But I like the <topalov-favored> line you posted best. after 5.Nc3 if Black exchanges the knight, after bxc3 he gives White a half-open b file and an extra pawn in the center....

If Black retreats the Knight he loses a tempo

If Black begins to support the knight f4 it opens up his kingside, and Bf5 looks awkward to me... If Qe7 then Be2 or Nd5? Does any of that make sense?

5. ...d5 also loses a tempo.

I'm gonna find some of these <Top-Petrov> games in the database here now.

Here are all the games with Nc3 Nxc3: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

I suggest you look at recent GM examples, I don't really know anything about the line.

OK still have my board out here, going to look at the Knight exchange variations, thanks for posting them <Alchemist>

Re: this game, amazing to me how GMs are often totally unafraid to expand their Kingside pawns AFTER castling Kingside...

You guys know that <Josh Waitzkin> whipped <Bacrot> in Bermuda when he was still a pup? And he never made his GM norms. Still a wicked good chessplayer. He drew <Kasparov> in a simultaneous when he was still in Elementary School. Hard to believe.

And what about that Kid with the Panda bear, the 10 year old who played at 2600+ level to win Group B of the <Moscow> open this year?

Do you think there was a <Fritz> in the bear?

What is this, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge?

For some obscure dialectical reason, to be 'haunted' means to be lucky in this neck of the woods.

<What's the difference>?

OK, several possible answers.

<One>, from Rap Star <Xbit>:

"What's the difference between you and me? About three record deals, five ounces and six vehicles."

<Two> The difference between poor old <Bobby> and <Kasparov>. Who'd you rather have at your cocktail party? Huh? Huh?

<Three> Re: the <Burroughs> quote you put in <Mack's> forum-- I don't think WSB got it quite right. Chess is in fact part of the "real" world precisely because it IS more than just a game. But he's correct that a monomaniacal obsession with it is probably not a good use of all one's time/energy. But what would constitute good use? A Bhuddist might say a simple state of 'happiness' was the highest human "good," and what all one's energy should be put into, for both the individual and others (happy people tend to cheer up the rest of us). And if chess makes ya happy?

<Four> Poor tactical skills. I "know" way more <about> chess than I will ever know about what line to follow that might win a game. (speekin fer myself here, you all is not Patzers comme moi)

<Five> "We" eccentrics understand how great chess is, but we are "smart" enough not to put alla us eggs in one Basketball?

It partly depends on the ethnicity of the other guests. Don't want a scene, do we?

And partly on the purpose of the party - enlightenment, entertainment, or who the heck says parties gotta have a purpose anyway...?

Also: despite surface degrees of sanity etc, there is some evidence that Gazza can be boorish in person while Bobby can be courteous and even charming in a vaguely autistic way.

I haven't actually met either of 'em. I've been in the Kasparov presence - in the audience at a match - and I also sent my unfortunate sister on a doomed mission to track down RJF in Iceland. She found a bar where he drinks, but the barman clammed up.

If there's anyone still there to feel happy, it isn't satori yet...

We juss smiles whin we can along the way, i suspecks.

Yep <Kasparov> can be a tactless bully no doubt.

Favorite <Fischer> quote, on a GM's novelty:

"You spent twenty hours on THAT?"