You wanna get to 1950-2000?

Pick your opponents carfeully. I do.

No over 2000 players if you can help it, certainly no over 2200's and no 1200 provisionals.

STOP before you 'send' .

A one minute pre-send ritual will win you loads of games.

No more than 20 games at a time and finish them all before you start another bunch.

Attack at all costs. All chess players under 2200 are lousy at defending.

If it is going to an even ending offer a draw or be willing to put in a
double amount of extra work. Unless of course you want to beef up your ending.

I don't so I agree draws.

And get the bits out!
If the postion demands looking into then do it over the board.

(knowing when a position is boiling is something I cannot teach you,
it comes only with experience, but do get a set out often as possible).

Finally if you are using a box. Then you are robbing yourself of some great pleasure.

Look at this game finished today.

I pick up a pawn. Note the delay in playing exd5 it's all in the timing boys.

I pick up a piece. Tactical ability. No.1 criteria.

But it is the ultra cunning 23.Kd2! that is the candy.

(a move I'm sure no box would suggest as best.....Though I may have just
placed my head on a chopping block.)

Then the day of waiting in anticipation. "Has he fallen for it?"

He has!

The pure simply joy this brings must be akin to an agler dangling his
baited hook into a river. This way you don't even have to dig for worms.

Bishop check and Ba3, the loud clang was heard all over RHP as the
door was shut on the Rook. Then the King march to pick up the Rook.

Oh Bliss.

You users are robbing yourselves of these moments.

You said you might be putting your head on the block with the comment about Kd2 and boxes (I assume you mean engines?) and here comes the axe! HIARCS 12.1 puts Kd2 as one of its top three choices almost instantly. Not THE top choice but second or third, all three separated by only 0.05. I suppose HIARCS calculates that Kd2 isn't strictly necessary and doesn't have human appreciation of trickery. But the engine certainly "thinks" Kd2 is sound and almost best!

Shredder 12 won't have anything to do with tricks and traps so stuffily suggests a3 or Kb1. So there you have it, Shredder is devoid of trickiness and humour (programmed by a German so what do you expect) and HIARCS likes a good joke (British humour presumably as it was programmed by a Brit as a school computing project).

"...sound and almost best!"

For a second there I thought you were going to say it was top choice.

Actually the trap is sound so I'm not surprised it allows it.
But the fact it depends on a bad move (something boxes don't consider)
is surpising. Perhaps because it centralises the King and the a-pawn is
not under threat then Kd2 is a move.

Cheers.

I suppose it is possible if I had left the thing running for longer Kd2 could end up top choice. I got bored after 30 seconds.

Originally posted by greenpawn34

The pure simply joy this brings must be akin to an agler dangling his
baited hook into a river. This way you don't even have to dig for worms.

True anglers employ flies (barbless, too), not bait. Izaak Walton was more sinner than saint.

The rest of your post is spot on. Keep 'em coming!

These flies have fantastic names as well.

I just spent a wee while googling. Any fishing flies with chess names?

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Pick your opponents carfeully. I do.

No over 2000 players if you can help it, certainly no over 2200's and no 1200 provisionals.

[b]STOP before you 'send' .

A one minute pre-send ritual will win you loads of games.

No more than 20 games at a time and finish them all before you start another bunch.

Attack at all costs. All chess play ...[text shortened]... 5a3 b5 26. c3 a5 27. Kd2c2 b4 28. Kc2b3 bxa3 29. Kb3xa2[/pgn][/b]

You offer some good advise. I just wish I could find a cure for chess burnout.😏

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Pick your opponents carfeully. I do.

No over 2000 players if you can help it, certainly no over 2200's and no 1200 provisionals.

[b]STOP before you 'send' .

A one minute pre-send ritual will win you loads of games.

No more than 20 games at a time and finish them all before you start another bunch.

Attack at all costs. All chess play ...[text shortened]... 5a3 b5 26. c3 a5 27. Kd2c2 b4 28. Kc2b3 bxa3 29. Kb3xa2[/pgn][/b]

Hey man, I'm under 2200 and I think I defend pretty well!

Believe me, I get more practice defending than any decent player would ever want...

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
Hey man, I'm under 2200 and I think I defend pretty well!

Believe me, I get more practice defending than any decent player would ever want...

I think for players under 2000 it is all about the initiative, about being the first to attack. Aggressive play is very successful. Setting threats form the start and complicating positions not only gives you chances on tacticall shots, but also gives you interesting games. Also, there is no shame in loosing an interesting game, but I find it horrible to loose a boring game, is that weird?

I think I have an interesting game to show just this. I play very aggressively, with an advanced and menacing pawn structure right from the start. Both sides castle at different sides, and both sides start an attack. At the end white decides he has to defend, and yes: he looses, courage was the deciding factor. BTW I think he could have defended better (though I'm not entirely sure how, as I can't defend very well either).

Beautifully played, but I fail to see the importance of 23. Kd2. Isn't this move mostly a waiting move? To me 23. ... Rxa2 is just as tempting for black with the king still on c1. Enlighten me!

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Pick your opponents carfeully. I do.

No over 2000 players if you can help it, certainly no over 2200's

and finish them all before you start another bunch.

Attack at all costs. All chess players under 2200 are lousy at defending.

horrible advice.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
These flies have fantastic names as well.

I just spent a wee while googling.

NOW WASH YOUR HANDS

Originally posted by joen
Beautifully played, but I fail to see the importance of 23. Kd2. Isn't this move mostly a waiting move? To me 23. ... Rxa2 is just as tempting for black with the king still on c1. Enlighten me!

Hi Joen.

If in this position I left the King on c1 and play say 1.h3.
All that happens is we swap Rooks.

Yes a White win in the long run.

Clearing the back rank I win the exchange = quicker and easier win.

Now I see. Thanks!

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Pick your opponents carfeully. I do.

No over 2000 players if you can help it, certainly no over 2200's and no 1200 provisionals.

[b]STOP before you 'send' .

A one minute pre-send ritual will win you loads of games.

No more than 20 games at a time and finish them all before you start another bunch.

Attack at all costs. All chess play ...[text shortened]... not teach you,
it comes only with experience, but do get a set out often as possible).

[/b]

I don't do ANY of these things. I would also add have an opening repertoire beyond move 3. I get caned by so many opening traps. I don't read any books either. Playing games against yourself probably helps too... or is that a different thread...