|
singe posted:. I also feel the pressure to win against way lower players and as a result I've been subconsciously trying to get more out of positions against these individuals instead of playing more objectively. It's also hard to gauge whether or not I'm improving since my rating has plateaued for about 6 months. Paraphrasing: Play the board, not the wall chart. If you worry about the next round, you don't maximize your concentration in the current round. Also, a plateau is not uncommon. Give yourself a sidetrack in your study maybe. Pick up a new opening to play around with even if you don't think you'll use it, or spend a little time on NvB endings if you haven't before. Sometimes something new will add enough to your game that you can climb higher.
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2015 18:48
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 11, 2024 23:02 |
|
|
singe posted:I have a sort of mini rant. Sometimes it helps to take some time off and just reset. It's like you cleanse yourself of your bad "practical" habits and come back playing with just your principles. Winning down is hard, and the best way to go about it is to not worry about it. Being more ambitious can be good at your level, but don't do it at the expense of principles. On that note, when I get back from shopping I'll put up an OTB game I just played that more of less demonstrates what I'm talking about. quote:I'm thinking of getting a coach, any thoughts? I just feel like I won't be able to make the most of it since I have a full time job, but there are some relatively cheap options on ICC. Getting a coach is fine, but first review your games so you can give concrete answers for what you want to work on. Like any teachers, chess coaches aren't their best when they have to teach "everything." When I was in Greece I had a conversation with a Lebanese FM who runs his own school and his recommendation for coach usage was OTB was better than online if you can wing it, and every two to three weeks is per meeting is a fine schedule. He also said that ultimately spending 4 hours analyzing each game and 4 hours on chess study per week was ideal, but that was for a more "ambitious" goal. e: Alright, here's what I'm talking about 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Bc4 e6 7.Be3 c6 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Nbd7 10.O-O Be7 11.Rad1 O-O 12.Bd3 Nb6 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 g6 15.c4 Re8 16.g3 Bg5  White has three real options. 17.f4 to keep the bishop pair, 17.Bxg5 Qxg5 18.h4 to play with a good space advantage on the kinsgide and centre, or 17.h4 Bxe3 18.fxe3?! which I played. The attraction of the last one is that white easily has four pieces on the kingside, while black will struggle to get two there, and white already has a pair of good ideas of piling on the f-file or breaking open g6. This is the sort of decision that you make based on what you think of your opponent. Against a stronger player I would've swapped on g5 and then taken the space advantage with an eye to creating a winning endgame or maybe even winning the b7 pawn in the middle game. However, my opponent was only 1900 so I was confident that he wouldn't counterattack correctly and would otherwise be too passive in defence, so I decided to go for the more aggressive plan. This paid off, as he didn't think to play the "weakening" move of f5 and used his already-active rook to defend f7. 17.h4 Bxe3 18.fxe3 Qc7 19.Qg4 e5 20.h5 Re7 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.Rd2 exd4 23.Bxg6 fxg6 24.Qxg6+ Rg7 25.Qe6+ Kh8 26.Rh2+ Rh7 27.Rxh7+ Qxh7 28.Rf7 Qxf7 29.Qxf7 Rg8 30.Kg2 Rg7 31.Qh5+ Kg8 32.Qe8+ Kh7 33.Qe4+ Kg8 34.Qxd4 Rd7 35.Qc3 Rf7 36.g4 Nd7 37.c5 Nf6 38.g5 Ne4 39.Qe5 Nxg5 40.Qxg5+ Rg7 41.Qxg7+ Kxg7 42.Kf3 Kf6 43.Kf4 Ke6 44.e4 b6 45.b4 b5 46.e5 a6 47.Ke4 Ke7 48.Kf5 Kf7 49.e6+ Ke7 50.Ke5 1-0 Relatedly, it might help to drill yourself on a few basic principles of attack, like bringing in as many pieces as you can. That can make a difference quite quickly. Hand Knit fucked around with this message at 22:28 on Jan 26, 2015 |
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2015 21:33
|
|
|
singe posted:I've never been able to visualize the board well from notation. It would be so useful for reading chess book without an analysis board ready, but it seems I like the spatial ability, I suck with blindfold chess as a result.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2015 02:54
|
|
|
I'm pretty sure those people were already good at chess and able to memorize a board well (or were totally blind from birth/accident but really liked chess). I don't really see how playing blindfolded actually teaches you anything that you can't learn playing sighted.
|
|
#
?
