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Date: 01 Dec 2005 12:00:42
From: [email protected]
Subject: Help needed with this puzzling opening
I played the following opening as Black against Jester (a Java-based
chess engine):

1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bb5 Nf6
4.d4 e5xd4
5.e5 Ng4
6.Nd2

and I'm rather puzzled by 6.Nd2, which strikes me as a poor move and
one whose purpose eludes me. I also can't find any database games at
chessbase.com which have 6.Nd2 as a move (though that is far from
conclusive).

Other moves it plays in this position are 6.Bd2 (also poor); 6.e6 (also
poor); and 6.Bxc6 (good). Jester is normally a pretty strong player,
at least on a reasonably fast computer. Is there anything approaching
a sound theoretical basis for a move like 6.Nd2 here?

k Adkins
[email protected]





 
Date: 01 Dec 2005 18:10:12
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Help needed with this puzzling opening
P.S. Here is the Web address for Jester online chess engine:

http://www.ludochess.com/jester_eng/jester_eng.html

Some clarification is necessary: first, *this* Jester is a Java version
written by a Frenchman of Vietnamese origin; it bills itself as the
strongest Java-based chess engine, or some such. There is also a
Winboard-based chess engine named Jester written by someone in the
U.S., which I think appeared afterwards, though I'm not positive about
the relative chronology. Second, Jester's performance depends upon the
speed of *your* computer, not the speed of the host computer, since it
is a Java Applet and actually runs on your computer (you could, I
think, lose online connectivity after establishing a game, and continue
to play thereafter). Third, Jester plays a variety of openings and
variations after 1.e4 (as well as a variety of openings altogether
outside this line). As long as you are in its opening book, if you
fail to get a particular opening you must click on new game until you
get the opening line/variation you want. You are in Jester's opening
book as long as the score is "0,0" and its moves are more or less
instant rather than taking several seconds. That having been said, it
is usually a fairly challenging free chess engine.

k Adkins
[email protected]



 
Date: 01 Dec 2005 17:56:05
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Help needed with this puzzling opening
Ron wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I played the following opening as Black against Jester (a Java-based
> > chess engine):
> >
> > 1.e4 e5
> > 2.Nf3 Nc6
> > 3.Bb5 Nf6
> > 4.d4 e5xd4
> > 5.e5 Ng4
> > 6.Nd2
> >
> > and I'm rather puzzled by 6.Nd2, which strikes me as a poor move and
> > one whose purpose eludes me. I also can't find any database games at
> > chessbase.com which have 6.Nd2 as a move (though that is far from
> > conclusive).
> >
> > Other moves it plays in this position are 6.Bd2 (also poor); 6.e6 (also
> > poor); and 6.Bxc6 (good). Jester is normally a pretty strong player,
> > at least on a reasonably fast computer. Is there anything approaching
> > a sound theoretical basis for a move like 6.Nd2 here?
>
> I like 6.0-0 here, myself. That being said, the position is analagous
> to some two knights defense positions where the white N enters the game
> via Nd2-c4.
>
> Nevertheless, I don't think Nbd2 (I assume that's the knight you're
> talking about) is horrible. Black can't grab the pawn.
>
> -Ron

Sorry, I should have clarified: 6.Nfd2. Black can and does grab the
pawn, and after 6...Ncxe5 7.o-o Jester scores Black as having
approximately a pawn-and-a-half lead. Jester also (routinely) plays
4.o-o which is quite a different kettle of fish.

k Adkins
[email protected]



 
Date: 02 Dec 2005 01:06:30
From: Ron
Subject: Re: Help needed with this puzzling opening
In article <[email protected] >,
"[email protected]" <[email protected] > wrote:

> I played the following opening as Black against Jester (a Java-based
> chess engine):
>
> 1.e4 e5
> 2.Nf3 Nc6
> 3.Bb5 Nf6
> 4.d4 e5xd4
> 5.e5 Ng4
> 6.Nd2
>
> and I'm rather puzzled by 6.Nd2, which strikes me as a poor move and
> one whose purpose eludes me. I also can't find any database games at
> chessbase.com which have 6.Nd2 as a move (though that is far from
> conclusive).
>
> Other moves it plays in this position are 6.Bd2 (also poor); 6.e6 (also
> poor); and 6.Bxc6 (good). Jester is normally a pretty strong player,
> at least on a reasonably fast computer. Is there anything approaching
> a sound theoretical basis for a move like 6.Nd2 here?

I like 6.0-0 here, myself. That being said, the position is analagous
to some two knights defense positions where the white N enters the game
via Nd2-c4.

Nevertheless, I don't think Nbd2 (I assume that's the knight you're
talking about) is horrible. Black can't grab the pawn.

-Ron