From: mkukkone@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Mika Kukkonen)
Subject: Re: Morra Gambit 
Organization: University of Helsinki
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 08:42:16 GMT

In <9301271416.AA10232@ai386u> alacron!ai386u!adb@uunet.UU.NET (Alan David Brunelle) writes:

(...)
>> Now Benko is definetely something different from Morra. In Benko whites
>> extra pawn is mostly worthless (as some pawn down endgames even favour
>> black!), and black has nice open lines at Q-side and lots of different
>> plans. In Morra white has to either win back his pawn or mate in next 20
>> moves, otherwise he is just a pawn down. One tempo in development and
>> half-open d-line is not much for a pawn, when again I note that these
>> same advantages are available to white even in normal Sicilian.
>
>I have a two problems with this argument. After:
>
>I.
>	1. e4 c5; 2. d4 cxd4; 3. c3 dxc3; 4. Nxc3 and eg. 4. ... Nc6
>
>	White has the 1/2 "beat"* he started with, plus *three* important open 
>	lines (f1-a6, c1-h6, c1-h8) plus one important half-open line (d1-d8). 
>	Furthermore, white has 2 extra "beat"s coming up (Bf1-c4 & 
>	Bc1-e3/f4/g5). Thus white can get all of the pieces developed to good 
>	squares at least two "beat"s ahead of black, plus the 1/2 "beat" 
>	white started with. If I remember my pre-1900 Chess Math, 3 "tempi" 
>	equals 1 pawn. It may be argued that white will end up with more 
>	than the two extra "beat"s, but I believe that the 2.5 tempi + 
>	c&d file pressure + space advantage should be worth the pawn.

Come now. If chess was as simply as mathematics then the computers would
have beaten humans long time ago. Surely you can count something like
that and it is partly correct, but you must evaluate whole board.
Lets look into line I advocated:

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.Bc4 b5 7.Bb3 d6!?

I guess in your calculations white has a winning position now, being 3
"tempi" up and 4 "beats" (Qe2,O-O,B any,Rfd1) coming. The problem is,
that if black can avoid making any positional concessions, (like taking
a hole at d5), those "beats" are worth nothing. Space is worth a little,
but in my line it is compensated in Q-side space for black. C-line is
open for both, and white can hardly allow major pieces to get exchanced.
So that leaves d-line, which is protected by manouvre Ra7-d7. Of course
white can stop it with 8.Be3, but then e5 is a never a threat and also
d6 is solidly protected, so black can continue with Nc6,Nf6 and O-O.

>	Why is the pawn worth so much more in the black side of a Sicilian
>	Morra then the white side of a Benko? True the open a&b files in
(...)
>	at least a minimal ADVANTAGE. In the Morra, I don't know of any ways 
>	to decline or return the pawn that gives black the ADVANTAGE, 
>	perhaps an early equality, but no more.

Ah, but the point you are missing here is that Benko is a defence, meant to
equalise, but as white Morra fails badly if there is a line where black
can easily achieve equality, as most people prefer to get something out
of white pieces, and draw as black.

>My major problem with the Morra is that to a certain extent I agree with the
>original poster that answering 1. e4 with 1. ... c5 just can't be 
>positionally correct. (Mednis stated something like the Najdorf *is* correct, 
>but needs a heck of alot of variations backing it up.) If it is not
>correct positionally, I don't believe that giving black a pawn for his
>troubles makes the most sense. So in conclusion, I would have to state:
>
>	"If the Sicilian is not positionally correct, it will require a 
>	 heck of alot of variations to prove it!"

Come now. Claiming 1.-c5 positionally incorrect is same as saying all
1.d4 Nf6 openings being lost for black. In Sicilian black is simply
trying to complicate the situation, and takes some positional risks,
that require some vigorous action later in the game, or otherwise he'll
suffer. But then is it wise to play into whites hand by playing moves
like 1.-e5 (symmetry is always better for player with a move) or 1.-e6
2.d4 d5 3.e5 (with space advantage). Now I don't think these assesments
are correct, I am just following your train of thought.

What I am saying is, that I would like to see some moves, not just
words. Show me that I am wrong, then I'll believe it and start playing
Morra as white :).

Mika
-- 
Mika Kukkonen = Mika.Kukkonen@Helsinki.FI
Trying to learn to live in Helsinki University of Computer Science.
"I am studying, so I am, or am I (studying)?"