Jan 31, 2015 01:26
|
|
|
[Event "Rated game"] [Site "http://lichess.org/tU6trjYs"] [Date "2015.02.01"] [White "danpepin"] [Black "HandKnit"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2063"] [BlackElo "2080"] [PlyCount "76"] [Variant "Standard"] [TimeControl "60+0"] [ECO "A00"] [Opening "Hungarian Opening, General"] [Annotator "lichess.org"] 1. g3 { Hungarian Opening, General } e5 2. Bg2 Nf6 3. c3 Bc5 4. d3 O-O 5. Nf3 Re8 6. O-O d5 7. Bg5 Nc6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. Qb3 Be6 10. Qxb7 Ne7 11. Qxc7 Bb6 12. Qb7 Ng6 13. Nbd2 Rab8 14. Qa6 h5 15. e4 h4 16. exd5 Bxd5 17. Ne4 Bxe4 18. dxe4 hxg3 19. hxg3 Qe6 20. Qe2 Qg4 21. b3 Qxg3 22. Nh2 Nf4 23. Qf3 Qg6 24. Kh1 Re6 25. c4 Qh7 26. b4 Rh6 27. Qg3 Rg6 28. Qf3 Rxg2 29. Qxg2 Nxg2 30. Kxg2 Qg6+ 31. Kf3 Qh5+ 32. Ng4 Bd4 33. Rad1 Rb6 34. Rg1 Rf6+ 35. Ke2 Rxf2+ 36. Kd3 Qh3+ 37. Rg3 Qxg3+ 38. Ne3 Qxe3# { White is checkmated } 0-1 He offered me a rematch after this and  
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2015 15:09
|
|
|
Just played this lovely minature, I guess opening prep does help. 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. exd5 exd5 5. Qf3 Qe7+ 6. Ne2 Nf6 7. Be3 Nc6 8. O-O-O Bxc3! 9. bxc3 (Nxc3 is better, but I win the exchange after Bg4) Bg4 10. Qf4 g5!! 11. Qxg5 Bxe2 12. Bxe2 Qa3+ 13. Kb1 Ne4 (threatening mate or queen) 0-1 Book move is either 8. a3, h3 or Qg3, had to find Bxc3 and g5.
|
|
#
?
Feb 4, 2015 04:06
|
|
|
So HandKnit's basically ducking me.  
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2015 11:42
|
|
|
Kekekela posted:So HandKnit's basically ducking me. lol I set that for putting open challenges but I guess it is universal? I'll fix it going forwards, though I'm done for today (I'm basically bombing people with free pieces right now).
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2015 11:47
|
|
|
Hand Knit posted:
Yeah it kind of seems like it may be an oversight on their part. Usually the benefit of "friends lists" etc is that you bypass those kinds of restrictions, from my experience anyway.
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2015 13:16
|
|
|
You don't make as many mistakes as you think (probably), and they're not as bad as you think: https://medium.com/pachyderm-data/when-grandmasters-blunder-a819860b883d
|
|
#
?
Feb 18, 2015 16:11
|
|
|
Resigning at the wrong time: My opponent resigned in this position, after I played Ke7. What resource does white still have available?  51.Kg4!? With the threat of 51...Ke6?? 52. h6! gxh6 53.Kh5 e4 (Ke7 54.Kxh6 Kf8 55.Kh7 +-) 56.Kxh6 e3 57.g7 e2 58. g8=Q+ +- This means that Black has to find the solution of 51...e4! 52.Kf4 f5 53.Kg5!? (53.Ke3 offers no resistance: Ke6 54.Kf4 Kf6 is the cleanest way to get the king to g5 but even 53...Kf6 54.Kf4 e3 works) e3 54.h6 gxh6+ 55.Kxh6 e2 56.g7 e1=Q 57.g8=Q Qh1+ 58.Kg7 Qg1+ -+ So yeah. Black is still winning but white actually had some tries left.
|
|
#
?
