Jul-20-04 | | themindset: well, this opening has declined in popularity. i'm generally an e4 player, but i like to play d4 c4 once in a while, but i always hated playing agaist the gruenfeld - i usually play the exchange variation which seems to be more popular these days. i guess i just need to book up, is there anyone who believes this line is still playable? |
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Jan-07-05 | | Flo: 4.Qb3 looks a bit strange to me. I wouldn't play this. themindset: I like the exchange variation more than other variations, too! But I play the Grunfeld with the black pieces because I very often play 1.e4. |
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Jan-07-05 | | themindset: yeah, i'm a 1.e4 player by nature, but i think it's good to play a bit of everything. anyways, since i wrote that, i've booked up on the exchange variation and have had few problems with the gruenfeld since then. |
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Jan-07-05 | | refutor: the 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 Russian Variation is much stronger than this and is just as good as the exchange against the Grünfeld |
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Jun-28-05 | | aw1988: Yes, I have always thought of 4. Qb3 as a rather "unsuccessful attempt" and 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 to be of less questionable value. |
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Jun-30-06 | | blingice: This looks similar to a variation of the Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik attack I've been playing recently in a few of my correspondence games. Notice that the d4 pawn (and square) is unprotected, and is awfully vulnerable, as I'm learning from the corr games still going... |
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Apr-23-08 | | niemzo: Am I missing something here? Because tome, it seems very simple to transpose in the variaton <refutor> mentioned above. from this one. So how is this weaker? |
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Mar-02-09 | | FiveofSwords: In my experience the russian system is a moderate headache for black but usually its not so bad. I usually played the najdorf system against it, with Na6 planning c5. I do think 4 Nf3 is more accurate, because once white commits to this system black doesnt need to hurry so much on Bg7 necessarily and can instead quickly begin on his queenside counterplay-the sooner black does this the less options white would have. |
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Mar-02-09 | | samikd: Did anybody see today's game between Anand and Domoiguez-Perez ? Beautiful game in Russian Grunfeld. Does anybody know if 12..Ng4 is a novelty ? this whole line is kinda new to me , but looks interesting |
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Mar-02-09 | | Kaspykov: <samikd: Did anybody see today's game between Anand and Domoiguez-Perez ? Beautiful game in Russian Grunfeld. Does anybody know if 12..Ng4 is a novelty ? this whole line is kinda new to me , but looks interesting> 11... Nbd7 look playable but i never read anything about this move. the usual continuation of the hungarian variation is: 1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 g6
3. Nc3 d5
4. Nf3 Bg7
5. Qb3 dxc4
6. Qxc4 O-O
7. e4 a6
8. Be2 b5
9. Qb3 c5
10. dxc5 Bb7
11. O-O Nxe4
...
 click for larger viewIn my database, Ng4 seems to be a novelty, but Anand as black played a similar games vs Dlugy Maxim in 93' Instead of 12..Ng4 he played Nxc4 which look like the best move. |
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Apr-17-09 | | notyetagm: Anyone know what Dembo recommends against the Russian System in her book <PLAY THE GRUNFELD>? Thanks |
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May-20-11
 | | Penguincw: Opening of the Day:
Grunfeld, Russian Variation (D81)
1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 g6 3.♘c3 d5 4.♕b3 |
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Nov-29-11
 | | Penguincw: Wow. Today is the same Opening of the Day as last time I posted here! |
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Nov-29-11 | | knighterrant999: <Penguincw> you have the best avatar ever! |
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Nov-29-11
 | | Penguincw: < knighterrant999: <Penguincw> you have the best avatar ever! > Thanks. I heard that User: WannaBe had a contest last year. And one of the nominations last year was Best Avatar. |
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Feb-18-13 | | FiveofSwords: @mindset this line is certainly fine for white...but if you already have been studying the exchange variation...well thats better imho...in fact its why i stopped playing the grunfeld |
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Jul-12-23 | | DanQuigley: The reason to play the move order 4.Qb3 (instead of 4.Nf3 Bg7 first) is that after 4...dxc4 5.Qxc4 (this move always protects d4 adequately) 5...Bg7 6.e4 0-0 is that White can now play 7.Be2 and avoid the 7.Nf3 Bg4 line via transposition: 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 Bg4. The only real problem with all this is that 7...Bg4 is no longer considered a truly strong move by Black. Thus White should welcome the move from Black. There is thus no reason whatsoever I can see to prefer the 4.Qb3 move order. I personally think the Gruenfeld Defense, Rusiian Variation main line with 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3! dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 line is wonderful for White. White has complete and not easy to break command of the center. Black has lots of different ways to try to undermine that control, however, and no less than seven good possible seventh moves all of which use different strategies. White has a lot of preparation work that must be performed to learn how the advantage is kept, more than a typical club player is willing to do. White has to learn seven lines: 7...a6, 7...Na6, 7...Nc6, 7...Bg4, 7...c6, 7...Nfd7, and 7...Be6, all of which are potentially good for Black. Black only has to learn one line. |
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