TCEC Season 9

[Tdunbug]

I hope that there just to no dubious lines chosen just to get better draw rates. However, having said that I would like to see more benoni and KIDS

[whereagles]

Benko gambits are classics

[jdart]

Most engines play the KID/Benoni/Benko openings very badly. So I guess that is an interesting test but probably they are going to go wrong soon out of book.

I have a pretty large collection of interesting opening lines .. interesting to me anyway. I have been feeding some to Graham Banks for his tourneys. I prefer ECO A-C openings including Sicilian and French.

--Jon

[jdart]

I think the Benko is practically busted for Black in the main line after 12. a4 (
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 g6 6. Nc3 Bxa6 7. e4 Bxf1 8.
Kxf1 d6 9. g3 Bg7 10. Kg2 O-O 11. Nf3 Nbd7 12. a4).

Black can deviate from this but most of the alternate lines aren't very good either.

--Jon

[Nordlandia]

How about Ponziani Opening in TCEC?

[jdart]

I think the Ponziani is playable but Black has few winning chances.

--Jon

[Nordlandia]

I think the Ponziani is playable but Black has few winning chances.

--Jon

Ponziani is simply wasting the first move advantage, in case black know how to play.

[whereagles]

@Jon: TCEC openings usually don't go up to move 12, so we might get to see some interesting benkos anyway.

[jdart]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 e6 is an interesting alternative to the main lines, although the stats for Black are not encouraging.

--Jon

[royb]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 e6 is an interesting alternative to the main lines, although the stats for Black are not encouraging.

--Jon

What about this line: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 e6

Stockfish seems to think that move is better than moves like 5. ... g6 and 5. ... Bxa6 by 0.4 pawns (after 31 ply search with MultiPV=5).

I've not got a handy copy of any opening databases/books so I cannot vouch for the move 5. ... e6 myself (and, I'm a patzer so ...)