How to win against a GM in a blitz simul?

Marc Benford View Profile

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24 Jan '14 06:53

SwissGambit
Caninus Interruptus
2014.05.01
Joined
11 Apr '07
Moves
92274
26 Jan '14 21:15
Originally posted by sonhouse
Yeah, how could we have known otherwise🙂

One thing, Marc, you have played not a single move here. How can we even tell what level you are at? Like are you a bottom end club player? Expert? Why do you bother commenting here if you intend never to play a game?
Maybe the guy just likes to talk about chess. So what if he hasn't played a game here? Leave him alone.
sonhouse
Fast and Curious
slatington, pa, usa
Joined
28 Dec '04
Moves
53223
27 Jan '14 13:31
Originally posted by SwissGambit
Maybe the guy just likes to talk about chess. So what if he hasn't played a game here? Leave him alone.
well, I have to admit he is not a troll, doesn't knock people for no reason. I guess there is room for non-players here if they behave in a civilized manner.
moonbus
Über-Nerd
Joined
31 May '12
Moves
8260
31 Jan '14 09:08
Originally posted by Marc Benford
Hello.

So I just wanted to know how should I play if I want to win against the GM and the IM? And let me make it clear: I want to win, not draw.

Should I play sharp openings? Or should I continue to use my quiet and positional opening repertoire?
Should I move fast so that the GM's clock runs out fast and he makes a blunder in time pressure? Sh ...[text shortened]... itions) Should I try to play some cheap tricks on the GM?

Thanks in advance for your answers.
Do you have a choice of colors? If so, take white and prepare an opening.

Avoid cheap tricks and obvious traps; GMs spot those things immediately and crush them.

Avoid openings which tend to be decided tactically in the first 15 moves (Latvian); GMs see tactical refutations instantly and they'll sweep you aside.

Play an opening you know well and which is positionally sound (Slav against QGD, for example).

Bear in mind that it will get harder and harder for you as the games progress because, as the GM knocks others out, he comes round to your board at ever shorter intervals. Ergo, save your passes for then.

Don't be timid. Attack if you see an opportunity.
Marc Benford
Joined
06 May '13
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0
06 Feb '14 20:17
OMG! I played a GM in a simul, and he blundered a bishop! I was completely winning, but the time control was too fast for me and so I got into time trouble (I played move 20 to 70 only on the 15 seconds increment). And so I managed to lose this! I don't know if I'll ever get an opportunity like that again... 🙁

EVENT Simul Game, 7m+15s
SITE Simuls with titled players
DATE 2014.02.06
ROUND ?
WHITE Me
BLACK Dbojkov
RESULT 0-1
ECO A43
EVENTDATE 2014.02.06
Invert Board PGN Headers

[Event "Simul Game, 7m+15s"]
[Site "Simuls with titled players"]
[Date "2014.02.06"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Me"]
[Black "Dbojkov"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A43"]
[PlyCount "140"]
[EventDate "2014.02.06"]

1. d4 c5 2. d5 e6 3. dxe6 fxe6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. c4 Be7 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O
d5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Nc3 Kh8 11. Qc2 Be6 12. Rd1 Nb4 13. Qb3 d4 14. Qxe6 Bd6 15. exd4 Re8 16. Qc4 Nc2 17. Rb1 cxd4 18. Nxd4 Rc8 19. Qa4 Nxd4 20. Qxd4 Be5 21. Qxd8 Rcxd8 22. Be3 b6 23. h3 Rc8 24. Rbc1 h6 25. Kf1 a5 26. Rd3 Rb8 27. Rc2 b5 28. a3 b4 29. axb4 axb4 30. Nd1 Ra8 31. b3 Ne4 32. Bf3 Bf6 33. Bxe4 Rxe4 34. f3 Ree8 35. Nf2 Ra1+ 36. Ke2 Bc3 37. Nd1 Bf6 38. Kf2 Rb1 39. Re2 Ra8 40. Bc5 Raa1 41. Ne3 Rh1 42. Bxb4 Bh4+ 43. g3 Bf6 44. f4 Rxh3 45. Rd1 Rh2+ 46. Kf3 Rxe2 47. Kxe2 Ra8 48. Nc4 Rb8 49. Bd2 Rxb3 50. Be3 g5 51. f5 h5 52. Kf2 h4 53. g4 Rb4 54. Rc1 Kg7 55. Kf3 Kf7 56. Nd6+ Ke7 57. Ne4 Rb3 58. Rc2 Bd4 59. Re2 h3 60. Ng3 Be5 61. Kf2 Kf7 62. Nh1 Rb1 63. Bxg5 Bd4+ 64. Be3 Rxh1 65. Bxd4 Rh2+ 66. Kf3 Rxe2 67. Kxe2 h2 68. Kf3 h1=Q+ 69. Kf4 Qh2+ 70. Kg5 Qd2+ 0-1
moonbus
Über-Nerd
Joined
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Moves
8260
06 Feb '14 21:07
Originally posted by Marc Benford
OMG! I played a GM in a simul, and he blundered a bishop! I was completely winning, but the time control was too fast for me and so I got into time trouble (I played move 20 to 70 only on the 15 seconds increment). And so I managed to lose this! I don't know if I'll ever get an opportunity like that again... 🙁

