I don't really understand it. Generally if I win both games against an opponent in a tournament or clan game, the win as white is much harder fought and takes about 20 moves longer. Likewise, if I split, I'm more likely to have won as black. Is it simply a matter of poor strategy, i.e.; I'm better at reacting to my opponent than I am at taking the initiative? It's getting to the point where I dread playing as white because I will invariably either create a cramped and lifeless position for myself or initiate a poorly calculated attack, which fizzles into nothing, leaving me down a piece or worse, whereas with the black pieces, I seem to be able to just play active defense and improve my position. Would getting some opening books help me with this?
Obviously, I'm very much a beginner at this game, but I feel I'm reasonably good at opening development. If anyone could recommend anything (books, exercises, etc. ) I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.
Originally posted by rking00Qoute: "as white because I will invariably either create a cramped and lifeless position for myself or initiate a poorly calculated attack, which fizzles into nothing, leaving me down a piece or worse, whereas with the black pieces, I seem to be able to just play active defense and improve my position."
I don't really understand it. Generally if I win both games against an opponent in a tournament or clan game, the win as white is much harder fought and takes about 20 moves longer. Likewise, if I split, I'm more likely to have won as black. Is it simply a matter of poor strategy, i.e.; I'm better at reacting to my opponent than I am at taking the initiative could recommend anything (books, exercises, etc. ) I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.
I think with that you've answered your own question.
As White you probably just try too hard.You feel obliged to win causing you to overextend your position.Just play normal chess,build your position,attack when you're good and ready,don't neglect defense.
Ignore the colors,play chess! 🙂
edit: something went wrong with the quoting,fixed it 🙂
Thanks, Romanticus, I think you're right. As for attacking, though, I seem to have no idea when I'm "good and ready", as I've learned from painful experience. Someone suggested "The Art of Attack" as a good book. Anyone else read this? Is it understandable to someone of my level? I still have a hard time with visualization, so frequent diagrams are very helpful.
Originally posted by rking00Might be a bit advanced, I certainly found it difficult. It's great fun though and you'll definitely get something out of playing through the examples even if you think "I'd never have found that" a lot of the time.
Thanks, Romanticus, I think you're right. As for attacking, though, I seem to have no idea when I'm "good and ready", as I've learned from painful experience. Someone suggested "The Art of Attack" as a good book. Anyone else read this? Is it understandable to someone of my level? I still have a hard time with visualization, so frequent diagrams are very helpful.
Vukovic' "Art of attack" is one of the next books I plan to read.From what I've heard it's very difficult.Start with a tactics primer if you haven't already.
Went through a few of your White losses.Not much wrong with your play,just tactical mistakes.Wait for GP to come on,I bet he's analysing some of your games right now.
Recommended reading:
Chess tactics,by Paul Littlewood.
Logical chess,Irving Chernev.
Any tactical puzzle book.
Capablanca's best chess endings,Irving Chernev.
When you become a GM you can send me a cheque 😉
Originally posted by rking00You should always be good and ready for an attack as white... Create a weakness in blacks position and then move your pieces to the best squares to exploit the weakness, much easier to do this as white since you start with the first move.
Thanks, Romanticus, I think you're right. As for attacking, though, I seem to have no idea when I'm "good and ready", as I've learned from painful experience. Someone suggested "The Art of Attack" as a good book. Anyone else read this? Is it understandable to someone of my level? I still have a hard time with visualization, so frequent diagrams are very helpful.
Attacking isn't just rushing blindly in with your pieces... It's a delicate art which takes patience.
Thanks for all the helpful comments! Looks like I have a lot of reading ahead of me.
So far, the only supplement I'm using for my games is Silman's Chess Mentor 3 software, a brilliant program, as it actually helps you to understand just why a particular move is incorrect. I am still debating whether to buy a copy of Fritz just to analyze my losses, But I'm unsure whether this would do anything for me if I don't understand the "reasoning" behind its analysis.
Game 5747055
Thought I might as well post this. Probably my most frustrating loss. I just couldn't seem to get a strong enough attack going on the kingside, and eventually got smothered on the queenside.
Here is your last loss as white
You are still dropping pieces! Before you start worrying about your position worry about your loose pieces!
You left your pawn hanging and you made a nasty whole on d4 I guess you didn't castle because you saw the "ghost" Bh3 and then you didn't look any further. And later in the game you played 22.Rg2??. You CAN'T drop you pieces... you need to work on that before you try figuring anything else out.
Ok, fair enough. I don't know why I played 10. e4, that was a horrible move. after that I was pretty demoralized and continued on just to see how black would get the win. Its those little pawn moves that always get me into trouble. I have been working more on trying to keep control of the center.
Originally posted by rking00Well 10.d4 is playable and might proceed like this 10..exd4 11.exd4 Qxg2 12.Rg1 Qh3 13.Rg3 Qh5 14.0-0-0 Bxc3 15.Qxc3 Re8 16.Bd3 and 17.d5 and you have a bunch of open lines to blacks king and the initiative.
Ok, fair enough. I don't know why I played 10. e4, that was a horrible move. after that I was pretty demoralized and continued on just to see how black would get the win. Its those little pawn moves that always get me into trouble. I have been working more on trying to keep control of the center.
Originally posted by tomtom232Just checked it out, and that does look pretty good. Thanks.
Well 10.d4 is playable and might proceed like this 10..exd4 11.exd4 Qxg2 12.Rg1 Qh3 13.Rg3 Qh5 14.0-0-0 Bxc3 15.Qxc3 Re8 16.Bd3 and 17.d5 and you have a bunch of open lines to blacks king and the initiative.
Hi
You will find that most players at the lower levels feel the same.
They tned to toil with the White pieces.
Answer is simple.
All players put more work into their Black openings. So as White
you are walking into something they have looked at, studied or
have experience with.
In the game v Seastan you were doing OK but 14.Rf1?
That Rook should have gone to g1.
That would have given him something to think about.
Think it was Tomtom who said don't go charging in with a mad attack.
He is of course correct, but do put your pieces on aggressive squares
ASAP ready to give him the old sac sac mate.
Can see nice plausible line here just to give you idea of
attacking potential your postion had.
It's not a 100% but mating patterns are suggesting themselves to me.
Especially with his Queen on f6 and your c3 Knight ready
to jump onto d5. Rdg1 stops his Qf4 idea because Rxg7+
Here is the plausibel line.
(note King nudge so Queen sac is not a check).
Thanks, Greenpawn, I guess you're right; I needed to create some kind of threat instead of just curling up and dying. Rg1 did cross my mind, but it just seemed too easy to defend against. ...g6, for instance... But I see what you're saying; getting the opponent to react to you can be a good strategy. I just wish I had the nerve to sac pieces in a scary position like that. I instinctively want to just bring all my pieces back to the defensive, but just end up dying a slow death. Thanks again. That was very enlightening.
(Change your avatar - put Tal or Morphy up there instead) 😉
You were a pawn down so you had to play sharply in that position.
It's either that of Black swaps off into a won ending.
If you go a pawn down think;
"Good, that means I have a file I put my Rooks on."
Think positive, all your sacrifices are going to work.
Try playing some gambit chess.
Look at some short games (under 20 moves).
These will give you loads of attacking ideas.
Don't be afraid to look at games played 100-150 years ago.
A lot to be learned from these old boys.
They knew how to attack and the defenders defended very poorly
about a -1600 level.
Look at this game. White gave QR QN odds so was already
two pieces down - he had to attack.
He wins in 15 moves saccing his Queen thus going two Queens down.
(he allows Back to get anoterh Queen)
Barnes - Amateur, New York 1877