Looking for mentor!!

I have had some help along the way, but not much. I don't know about you tomtom, but I know plenty of people would want to upgrade from 1300 to 1800 mistakes. Once they get to that level they have to figure a way past it besides who taught them. There are not many people like silman either when it comes to teaching now is there?

Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromfics
Another difference between someone rated a couple hundred points above you and a professional teacher is $40 an hour. Everyone can't afford that.

Did you mean that "Not everyone can afford that"?

Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromfics
Another difference between someone rated a couple hundred points above you and a professional teacher is $40 an hour. Everyone can't afford that.

That is true. But everybody's time is worth something as well. It's amazing what you can learn in a few lessons from pro, just my IMO though. I can afford $40 once in awhile, but not 2 months of studying to achieve the same thing.

Originally posted by kmac27
I have had some help along the way, but not much. I don't know about you tomtom, but I know plenty of people would want to upgrade from 1300 to 1800 mistakes. Once they get to that level they have to figure a way past it besides who taught them. There are not many people like silman either when it comes to teaching now is there?

Most 1300s probably would until they realize they can't get past that rating and that they aren't that much better in the overall scheme of things. It is better to go slowly while eliminating your mistakes one by one instead of rocketing up to 1800 with just upgraded mistakes.


There is quite a few teachers like Mr. Silman. Some who are arguably better too. In fact, quite a big number of chess players who don't become super GMs become chess teachers and coaches. Possibly in the hopes that those they train may become super GMs.

Edit: this isn't a knock on you. Taking the time to help out another person whether it be in chess or just life in general is a good deed and all the more so when it is successful.

Originally posted by kmac27
I am not offended. I feel I 'm a great teacher. I'm actually heading in a career towards it. It is easy to help give people tips to help them get better because you have been there and done that!! Can you tell me that you haven't played a 1500 or 1600 player and could see thier mistakes from a mile away? and know how to capitalize on it?

I've helped a few buddies get past some humps, but honestly it was just pointing out some real, real obvious mistakes like hanging pieces, falling into cheap traps in the opening which plague the sub 1300 level. Honestly, this was enough to elevate to 1600. I didn't really teach chess IMO.

From my own experience, I actually took quite a few steps BACK after I started to learn chess properly (of course, improved since then). And this is when I realized I did more harm than good for my buddies. Sure, some relatively quick short term gain, but IMO I gave them bad habits, incorrect position assessments, improper middlegame ideas, and worst of all, probably the WORST endgame technique imaginable, Silman would puke. They still made it class A/B, but couldn't crack past that. Bad part was that they thought they were good. Had to inform them that we all sucked, lol.

Originally posted by amolv06
I'm looking for someone to play a couple games with me (unrated preferrably) so we can afterwards go through and analyze and tell me my mistakes. If anyone would like to help out this patzer please let me know. Thanks.

Hi, Amolov
Think the idea of playing a stong player is perhaps not the best.
You will over-awed and not play your usual game - he will get bored/sloppy.

I always ask for losses against the players of the same level.
So I looked at a few of your losses on here.
No real in depth analysis, just general comments.

Game 5549737



Why resign? 15.Ne4 and you are still playing.
15.Ne4 Qxc4 16.Qxg4 Bxg4 17.Nd6+ and 18.Nxc4.
A pawn down with activity against a 1275 player - play on.
In this game your 8.0-0 was wrong, why he never took the d-pawn right away I do not know.

In game Game 5482663
Please tell me you were drunk.

Game 5566559

OK you went for it by swinging your Rook over to the h-file.
Better to put the rest of the boys on active squares.
16.Bg5 (what is it doing on d2 - playing at being a pawn?). Then Rad1.

This game should have been fought in the centre so critical was the decision,
do you play dxc5 or do you allow cxd4?. It's where the heat was being generated.
Your 22.Rxh7?? was a terrible blunder. You have to get these out of your game.

Game 5572501



You played 19.Kg1?? and lost the Lady.

19.Bxf2 Qxf2 20.Ne2+ and Nxc8.

Again pawn down but opposite coloured Bishops give hope. It's certainly not resignable.

In this game 9.Bb5 and 11.Bb5 appear to win you a piece.

You must grab these chances.

Game 5365001

Here you became transfixed with winning the Bishop b3 with a Noah's Ark type trap.
Develop your pieces and leave the bloody pawns alone.
This plan lost you your d-pawn.

I'm all for saccing pawns for open lines but to drop a central pawn for nothing?
(I'm sure White has sacs on f7 in this game 9.Bxf7+ and 11.Nxf7 look on, ceretainly interesting shots).

This game ended when you missed the Knight fork.

