Originally posted by cmsMaster If anybody is interested, and I can find a couple of 1800+ players to help out I'd like to set up a time when those interested could come to Playchess and work on tactics, color coordination, classic bishop sacrifices, etc. live on Playchess. PM me if you want to either help or participate with a time and date that seems convenient. If there isn't enough interest I'll simply drop the idea.
Paste that into Fritz if you have it, or play it on a board, or download a program like winboard and paste it into there. There are various checkmates missed in that game - see how many you can find. Some are as low as mate in three, and I think one's a mate in 7.
I doubt anybody sub 1400 will actually try it, but you should. And I liked the game anyways. 😛
Summary:
1.Start off with easy to understand endgame techniques - Pandolfini's Endgame Course is great for a beginner.
2.Study the endgame for at least 15-30 minutes a night.
This is the single most abused part of the game for sub 1400's (and often times upwards of that). Endgames are essential and a strong knowledge of endgames can book your rating 100-200 points. If it's so important, and so easy to gain rating points from, then why doesn't everybody study endgames like mad? The answer to that is simple really - they're boring. It's an easy thing to study, but it's also very boring. Who wants to analyze a position with 2 pawns and 2 kings with nothing else on the board? Somebody who wants to improve. 🙂 Endgames should be studied between 15-30 minutes a day at least for rapid improvement. The best way to study endgames is to buy a book devoted solely to the endgame. But you have to be very careful here, the endgame ranges from very basic to very advanced. Like everything else you have to start off with the easier parts and work your way up. Starting off with a book like Dvoretski's Endgame Manual would be very difficult, and would probably have the adverse effect of turning a low rated player off to endgame study because it's simply too difficult, with too many patterns and positions to memorize. I recommend starting off with Pandolfini's Endgame Course, it's short, simple, and to the point. The first few lessons are insanely easy and many people will be able to skip them, but the difficulty increases as you progress through the book. Another benefit is that this book is cheap ($13), which is rare among chess books.
Me, I don't think I am doing enough tactics. I did read Chernev's "Logical Chess: Move by Move" though. I believe that anyone who's not a master can benefit from this book.
Originally posted by Falco Lombardi Me, I don't think I am doing enough tactics. I did read Chernev's "Logical Chess: Move by Move" though. I believe that anyone who's not a master can benefit from this book.
I don't get this move really, you had to see that he was going to reply with something like a6 and just kick it back - forcing you to waste another tempo. If you want to play develop that bishop now I'd suggest Bc4. This isn't the formation I usually set up against the Pirc/modern, so I'm not sure if that's the proper move. I generally try to setup a 150 Attack with an early Be3, Qd2 and O-O-O, which should work against the modern.
a6 6. Bb5d3 I probably would have retreated to c4 or e2, but d3 looks ok
Nb8c6 7. d5 again, I don't think this move really makes sense in the given position, O-O seems to be the most logical move here, but again d5 is playable.
Nc6e5 8. Nf3xe5 Bg7xe5 9. O-O e6
10. g3 I don't get it, the light squared bishop isn't going to develop here so why bother with it? Be3 and Qe1 (That's Fritz's move) are probably better.
Be5xc3 11. bxc3 exd5
12.Bc1e3? What's the idea with this move? This gives black a material and positional advantage that should be converted into a win. exd5 should ensure a good game for white, Fritz gives the line as Bxd5 Re1 Kf8 Bf1 with an advantage for white, which you should probably be able to find at your level (after the natural recapture those next moves seem to play themselves.)
16.f3 Hmm, yeah I think you can play this, but Qd5+ is better. After f3 I think your opponent has an easier time taking control of this game. I was tempted by Bd4 here, but after f6 black is doing better than after f3
d5
17. a4 Ng8f6 18. a5 h5? White can capitalize here
19. Qd1e2 Not with that move though, the natural axb6 is good here cxb6 Bxb6! and Kxb6 is bad here with Qd4+ and Rb1 to follow with an assault on black's king.
h4? Again, he gives you the chance to trade off there and win - you catch it this time.
25. h4 Qxg3 and the threats to black's king look deadly, your move gives black a passed g pawn that looks pretty dangerous - black actually has a bit of an edge here compared to Qxg3 where you're dominating. 25.Qxg3 Ne8 (Rc8 Bxf6) 26.Re1 and it's done.
Nf6e4?? (Nd7 seems to be the only way to save the game)
Chess Improvement
13 Nov '06 12:49
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