06 May 06
2 edits
Originally posted by clgray2001How true!
Opening moves are not pointless.
Now - about the statistics of blacks first move:
The most usual response of 1. c4 is Nf6 to 32.3%
Next comes e5 to 20.7%
The third place is e6 with only 14.0%.
These three together is played 67.0 % providing 1. c4 has been moved.
Next in turn is c5, g6, c6, f5 and b6 in this order.
What is the percentage of the two moves 1. c5, e6? Multiply and you will get 1.1%. Only one out of 100 games is played this way. Quite an unusual opening, don't you think?
Statistics may be fun but it says nothing about how good a move really is. It says only that the move has been used so and so often.
e6 may well be better than Nf6 if black knows that white has prepared a plan for Nf6. Or like open positions better, or has played it dozens of times before. Only black knows why he plays this particular move.
06 May 06
Originally posted by Sicilian SmaugOnly Master+ games I belive. Looks like black's best scoring move taking into account the number of games:
I believe it to be a very bad idea as black to let white play a Sicilian with a move in hand. Nf6 or c5 is safer.
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/explorer?node=2&move=1.5&moves=c4&nodes=2
Lots of Gm's play it, Roman D from the Dvd's recommended it and I play it and like it.
Personal preference. You might think it's a bad idea but I don't think so. It's an aggressive opening and I like those.
07 May 06
1 edit
Originally posted by FabianFnasInteresting way of looking at it..
What is the percentage of the two moves 1. c5, e6? Multiply and you will get 1.1%. Only one out of 100 games is played this way. Quite an unusual opening, don't you think?
However look at this way. There are 20 opening moves with 20 possible response. Even if we say only 10 opening moves are strong with each move having an average of 5 strong responses, that means there would be 50 strong 1-move openings, with the proportional average of any opening being 2%.
Considering we already know that e4 and d4 proportionally dominate the first move choice, 1.1%, overall isn't that uncommon, is it?