How's this for a finish?

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Marshal_Dillon

This is actually one of my first games using the Reti system.Laughing


Puc_7

Well played game. Might be a daft question, but what is the reti system?


Marshal_Dillon
The Reti system starts with Nf3 followed by the queen side fianchetto and attempts to establish control over the center using pieces instead of pawns, initially. Bent Larsen used to play it a lot, as did Richard Reti, who it is named after, although in Larsen's games he did the fianchetto first and then brought the knight out. The transpositional possibilities into so many other openings is what makes many people refer to it as a system rather than an opening, although it is also referred to as the Reti Opening where the knight comes out first or Larsen's Opening when the fianchetto comes first. Reti used this opening to hand Capablanca his first defeat in 8 years in 1924. 
Puc_7
Thankyou for the detailed response. I may have to try this opening for a change up every now and again.
JG27Pyth

Nice game. I like f5! alot. It flat out wins. 


Marshal_Dillon
JG27Pyth wrote:

Nice game. I like f5! alot. It flat out wins. 


 I played f5 initially to prevent the long diagonal from opening up because the rook in the far corner was awkwardly placed. I was intending to play it even before he played Qe6. It wasn't until after that I noticed that I could mobilize other rook to chase the queen and once I did that, I noticed that I could pin the bishop in front of the king and that a mate was possible if he failed to play Kh8. I think he completely forgot that my queen was on that side of the board when he castled, or thought that it was not a threat, which it really wasn't until the rook became active. 


littleman
Hmmm i remember the reti differently to the example u showed me...
Cool
Marshal_Dillon
Obviously either I or Reti transposed some moves to arrive at the position. You'll notice in the game you posted Reti did eventually get around to b3 and Bb2 several moves after playing Nf3. The characteristic early knight development and the queenside fianchetto are still there. I don't always play moves in the correct order. It varies with the situation.
shakje
This is interesting, I've started looking at the Reti Gambit as a response to the French, and the game posted by littleman actually ends up with a few of the same themes (like the e6 f5 e4 cluster being attacked with f3).
Marshal_Dillon
In studying Reti's games further I see now that he used to transpose into the English Opening by playing c4 at some early point in the game. I wasn't looking to play the English in this game, though, so I didn't even consider an early c4. Maybe I'll try it the next time I feel like playing the English. The knight on f3 and the bishop on b2 with their pressure on the center makes a lot of things possible. It's a very flexible way to start a game no matter which white openings you prefer.