On 2 Jul 2003 12:27:28 -0700, (Alex) wrote:

Sorry for the late reply, but hopefully this will be of assistance.

I played in another USCF tournament on sunday which was 4 rounds of
game 60 against players of the same level. And I lost all my games
again. I have been following a daily study plan studying tactics and
endgames and GM games but I just can't seem to beat anybody. You
gotta help me.

As someone else noted, you are not playing against players of your own
level here. These guys are better than you. 400-600 rating points
differential is big.

White: 1600
Black: Me (1008)

I that I was winning after i won a pawn on move 20:

You didn't win a pawn on move 20, rather you equalized in material by
regaining a pawn lost a few moves before. In the meantime, white has
formed a crushing pawn center and has much better developed pieces.
You are lost at move 20. You need to focus on better development of
your pieces. Replay this game and try to see if you can find better
spots for your pieces, and ways to avoid moving a piece more than once
in the opening. The game score is incomplete at move 8, btw.

1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d6 3. d4 Nfd7 4. f4 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bc4 c5 7. d5 O-O
8. a6 9. a4 a5 10. Qe2 Nb6 11. Bd3 Bd7 12. Bb5 Qc7 13. Bxd7 Qxd7
14. Nb5 Na6 15. c3 c4 16. Be3 Qd8 17. Rad1 Nd7 18. Qxc4 Rc8 19. Qe2
Nac5
20.Bf2 Nxa4 21. e5 dxe5 22. fxe5 b6 23. e6 Nf6 24. exf7+ Rxf7 25. Ng5
Rf8
26. Ne6 Qe8 27. Nxf8 Qxf8 28. Qe6+ Kh8 29. d6 Nxb2 30. dxe7 Qe8
31. Nd6 {Black resigns} 1-0

snip

White: Me (1008)
Black: 1400

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. d5

I believe that locking the center is advantageous to black here.
White has an advantage in space, locking the center tends to negate
the advantage, IMO.

a5
8. O-O Na6

Now that the center is locked, black is free to start something on the
queen side. See how that works?

9. Be3 Ng4 10. Bg5 f6

Now he starts something on the K side as well, and you are tempted to
make an empty threat, the result of which is to move your bishop three
times in succession, a net gain for black.

11. Bd2 f5 12. exf5 gxf5 13. h3 Nf6

White's gained nothing in these past few moves, while black is
developing a strong attack along the e and f files.

14. Ng5 Nc5 15. b3 h6 16. Nf3 Nfe4 17. a3 Nxd2 18. Qxd2 Ne4 19. Nxe4
fxe4

Do you see how your moves are uncoordinated and reactive, while
black's moves pursue a plan of advancement on the e and f files? You
are beginning to be smothered here.

20. Ne1 Qe8 21. Qe3 Qg6 22. Nc2 Bf6 23. b4 Bg5 24. Qg3 e3 25. Nxe3 Qg7
26. c5 Bf4 27.Qxg7+ Kxg7 28. cxd6 Bxe3 29. fxe3 cxd6 30. Bc4 Bd7 31.
Rxf8 Kxf8 32. Rf1+ Kg7 33. Bd3 axb4 34. axb4 Ra3 35. Rd1 Rb3 36. b5
Bxb5 37. Bxb5 Rxb5

In these last moves, it appears that black realized he had a slight
advantage in pawn structure and space, and took action to reduce to an
advantageous endgame. He then put into force a plan to win a pawn on
the queenside, and once this pawn was won, so was the game.

38. Kf2 Rb2+ 39. Kf3 b5 40. g4 b4 41. h4 b3 42. g5 hxg5 43. hxg5 Rc2
44. Ke4 b2
45. Rb1 Kg6 46. Kf3 Kxg5 47. Kg3 Kf5 48. Kf3 e4+ 49. Kg3 Ke5 50. Kg4
Kxd5
51. Kf4 Rf2+ {White forfeits on time} 0-1

My recommendation is that you put some time and effort into strategic
planning, and focus on basic opening principles. Try to make your
moves coordinate with each other toward a goal, and don't be surprised
if your opponent sees your plan and takes steps to thwart it. Good
luck.

snip