The Double Kramnik Formation

In the previous post I introduced The Kramnik Formation, which is the traditional setup ('RNB*****' or '*****BNR') with the Rook and Bishop switched on one wing. This leads to the 'double Kramnik formation' (aka the Kramnik position?), SP323 BNRQKRNB and SP339 BNRKQRNB, with the pieces switched on both wings. The following diagram shows the double Kramnik formation arising from the traditional start position, SP518 RNBQKBNR.

SP323 BNRQKRNB

How do the engines treat this position? I downloaded the corresponding file from the CCRL (see the link on the right sidebar) and found 178 CCRL games. I then loaded the file into SCID and used it to count the intiial moves. SCID doesn't know anything about chess960 -- it chokes when it encounters the first castling move -- but it works properly to that point. The following table shows the output from the SCID 'Tree Window'.

Move	Frequency	Score	AvElo	Perf	AvYear	%Draws
1: Nf3	52: 29.2%	60.5%	2622	2723	2010	13%
2: b4	34: 19.1%	61.7%	2853	2907	2011	24%
3: b3	31: 17.4%	50.0%	2659	2640	2010	29%
4: Nc3	22: 12.3%	77.2%	2674	2891	2011	9%
5: c4	17: 9.5%	61.7%	2712	2787	2010	6%
6: g3	12: 6.7%	41.6%	2582	2529	2009	17%
7: d4	5: 2.8%	40.0%			2010	0%
8: e4	4: 2.2%	37.5%			2010	25%
9: g4	1: 0.5% 1	00.0%			2007	0%
TOTAL:	178:100.0%	58.9%	2680	2745	2010	17%

Here is the same for Black after White's most popular move, 1.Nf3.

Move	Frequency	Score	AvElo	Perf	AvYear	%Draws
1: Nf6	19: 36.5%	60.5%	2540	2472	2010	26%
2: g6	17: 32.6%	58.8%	2680	2561	2010	0%
3: c5	10: 19.2%	60.0%	2709	2604	2011	20%
4: Nc6	3: 5.7%	66.6%			2012	0%
5: b6	2: 3.8%	50.0%			2011	0%
6: d5	1: 1.9% 1	00.0%			2012	0%
TOTAL:	52:100.0%	60.5%	2643	2542	2010	13%

The most popular sequence for both sides, 1.Nf3 Nf6, follows basic opening principles. The Knight move (1) develops a piece, (2) prepares castling O-O, and (3) blocks the long diagonal in order to develop the corner Bishop without having it exchanged immediately. A look at the other popular first moves reveals other basic opening principles in action.

As long as I'm assigning random names to positions arising from the traditional setup, let's give GM Kasparov credit for the formation with the Knight and Bishop switched: 'RBN*****' or '*****NBR'. Why Kasparov? I introduced the 'double Kasparov formation' (aka the Kasparov position?) in two previous posts, Dog-Tired from Memorizing Openings and Switching Bishops and Knights.