Bughouse and Zhouse (Scroll down to see entire post)

[Event "Live Chess - Crazyhouse"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2018.12.15"] [White "JerryGr"] [Black "FLchessplayer"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C23"] [WhiteElo "2057"] [BlackElo "1702"] [TimeControl "180"] [EndTime "20:13:13 PST"] [Termination "JerryGr won by checkmate"] [Variant "Crazyhouse"] 1.e4 {[%clk 0:02:58]} e5 {[%clk 0:02:57]} 2.Bc4 {[%clk 0:02:58]} Nc6 {[%clk 0:02:57]} 3.Bxf7+ (This is generally a mistake in zhouse.  It was nearing the end of the tournament and I wanted to rack up a few quick wins) {[%clk 0:02:57]} Kxf7 {[%clk 0:02:55]} 4.Nf3 {[%clk 0:02:56]} h6 h6 is an awful move, as it weakens both g6 and h7. {[%clk 0:02:54]} 5.d4  (I want to get more material to attack with) {[%clk 0:02:56]} Bb4+ {[%clk 0:02:50]} 6.Bd2 {[%clk 0:02:54]} Bxd2+ He is on the wrong track here.  The player whose king is exposed does not want tr...

I will show the first game tonight against Qbert00: [Event "Live Chess - Crazyhouse"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2018.12.02"] [White "Qbert00"] [Black "JerryGr"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "1649"] [BlackElo "1962"] [TimeControl "180"] [EndTime "15:21:17 PST"] [Termination "JerryGr won by checkmate"] [Variant "Crazyhouse"] 1.e4 {[%clk 0:02:57]} e5  (In bughouse, 1..e5 is playable but harder to play.  In zhouse it is fine because you control the flow of pieces) {[%clk 0:02:58]} 2.Nc3 {[%clk 0:02:56]} Nf6 {[%clk 0:02:57]} 3.Nf3 {[%clk 0:02:56]} Nc6 {[%clk 0:02:55]} 4.Bb5 {[%clk 0:02:55]} Bc5  (seems dubious because Bxc6 dxc6 Nxe5 Qd4 N@d3) {[%clk 0:02:54]} 5.Bxc6 {[%clk 0:02:54]} bxc6 {[%clk 0:02:52]} 6.d3? (He could have taken on e5.  Also B@b6 is not easy to defend against.)  {[%clk 0:02:53]} B@b6 {[%clk 0:02:51]} 7.Be3 (Nxe5 d...

JohnGalt accused me of cheating is zhouse by using an engine.  That is not true.  I am actually pretty experienced in zhouse and I am happy to provide my analysis of the game:  [Event "Live Chess - Crazyhouse"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2018.11.30"] [White "JohnGalt"] [Black "JerryGr"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C02"] [WhiteElo "2110"] [BlackElo "1947"] [TimeControl "180"] [EndTime "20:11:01 PST"] [Termination "JerryGr won by checkmate"] 1.e4 {[%clk 0:02:59]} e6 (I don't think this is the best move in bughouse, but I don't mind answering a future p@d6 with Bxd6 exd Qxd6 {[%clk 0:02:59]} 2.d4 {[%clk 0:02:58]} d5 {[%clk 0:02:59]} 3.e5 {[%clk 0:02:56]} c5 (actioning it up.  This is near the end of the tournament and I want to take chances to win. {[%clk 0:02:57]} 4.dxc5 {[%clk 0:02:56]} Bxc5 {[%clk 0:02:56]} 5.Qg4 (This is a standard idea in chess.  In zho...

Today my partner, davijerr, and I managed to win a game (as Black against gnejs, who was probably the strongest bughouse player in the world for much of the 90s. Bughouse is so popular in his native Sweden that Russians call bughouse  шведский, or Swedish chess.  My partner was a (possibly underrated) 1700. 1. Nf3 (This is a departure from the 1.e4 that I see most often.  Even though the Knight could be used to attack f7, he assumes that I know how to defend against such an attack) 1..e6 2. Nc3 (I think this was unusual, as he is not moving a pawn to the center)   2..e6 (helps guard the c4 to f7 diagonal)  3. e4 Nf6 4. d4 Nc6 5. d5 (this sets a trap, which I always seem to fall into, and this game was no exception)  Ne5  (the correct move is Nb8 so the knight cannot be traded off)  6. Nxe5 dxe5 7. Bb5+ c6 8. dxc6 Qxd1+ 9. Nxd1  bxc6 10. Bxc6+ B@d7 11. Bxa8 This is even worse than it looks. N@c7 (This is a funny looking mo...

Here Black is a beginner and White is not that much better. 1. e4 e5   (1..e5 is not recommended for beginners.  He should play 1..e6.  Here Black is already on the road to allowing the sac on f7.  There are some good players who allow the sac on f7, but I think its more to prove they can defend as opposed to it being a good idea to allow it.)  2.Bc4 Nf6 (Black's best hope of preventing the sacrifice is 2..Qe7. ) 3.Nc3 Bc5 (The purpose of this move is to threaten a sac on f2.  However White can sac on f7 and not allow the sac on f2) 4. p@e3 b5 (this is a chess move.  It doesn't answer the threat of Bxf7+.   It leaves two many weaknesses.  Furthermore, in bughouse, losing a pawn is like losing two pawns.   5. Bxb5 (I would have taken on f7.  The bishop is not useful if it is blocked by the d-pawn)  5..c6. 6.Bc4 d5 7exd OO (This seems a bit bizarre, as Black's plan was to play cxd) 8.dxc6 Nxd6 9.Nf3 Bg4 10...

The majority of contemporary players think that trades are generally good and essential.   Some players are both chess masters and bughouse masters.  But when going over one of their chess games they can explain the purpose of every trade they initiated.  It is only in bughouse that they trade for the sake of trading.  Sometimes chess masters who are inexperienced in bughouse trade because they would trade in speed chess and in speed chess they like to reach the ending.  I wouldn't say that endings never happen in bughouse.  A chess master should be able to win a won endgame in 30 seconds or less.  My friend Ron call this the "Tournament Game strategy" So if he has these two advantages, he can have his partner sit while he wins.  But if you don't have both of these advantages and your board is sparse, it is especially important to guard against checks and/or make sure trades come on your tempo. There are trades for defensive or offensive...