One of the benefits of this place is that I might learn something about playing chess (he says hopeful that he has the capacity to understand the lessons!).
Would those of you more advanced in the art of chess have a look at this game I just lost. I'm suspecting I was pretty much in trouble from the moment I castled. Agree/disagree (was it even earlier than that?!) and was there anything I could have done about it?
Game 547566
In fact castling at RHP seems to have been a bad idea for me on more than one occasion already. What's my problem, is it a genetic predisposition and can I be cured?!
PS Yes, I know the way I lost my queen was pretty horrible as well...
Hmm, I don't have a GM in front of my name, but here's my humble analysis.:
You need to develop your pieces in the opening. Move 2. Qd7 provides no purpose and give your opponent a free tempo. Move 3. Qc6- same thing, but now it invites an attack. Move 4. Bb4- you develop a piece, but unless you plan on trading, it gives your opponent a free tempo when he chases your bishop away.
It pretty much continues from there. Try to keep the opening rules in mind: Don't bring your queen out early, develop your pieces, don't move a piece twice, castle early, etc.
Just my $0.02.
Aargh, the more I look at this game the worse I feel about it! You're right SN, I don't know what I was doing shuffling my queen around like that. Except I've never heard that you shouldn't get the queen out early, I'll keep that in mind.
Other comments welcome, while I go and console myself by looking at the games where I did better. I even won one after having less pieces on the board! Yeah, I LIKED that one!
*Hurries away* 😉
Well,you lost your queen for a bishop on move 6,so I'd say you were in trouble before you castled at move 9.There's little to add to Nick's comments.You could have prevented the loss of the queen by a timely a6,but she would still stand badly on c6,taking away the queen's knight best square.
Some general tips:
-the queen is usually one of the last pieces you develop,not necessarilly the last piece though,unless you have a tactical shot or you play an opening that requires an early queen sortie
-stake a claim in the center with your pawns,so that you have space to develop and move your pieces,if it's not possible to put your pawns in the center then put pressure on it with your pieces.You MUST fight for control over the center,this is very important.
-develop your pieces as quickly as possible,try not to move the same piece twice,though it must be said that there are a multitude of exceptions on this rule
-do not castle just because you can,often there is a better move,look for it!But beware,delaying castling can be dangerous.
That's about it,if I think of something else,I'll post it here.
I must add that all those general rules have many exceptions.You must always assess the position yourself and judge wether you can break the rules or not.
Hey,I never said chess was easy 😉
Sir Lot.
Originally posted by paultopia1. I don't know, OMG, I don't KNOW!
Why 2. ... Qd7 exactly? To say the least about #3.
and you ought to at least have recaptured with the knight.
14. ... Nf5 would've been nice...
Uh... in general, I don't think you really had a plan...
To be honest I suspect I was at the point in RHP career where I felt like opening a bit differently just for the sake of variety. And you know, a queen lurking around is BOUND to look scary.
There may have also been a mild idea I was going to leap out and trap some pieces behind a pawn or two that would be too scared to move.
Um, see first line again! I hereby promise to pay more attention to my openings in the future!
2. Yes, the knight would have been good, I see that now!
3. Yes, move 14 is another place where I look back and cringe.
Please tell me this one was better. I won this one, and I'd like to think it was partly because I HAD a plan for much of the time! Especially from about move 23 onwards.
Game 529913
Originally posted by orfeoMuch better!Some cool tactics and no wasting time with the mate.Nice!
Please tell me this one was better. I won this one, and I'd like to think it was partly because I HAD a plan for much of the time! Especially from about move 23 onwards.
Game 529913
Originally posted by orfeoPinning the opponent's queen to king with your rook move 30 was neat. And you showed remarkable restraint in taking your time to capture the queen with your rook.
Please tell me this one was better. I won this one, and I'd like to think it was partly because I HAD a plan for much of the time! Especially from about move 23 onwards.
Originally posted by SirLoseALotagreed, although noting that you had a chance to win your opponent's queen earlier (albeit, admittedly, for a rook and a knight): 21 Nd6+!! You were a bit lucky in that he blundered it a second time.
Much better!Some cool tactics and no wasting time with the mate.Nice!
I looked at the game and stopped at move 6. One of the first things i learned is develop your minor pieces first, usually knights before bishops with a minimum of pawn moves--just those designed to bolster the center. I just played a kid over the weekend. As white he brought out his queen and bishop and pointed them at my c7. When I didn't cooperate by being mated, he said, "Hmm, that usually works with my opponents." After he lost a few moves later, I said. "Your trouble is you assume your opponents are morons, and as long as you play morons you're going to do well." The lesson is, I guess, always assume your opponent is as knowledgeable and intelligent as possible no matter who he is. Always think he's going to play the best moves in response to yours. Then if you lose (and you still will lose sometimes) at least you gave it your best shot.
Originally posted by buddy2The pawn moves thing is a difficult dilemma, especially against more hypermodern-type defenses. There's no question that white, if playing against something like, say, the pirc can grab a lot more space in the center by pushing at least the c pawn, and maybe the f pawn as well, then sticking knights behind, rather than in front of, them. (Or, if you play like I do, crazy aggressive on the kingside, pushing the f pawn being the higher priority...) However, for some reason that I don't quite understand, that seemingly rock-solid center never seems to hold. I think the 2 move lag in development provides black with enough time to attack the d and e pawns. All the same -- knight behind semi-center pawn is a well-known strong early formation -- ie. QGD... but those openings don't push both center pawns as well.
develop your minor pieces first, usually knights before bishops with a minimum of pawn moves--just those designed to bolster the center.
So it's a toughie. I've stopped pushing cdef though, simply because I've lost too many games that way to laggart development. Pisses me off no end, though, especially getting the f rook active.
Originally posted by paultopiaI didn't particularly want to do it for a rook and a knight. I was thinking that maybe he would be generous and throw in the bishop as well, THEN I would be interested! 😉
agreed, although noting that you had a chance to win your opponent's queen earlier (albeit, admittedly, for a rook and a knight): 21 Nd6+!! You were a bit lucky in that he blundered it a second time.
Thanks very much for the comments everyone. I've recently started 2 new games and I'm thinking rather harder about my opening moves.