Feb 25, 2015 10:40
|
|
|
What does it mean when the notation has like ?! or ?? after the move? Does it mean the move is like surprising and cool?
|
|
#
?
Feb 25, 2015 13:13
|
|
|
Big Anime Fan Here posted:What does it mean when the notation has like ?! or ?? after the move? Does it mean the move is like surprising and cool? ! for good, ? for bad. Combine as necessary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_annotation_symbols#Move_evaluation_symbols
|
|
#
?
Feb 25, 2015 14:04
|
|
|
The double exclamation point one is the funniest one to me. It's the oh we in there hype pringles salty scoops haagen daaz magfuckinneto of chess notation
|
|
#
?
Feb 25, 2015 14:11
|
|
|
If I did chess notation, I would do double exclamation points for every single one of my moves, and all question marks for the guy I was playing against. If I lost I'd be like "well, he was doing all double question marks... sometimes a scrub just randoms you out, you know?"
|
|
#
?
Feb 25, 2015 14:17
|
|
|
Big Anime Fan Here posted:The double exclamation point one is the funniest one to me. It's the oh we in there hype pringles salty scoops haagen daaz magfuckinneto of chess notation Pretty much! When notating your own games I can thoroughly suggest more than 2. Go nuts.
|
|
#
?
Feb 25, 2015 14:42
|
|
|
What's the cool opening to run that's okay if I learn it backwards and forwards? I just do D4 right now but I'm bored of it.
|
|
#
?
Feb 25, 2015 14:46
|
|
|
If I were to annotate my own games, all my moves would be !!.
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 01:21
|
|
|
1. h3!! 1-0
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 01:51
|
|
|
I've been doing 1.b4!!! (the third exclamation point isn't the notation, it's just how excited I am)
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 01:52
|
|
|
Jabor posted:1. h3!! 1-0 Black promptly resigns after seeing this amazing move.
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 02:07
|
|
|
Jabor posted:1. h3!! 1-0 Isn't that "White King's side rook advances one square?" Surely that should be "P-KR3?!"
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 05:13
|
|
|
/\/\/\ living in the past. To be sure, I've played 1.a3 in at least one tournament game. There's always somebody who prefers black and it's a good way to screw with their head.
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 05:27
|
|
|
Don't they just get to go e5 and then you look dumb
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 05:51
|
|
|
Big Anime Fan Here posted:Don't they just get to go e5 and then you look dumb 1.a3 e5 2.e4 and it's like I'm playing black with b4 denied to their B It's a totally legit opening and useful as a psyche weapon.
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 06:05
|
|
|
That line seems like you just gave up the tempo of being white in favor of basically nothing
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 06:37
|
|
|
Big Anime Fan Here posted:That line seems like you just gave up the tempo of being white in favor of basically nothing No, I gain a certain amount of control over the opening. There is no way it will become a resverse-ish Ruy Lopez, and it does restrict black's f8 bishop. Mostly, as I said, it's a psychological weapon. I knew a couple guys who liked playing black against me because they knew their Caro-Kann or French and played them well. I toss a monkey wrench into their prep and also I'm not really creating an organic weakness on my Q side. As a matter of fact, a follow up plan might include b4 and Bb2 with an eye to both a K side attack and controling space on the Q side. e: I admit to being a fan of weird/obscure/less common openings anyway. I enjoyed a fair bit of success playing Philidor's, MacLeod's and one particlar funky old line in the Petrov. dee eight fucked around with this message at 07:09 on Mar 2, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 06:57
|
|
|
My "wake up" game went exceedingly well this morning, figured he'd play 6...e6 and I'd pick up the b7 pawn but even better.... [WhiteElo "1440"] [BlackElo "1451"] [TimeControl "540+5"] [Annotator "lichess.org"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 { Queen's Gambit Accepted, Normal Variation } Bg4 4. e3 Nf6 5. Bxc4 Nc6 6. Qb3 !!!   Bxf3??  7. Bxf7+ Kd7 8. Qe6# I never get these quick mates and this one just kinda came out of nowhere, I was most pleased. Also, 3...Bg4 is not very popular per the databases, but it definitely seems like the response that guys around my level are most in love with.