[pgn]
[Event "Simul Game, 7m+15s"] ...[text shortened]... Rxh1 65. Bxd4 Rh2+ 66. Kf3 Rxe2 67. Kxe2 h2 68. Kf3 h1=Q+ 69. Kf4 Qh2+ 70. Kg5 Qd2+ 0-1
[/pgn]
Shucks, you had a good game going there. GMs see things we mere mortals have to calculate; seeing is faster than calculating, so under time pressure, the one who sees has an advantage over the one who calculates (even if they arrive at the same move).

I think you did not pressure him enough after you got a material advantage. You played too defensively. I would have doubled the rooks and penetrated his back ranks with them... just a thought.
1shooter
Joined
17 Dec '13
Moves
962
07 Feb '14 02:08
if you know in advance who the gm or im is you can study up on them and know the opening response they will most likely play.

So you will have to time to study these opening variations. I know a lot of masters 2200 level who will study up on a guy before they play them if they know who they will play.

Knowing what someone will do will help a bunch
Marc Benford
Joined
06 May '13
Moves
0
08 Feb '14 01:12
I've already looked (with ChessBase) at what openings the GM plays in OTB games. But it was apparently useless: it looks like in simuls he plays different openings which are a little bit less popular. Just looking at our game, he answered 1. d4 with 1... c5, a move he never made in serious OTB games.

Not to worry, I have an entire year of premium membership on Playchess, which means that I'll be able to play a good dozen of games against him. So winning one game will be very plausible.
I just have to be sure to play a little more aggressively and not to get into time trouble next time.
Paul Leggett
Chess Librarian
The Stacks
Joined
21 Aug '09
Moves
113572
08 Feb '14 02:09
Originally posted by Marc Benford
OMG! I played a GM in a simul, and he blundered a bishop! I was completely winning, but the time control was too fast for me and so I got into time trouble (I played move 20 to 70 only on the 15 seconds increment). And so I managed to lose this! I don't know if I'll ever get an opportunity like that again... 🙁

[pgn]
[Event "Simul Game, 7m+15s"] ...[text shortened]... Rxh1 65. Bxd4 Rh2+ 66. Kf3 Rxe2 67. Kxe2 h2 68. Kf3 h1=Q+ 69. Kf4 Qh2+ 70. Kg5 Qd2+ 0-1
[/pgn]
Any way you slice it, this is a nice job. Good show!
Marc Benford
Joined
06 May '13
Moves
0
18 Feb '14 20:17
YES!!! I just defeated IM Michael Kopylov a few minutes ago!

EVENT Simul Game, 8m+15s
SITE Simuls with titled players
DATE 2014.02.18
ROUND ?
WHITE Me
BLACK Michael Kopylov
RESULT 1-0
ECO A59
EVENTDATE 2014.02.18
Invert Board PGN Headers

[Event "Simul Game, 8m+15s"]
[Site "Simuls with titled players"]
[Date "2014.02.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Me"]
[Black "Michael Kopylov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A59"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "2014.02.18"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 g6 6. Nc3 Bxa6 7. e4 Bxf1 8. Kxf1 d6 9. g3 Bg7 10. Kg2 O-O 11. f4 Nbd7 12. Nf3 Qa5 13. Bd2 Rfb8 14. Qc2 Ne8 15. h4 Nc7 16. h5 Nb5 17. Nxb5 Qxb5 18. Bc3 Bxc3 19. bxc3 Qb2 20. Rhc1 Ra3 21. Nd2 Nf6 22. Rab1 Qxc2 23. Rxb8+ Kg7 24. Rxc2 Nxh5 25. Rb3 Ra4 26. Kf3 1-0

And he lost on time.

I tried to play more aggressively this time, and it looks like it worked.

My next and final goal is to beat GM Bojkov, but he's proving to be even stronger than IM Kopylov.

EVENT	Simul Game, 7m+15s
SITE	Simuls with titled players
DATE	2014.02.06
ROUND	?
WHITE	Me
BLACK	Dbojkov
RESULT	0-1
ECO	A43
EVENTDATE	2014.02.06

EVENT	Simul Game, 8m+15s
SITE	Simuls with titled players
DATE	2014.02.18
ROUND	?
WHITE	Me
BLACK	Michael Kopylov
RESULT	1-0
ECO	A59
EVENTDATE	2014.02.18

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How to win against a GM in a blitz simul?