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Smirf has a fondness of developing the knights immediately. The resultant positions are often classic in character. A classical style implies moving one pawn two steps and developing the pieces fast. This is sometimes employed as a defence method with black. But practice has shown that white's winning chances, should he employ this strategy, are scarce. At least as white, Smirf should more often try to move two pawns in the centre immediately, e.g. c4, and d4. Instead he often blocks the c-pawn. This isn't necessarily bad, but it reduces the strategical possibilities immensely. The c-pawn, both with white and black, is of immense strategical import. Even if black blocks it, typically the knight will soon be removed and the the c-pawn pushed, like in Ruy Lopez. The king fianchetto is also typical of modern opening strategy. I think that the opening play is the greatest problem, when opening books aren't used. A more modern style would increase Smirf's playing strength very much, and, also, that it doesn't try to win (or hold on to) a pawn in the early opening, but, rather, that it could even forfeit a pawn. A possible way of reducing the knight moves could be to randomize the first move. /Mats