English Rat Defense: Clawing back
Last night while sitting at home I heard a minor commotion outside my bedroom window like a neighbor was clearing out storage. When I left the house in the morning there was a package of sliced turkey on the stairs. A cat must have been struggling to tear it open and get at the meat inside. I debated if I should bother throwing the package out or leave it for the cats, and ultimately decided on the latter. On the way to work, however, it occurred to me the meat might attract sewer rats. In this morning's game Lichess matched me against one arcolombo698, rated 1665 out of the U.S. Lichess classifies the opening he played against me as the Rat Defense: English Variation. Unfamiliar as it was to me, I couldn't tell if opponent knew what he was doing or was trolling. He knew what he was doing -- but that is the kind of opening the Rat is. When Black loses castling rights on move four, White can't help feeling he's gained an advantage, and that makes the ensuing feeling ...