Criticism please.

Both were against stronger players.

Both were Drawn.


What could I have done differently? :3

Game 3495614

Game 3497002

I just glanced at the first dozen moves of the first game. You shouldn't have retreated the queen on move 11. You should have played 11...Be7 or 11...Ne7, and you would have won the knight on f3.

Also, the move h5 looked odd.

I'm no expert, but...

I see in Game 3497002 you moved Kf3g5, threatening Kxf7 on your next move. I'd be wary about playing something like this against a 1500 player: players of that level have likely fallen for that trick some time before and have strategies to deal with it. Ultimately, this resulted in his queen taking your knight on black's 6th move, and then you were behind in material for the rest of the game and were set on the defensive when he threatened an exchange of queens.

Looking over the final position, I wonder if black didn't accept a draw prematurely, if he was willing to give up on the pawn on a4 and set about eliminating your pawn on the g and h files. For what it's worth, I'd suggest concentrating on working on a solid opening that limits your opponent's oppurtunity to get ahead on material early in the game.

Of course, I'm hovering around a mere 1300, so what do I know? 😛

ih8sens suggested The bishop move instead of queen move as well.



When I was looking through it, It looked really iffy.


And also, on the game against prince, I suppose I could have dropped the pawn and gone to where my forces were......

Now I feel bad. xD

But i'm learning. :3

The post that was quoted here has been removed

Hahaha, xD

Don't accept draws when you can win by force.

Right, right, I didn't realize I could win.


It just didn't register.


Probably because I went into the game hoping for a draw, not thinking I would have an opportunity to win, I flat out missed it.

Originally posted by Madknight13
Of course, I'm hovering around a mere 1300, so what do I know? 😛

No, looking back on it, I think they're right.


Like I said,


It was a psychological thing. ,_,

Don't be intimidated by people's ratings. I'm convinced they're a self-perpetuating system, you wouldn't have accepted the draw if your opponent had a rating the same as yours.

In the second game you needed to have the king on g2 and then you could take the h-pawn pawn with the knight. Your opponent couldn't stop it happening, the rook can't defend the pawn and check you at the same time. If he trys to push his pawn then you can take it and as your knight can move twice as fast as his pawn there's no danger of him queening first. You certainly didn't want to be abandoning the a-pawn as was suggested above - it keeps his king tied up, and the rook isn't needed to remove his pawns.

The first game is far less clear, but I'd have thought that it was winnable. You were a piece up and should have been looking to break open a file - even at the cost of a pawn - to see if you couldn't make some progress. In general a two pawn lead is enough to win, so if you are a piece up then unless there is a good reason to think you can't make progress don't accept or make draw offers.