<Joe>

Heh...

There are many kinds of "congress," some of which are considerably more difficult to accomplish <online> than <in person>.

<Dom> This is unconfirmed, but I got an email from a freind in <Daegu> who told me that <Bob Dylan and Niel Young and every single other 60s superstar> were all performing together on a giant tour and they will be in <Seoul> to play in May sometime.

http://bp0.blogger.com/_tCVazvdMDGQ...

<Joe> and <all my Frogspawn pals>.

I've been doing some research on <US Government>, and I've discovered something very odd.

It is in fact illegal to make love to someone while wearing ear plugs!!

It sounds crazy I know.

But in the US, this act is considered an unlawful obstruction of a <Congressional Hearing>.

Heh I haven't even heard of that film but the name <Harry> can hardly be auspicious in the context of this thread...

BTW OH NO NOT AGAIN

YES it's the <dread tsetse>...

nope false alarm it's the <dread "Canadian Content"> Frogspawn music hour.

I just found this and It's freaking unbelievable. I'm still shaking.

Yes, it's <Niel Young> drunk out of his mind going absolutely nuts on his <big old Fender Stratocaster> playing <All Along the Watchtower> LIVE with two drummers and two drumkits (one of the drummers is the guy from Bruce Springsteen band) and the bassist and rhythm guitar guys from <Crazy Horse> and I just can't believe how strong this is.

Niel: "thanks for having Bobfest"...

Not to be missed:

BUSINESS MEN THEY DRINK MY WINE

Later, on a train - leaving the scene of numerous heinous crimes, from midget-baiting to attempted suicide - he is approached by a Belgian cop.

- Are you Irish? Do you hit Canadians?

- What the fook do yeh mean, do I heat Canadians?

Hi <Frogspawners>! I scored a rare minature victory against the <French> today and I posted it in <Eyal's> forum.

Anyone have any opinions about the Dodgy

5.a3 cxd4
6.Qxd4?

In the <Winawer>? That's what I played and she blundered a few moves after, but I'm curious if you think <6.Qxd4?> is playable or not.

Lev Psakhis, who has written five books on the French, said in the 1990s that "Black very occasionally chooses 5...cxd4?! after which White obtains a clear plus by accurate play." He recommends 6.axb4 dxc3 7.Nf3.

John Watson, however, has recently tried to revive the 5...cxd4 line, featuring it in his book 'Dangerous Weapons: the French'. He claims that it's better than its reputation (which seems true) and points out that it has plenty of psychological shock value. Since the line isn't even mentioned in general opening books like MCO, and quickly dismissed even in books on the French, it's unlikely that the White player knows much about it ... and may make the classic error of trying to 'refute' it.

He takes 6.axb4 as the 'normal' move. But your 6.Qxd4 has also been seen, eg in Therkorn-Humme, Germany 2004, which went 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Bb5

At this stage Watson points out a trap: 7.Qg4 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Nxe5 9.Qxg7 Qf6? 10.Bh6! Ng4? 11.Bb5+ Kd8 12.Qf8+ Kc7 13.Qc5+ Kd8 14.Qd6+ 1-0 (Agapiev-Abraham, Karlovac 1927).

Note that date, btw. It was games like this that gave 5...cxd4 a bad rep.

In any case, Watson does bucketloads of analysis on your 6.Qxd4 line, with supporting games. It all seems perfectly playable for both sides.

I've personally never tried 5...cxd4 (though I might soon). One game of mine went 5.a3 Ba5 6.b4 cxd4 7.Qxd4(?) - not a very good move in this variation: the Queen is easily attacked, and if it goes to g4 it's thrown away a tempo.

In that game, I refused a draw offer around move 12. Then I came up with the genius idea of developing my Queen via Qd8-b8-a7. Just to be different. I looked at the horrible mess I'd created, and accepted his next draw offer.

I'll leave the last word to Watson, since nobody else has written much about this line in living memory:

"White normally answers 5...cxd4 with 6.axb4, the obvious and seemingly automatic move which wins the bishop pair. But the innocent-looking recapture on d4 with the queen has its intricacies."

Hmm. You know, I think I *will* give this a try ... as Black. Not that there's anything wrong with the Swarm, but a guy needs to vary things sometimes.

I found a game in the 6.Qxd4 line -- played in Canada, yet, between players that I'd fancy my chances against -- where Black uses 'my' idea of ...Qb8 and ...Qa7, and wins.

[Event "Canadian op U2000"]
[Site "Kitchener"]
[Date "2006.07.15"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Garel,Rick"]
[Black "Mattson,Marvin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "C18"]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Bb5 Ba5 8.Nf3 Bb6 9.Qg4 Nge7 10.0-0 Ng6 11.Ne2 a6 12.Ba4 Bd7 13.c4 dxc4 14.Bc2 Bc7 15.Bxg6 hxg6 16.Qf4 Qb8 17.Qxc4 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Bxe5 19.f4 Bb5 20.Qe4 Bf6 21.Re1 Bc6 22.Qb4 Qa7+ 23.Kh1 Qf2 0-1

One comment: White should call black's bluff and play 10.Qxg7 instead of castling. It's much stronger here than in the usual poisoned pawn lines because black has less queenside counterplay.

Thanks for being so detailed about your response to my <Froggy Query> Dom!

I will go carefully through all the valuable <Frogformation> you posted on the curious line I chose in my last effort against <The Frog.>

It will be my breakfast!!

I spent the whole day studying and playing chess so I"m pretty happy. And tired.

I will report back on your findings tomorrow.

One can easily discern my feelings about <The Frog> by the fact that I celebrate the anniversaries of both <Agincourt> and <Crecy>.

Of course, this itself is testament to the fear <The Frog> engenders in the <1.e4> player...

Thanks for your OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT <Dom>...

Now I'm extra glad I played <9.Qxg7> in the <Frogg Miniature> I posted in <Eyal's> forum.

I was totally convinced I was going to lose right after I played <6.Qxd4>.