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Thoughts on the hippo?

What are y'all's thoughts on the Hippo Setup where black/white plays g6, e6, d6, b6, h6, a6 (and vice versa)? It's solid based on my statistics, but is it playable in classical games (NM Solomon says it is, having reached the title thanks only to this setup)?

What are y'all's thoughts on the Hippo Setup where black/white plays g6, e6, d6, b6, h6, a6 (and vice versa)? It's solid based on my statistics, but is it playable in classical games (NM Solomon says it is, having reached the title thanks only to this setup)?

It is playable in classical time control games.
Spassky even played it in a World Championship Match:
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106728

It is playable in classical time control games. Spassky even played it in a World Championship Match: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106728

Spassky even played it in a World Championship Match:

I analyzed that game too! It was very classy and Petrosian had to fight for his life.

> Spassky even played it in a World Championship Match: I analyzed that game too! It was very classy and Petrosian had to fight for his life.

I play 4-5 openings, hippo is one of them. Lichess tutor says it's my worst opening. But I'm only 1500 rapid

I play 4-5 openings, hippo is one of them. Lichess tutor says it's my worst opening. But I'm only 1500 rapid

@TheMagnusAura said ^

hippo is highly underrated!

Agreed !!

@TheMagnusAura said [^](/forum/redirect/post/E5GIooqy) > hippo is highly underrated! Agreed !!

Thank you for summoning me, @IamNOTamod . The subject, like my liver, is close to my heart.

I have unselfishly been praising the Hippo publicly for as long as I've been here, I believe.

Do I play it against everything? No.

Do I play it often? Yes.

Does it contribute to my mental health? Sometimes.

Can a person play it blindly and unthinkingly? No. Is it unsuited for some chess styles? I suspect so.

Nevertheless, if you look at my overall win / loss ratio, that ratio is well above 1. I haven't broken it down by Hippo / non-Hippo, and it would make sense to do that, I suppose. But I have a pretty good "feel" for the Hippo, and it doesn't SEEM to be my worst opening -- since it doesn't start with 1 e4?!

So, the Hippo seems to have SOMETHING going for it.

Indeed, I have only one complaint with it: I'd rather it be called "the Spaniel," in honor of, uh, the Spaniel.

But I suppose that would tend to confuse Ruy Lopez players.

Thank you for summoning me, @IamNOTamod . The subject, like my liver, is close to my heart. I have unselfishly been praising the Hippo publicly for as long as I've been here, I believe. Do I play it against everything? No. Do I play it often? Yes. Does it contribute to my mental health? Sometimes. Can a person play it blindly and unthinkingly? No. Is it unsuited for some chess styles? I suspect so. Nevertheless, if you look at my overall win / loss ratio, that ratio is well above 1. I haven't broken it down by Hippo / non-Hippo, and it would make sense to do that, I suppose. But I have a pretty good "feel" for the Hippo, and it doesn't SEEM to be my worst opening -- since it doesn't start with 1 e4?! So, the Hippo seems to have SOMETHING going for it. Indeed, I have only one complaint with it: I'd rather it be called "the Spaniel," in honor of, uh, the Spaniel. But I suppose that would tend to confuse Ruy Lopez players.

@ue7eu =>

https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/black-openings-with-simple-middlegame-plans-?page=3#o3D13eC0

https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/openings-with-easy-plans#bXGQ0dyT

https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/67-years-old-looking-for-an-easy-and-dynamic-opening-for-black?page=2#JkDtyuI2

@ue7eu => https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/black-openings-with-simple-middlegame-plans-?page=3#o3D13eC0 https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/openings-with-easy-plans#bXGQ0dyT https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/67-years-old-looking-for-an-easy-and-dynamic-opening-for-black?page=2#JkDtyuI2