This blog entry is the result of playing chess against the computer on three long bus rides from the Faculty apartments in Shunde (China) to the location of the SYSU-CMU Joint Institute of Engineering (JIE) in Guangzhou (China). The hour long, bumpy bus rides were mind-numbingly boring with often very little breathing space, but they did offer me the opportunity to explore a game (viz. Chess) which I had long since forgotten about...
Start: Shunde City, China
Destination: Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) East Campus
I never thought I'd miss driving a car so much - can't wait to get back home to Pittsburgh after this this semester of teaching at China !
Anyway... Back to Chess! The following are three interesting game-plays generated while playing against the computer (playing on the Chess.com iPhone app), each using similar opening strategies. The central theme behind the opening strategies employed in the following three games is 'The Ruy Lopez opening' for 'white'. This opening was invented sometime in the 1400's and has been proven to carry a small advantage to 'white'. This opening also allows for an early ability to 'castle' and build an attack.
In games 1 and 3 below, I experiment with the Ruy Lopez opening as 'white' (each resulting in wins for 'white'), whereas in Game 2 I attempt the same opening and force a draw except this time playing as 'black'. In conclusion, it surely does seem like the Ruy Lopez opening is a promising one and can potentially provide either side (viz. 'white' or 'black') a marginal advantage; although, if you do end up playing against someone whom chooses this opening strategy it may certainly be possible to gain back the competitive edge with some tact!
Game 1 - White (PGM) beats Black (Computer)
Game 2 - Black (PGM) draws with White (Computer)
Game 3 - White (PGM) beats Black (Computer)
References:
1) www.Chess.com
2) http://www.chess.com/blog/monsterking/top-10-most-powerful-openings
Acknowledgements:
Special thanks to my wife, Jessika, for patiently reading the PGN Chess Codes to me which were essential to preparing this blog article. I also thank her and am grateful for her support in enduring this not-so-fun stint in China.
1) www.Chess.com
2) http://www.chess.com/blog/monsterking/top-10-most-powerful-openings
Acknowledgements:
Special thanks to my wife, Jessika, for patiently reading the PGN Chess Codes to me which were essential to preparing this blog article. I also thank her and am grateful for her support in enduring this not-so-fun stint in China.
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