30 May 15
I got better (not amazing but better) when I started playing 1. g4. You might get a closed game, you might get an open one but it takes you out of theory* and means you have to think from move 1.
* I know there's some Grob theory but honestly, would you rather be playing white or black after 1. g4?!
30 May 15
Originally posted by hunterknoxBlack. 🙂
I got better (not amazing but better) when I started playing 1. g4. You might get a closed game, you might get an open one but it takes you out of theory* and means you have to think from move 1.
* I know there's some Grob theory but honestly, would you rather be playing white or black after 1. g4?!
But at my level, one can get away with any opening. It's actually better to play something you understand and do well with rather than just follow theory.
01 Jun 15
Originally posted by Shallow BlueI recommend Lars Bo Hansen's books. He is an excellent writer, and he depends much more on prose than he does lines of analysis. At his peak he was rated in the top 70 or so worldwide, and he now is retired and teaching business and sports management at the college level after completing his PhD. He still also teaches chess on the side.
I don't want to buy chess books and read uselessly uninformative engine analysis, either... I want to buy chess books and be amused and interested by a grand master's, a real human's, explanation of the position.
Who cares about "...and Bubkis computes this position as being +0.153, while Sloppy Mackerel consideres the alternative to be only +0.1518"? ...[text shortened]... s. If I were president of FIDE, I'd outlaw all chess books which give centipawns but no reasons.
He also does a lot of commentary on the ICC, so his erudition is known and respected.
If you want to get a flavor of his writings, send him a friend request on facebook, or even better look up his facebook page "Orlando Chess House", which he runs with his wife, WIM Jen Hansen. You can "friend" the page for free, of course, and see if you like what he writes.