The comments to my essay about the Spassky Bishop prompted me to discuss dream positions: a position that you wish you could achieve in a game.
One of my favorites can be obtained by playing the hedgehog defense where the bishop is finachettoed on b7 the c file is open with a rooks doubled on c7 & 8 and the queen behind the bishop on a8. I saw a Karpov game where he had this setup and I felt it was way cool and wished some day to create this within the context of a game.
I waited many years then had the fortune to do it amazingly twice in one tournament!! The first time was against master Lawyer Times vs his Colle, where I beat him in one of my best efforts ever.
Later Paul MacIntyre told me that Karpov was not the inventor of this setup but in fact Richard Reti in the 1924 New York tournament
One of my favorites can be obtained by playing the hedgehog defense where the bishop is finachettoed on b7 the c file is open with a rooks doubled on c7 & 8 and the queen behind the bishop on a8. I saw a Karpov game where he had this setup and I felt it was way cool and wished some day to create this within the context of a game.
I waited many years then had the fortune to do it amazingly twice in one tournament!! The first time was against master Lawyer Times vs his Colle, where I beat him in one of my best efforts ever.
Later Paul MacIntyre told me that Karpov was not the inventor of this setup but in fact Richard Reti in the 1924 New York tournament
where the position occurred against both Emanuel Lasker and also vs Frederick Yates 
playing this setup from the white side of a Reti [Reti-Yates, 1924.]Ever generous MacIntyre having had several extra copies about, gifted me the 1924 book.
Reti won the game against Yates but lost to Lasker. Lasker won the tournament at age 55 losing only one game; his effort in beating the best in the world out of his usual semi-retirement is one of chess's great accomplishments. Hopefully every player will have an opportunity to view Lasker's feat from the old man perspective, as I now do.Do you have any dream positions that you are willing to talk about? Please comment Mike Griffin 07/01/2008
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My dream position stems, I think, from reading Fred Reinfeld's Complete Book of Chess when I was a boy. It is the setup below in the Stonewall Attack.
From this position I always have the feeling that I can beat anyone. Obviously I don't, but it is always an enjoyable attacking game, with opportunities to sack the Bishop, Rook, or Knight while Black's pieces are helplessly sealed off from the field of action. It is a kind of simple-minded plan - brutally simple and invigorating.
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It is amazing how often the position arises online or in club play, because an unwary Black can play what seems like natural, reasonable developing moves until he finds himself positionally lost. At least in this case, I agree with Weaver Adams - White is to play and win.
robert oresick
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