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 My 1st Latvian Gambit Win
p.s. I may have sent a post a post on this topic already ad if so delete one or the other. The other never showed up.
Bill
Latvian Gambit game
gameknot.com
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And so...
I wonder if there are any Latvian denizens out there with any tips or advice. After this win I am going to stick with the line after all. I am ope to anything other than e4-e5. Win or lose this line creates some wild games.
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I think that would be me ;)
Hi Bill!
We spoke together a while back and I recommended that opening to you. And the SCID db
I am very glad you have found a use for them both, and it is a nice win. Good to see!
All best,
Ruben
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I thought it was you :)
I looked through my messages and thought it was you but could not find a message confirming it. Thanks. Still losing lots though, but that is okay. It works better with guys my level or a little lower. Better players may not kow the opening but they adapt quickly. After I figured out how to open DBs in a tree thge SCID thing became invaluable for viewing recorded games of various levels. Not all in the DBs are grandmaster games. Thanks fir both.
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No expert
But, I would have moved 4.d4 as White and the Gameknot DB supports me. Also, if you've played the Latvian umpteen times for mostly losses, I wouldn't consider a single victory a sign you're now on the right path. Though, your lust for 'wild games' suggests you don't give a hoot for the outcome! In which case, keep on having fun! You sound like an opponent I'd love to play against! Since my love of the King's Pawn is well publicised, once I FINALLY work through my current run of games, I'd love to try my favourite white opening against your favourite black counter, Bill!
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Tipsy
So true about the right path deal, as I lost the other two games I was trying with the line. I sort of maintain well but get lost and often make blunders based on quick moves usually made on my iPad while watchng movies at the same time. Bad. While I prefer to win I have learned my lack of discipline will always have me losing alot of games so may as well try to learn to even enjoy a good loss. I will send you a game tghen when I am back home, on a trip right now. Will look at the 4.d4 suggestion next. Thanks.
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tipsy
Yea, white usually can't resist the check in that situation. At the level I play at I notice guys cannot resist that check even whne it serves little purpose down the road. I think d4 or Bc4 would have been more trouble for me, though I got by by the skin of my teeth only, Trying the Benoni and even Benko (?) gambit as balck, as alternatives to the Sicilian and caro kann. Just not an e5 guy. But lot of work to sort out the basics for me.
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BanC
"But lot of work to sort out the basics for me."
Sounds familiar!
I've altered my auto challenge decline rules so, Bill, anytime you're up for a game of King's Pawn V Latvian, feel free to challenge!
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Latvian Lover
Well it didn't go down too well for you on the first time, but I think we've got an interesting game second time round, and I must admit, the Latvian Gambit is, if nothing else, entertaining. I play the Sicilian as its the defence I most hate to see as a King's Pawner, logic being if I hate it, then so must others. BUT, if White makes Nf3 as their second move the stage is set for a snooze fest. Think I'll try the Latvian out myself next time I'm black and e4 comes my way.
Anyway Bill, this link may help your quest to become a Latvian Legend.
www.youtube.com
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Tipsy
Yea, it is that way often with most games anyway, but here I am beginning to see one or two things. Something to play I think. I did win a couple more against 1300ish player since last time, but it is a battle. I just think it can open up the game to new things. I think I actually lose as I get bored with some lines. Seems like I have played the same game a million times, but with these gambits and traps (all pretty new to me) the game changes a lot. Of course I lose a lot too, but I am not bored! Now studying the Lasker Trap. I made a PGN file of the Lasker Trap with comments from Wikipedia. Wonder if I can share that here? Took me some work.
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Fingers crossed
I think part of the charm of the Latvian is the anticipation after e4 e5, if its Nf3 it, for me anyway, is like when a player gives an expected wrong answer on QI and the klaxon sounds, except the big flashing writing says LATVIAN!
(For an example of the klaxon on QI see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeDjaQNiTog)
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I am exploring both the French and Pirc defenses as black these day and find them suited to my style. Losing lots but gettin the feel for them slowly. The Latvian might work as a blitz chess option.
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Pardon the French
*******so this is a bit of fun at the French's expense, seeing as the French meadows of today have been watered by the blood of AIF soldiers of yesterday AND we constantly lick 'em when it comes to producing award-winning wines I feel a certain freedom to give the French a bit of a tickle. For all francophiles perhaps you should avoid this post altogether!!*********
Funny you should mention the French, even if they are a bunch of cheese-eating surrender monkeys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUjGf2Grrus , I was just diving into the rather shallow depths of my personal Dbase and realised I've encountered the French four times, for two draws and two losses. If only the real French had such defensive value as their chess namesake, there would never have been two World Wars, only two Franco-Germanic skirmishes!
ANYWAY, on three of four occasions I played 2. d4 and it seems the French, like the Modern appears to use the King Pawn's ideal opening position against it. I guess that's the whole point of a flanking attack, you want your enemy to gather in the centre as it makes them easier to outflank. In military history oblique formations, skirmishers, British Squares, repositioning to rake the flankers and heavy charges through the centre before the flankers have a chance to bring their attack to bear have all proven useful replies to a flanking attack. I think I'll have to modify my King's Pawn so that if black begins a flanking attack I'll swap light material in the centre for heavy and see if I can't smash through black's defence before it is developed. Should prove a good answer to the French, the Modern and any other flanking defence/counter-attacks. (Is flanking strategy what all this hyper-modern guff is about?)
Either way, BC, unrated game coming your way, this time I reckon you'll be able to get your own back against the tipsy as, like I said, I'm not doing very well against flanking defences and the French in particular. More sauerkraut in my diet perhaps......
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oops
the French isn't a flanking defence. Too much wine for tipsy. I mean it can develop into a flanking counter but, well, um. *disappears into alternate reality where the French is a flanking defence* Now you are REALLY going to wipe the floor with me, BC, as charging up the centre with heavy pieces against the French only works in reality, not on the chess board!!!!
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The French are okay with me
Worked with some French folk here in China and seemed okay to me. Not superior or inferior in any special way, so I don't want to support some of the statements made above.
As far as all the other stuff regarding flanking defenses and the like, all I know is how to begin a game with a few openings as white or black and after about 6 to 8 moves -if that many- it is down to the only thing I really understand about chess: the guy who checkmates the other one wins.
Look forward to a few rounds with you though I am on a bad streak and not really in chess world these days, though that could shift back soon enough.
Bill
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French are Fine
ha ha ha I road tripped up the coral coast Queensland, Australia (Western Australia also has a coral coast....and technically my state of South Australia has a lot of coral but more of the shipwrecking kind than the pretty fishes kind) with a car load of Frenchies a couple of years back and they were a decent lot. So too were an Italian pair I road tripped with back DOWN the coral coast and a German housemate I had last year was tops as well. And on the topic of Chinese well my sister in law and my best friend's wife hail from that land so don't take my light digs at any country too seriously, for us Aussies multi-culturalism is synonymous with taking the piss out of all nations equally.....and laughing when they do the same to us!
As for not in the chess world, well Bill my old mate, let's get those chess juices flowing once more!
-TJ
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Foreigner paranoia
Being an American living in China has made me paranoid about stuff like nationalities. As a Yank living abroad I have been flat out insulted to my face by people I've just met who hate all Americans. Maybe as an easygoing Aussie living in your home country you don't have to deal with these issues maybe and so that is great. I have just gotten sensitive a bit. Best friends in China have been Australians so far, and a couple Americans. So I may opinions on all of this bu have to let them stay hidden to avoid hostile reactions in a foreign land.
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