A player from Iceland named Krabbi chose a passive setup during a 3 minute blitz game at ICC. The Icelandic chess enthusiast voluntarily moved his g8 Knight back and forth from the f6 square to provoke the first player to overextend his forces.
Krabbi played OK, but eventually succumbed to an acute space disadvantage. Perhaps an example of Lev Alburt's famous title to a USCF chess life article he wrote: David versus Goliath or Don Quixote versus the Windmill where the player from Iceland played the role of The defenseless Windmill.
On a more serious note, I would love to see either GM Hess or famed trainer Vladimir Tukmakov write about intentionally taking on cramped but viable positions out of the opening.
This looks like a variation ofAlessio de Santis' cherished pet Hippopotamus opening which the subtitle of his book characterized as deceptively dangerous. Book authors are always looking for that alliterative marketing phrase!
ReplyDeleteBrighter titled players like John Emms and Andrew Martin write about the universal nature of this weak club player opening.
Also Bristol chess pundit Steve Dilleigh, the most talented player in Horfield chess club, has deep respect for the Hippo preferring the Boa Constrictor slow squeeze of the the passive chess opening.