Caissa's corner

81 posts / 0 new

Wed, 2012-10-03 13:58

Catchfire

Caissa's corner

So, since my chess metaphor in this thread backfired to the point that Caissa called my bluff and pretty much demanded I play him a real match, I moved the mail-order chess to PM only to be told, with great audacity, that I should open a publicly thread like this one for chess. I can only presume this is to move my imminent beating to a public place in order to humiliate and defame me unjustly.

In order to protect my reputation, heretofore unimpeachable and on which my entire livelihood depends, I reserve the right to unlimited mulligans and occasionally to dismantling Caissa's desk and chair to look for hidden Soviet-era spying technologies.

Anyway, here's the game so far, Caissa - Catchfire, Oct 2012. Caro Kann main line.

1. e4 c6
2. d4 d5
3. Nc3 dxe4
4. Nxe4

Catchfire plays:

4. ... Bf5

Please limit your kibbutzing to giving Catchfire hot tips.

Wed, 2012-10-03 14:06

oldgoat

You next best move is to slowly lay down your king, and sniffle a bit.

Or, you can point in a direction to the rear of Caissa, scream in horror, and rearrange the board while he is presumably distracted. I fear however, others may have tried this on him before.

Wed, 2012-10-03 14:39

Boom Boom

Try the old switcheroo.

Thu, 2012-10-04 10:42

Caissa

5. NG3

I presume chess engines are not permissible.

Thu, 2012-10-04 11:41

Catchfire

5. ... Bg6

No chess engines! Unless you think you'll need one...

(Thanks for the tips dudes. I may rely on hem later.)

Thu, 2012-10-04 12:02

Caissa

6. h4

The goddess of chess hardly needs a chess engine.

Thu, 2012-10-04 13:16

Catchfire

6. ... h6

That's a fair point.

Thu, 2012-10-04 13:51

Caissa

7. Nf3

Thu, 2012-10-04 14:21

Catchfire

7. ... Nf6

Thu, 2012-10-04 14:26

#10

Caissa

ahh, Catchfire deviates from book.

Thu, 2012-10-04 14:34

#11

Catchfire

I did? This is the line I remember. What's "the book"? Nd7 first? I also remember white's h5 coming sooner though.

Thu, 2012-10-04 14:37

#12

Caissa

Correct. 8. h5

Thu, 2012-10-04 18:31

#13

Catchfire

There it is. 8. ...Bh7

Btw, I should mention that at least 4 out of 5 times I play the CK at my level I get the advance variation.

Fri, 2012-10-05 03:37

#14

ikosmos

Joe Gallagher has this line with 7... Nf6 in his 2002 book "Starting Out in the Caro-Kann". (pp. 33-46) The main thing seems to be that Black must be cautious in dealing with Ne5/Bc4/Qe2 by White.

A more recent Caro-Kann author, Jovanka Houska, says that she is not a fan of 7...Nf6.

Fri, 2012-10-05 07:27

#15

Caissa

I play the Caro-Kann as Black Catchfire and usually meet the advance version. In Blitz one of my buddies will often play 2.f4 against me. Since I am comfortable playing against the aAdvance Variation I'm probably a little reticient to play it as white. Karpoov and Beliavsky in their book on the Caro-Kann only examine 7...Nd7

9. Nf3

Fri, 2012-10-05 23:05

#16

Catchfire

Your knight is already on f3, your godship.

Wed, 2012-10-10 07:09

#17

Caissa

OOPS!!! Somebody messing with the chess set in my office. I'll need to keep a written recordsoon, I fear.

Just returned from a 4 day weeekend. 9. Bc4

Wed, 2012-10-10 17:33

#18

Catchfire

No worries. It gave me time to run this position through four different computer engines. Unfortunately, they were all programmed for Connect Four.

9. ... Nd7

I also feel fairly comfortable against the Advance variation where I like to play Qb6 early to add some decent pressure queenside. The mainline always strikes me as looser where a wrong step could break everything wide open. As we shall soon see, I am liable to these missteps.

Thu, 2012-10-11 07:07

#19

Caissa

My 10 year old beats me 50% of the time at Connect Four. I could sure use that search engine.

I find that an early ...c5 in the Advance helps to equalize.

10. Qe2

Thu, 2012-10-11 13:38

#20

Catchfire

Yes, I am a fan of c5 as well. Although maybe I should stop telegraphing since...

10. ... Qb6

Thu, 2012-10-11 14:19

#21

Caissa

11. c3

Thu, 2012-10-11 16:53

#22

Catchfire

11. ...e6

Fri, 2012-10-12 07:32

#23

Caissa

12. Ne5

Fri, 2012-10-12 13:24

#24

Catchfire

12. ... Nxe5

Fri, 2012-10-12 13:29

#25

Caissa

13. Qxe5

Fri, 2012-10-12 14:06

#26

Catchfire

Gah. Qb6 is looking like a mistake already.

13. ... O-O-O

Fri, 2012-10-12 14:43

#27

Caissa

14. Qe2

Fri, 2012-10-12 16:11

#28

Catchfire

14. ...Nd5

Mon, 2012-10-15 07:02

#29

Caissa

15. 0-0

Mon, 2012-10-15 13:25

#30

Catchfire

15. ...Bd6

Mon, 2012-10-15 14:04

#31

Caissa

16. Ne4

Tue, 2012-10-16 11:09

#32

Catchfire

16. ...Bxe4 (Second bad move I've been forced into, I know not how. But likely from Qb6)

Tue, 2012-10-16 11:50

#33

Caissa

17. Q xe4

Tue, 2012-10-16 13:20

#34

Catchfire

17. ...Qc7

Tue, 2012-10-16 13:57

#35

Caissa

18. Bxe5

Tue, 2012-10-16 17:29

#36

Catchfire

I think you mean Bxd5, yes? If so...

18. ...exd5

Tue, 2012-10-16 19:52

#37

Caissa

Yes, I did. I'll post my response in the morning.

Wed, 2012-10-17 07:05

#38

Caissa

19. Qg4+

Wed, 2012-10-17 14:09

#39

Catchfire

19. ...Qd7

Wed, 2012-10-17 14:26

#40

Caissa

20. Q xd7.

I'm pretty sure Qxg7 loses.

Thu, 2012-10-18 08:46

#41

Catchfire

I concur. After Rhg8, the queen needs to give it up or Qh3 and #.

20. ...Kxd7

Thu, 2012-10-18 10:22

#42

Caissa

21. Re1 I'll make draw offer.

I think Rdg8 would have been stronger than Rhg8.

Thu, 2012-10-18 10:31

#43

Catchfire

I'm seeing after Qh3, g3, Bxg3 it doesn't make much difference. But perhaps I'm missing an escape.

As for the current line, it may be graceful, realistic and above all smart to accept the draw, but I like my position right now. I respectfully decline.

21. ...Rhe8