Here are some games vs a relatively equal opponent:
http://en.lichess.org/games/search?players.a=goldilocks&players.b=TheLlamaLord - yes, white wins the majority... but the two I won with black are what makes horde great fun for me.
Fun series vs Michael134096 - black wins 2:1... leading him to comment:
http://en.lichess.org/tVfFsOaLzl29 "pawns always win here)" :D
Black win vs strong chess player
http://en.lichess.org/45GHgTlyqSL7Anyway... is my defense of black boring anyone? :P
I may not be experienced with Horde, but whenever I watch a strong player as black , I always see a "central" theme from black.
In the middle game, black should (in general) take towards the center, and advance his center pawns. He wants a solid center first and foremost, advancing his flanks only to prevent holes.
Later, depending on the position, he may end up queening on a flank, but holding the center allowed him to do so.
Not only the middle, but from the start, even.
Yes, Dionysus - I advance centrally - but take towards the flank - UNTIL my center is looking pretty empty.
The problem with always taking centrally from the start is that often the queen and rook (or rook and rook) line up for sacrifices on A and H.... so I like to keep A and H populated with pawns for as long as possible.
Ah, that makes sense.
Finally some semblance of theory!
Here some more theory for black (at least works for me):
1. avoid exchanging pawns for pawns - exchange pawns for pieces
2. furthermore, avoid the pawn for pawn exchange by advancing if you can. This not only avoids the exchange, it gains space - white begins to run out of options with no space (and needs to sacrifice pieces for pawns)
3. always advance your back pawns when you have the opportunity (i.e. when a direct threat does not exist). You will need them later - so advance them as soon as possible
4. ignore pawn blunders if defending them means giving access to the back rank... you have many more anyway :)
5. when you are advanced enough, you can let the queen finally invade - the pawn storm should seal the victory... so just keep pushing the forward pawns at that stage
6. work on having two (or more) pawn fronts - the queen will struggle to defend both when the final pawn mop up starts
Will add if I think of more ideas...
Juicy...juicy...
You should make a new thread!
#70
I think a central pawn break is the strongest possible thing white can do, as the flanks for black are quite weak. However, I think a central pawn break is required before the mid-middlegame otherwise black will win.
If you have separated one horde into two or more hordes by the middlegame, you should be okay. I'm defining the middlegame by "losing all material apart from your Queen, both Rooks and a pawn or two." That said, I haven't much changed my opinion from #50.
I think 1. e3 shows promise, but I think indirect central assaults from the b and c and f and g pawns works the best. a4 and h4 can essentially be ignored, and all it does is trap in your Rook uselessly.
