Thanks, for the help! Those suggestions were great. I absolutely agree with
your analysis of my play. I get so nervous at tournaments I play scared. I
know I'm doing it and can't stop. It's my biggest hurdle.
I'm also going to post my games in pgn.
--
Thanks,
John
http://growwithchess.com/
"Ron" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"John Evans" wrote:
I just put up four of my games on my web site. If you guys have time can
you
look at this very small sample and tell me what you think.
http://growwithchess.com/chess_viewer/chess_viewer.html
One thing I noticed (although personally, I'd much prefer it if you
pasted PGN to a post rather than used the java player - it'd make it
easier for me to go over your games and explore variations) is that your
opening play is very passive. You're playing by rote.
In game one:
1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 d6 (Nf6 is stronger) 5.h3? a6? (Bb5
isn't a meaningful threat, and if he wants to try to win the bishop via
Na5, you don't mind) 6.d3 h6? (the pin is nothing to be afraid of
because you haven't castled yet) 7.0-0 Nf6 8.a3? 0-0 (worth considering
was delaying castling and attacking on the kingside with ...g5 and g4.)
In game two:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0?! (c3, b4, or d4 are all better moves
by far) d6 5.d3 h6? 6.a3? (again, you're defending against nonexistent
threats) Be6 7.Bb5?!
In game 3:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3?! very unambitious. Both 4.Bg4 and
4.d4 present black with real challenges.
And game four just reveals your lack of knowledge of basic 1.d4 d5
opening fundamentals.
If you can find a copy, I think you'll definitely benefit from reading
Reti's "Master's of the Chessboard." You need to spend a few weeks
playing through annotated master games in the giuoco piano, to learn how
it can be a potent attacking weapon.
You play very rotely, constantly afraid of your opponents moves even
though they aren't really that dangerous. You need to play through the
games of Morphy, Steinitz, and Lasker to see how they injected dynamism
into their play.