Hippopotamus Defence

The GingerGM gave it a try, and won:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NYcdjJYkqY

GM vs. GM

its better than its reputation and not easy at all to crack. Anyone who thinks you can just build up pressure and white/black will do nothing has not faced a good hippo player. the Hippo player has not 1 but 4 potential pawn thrusts he can throw at you at any minute as the position subtly changes depending on your formation reply of choice. 

It is  not as viable as it was during Spassky's days though as them more challenging forms of counterplay are well known. Esp, for white where an early h4-h5, attempting to provoke g5?! f4! is dangerous . We simply have a better idea on the best ways to challenge the sturdy formation, so i woudnt trust it beyond occasional surprise value

I've played with it for a long time, an opponent knight can completely wreck you =)

I am currently playing with four opponents and I am having my but handed to me.  Now I am just walking into this opening and attempting to adjust to the variations which soon will be my salvation.  Each opponent is relatively, equally matched to me and my pathetic rating now.  I would ask for help but I think I am beyond that.  In fact, one opponent is rated below me. 

I never gave this opening a thought, but Carissa Yip's win yesterday against Nazi Pakidze was quite impressive. 

So, how difficult is the Hippo to play? I assume you have to be a fairly good chess player to deal with those flexible structures?

Where can I see this game?

Google 2021 U.S. Chess Championships: Round 10...

Jenium.  I have a low rating.  It is in the basement but I have been playing the Hippo and for me it is not easy.  I suspect I will have to play it numerous times and consider all my losses.  If your rating is not in the basement, at least 1500 you may have better luck.  See De Santis' book The Hippopotamus Defense.  It is rather detailed.  Good Luck.

Qxe8.  You proffered to accept a challenge regarding the Hippopotamus Defense.  My rating is in the basement but I have been playing the Hippo for a short piece and losing, naturally.  I sent a challenge.  I hope you will play.  If not that is o.k.  I tried to send a message but it kept getting erased.

Thanks for the suggestion. Yeah, I guess you need to be quite flexible and be able to face many different pawn structures and ideas in order to play it well... I had a couple of Blitz games but it isn't that easy...

Jenium.  Blitz??  According to De Santis, there is one ten moves fundamental setup with five variations that come off the basic foundation or five variations that can be played from the knowledge of the fundamental setup.  I am not very knowledgeable of this yet nor skilled enough  to calculate the necessary moves.

GothamChess once used this defence against a chess cheater bot, he called it the "anti-bot strategy" (only effective in a blitz or 3 minute or 5-minute game.)

F

Lel

There are more than 2,200 possible move orders to build a Hippo.

hippopotami defense is:

they're big and mean

Hippo defense is crazy. 3 and 1 playing it

That position you have there is very difficult indeed for black to defend, but it's also very difficult for white to play.

(It's bad, and black is objectively much worse.)

Good👏👍