On Saturday I enter my slowest tournament yet... 30/90, G/60... four 5-hour games against class C opponents. I don't expect hanging pieces.
Since my last tourney I've played over 100 blitz games and studied the troublesome positions with an International Master. This week I'm resting up, hitting the deep tactics, and reading Heisman's time management articles. All signs point to conquest.
Except, deep down, I know my understanding of positional chess is infantile and I require my opponents to make a tactical error to succeed. See the games below. At least one of my opponents will play tactically sound chess. And he's going to be a struggle.
Likesforests Unleashed
likesforests-unleashed.pgn
Likesforests Collared
likesforests-collared.pgn
PS - Samurai is alive, and on his way back! Fellow knights, rejoice. :)
12 comments:
First of all goodluck in the upcoming tournament.
Second, why is it that the quality of your play much better in the first game then in the second game? Something to do with the rating of the opponent? Psychologicly giving yourself no chance at the start of game?
Good luck for the tournament and after quickly going through the games I don't see it as a quality issue, more like good player vs bad player and expert player vs good player...
On that second game,
5.d5 seems premature. By fixing the center, you give black a free hand to pursue the plan of g6, f5, etc.
10.f4 allows black to open up the long diagonal for his g7 bishop. You've transposed to a sort of King's Indian (with black having saved a tempo), so perhaps f3 is called for, followed by expanding on the queenside.
12 - 14 the trades have placed the black knights on good posts. Instead let him do the work (of trading) while you develop pieces.
15 Play is going to be in the wide-open center, so the queen doesn't belong on b3.
Well, I just plugged the game into Rybka, and it says White had 9.c5! dxc5 10.Nxe5! due to the bishop being overloaded.
Hey Anonymous, Rybka likes d5 (+.60), but what do you suggest instead? Immediate e4 only gets +.30.
I know, I know, I should start thinking for myself.
chesstiger, did it differ? As I see it, I had a strong opening and played well tactically in both games. But I ignored my development. Mr. 1400 didn't know how to take advantage... heck, he let me take on the black army with one piece! Mr. 2400 knew exactly how to take advantage of better development and the results were devastating.
trallala, aye. The difference in knowledge between a 1400 and a 2400 is incredible.
Anon:
5.d5: It's interesting you say that! My coach also slightly prefers 5.e4. In most cases they transpose.
10.f4: Exactly! Unfortunately, I had never played against the KID before--in most move orders I avoid it--and f3 ...f4 looked scary although now I know White also has his chances on the queenside. It's a race.
12-14: Aye. After move 14 my position is very hard to defend.
15: Of course, but hanging the c4 pawn would also be bad and b3 loses. It's a tough position--hopefully I will do a better job developing next time.
Muston - Ooh, 9.c5 dxc5 10.Nxe5 is nice!
"I don't expect hanging pieces" - actually, I would! (Ok, maybe only once.) Even with this slow a time control, all your opponents will make a tactical mistake at some point if you give them a chance - the question is whether you can make it happen and whether you can take advantage ;)
Good luck!
It really is amazing how little the opening matters. That second game is a good proof. :)
Good luck this weekend.
BDK - Quite the opposite!
3...Nc6 and 4...Bd7 were not best but they reached a KID where White can't play the Botvinnik or force him into more passive Old Indian lines.
In fact, after 9.Ne1 we reached a KID, Mar De Plata where he was familiar with the correct actions and themes for each side and I wasn't.
I learned alot from this game, but I will never play into this variation again. I patched my repertoire.
Kick ass and have fun! ;) And thanks for the mentioning.
Hmmm....it looked ugly but I see.
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