This is akin to leaving pieces hanging. It is inexcusable to miss a simple one move
Knight fork in a correspondence game.

Game 5483943

White rarely plays exe5 in the King's Gambit. It's all about tempo and tension.

5.0-0, 5.Nc3, 5.d3 develop and keep the tension - force him to play exf4.

10.Bf7+ was a terrible 2 move combination. I could see what you were up to
but it was clearly unsound.

10.d3, 10.c3 10.Bb3 were better moves.

Did you play this combination over a board (highly recommended)
or did you do it in your head?

Advice:
You need to sharpen up your tactics (does not everybody?) .
Get rid of the silly blunders and learn how to punish opening errors and snatch chances.

Down to you from here. All I can give you is what worked for me.

http://www.gambitchess.com/semi/db6.htm

Get Chernev's 1,000 short games and Du Mont's 200 Miniatures. (they are free).

Strip off all the PGN data - print them out and play them over on a full sized set.
It's a fun way to to learn traps, openings, spot blunders and watch how to crush them.
All these games are played by humans, Watch their lemons getting the treatment
in the most instructive ways.

If we do not look at the mistakes made in the past - then we will repeat them in the future.

There is no easy way - this must be done sooner or later.

Get the bits out and graft at the board. You do not have a tactical gift.
However, tactics can be taught though study by playing over games and solving positions.

It's up to you.

***TEST***

If in the above game you chose 10.d3 (instead of Bf2+?) and Black plays 10...Ne4 nipping the pinned Knight on f3.
What as White would you play here? ( this question is for amolv06 only people)

I should buy the copyright to Chernev's 1000.
I recommend it often enough.

First of all, apologies to greenpawn for the late response. I've been riddled with work/research/tests for the last two weeks, and your response merited more than the flimsy response I had time for then.

Game 5549737

I did not see that. It seemed to me that there was nothing I could do that would stave off blacks Nf2. I certainly need to work on spotting these things, and especially in CC games I need to be more patient. I now also understand why 8. 0-0 was wrong.

Game 5566559

22. Rxh7 was definitely a pretty bad mistake. I don't know why I can't see these things. I definitely see that I need to brush up on my tactics. I don't see why swinging my rook over to the h-file was a bad idea intrinsically. I thought attacking the flank would be a good idea, and if my rook was attacked then I could move him to h3 and my king to g2. I thought that once he was safe on h3 I could develop the other pieces. Of course I missed a tactic that my opponent saw and it lost me the game, but I don't see why the idea of attacking the flank was a bad one. I would appreciate if you/someone could explain that to me. Sorry, I'm not trying to question you, just trying to understand why that was a bad idea.

Game 5572501

Heh, some of these blunders I've made embarrass me. I think if I take anything away from your analysis of my games is that I need to spend more time blunder-checking. #2 is tactics practice. Though I guess those two go hand in hand.

Game 5365001

Heh, had no idea what a Noah's Ark trap was, just looked it up though. Pushing pawns is a bad idea. Noted. I understand in general that developing your pieces is a better idea, but if you can chase an opponents piece around as I was attempting (but failing) to do, is it still an inferior idea? I just blundered away ,y d-pawn, not really much of a sac. I do feel like my opponent dominated me this game, and even though he won because of the knight-fork, I feel he outplayed me in general, and controlled this entire game. Was that because I pushed the pawns too early?

Game 5483943

I like playing King's Gambit. That said, I don't really "know" any lines to it, I more just try and play off of my understanding of basic opening principles. Would you say that it's time for me to start studying particular opening lines, or do I have a long ways to go before that? Going over this game I see both I and my opponent made some glaring mistakes, and that once again reinforces the idea that I need to study tactics.

Thanks for the links. I will look into getting those books. It will be a good project for me to go through those over my Christmas vacation. It'll keep my mind sharp for school as well as opposed to vegetating in front of the TV -- my normal Christmas vacation.

As for your puzzle it looks like 11. Nxe5 would be the correct move. If 11 ... fxe5 then 12. Qxg4 and I win a piece. If 11... Bxd1 then 12. Bf7++.

Originally posted by amolv06

As for your puzzle it looks like 11. Nxe5 would be the correct move. If 11 ... fxe5 then 12. Qxg4 and I win a piece. If 11... Bxd1 then 12. Bf7++.[/b]

Glad you took something from it and you liked it.
I enjoyed doing it.

Alas. My puzzle.
I thought you might fall for it - that's why I set it.



Nxe5 looks good but.....

....Qd4+ (the Black King now has a flight square) and then Black
can take the White Queen.

Don't worry I bet a lot of players who glanced at this thread fell into it.

Checks all checks.

(Kings on g1/g8 with no f-pawn belong on h1/h8).

I fell for it.