Originally posted by robbie carrobieThe question however remains, is it more or less advantageous to descend quickly down a sharp slope releasing the energy quickly or to descend gradually down a much larger hill eventually reaching the same speed in the end, thus it seems absurd to me to talk of the advantage of the first move, like saying how long is a piece of string.[/b]

I suspect it depends on the position. With sharp e4 games, the tempo advantage that white gets may prove telling. Likewise, as greenpawn suggests, if your knowledge of the opening lines you are playing is nuanced enough, as it is for modern day masters, then that white tempo may be put to its most telling use.

Originally posted by Murchu
I suspect it depends on the position. With sharp e4 games, the tempo advantage that white gets may prove telling. Likewise, as greenpawn suggests, if your knowledge of the opening lines you are playing is nuanced enough, as it is for modern day masters, then that white tempo may be put to its most telling use.

hmmm, that being the case, then one can adopt one of two strategies, jump on the roller-coaster with white and go for a white knuckle ride trying to wrestle the initiative from him or play positions which offer him as little initiative as possible, absorbing the so called 'advantage', of the first move.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
hmmm, that being the case, then one can adopt one of two strategies, jump on the roller-coaster with white and go for a white knuckle ride trying to wrestle the initiative from him or play positions which offer him as little initiative as possible, absorbing the so called 'advantage', of the first move.

True, I suspect it all comes down to styles, and if you're a tactical or strategic player. Of course, when you get up to master level, style comes second to simply the best chess in a position.

In order to make the small advantage of the first move with white count, I think you've got to play quite strongly, and as greenpawn suggests, mistakes will be a more decisive factor in games for most of us.