|
|
#
?
Mar 2, 2015 13:12
|
|
|
I played a tournament game yesterday against a younger player. He made some illegal moves (eg moving into check then hitting the clock) but I didn't call him on it except to let him know he can't do that. Should I be more zealous about enforcing the rules? On one hand I don't want to use technicalities to win. On the other hand, if lil babies don't know the rules they should stay home.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2015 04:39
|
|
|
Watermelon City posted:I played a tournament game yesterday against a younger player. He made some illegal moves (eg moving into check then hitting the clock) but I didn't call him on it except to let him know he can't do that. Should I be more zealous about enforcing the rules? On one hand I don't want to use technicalities to win. On the other hand, if lil babies don't know the rules they should stay home. In a tourney with a clock, aren't you totally allowed to move into check and your opponent is allowed to take your king and the game ends?
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2015 07:50
|
|
|
silvergoose posted:In a tourney with a clock, aren't you totally allowed to move into check and your opponent is allowed to take your king and the game ends? That's the norm for speed chess, but in a tourney illegal moves are covered by the rules. The player making the illegal move has to take it back and make a legal move with the touched peice. If there are no legal moves for that piece then the player makes any other legal move.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2015 18:30
|
|
|
Whoa chess.com is adding USCF rated tournaments. Join the USCF group. Sure beats paying for ICC.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2015 21:07
|
|
|
Watermelon City posted:Whoa chess.com is adding USCF rated tournaments. Join the USCF group. Sure beats paying for ICC. (But seriously: I'm looking forward to using this as more motivation to get back into the game, learn and play better, and have more fun.) I also joined the SA Mafia Chess group, for what it's worth. As I posted when joining the group, I'd love to pump some new chess goon life into it...
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2015 01:11
|
|
|
dee eight posted:That's the norm for speed chess, but in a tourney illegal moves are covered by the rules. The player making the illegal move has to take it back and make a legal move with the touched peice. If there are no legal moves for that piece then the player makes any other legal move. quote:7.5
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2015 01:26
|
|
|
minidracula posted:Pretty neat! Thanks for posting this. I took it as an opportunity to go crazygonuts and both upgrade to Diamond membership on Chess.com, as well as register with USCF for the first time. I look forward to being an official embarrassment to U.S. chess. I'm rated like 760. You're not embarassment yet, son. 
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2015 08:21
|
|
|
What pieces do you guys use for OTB play? I just ordered a set of plastic Reykjavik II pieces from House of Staunton. I can't stand dinky unweighted pieces with anemic knights. I kind of like this cavalier deluxe set but I'm not 100 percent on the Knight's mullet.
Watermelon City fucked around with this message at 20:25 on Mar 21, 2015 |
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2015 20:17
|
|
|
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2015 22:36
|
|
|
Watermelon City posted:What pieces do you guys use for OTB play? I just ordered a set of plastic Reykjavik II pieces from House of Staunton. I can't stand dinky unweighted pieces with anemic knights. I kind of like this cavalier deluxe set but I'm not 100 percent on the Knight's mullet. I'm a big fan of Drueke double-weighted. They thump with authority.
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2015 02:56
|
|
|
What is the context of this?
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2015 05:25
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 11, 2024 23:02 |
|
|
AdorableStar posted:What is the context of this? http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1018678 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxbMzZ5a2Zg 33... Qxe3?? 34.Qxg4.
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2015 10:08
|
|