing to sometimes be "out-of-book" within 2-3 moves (as I was OTB last thursday).
For me it brings some of the fun back into chess rather than remembering those 20 move variations and banging them out over the board.
Originally posted by jonzzzzMy view is that of all the Bird variations its the one where you are least likely to leave the opening with any sort of advantage.
still what i wrong with stone wall revesed exept for the whole on e4
BUT!
If white can effectively control the e4 square AND find a suitable home for his queens bishop he should at least draw barring any blunders.
Its hard to go wrong AGAINST the bird and there are many solid moves as black of which g6 and fianchetto of the bishop is one.
For instance just over a week ago OTB my opponent played e6 and Nf6 and delayed d5 preferring to play more on the queenside with c5. I didnt get anything much from the opening but it was a FUN and different.
However, things to watch out for include a b4 break! There is some theory behind this if black delays c5 for to long and it can get pretty messy very quickly.
The thing to remember is that although Bird's can be dangerous (like any other opening) for me the reason to play it is that its refreshing and different.
Originally posted by TenguPecci totally destroyed Fritz 5 in 2001 with the Bird's opening in a series of impressive, funny-looking games found by the link below. Are his Kside all out attacks sound? I think so - Black is locked out of the Kside. It would be much more difficult to generate counterplay in the center in the Bird than in possibly any other opening in any case.
Its hard to go wrong AGAINST the bird and there are many solid moves as black of which g6 and fianchetto of the bishop is one.
The thing to remember is that although Bird's can be dangerous (like any other opening) for me the reason to play it is that its refreshing and different.
Pecci - Fritz5
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=105395
I guess this could be classified as a Nimzo-Larsen or a Bird, more likely a Bird since f4 is the defining move.
seadevil-Akizy
Game 1577085 Interesting to see that Black was locked out of the Kside, and with no counterplay.
Aronian-Topalov Amber Blindfold 2006
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1401007
And finally - classic! Boris Alterman vs Deep Fritz (Computer)
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1283543
A mighty fine game with the From Gambit...J Muhana vs Yakov Estrin corr-10 WCH 1978
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1293544
Oops...sorry for posting Bird wins, when this thread is supposed to be about defenses. 😳
Larsen-Fischer (Some great defense...)
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044712
Many games here, and good ones, but I was hoping to see more themes, ideas (which I haven't really provided 😏 ). 😕
Positives:
-immediate control over e5 square
-Kside prospects
-avert Sicilian, French theory; definitely surprise value - however 1...c5 not uncommon; I suppose 2. b3 would lead stylistically to the type of game White wants. Less theory to memorize; flexible opening, probably good for blitz - would require more 'positional' knowledge.
-A reversed Dutch, but is there great significance to the extra tempo if 1...d5?
-exciting tactics in From Gambit (though requires much accuracy on White's part), and may transpose to the KG
Bird's Opening not the most popular opening but maybe the Aronian-Topalov game may reverse that?! I suspect the reason for rare appearance of the Bird is due to f4 being regarded as a Kside weakening move...perhaps people do not wish to play down From Gambit or KG lines too. Not many inherent weaknesses in the Bird, and if Black castles Kside, White may attack freely on the Kside (with a smaller chance of retribution), which so many amateurs love to do.
Funnily enough I think the Bird is due for a revival as opening theory for mainlines in 1. e4, 1. d4 and 1. c4 start maxing out at 20-30 moves. People will therefore switch to new opening moves. I mean we are already at a stage where games END without ever leaving home preparation or opening theory!!!!! Crazy!
Its vastly under-rated and while quite a few masters will play the Dutch (inc Alekhine and Morphy in the past!) not many seem to want to play it with the colours reversed.
Paraphrasing from Tim Taylors book regarding that extra tempo: Its becomes more important the sharper the system BLACK chooses. So if Black goes for a hard anti-dutch line for instance they may find themselves short a move at the critical moment.
I think regarding Froms that its inherently unsound. If white is precise it is too easy to enter the late middlegame a pawn up with no compensation for black. Black only does well when white slips up.
Interestingly Tim Taylor recommends 2. e4 when faced with 1...f5. Playing a reveresed From so to speak. Its different and your opponent may not be psychologically prepared for it!
I love Bird's for so many reasons simply because a) I feel comfortable with it and the positions it produces and b) I have never felt comfortable with 1. e4 1. d4 or 1.c4. c) its different and refreshing and d) I play the dutch in response to 1. d4. so there is a lot of positional similarity.
For anyone interesting in playing 1. f4 I recomment the Aves clan and Tim Taylors book "Bird's Opening" which is written by someone with a vast playing history for this opening and clearly loves it.