CryptoNote technical discussion and Chess Challenge

[boolberry]

25. Rd2

After careful study I have come to the conclusion that your recommendation is the best move in this position.

25.Rxd2 is my final decision. Even Gary Kasparov will be unable to change my mind.

Current position
Based on the votes in this thread Team Monero has chosen to play Rxd2. Now it is time for Team Boolberry to respond. I will plan to count votes again tomorrow at approximately 0:00 UTC.

Team Monero (white pieces) vs. Team Boolberry (black pieces)
black to move

Game PGN:

Code:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 a6 5.c4 Nc6 6.Qe3 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.Be2 Nf6 9.O-O O-O 10.h3 Nd7 11.b3 Nc5 12.Bb2 f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Rad1 Qa5 15.Rd2 Rf6 16.Nd5 Re6 17.Qf4 Ne4 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rb2 Nc3 20.Nd4 Re5 21.Bf3 Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Qc3 23.Nxf5+ Rxf5 24.Qd2 Qxd2 25.Rxd2

[boolberry]

My preference is Rb8. There are several possibilities where we may want to move our knight so it is important to protect our pawn. For example after Rb8 26.Re1 Re5 27.Rxe5 Nxe5 instead of dxe5 (which would ruin our pawn structure).

[newb4now]

My preference is Rb8. There are several possibilities where we may want to move our knight so it is important to protect our pawn. For example after Rb8 26.Re1 Re5 27.Rxe5 Nxe5 instead of dxe5 (which would ruin our pawn structure).

a5 with the idea of a4. We can always play Kf8 to defend e7 after Re1

[dre1982]

My preference is Rb8. There are several possibilities where we may want to move our knight so it is important to protect our pawn. For example after Rb8 26.Re1 Re5 27.Rxe5 Nxe5 instead of dxe5 (which would ruin our pawn structure).

a5 with the idea of a4. We can always play Kf8 to defend e7 after Re1

My suggestion is also Rb8. We must gonna use our knight. They shouldn't now just trade the bishop for the knight so Rb8 is just in time.

[boolberry]

My preference is Rb8. There are several possibilities where we may want to move our knight so it is important to protect our pawn. For example after Rb8 26.Re1 Re5 27.Rxe5 Nxe5 instead of dxe5 (which would ruin our pawn structure).

a5 with the idea of a4. We can always play Kf8 to defend e7 after Re1

My suggestion is also Rb8. We must gonna use our knight. They shouldn't now just trade the bishop for the knight so Rb8 is just in time.

Current position
Based on the votes in this thread Team Boolberry has chosen to play Rb8. Now it is time for Team Monero to respond. I will plan to count votes again tomorrow at approximately 0:00 UTC.

Team Monero (white pieces) vs. Team Boolberry (black pieces)
white to move

Game PGN:

Code:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 a6 5.c4 Nc6 6.Qe3 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.Be2 Nf6 9.O-O O-O 10.h3 Nd7 11.b3 Nc5 12.Bb2 f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Rad1 Qa5 15.Rd2 Rf6 16.Nd5 Re6 17.Qf4 Ne4 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rb2 Nc3 20.Nd4 Re5 21.Bf3 Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Qc3 23.Nxf5+ Rxf5 24.Qd2 Qxd2 25.Rxd2 Rb8

[ArticMine]

26. a3

Takes b4 away from the knight and in this type of ending the pawns belong on a different colour square from the bishop.

[LucyLovesCrypto]

26. a3

Takes b4 away from the knight and in this type of ending the pawns belong on a different colour square from the bishop.

Good idea. I will make the 2nd vote for 26.a3

[XMRpromotions]

26.f4 restricting blacks use of both e5 and g5

2 votes a3 (articmine, lucylovescrypto)
1 vote f4 (xmrpromotions)

[boolberry]

Current position
Based on the votes in this thread Team Monero has chosen to play a3. Now it is time for Team Boolberry to respond. I will plan to count votes again tomorrow at approximately 0:00 UTC.

Team Monero (white pieces) vs. Team Boolberry (black pieces)
black to move

Game PGN:

Code:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 a6 5.c4 Nc6 6.Qe3 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.Be2 Nf6 9.O-O O-O 10.h3 Nd7 11.b3 Nc5 12.Bb2 f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Rad1 Qa5 15.Rd2 Rf6 16.Nd5 Re6 17.Qf4 Ne4 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rb2 Nc3 20.Nd4 Re5 21.Bf3 Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Qc3 23.Nxf5+ Rxf5 24.Qd2 Qxd2 25.Rxd2 Rb8 26.a3

[languagehasmeaning]

Current position
Based on the votes in this thread Team Monero has chosen to play a3. Now it is time for Team Boolberry to respond. I will plan to count votes again tomorrow at approximately 0:00 UTC.

