The opening was exceptionally popular and effective to the extent that anti-Meran White systems were devised. The idea behind the opening was to wait until White developed his f1 Bishop and then give up the center with d pawn captures c pawn. When White recaptured with his twice moved prelate, Black would play a6 threatening b5 with a tempo on c4 Bishop.
The pawn pawn move b5 also cleared b7 for the Black c8 bishop to occupy. Cliff Bunch, a high intensity Houston player, believed Black was already better not 10 moves out of the opening.
Check out the following lighting game played at ICC where Serbian Grandmaster PapMisa is flummoxed by Cuban or Peruvian player rayosx playing the Meran Defense in Reverse!
Bryan Lilly, a Wisconsin USA player, has also experimented with this meran in reverse setup. He spends about as much time keeping up with his beloved Green Bay Packer NFL team as he does being a solid and principle USCF expert
ReplyDeleteDoctor Lilly is a good guy and played chess informally with some of his students. I do wonder if has ever been a salesman because I don't believe some of the things he characterized as counterproductive were that bad.....gossip is part of life and valuable information can be mined via "polite chit chat"
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