My latest screwup game:) Any thoughts?

I did not like the position from the opening although not really my field. Saccing the c pawn more often given initative for pushing elsewhere rather than justifying immediate recapture. I thought about qa4 and then bringing in the kings Knight.

11qb3 though looks fatal as your opponent could simply exchange down such that you had no connected pawns at all. Simply castling kingside would have been stronger albeit the f pawn might become doubled.

Him taking the knight with the bishop was in my view poor. However, you should have captured with the pawn supporting the centre (although you are already a pawn down in any event if he wishes to take the N on f3 and then the g pawn).

The rest, as they say is technique.

I sort of feel that this game was marginal in the opening and lost in the early transition in the middle game.

1) I dont like the French Exchange.

2) You transpose into a Panov Botvinnik type setup, but Black gets rapid development in this line due to the E pawn being moved instead of the C pawn. This hands the initiative to Black after Bb4 (imo).

3) Probably 7. a3 is more accurate than 7. Be2 as you put the question to the Bishop right away. I don't mind playing these sorts of positions where you have an extra pawn island but you can grab the open B file for your Rook.

4) If Be3 is the correct move, then your opening has failed. You are saddled with a questionable iqp, Black has a tempo lead in development, and both your Knights pinned while White has failed to make one serious threat.


In otb, opening prep often seems more about getting your opponent working on their own with the clock ticking. In CC openings are all about wrestling for the better position at the end of opening development. Your French Exchange line might work in otb, but it didn't look terribly convincing here.

I am sure someone will spend more time discussing the middle game portion so I will leave it to them.

10.Bxd5 helps black develop.
Instead I recommend developing yourself with 10.Qb3

I think that you have made a poor choice of opening. From research rather than personal experience I don't see the exchange variation as a viable option in a regular game. It does not have a good record at any level of play and often ends in a draw. Unless you have a good reason for playing it, I would choose to play the main line or a different variation.

I don't really think it is worth analysing too deeply, I would just suggest that you avoid the exchange line as your standard response to the french.

Originally posted by sonhouse
[pgn][Event "Clan challenge"]
[Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2010.08.01"]
[EndDate "2010.08.24"]
[Round "?"]
[White "sonhouse"]
[Black "dk0009"]
[WhiteRating "1731"]
[BlackRating "1777"]
[WhiteELO "1731"]
[BlackELO "1777"]
[Result "0-1"]
[GameId "7643312"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. c4 Bf8b4 5. Nb1c3 Ng8e7 6. Ng1f3 Bc8g4 7. ...[text shortened]... 6. Rh1e1 Kg7f8 37. Re1e5 h4 38. Re5e1 Rd4a4 39. Kc3d3 Ra4xa5 0-1[/pgn]

You did not lose this game because of the opening. Things went downhill after you played the move 11.Qb3? better would have been 11.O-O when things are still at least ok for white.

You could also have greatly improved by playing the move 16.Kb1 instead of 16.f4? and still by playing 17.Kb1 instead of 17.Rg5? After black captures the a2 pawn white really is in a lost position.

However, even once you got yourself into this bad position you still missed a winning shot:




White played 21.h5?? You missed that blacks g pawn is pinned to his king, the simple 21.Rxf5! gives you a dominant advantage.

"It does not have a good record at any level of play and often ends in a draw."

In the under 1900 DB.

Played 3,684 times.

White Wins - 37%
Black Wins - 46%
Draws - 17%

83% of the games end in a postive manner, hardly often ending in a draw.

Black is winning the majority of the games.
Perhaps the White plan should be....



.....lose an early tempo (in effect swittch sides) and then play
whatever it is Black is playing v White's extra tempo.

In the posted game White played like a soap dish.

8.Bxc4?? is a mugs move. Did you really think he was going to
fall for Bxf7+ and Ne5+



Go for these things by all means but not at the cost of developing tempo.

Don't wast time capturing back that thing on c4 when the board is wide open.
Break the pin, give him pawns, get out there and fight hand to hand.



His g4 bishop is better than your e2 Bishop. So plonk your Knight
on the great square e5 and swap the things off.



"But that leaves the d-pawn hanging."

He can have the bloody thing. 1....Qxd4 2.0-0.



Now White threatens Nb5 - so he chops the c3 Knight and you get a free
chew on the Black Queen. tempo, development, play Morphy chess.