Team Monero (white pieces) vs. Team Boolberry (black pieces)
black to move

Game PGN:

Code:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 a6 5.c4 Nc6 6.Qe3 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.Be2 Nf6 9.O-O O-O 10.h3 Nd7 11.b3 Nc5 12.Bb2 f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Rad1 Qa5 15.Rd2 Rf6 16.Nd5 Re6 17.Qf4 Ne4 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rb2 Nc3 20.Nd4 Re5 21.Bf3 Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Qc3 23.Nxf5+ Rxf5 24.Qd2 Qxd2 25.Rxd2 Rb8 26.a3

I have already spent some time analyzing this position because I saw 26.a3 leading the polls. I vote for e5 (send me a private message if you want to know why because I don't want to share all my ideas with our opponent).

[dre1982]

I would also go here for e5.

languagehasmeaning thanks for the PM. 

[boolberry]

I would also go here for e5.

languagehasmeaning thanks for the PM. 

e5 (languagehasmeaning, dre1982, boolberry)

[boolberry]

Current position
Based on the votes in this thread Team Boolberry has chosen to play e5. Now it is time for Team Monero to respond. I will plan to count votes again tomorrow at approximately 0:00 UTC.

Team Monero (white pieces) vs. Team Boolberry (black pieces)
white to move

Game PGN:

Code:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 a6 5.c4 Nc6 6.Qe3 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.Be2 Nf6 9.O-O O-O 10.h3 Nd7 11.b3 Nc5 12.Bb2 f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Rad1 Qa5 15.Rd2 Rf6 16.Nd5 Re6 17.Qf4 Ne4 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rb2 Nc3 20.Nd4 Re5 21.Bf3 Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Qc3 23.Nxf5+ Rxf5 24.Qd2 Qxd2 25.Rxd2 Rb8 26.a3 e5

[ArticMine]

27. Be6

[nwfella]

It's my opinion that white should play BxKn and then proceed to decimate the pawn structure

[LucyLovesCrypto]

It's my opinion that white should play BxKn and then proceed to decimate the pawn structure

You might want to elaborate on "decimate the pawn structure". It seems to be that after Bxc6 bxc6 black can capture on b3 and a3 just as quickly as white can capture on d6 and c6. If your goal is to trade everything off and force a draw that would be a good idea.

27. Be6

2 votes for Be6: ArticMine, LucyLovesCrypto
1 vote for Bxc6: nwfella

[XMRChina]

It's my opinion that white should play BxKn and then proceed to decimate the pawn structure

You might want to elaborate on "decimate the pawn structure". It seems to be that after Bxc6 bxc6 black can capture on b3 and a3 just as quickly as white can capture on d6 and c6. If your goal is to trade everything off and force a draw that would be a good idea.

27. Be6

2 votes for Be6: ArticMine, LucyLovesCrypto
1 vote for Bxc6: nwfella

3 votes for Be6: ArticMine, LucyLovesCrypto, XMRChina
1 vote for Bxc6: nwfella

[XMRpromotions]

It's my opinion that white should play BxKn and then proceed to decimate the pawn structure

You might want to elaborate on "decimate the pawn structure". It seems to be that after Bxc6 bxc6 black can capture on b3 and a3 just as quickly as white can capture on d6 and c6. If your goal is to trade everything off and force a draw that would be a good idea.

27. Be6

2 votes for Be6: ArticMine, LucyLovesCrypto
1 vote for Bxc6: nwfella

3 votes for Be6: ArticMine, LucyLovesCrypto, XMRChina
1 vote for Bxc6: nwfella

3 votes for Be6: ArticMine, LucyLovesCrypto, XMRChina
1 vote for Bxc6: nwfella
1 vote b4: XMRpromotions

[smooth]

I like b4 better.  Be6 seems likely followed by Rf6 and then we just move the bishop back. At least with b4 we are advancing our pawns to the point where black may at some point need to give something up to stop them. Probably not (and we still draw), but it is possible.

3 votes for Be6: ArticMine, LucyLovesCrypto, XMRChina
1 vote for Bxc6: nwfella
2 vote b4: XMRpromotions, smooth

[XMRpromotions]

Something shocking happened today in Chess news. Magnus Carlsen (world# 1) blundered a piece!

https://chess24.com/en/read/news/euro-teams-5-carlsen-hits-4-year-low