Imperium strategy #3
This Nugget has been written by guustavf on 20 Jul at 1:07AM
Category: Imperium
The PV is stronger than the PL because it can move between black and white without rotation.
The PI is a good defender. But if I exchange it for something else I am usually happy.
The LW can give checkmate unaided but vulnerable to attack if it reaches the edge of the opposite side of the board.
Th LY has the ability to retreat which can often be used to attack opposing pieces from behind, sometimes with a 'fork'.
The LT gains strength as the board clears. It is very good at restricting the opposing C, moves. I think it is strongest when rotated 90 degrees.
Experiments with rotating this piece to diagonal moves generally do not produced good results.
The Shields may rotate after moving. That ability is very valuable in some circumstances. A Shield that can move in close to opposing pieces and then has eight possible final positions. This can be very disruptive and difficult to defend against.
The next game illustrates Shield play, a stranded LW, exchanged PIs and a fork.
1. F2 -> G3 C8 -> C6
2. D2 -> C3 E7 -> E6/0
3. E3 -> E4/0 E8 -> E7
4. E2 -> E3 D8 -> C7
5. E4 -> E5/0 E6 -x E5/0
6. E3 -x E5 D7 -> D6/7
The Shield comes into play with a rotation. Continuing to exchange leaves Green ahead in development.
7. E5 -x E7 F8 -x E7
Green's PLs in front of the PVs block their movement. Given the Black point 'theory' is this optimum?
8. D3/1 G9 -> F8
9. D3 -> E4/7 C9 -> D8
10. F3 -> F4/7 B9/6
11. E4/1 F7 -> F6/0
12. E4 -> E5/7 H9 -> G9
13. E5 -x D6/0 E7 -x D6
14. F4 -> E5/0 D6 -x E5
15. G3 -x E5 C7 -x E5
16. C3 -x E5 F6 -> F5/2
The Red S dodges around the side to attack the undefended GP lured forward.
17. E5 -> D6 F8 -x D6
18. G2 -> E4 F5 -> E5/6
19. E4 -x C6 F9 -x C6
After all that, Red has a nicely centralised extra Shield and generally better development.
The next move is not exactly a mistake, but looses more tempi than are gained.
21. F1 -> E2 E4 -x B1
The RLW threatens to rotate and exchange itself. To prevent material loss Green must attack it immediately. (Perhaps with the interesting C1->B2.)
22. C1/5 G8 -> G6
23. E2 -> H5 D8 -> G5
The important point is that the RLW is out of play but so is the RLY which has to guard it until the right moment to capture.
For this reason Red can be considered to be a LT and S up.
Play proceeds with that thought in the background.
24. H5 -> H6# E9 -> D8
25. C4 -> E6 D6 -> B4#
26. E1 -> F2 B4/4
Protecting the RL.The next move leaves the point H4 unprotected allowing a fork or C & LW.
27. G1 -> H2 G5 -> H4#
28. F2 -> E3 H4 -x H6#
29. E3 -> D4 B4 -> B2#
30. D4 -> C5 D9 -> C8#
31. C5 -> D6 C8 -> C7##
The PI is a good defender. But if I exchange it for something else I am usually happy.
The LW can give checkmate unaided but vulnerable to attack if it reaches the edge of the opposite side of the board.
Th LY has the ability to retreat which can often be used to attack opposing pieces from behind, sometimes with a 'fork'.
The LT gains strength as the board clears. It is very good at restricting the opposing C, moves. I think it is strongest when rotated 90 degrees.
Experiments with rotating this piece to diagonal moves generally do not produced good results.
The Shields may rotate after moving. That ability is very valuable in some circumstances. A Shield that can move in close to opposing pieces and then has eight possible final positions. This can be very disruptive and difficult to defend against.
The next game illustrates Shield play, a stranded LW, exchanged PIs and a fork.
1. F2 -> G3 C8 -> C6
2. D2 -> C3 E7 -> E6/0
3. E3 -> E4/0 E8 -> E7
4. E2 -> E3 D8 -> C7
5. E4 -> E5/0 E6 -x E5/0
6. E3 -x E5 D7 -> D6/7
The Shield comes into play with a rotation. Continuing to exchange leaves Green ahead in development.
7. E5 -x E7 F8 -x E7
Green's PLs in front of the PVs block their movement. Given the Black point 'theory' is this optimum?
8. D3/1 G9 -> F8
9. D3 -> E4/7 C9 -> D8
10. F3 -> F4/7 B9/6
11. E4/1 F7 -> F6/0
12. E4 -> E5/7 H9 -> G9
13. E5 -x D6/0 E7 -x D6
14. F4 -> E5/0 D6 -x E5
15. G3 -x E5 C7 -x E5
16. C3 -x E5 F6 -> F5/2
The Red S dodges around the side to attack the undefended GP lured forward.
17. E5 -> D6 F8 -x D6
18. G2 -> E4 F5 -> E5/6
19. E4 -x C6 F9 -x C6
After all that, Red has a nicely centralised extra Shield and generally better development.
The next move is not exactly a mistake, but looses more tempi than are gained.
20. C2 -> C4 C6 -> E4#
21. F1 -> E2 E4 -x B1
The RLW threatens to rotate and exchange itself. To prevent material loss Green must attack it immediately. (Perhaps with the interesting C1->B2.)
22. C1/5 G8 -> G6
23. E2 -> H5 D8 -> G5
The important point is that the RLW is out of play but so is the RLY which has to guard it until the right moment to capture.
For this reason Red can be considered to be a LT and S up.
Play proceeds with that thought in the background.
24. H5 -> H6# E9 -> D8
25. C4 -> E6 D6 -> B4#
26. E1 -> F2 B4/4
Protecting the RL.The next move leaves the point H4 unprotected allowing a fork or C & LW.
27. G1 -> H2 G5 -> H4#
28. F2 -> E3 H4 -x H6#
29. E3 -> D4 B4 -> B2#
30. D4 -> C5 D9 -> C8#
31. C5 -> D6 C8 -> C7##
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