It could have gone something like this if you would only take an enjoyable
week or two out of your life to play over some Morphy games instead of
playing the utter dross you posted.

Dross?

Yes Dross. You asked for any thoughts.

Look at your postion of your choice after 19 moves.



You took off the Queens, this is what you got.

A pawn down, 4 pawn islands and what is that on e3?

And yet without any magic.....

Originally posted by greenpawn34
"It does not have a good record at [b]any level of play and often ends in a draw."

In the under 1900 DB.

Played 3,684 times.

White Wins - 37%
Black Wins - 46%
Draws - 17%

83% of the games end in a postive manner, hardly often ending in a draw.

Black is winning the majority of the games.
Perhaps the White plan should be....

[fen]r ...[text shortened]... d4 3. O-O Bxc3 4. bxc3 Qxc3 5. Bb2
{and White is going to have loads of fun here}[/pgn][/b]

Even you now, Greenpawn?

Why is everybody drooling over how bad he played the opening? Much more important in this game was a missed tactical move. I admit that 8.Bxc4 was unnecessary but you can hardly say it's the reason he lost the game.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
"It does not have a good record at [b]any level of play and often ends in a draw."

In the under 1900 DB.

Played 3,684 times.

White Wins - 37%
Black Wins - 46%
Draws - 17%

83% of the games end in a postive manner, hardly often ending in a draw.

Black is winning the majority of the games.
Perhaps the White plan should be....

[fen]r ...[text shortened]... d4 3. O-O Bxc3 4. bxc3 Qxc3 5. Bb2
{and White is going to have loads of fun here}[/pgn][/b]

Thanks, I would never have seen that inside my poopy position!

Originally posted by cmsMaster
You did not lose this game because of the opening. Things went downhill after you played the move 11.Qb3? better would have been 11.O-O when things are still at least ok for white.

You could also have greatly improved by playing the move 16.Kb1 instead of 16.f4? and still by playing 17.Kb1 instead of 17.Rg5? After black captures the a2 pawn white real ...[text shortened]... ed that blacks g pawn is pinned to his king, the simple 21.Rxf5! gives you a dominant advantage.

I was actually looking at that kind of thing but totally missed that shot. Good lesson in tactics.

Originally posted by cmsMaster
Even you now, Greenpawn?

Why is everybody drooling over how bad he played the opening? Much more important in this game was a missed tactical move. I admit that 8.Bxc4 was unnecessary but you can hardly say it's the reason he lost the game.

Technically, 14. 0-0-0 is the end of the opening as White completes development and connects the rooks. At this stage, I would be very upset if I didnt score the full point with the Black Pieces.

I agree there is no excuse for hanging (or not seeing someone hang) a knight. In a previous thread Sonhouse asked how to get to 1800 and it goes without saying that at 1800 you cannot miss those cheap wins.

I addressed the opening because it's my area of interest at the moment and it will affect every game he plays.

edit- GP, nice post. I think the position after Ne5 would be good, dynamic play.

Originally posted by cmsMaster
Even you now, Greenpawn?

Why is everybody drooling over how bad he played the opening? Much more important in this game was a missed tactical move. I admit that 8.Bxc4 was unnecessary but you can hardly say it's the reason he lost the game.

I dismissed the missed shot because now he will think
he was unlicky and all his previous bad play will be repeated...
...and re-posted. 🙁

The damage was done with sloppy thoughtless opening play.
Moves like Bxc4 need nipping in the bud right away.
It was his lack lustre opening play that gave him that wretched lost postion.

A good dose of elementry basic tactics would not go astray either.
Infact that should number one priority.

(I wonder if these guys ever listen or are players like me, you
Paul and others are just wasting our time.)

Originally posted by greenpawn34
I dismissed the missed shot because now he will think
he was unlicky and all his previous bad play will be repeated...
...and re-posted. 🙁

The damage was done with sloppy thoughtless opening play.
Moves like Bxc4 need nipping in the bud right away.
It was his lack lustre opening play that gave him that wretched lost postion.

A good dose of ele ...[text shortened]... these guys ever listen or are players like me, you
Paul and others are just wasting our time.)

I hear ya! First thing I did today was to visit a bunch of Morphisms, they look like they could have been played today!