RHP'ers vs Fritz8: The Game :-)

Bxd2 is it

So its a choice between Qxd2 and Nxd2.

Id favor taking with the queen, it will give the queen more scope and I just dont feel right playing Nxd2 here. We can always play Nc3 with tempo.

Im sure some people will like Nxd2 for reasons, but it doesnt take my fancy :-)

I like Nxd2 over Qxd2. Personally I think after Qxd2 Fritz may move the queen so we can't play Nc3 with a tempo.
The more forcing we can be the better I think.

I also prefer Nxd2. After Qxd2, Black can play a6, forcing the front Knight back to c3. Then we'll probably have to develop the other Knight to a3. I think Nxd2 is more forcing as well and I like the idea of Fritzie responding to our threats.

i like Nxd2 because...

-we get a tempo off fritzie's queenie ... and she's got nothing to do.
- fritzie's queen is out and lonely ... we want our littlies out to bounce that queen around a bit .. our queen can't do that very well.
-we leave c3 free for either a retreating knight, or pawn advance (to stifle the knight on c6).

Game 845365

the only advantage i see of capturing with the queen is ... when fritz tries to crunch the calculations out, and there are two queens in the open, fritz cant see very far ... this is because of the massive number of possible variations just based on pointless queen moves.
we need to keep this in mind as we play on ... keep a massive fog of unimportant variations that burn out fritzies brain.

jus thought i would bring this up ... what about Bf3?

Retaking with the Knight allows us to develop a piece that badly needs developing with tempo. However it puts the N on an unimpressive square and limits the Q's influence. It does leave the Q on the d1h5 diagonal for possible future support of the light B.

Retaking with the Q gives her more scope and allows a later N1c3, a much stronger square for the N, especially in a wide open game like this. In addition this N will support the other N. However it prevents that advanced N from returning to c3 later. This move will also win tempo unless Fritz moves his Q in order to prevent this, which itself will be a waste of tempo unless we give him a chance to move her without wasting a tempo.

Also taking with the N helps bring one of the N's back to the Kingside in case of attack there, though that doesn't seem likely at this time.

I somewhat favor taking with the Q right now.

Originally posted by flexmore

jus thought i would bring this up ... what about Bf3?

Originally posted by Siskin
Bd3 maybe, 8. Bf3 Qe5 loses the b5 knight

Originally posted by flexmore
my thoughts on Bd3: we will still need to eat the bishop on d2 ... this will no longer be done with tempo ... so Nxd2 or Qxd2 simply seems superior.

Originally posted by flexmore
yes!
so the moves seem to be

Qxd2
Nxd2
Bd3

any other sensible ones?
Game 845365

my thoughts on Bd3: we will still need to eat the bishop on d2 ... this will no longer be done with tempo ... so Nxd2 or Qxd2 simply seems superior.

hey grayeyes ... how long do you let fritz think?

Originally posted by flexmore
i like Nxd2 because...

-we get a tempo off fritzie's queenie ... and she's got nothing to do.
- fritzie's queen is out and lonely ... we want our littlies out to bounce that queen around a bit .. our queen can't do that very well.
-we leave c3 free for either a retreating knight, or pawn advance (to stifle the knight on c6).

Game 845365
...[text shortened]... ariations that burn out fritzies brain.

jus thought i would bring this up ... what about Bf3?

Originally posted by Grayeyesofsorrow
I still prefer Qxd2. After a6 we can play N1c3 forcing black to move its queen and then Na3 or Nd4 after the queen moves.

We have to move our queen off the back rank sometime, this just seems the most logical.

After Nd2 im not sure what you are going to do with the knight, f3?

We want everything queenside and develop damn fast and e ...[text shortened]... , where as Nxd2 just cramps our position. You still get the gain of tempo after Nc3 move.

Originally posted by KneverKnight
Bf3 looks interesting, but Bd3 protects the Knight
After the Q moves, we can capture with the other Knight and still have f3 for it later

Originally posted by LittleBear
9. Bf3 Qa4 and black wins.
For 9. Bd3 see my previous post.
The only options are 9. Nxd2 and 9. Qxd2.

EDIT: Siskin already has pointed out that 9. Bf3 loses. Sorry.

Originally posted by Grayeyesofsorrow
Until the rotting machine settles on a move. Its not more than 5 mins.

More food for the mind, specially to the advocates of 9. Qxd2:

http://www.chessarch.com/excavations/000B_blac_stei/ca0024.shtml
http://www.chessarch.com/excavations/000B_blac_stei/ca0026.shtml

In the 4th game of the match, 9. ... a6! (2nd link) was considered an improvement over 9. ... Nf6.

But in my humble opinion, 11. ... b5 is, simple put, a blunder.

(This games were annotated by Blackburne and Steinitz)

Cheers