..
You certainly picked some tough opponents to try and make a comeback against,
Agent 1210.


What am I doing wrong in my games?? Why can't I
beat any of these players at my local chess club? It is
really frustrating...You gotta help me, please!!!

Round 1:
White: Me 1210
Black: 2187

[Opening "Sicilian: accelerated fianchetto, modern variation"]
[ECO "B34"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. f3
O-O 8. Bc4 Qa5 9. O-O Ne5 10. Nb3


When an opponent misplaces a piece, don't help him out by chasing it, perhaps
to a better square.

....Qc7 11. Be2 d6 12. Qd2


Good grief, 1210! You allow your Queen and Bishop to be forked
*on-the-move,* by a lowly Knight?


....Nc4 13. Qc1 Nxe3

Duh! And that was your betetr Bishop, you just traded!

(snip to next episode)




Round 4:
White: Me 1210
Black: 1765

[Opening "Caro-Kann: Steinitz variation"]
[ECO "B17"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6
6. Bd3 Nxe4 7. Bxe4 Nf6 8. Qe2


Look, Agent 1210, you can't just go around letting CHAOS capture your Bishops
like this, in exchange for Knights. Get Smart: in general, the Rook is better
than a Bishop, and in general, the Bishop is (slightly) better than the Knight
-- especially in the open games.


....Nxe4 9. Qxe4


You wrote that you did your homework, yet in most of these games it was you
who went awry in the early opening phase, getting less than nothing as White.
Granted, you were outrated bigtime, in every game.

You might want to consider taking up something simpler as White, with less
theory to learn. In any case, don't expect miracles against such strong
opposition. In your position, you should expect to lose routinely to all but
the 1700 player, who is just out-of-range for you to occasionally "nip" for a
draw. Playing opponents 500--1000 points higher-rated can be quite
frustrating. A few of them (having no "life" outside of chess) actually enjoy
watching you squirm.


-- Robert D. James