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![]() I am a relatively new player. I have stumbled onto the Torre Attack and have used it effectively on occasion against stronger players. Generally the line is as follows: 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 Bg5 Be7 4 Nbd2 d5 and so on... The problem I have found is that players are now reluctant to play Nf6 and after they do they are not pushing their e7 pawn to e6. After Bg5 the usual reply is h6 and then i trade with Bxf6. I would rather keep my dark squared bishop to help with attacks. Another problem is that after the trade they play exf6. This robs the square e5 from my knight, which is a typical line in the Torre. Am I missing an obvious variation or should I just forget about the Torre? |
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As for keeping the black squared bishop, you may want to experiment with simply pulling it back to h4 after ....h6. However, in my experience, White usually trades on f6 as you do. Instead of making the decision to keep or dump the Torre, try playing some related openings. For example, if Black doesnt "cooperate" with an early ....e6, switch to the London System (with Bf4 instead of Bg5). That way you will be in a familiar "type" of posiiton, without the drawback of playing an inferior line of your favorite opening. |
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![]() Yup |
![]() When i finish my endgame I always end up being down in pieces and position. What should i do? |
![]() This sounds more like a middle game problem than an endgame problem. Without seeing some of your games, I can't really tell, but let's explore a couple possibilities. It could just be you need to work on your tactical abilities. Are you losing pieces or pawns through combinations that you didnt see? Another possibility is the part of your game that needs inprovement is the TRANSITION from middlegame to endgame. I have seen lots of examples of a player who makes a very good exchange sacrifice (rook for a knight, for example) and has great position then BOOM a queen trade here, a rook swap there....and suddenly the rosy glow of the player's middlegame has turned into a smoky grey dead-lost endgame. Be very careful when you are sacrificing for temporary gains that your opponent doesnt have a way to bring the game into an endgame where your material deficit is magnified. There are so many situations like this (example: pawn formations that are good in a specific middlegame that are weak in the endgame....or a knight that is strong in the middlegame turns out to be weak in the endgame) that it will be well worth your while to get a good endgame book (the Shereshevsky books are exceptional). If you dont familiarize yourself with basic endgame knowledge then its like you are paddling downstream without noticing the big sign that says "Waterfall ahead". Learn the structures and situations to avoid BEFORE you get to the endgame. And if the problem is that you are missing tactics that are winning your pieces, this can be fixed by going over the "white to play and win" type of books...there are tons of them out there. |
Till next time, HAPPY CHECKMATING!
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