When I am having woes in a certain opening, I try to start avoiding the main lines of the opening altogether. How about a little anti-Grunfeld action? (like 3. f3 lines?) If you like being adventurous.
What do you like to play against the Grunfeld?
Sort:
Sep 26, 2009
0
#3
Ha, the 3.f3 lines were my very first anti-Grunfeld weapon long long ago when I played primarily 1.d4. I keep it at the very back of the closet. However, I figure now that (supposedly) I understand the opening pretty well, I shouldn't need to resort to such avoidance.
how-about-1d4.Nf6.2c4.g6.3Nc3.d5.4cd5.Nd5.5e4.Nc3.6bc3.Bg7.7Bg5.c5.8Rc1.O-O.9Nf3.Bg4.10d5.f5.11Qb3.Kh8.12Nd2.Nd7.13f3.Bh5.14Qb7(or13h3.Bh5.14Qb7).
The Grunfeld is becoming a major annoyance to me. In my former chess life (frequent OTB tournament player), it was my primary defense to d4. I had studied it extensively, and it worked quite well for me. I enjoyed the open center, unbalanced positions, and tactical opportunities it provided.
Inexplicably, here in Online Chess it has become a huge thorn in my side, from BOTH the White and Black sides. As Black, I'm sporting a +1=3-3 record with it -- in fact, I've pretty much abandoned it. As White, I'm doing even worse, +0=1-2. Thankfully I'm usually an e4 player; I just play d4 in certain situations.
On the Black side, I figure I'm on my own to sink or swim if I want to keep playing it at all. But as White, what variation do you d4 players like to play against it? I've tried Classical Exchange, Modern Exchange, Russian System... I felt those were the most critical lines as a Black Grunfeld player, but I've not been able to make much of them as White.
I'm wondering as well if you find a different experience OTB vs. correspondence in this opening. OTB I think I probably out-prepared my opponents to some extent -- not so much from memorizing lines, but because I was more accustomed to those types of positions. There's so much theory available in correspondence, though, it seems difficult to try to find a line that gives an edge -- everything's been done by someone somewhere already.