| Apr-02-07 | | ChessNe1: Why the Mestel variation? The variation existed long before Mr. Mestel. |
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Apr-02-07
 | | TheAlchemist: Maybe because he analyzed it more in depth. Like the Sveshnikov, it was already played before him, but Sveshnikov made it more popular. |
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| Apr-02-07 | | ChessNe1: CG.com has no record of a person named Fichtl. There was a game in 1958 in Czechoslovakia between Miroslav Filip and this guy Fichtl, one not in the base. I hope it was not a fichtional name...hahahahaO-: |
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| Apr-02-07 | | ChessNe1: Thanks <TheAlchemist>. But is it officially called Mestel variation, or only in Tim Taylor's book? |
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| Jan-18-09 | | Aurora: <ChessNe1: But is it officially called Mestel variation, or only in Tim Taylor's book?> Taylor wrote: "<I> call this line the Mestel Variation after the only GM brave enough to play Black's side of it in thirty years!" |
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| Oct-29-09 | | OnlyBelieve: True, but this game entered uncharted territory around move 5, if I'm not mistaken. I've never seen the Mestel Variation before Mestel - where's the game you saw? I've never even played against it, to be honest, and I'm a Bird player! |
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| Nov-11-09 | | OnlyBelieve: Sidenote: Taylor says in his book on the Bird opening that he's been staring at the position after move 18 for years, and even with his trusty Fritz, has no idea which side is better. Sidenote2: Although there is no clear advantage, it is generally thought that white is better after move 18. |
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| Oct-01-23 | | belgradegambit: GOTD
From here to eternity |
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Jul-28-24
 | | GoldenKnight: Can't say I got this all way, but after some thought, realizing that Black was already a piece down and about to lose another, in serious trouble, I saw that his only chance was castling followed by a K-side attack. Good job by Black. |
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| Jul-28-24 | | vajeer: So many tactical possibilities here and easy to commit a wrong move. White missed a safe Harbor with 32.b3 |
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| Jul-28-24 | | mel gibson: I saw that Black was under a powerful attack -
the best bet was to castle.
Stockfish 16.1 says it's a draw:
16. .. O-O
(16. .. O-O (1. ... 0-0 2.Bxc6 Rc8 3.c3 Qf6 4.Bf3 Nxf3+ 5.gxf3 Qg6 6.Na3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Qg2+ 8.Kd3 Qf1+
9.Kd2) 0.00/55 249)
score = 0.00 = a draw depth 55. |
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Jul-28-24
 | | An Englishman: Good Evening: "Solved" the puzzle, if by "solved" you mean find the must-play first two moves and then wonder what to do next. Mestel might have already reached the position in his home analysis and known what to play. Good week overall; two puzzles already known, and only one flub. |
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| Jul-28-24 | | TheaN: ...'solved' a Sunday puzzle, but can't say it's really rewarding. I mean, what's difficult about <16....O-O>, and then the expected <17.Bxc6 Rb8 =>? This is literally the only sensible direction Black has in the starting position: allowing White to take Nc6 with check is abysmal as Ra8 and a queen trade follows suit and a lost game. The only way to get out of it is to castle and moving the rook. What follows is not required, is it? Only Nf1+ can be considered but goes nowhere; it's the second best move, O-O = 0, Nf1+ is +4. <CG>, please consider quality control with regards to puzzles, as recently there have been some clear mishaps. To underline the issues: multiple solutions, difficulty not on par, and/or debunked lines. |
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| Jul-28-24 | | TheaN: Interesting line, nonetheless. I play both the Bird and From but don't opt to go for 4....Nf6 and neither do my opponents if they play the From. Might try this one day as the positions look very interesting: indeed, SF gives the position equal from 7.Qe4+ which is a bit of a rarity in this gambit. Mind, only play this as Black against stronger opposition as White has a <draw in hand> with 15.Qe6+ Qe7 16.Qc8+ etc, as 15....Kf8 16.Qf5+ Qf6 17.Qxc5+ +- and 16....Kf7 17.Bc4+ +- lose for Black. |
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Jul-28-24
 | | chrisowen: In gob its v q juke 0-0 fab duh its axiom juggle affable puff 0-0 fib |
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Kibitzing
sac: 16...O-O