Pragmatist has kibitzed 20 times to chessgames   [more...]

Dec-15-08 Larry Kaufman    Pragmatist: So when are they going to update Larry's profile to show that he is now a GM?      Oct-26-07 Korchnoi vs Fischer, 1962    Pragmatist: Another nice way to mate is: 45.b7 Kg4! threatening Rg1 mate, so 46.h3+ Kg5 again threatening Rg1 mate since white took away his escape square on h3, 47.h4+ Kg4 and mate with Rg1 next move is forced (white can only delay it by one move if he sacs his rook with 48.Rb1 Rxb1 ...      Sep-13-07 Anand vs Carlsen, 2007    Pragmatist: The Keres variation of the Ruy Lopez is not a weak line e4Newman. What you must mean is, the Keres variation, in your humble opinion, is not the best theoretical chance for equality in the Ruy Lopez. There are two proofs that the line is not "weak". First, a very very strong ...      Sep-11-07 Morphy vs Paulsen, 1857    Pragmatist: I think "Benjamin Lau" has a point, but it is more of a philosophical point than a point about the specific question: Did Staunton avoid a match with Morphy? Or: Was Staunton afraid of losing to Morphy? Or similar questions. As diggityDawg already said, there is a different ...      Sep-11-07 Cochrane vs A Deschapelles, 1821    Pragmatist: Correction, black does not have the bishop pair. Aw well, black can't have everything by move 9 after all!      Sep-07-07 Petrosian vs Fischer, 1962    Pragmatist: It is a nice line GM Keene, but I don't understand why black would voluntarily create the d4 weakling. Instead of Re8 in your line, just: Qxe3 Rxe3 Kf8 and black has a much better bishop, but the position should still be a dead draw since white can create a fortress with K on ...      Jul-31-07 W Winter vs Alekhine, 1936    Pragmatist: 5.Ne2 is probably white's best move. 6.c3 was the lemon. Here is the logic: If black wants to put his queen on h4, he also needs his bishop on d6 to prevent white from playing Bf4. Therefore the ideal development for black (if he wants the queen on h4) is Bd6, Qh4, Nge7. Notice ...      Jun-06-07 S Agdestein vs Carlsen, 2006    Pragmatist: 7.Nd4 would be much worse than 7.Ng1. For example, 7.Nd4? Nxd4 8.exd4 (if 8.Nxf6+ then 8...Bxf6 9.exd4 Bxd4 wins a center pawn for nothing) 8...Nxd5 9.exd5 Bf6 (among others) and white has a poor position. If you are going to cite dogma, notagm, then you might notice that your ...      May-25-07 Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1978    Pragmatist: I'll just add to Malacha's comments that in his book,"Practical Chess Endings", Korchnoi summarizes the position after move 46: "As a consequence of White's space advantage, his king is more active than the opponent's, and his a- and c-pawns are imbued with a 'dynamic force': if ...      May-17-07 Short vs Timman, 1991    Pragmatist: FYI, it isn't zugzwang. The idea of zugzwang is that the obligation to move causes the loss. i.e. if the defender could "pass" then he wouldn't lose. Here that is obviously not the case. If black passes, then white keeps moving his king to h6 and then plays Qg7 mate! The simplest

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