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.

White: 1600
Black: Me (1008)

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

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

White: Me (1008)
Black: 1550

1. e4 e5 2. Qf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Be2 Nd4 5. Qd3 Be7 6. Nf3 Nxf3+
7.Qxf3 O-O 8. d3 d6 9. Qg3 Re8 10. Bh6 Bf8 11. h4 Kh8 12. Bd2 d5 13.
Nxd5 Nxd5
14.exd5 Qxd5 15. h5 Bd6 16. h6 g6 17. Qg5 Qe6 18. Bg4 f5 19. Bh5 Be7
20.Qg3 f4 21. Qg4 Qxg4 22. Bxg4 Bxg4 23. f3 Bf5 24. O-O-O Bf6 25. b3
a5
26. Kb1 a4 27.Rdg1 axb3 28. cxb3 Re6 29. g3 fxg3 30. Rxg3 Bxd3+ 31.
Kc1 Rxa2
32. f4 Ra1+ 33. Kb2 Rxh1 34. fxe5 Bxe5+ 35. Ka3 Bxg3 {White resigns}
0-1

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 a5
8. O-O Na6 9. Be3 Ng4 10. Bg5 f6 11. Bd2 f5 12. exf5 gxf5 13. h3 Nf6
14. Ng5 Nc5 15. b3 h6 16. Nf3 Nfe4 17. a3 Nxd2 18. Qxd2 Ne4 19. Nxe4
fxe4
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
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

white: 1400
black: me (1008)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d6 3. c4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bd3 Bd7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O
Qc8
8.e5 dxe5 9. dxe5 Ng4 10. Re1 h5 11. h3 Nh6 12. Bg5 Qd8 13. Bxe7 Qxe7
14.Qb3 Na5 15. Qc2 O-O-O 16. Rab1 Nc6 17. a3 Nf5 18. Bxf5 exf5 19. b4
g5
20. Nd5 Qe6 21. b5 Ne7 22. Nd4 Qg6 23. Nxe7+ Kb8 24. Nxg6 fxg6 25. c5
g4
26. c6 Bc8 27. cxb7 Rxd4 28. bxc8=Q+ Kxc8 29. Qc5 Rhd8 30. Qxa7 gxh3
31. b6 hxg2
32. Qxc7# {Black checkmated} 1-0

I just looked at the first game there. Everyone starts out a beginner,
so I mean no offence, but you were NOT playing "against players of the same
level". A 1400 player should absolutely dominate a 1000 player without
fail. Even if you're under-rated, don't underestimate a C player, much less
a B player (1600). I'm rated 1428 USCF and I`ve never beaten a player over
1600 in anything slower than G30.

You were completely outplayed in the first game there, though as I said
I didn`t look at the others yet. You made what appears to be a mistake on
move 3, 3...Nfd7?. The computer doesn`t balk at it, but don`t trust
computers for such opening assessments. Everything screams at me that that
just can`t be right. Oh, the 1600 missed an earlier opportunity to win a
pawn from you, or else decided against it. I didn`t even use the computer
to pick that one up, saw it in 3 seconds. And before that, YOU missed a
chance to win a pawn it looks like, though I`m not sure how safe it would be
and you might have seen it but refrained from taking it.

14...c4? looks to be probably not so hot either.

- Joshua B. Lilly




"Alex" wrote in message
om...
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.

White: 1600
Black: Me (1008)

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

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

White: Me (1008)
Black: 1550

1. e4 e5 2. Qf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Be2 Nd4 5. Qd3 Be7 6. Nf3 Nxf3+
7.Qxf3 O-O 8. d3 d6 9. Qg3 Re8 10. Bh6 Bf8 11. h4 Kh8 12. Bd2 d5 13.
Nxd5 Nxd5
14.exd5 Qxd5 15. h5 Bd6 16. h6 g6 17. Qg5 Qe6 18. Bg4 f5 19. Bh5 Be7
20.Qg3 f4 21. Qg4 Qxg4 22. Bxg4 Bxg4 23. f3 Bf5 24. O-O-O Bf6 25. b3
a5
26. Kb1 a4 27.Rdg1 axb3 28. cxb3 Re6 29. g3 fxg3 30. Rxg3 Bxd3+ 31.
Kc1 Rxa2
32. f4 Ra1+ 33. Kb2 Rxh1 34. fxe5 Bxe5+ 35. Ka3 Bxg3 {White resigns}
0-1

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 a5
8. O-O Na6 9. Be3 Ng4 10. Bg5 f6 11. Bd2 f5 12. exf5 gxf5 13. h3 Nf6
14. Ng5 Nc5 15. b3 h6 16. Nf3 Nfe4 17. a3 Nxd2 18. Qxd2 Ne4 19. Nxe4
fxe4
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
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

white: 1400
black: me (1008)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d6 3. c4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bd3 Bd7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O
Qc8
8.e5 dxe5 9. dxe5 Ng4 10. Re1 h5 11. h3 Nh6 12. Bg5 Qd8 13. Bxe7 Qxe7
14.Qb3 Na5 15. Qc2 O-O-O 16. Rab1 Nc6 17. a3 Nf5 18. Bxf5 exf5 19. b4
g5
20. Nd5 Qe6 21. b5 Ne7 22. Nd4 Qg6 23. Nxe7+ Kb8 24. Nxg6 fxg6 25. c5
g4
26. c6 Bc8 27. cxb7 Rxd4 28. bxc8=Q+ Kxc8 29. Qc5 Rhd8 30. Qxa7 gxh3
31. b6 hxg2
32. Qxc7# {Black checkmated} 1-0

"Alex" wrote in message
om...
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.

White: 1600
Black: Me (1008)

By "players of the same level," I take it you mean your opponents are pretty
much on their *own* same level.

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

1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d6 3. d4 Nfd7

Moving the same piece twice in the opening is not a good habit to get into.
Of course, I'm sure you're aware of this "rule of thumb," but you might want
to scrutinize the mindset that made you want to "break the rules" in this
fashion -- often it's the same mindset that can lose games by getting "too
cute."

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

You're certainly far from "winning" here. Material is even and White is
announcing (with 20. Bf2) a plan to counter in the center while your pieces
are out of harmony with each other. I guess if you're looking to "cure what
ails you," you have to take as a symptom the fact that you thought you were
winning here. Maybe you need to think more pessimistically?


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

White: Me (1008)
Black: 1550

1. e4 e5 2. Qf3

Again, I assume you know the rule of thumb about bringing your queen out
early. I guess until you get this desire to "break the rules" out of your
system, there's not much point in addressing anything else.

Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Be2 Nd4 5. Qd3 Be7 6. Nf3 Nxf3+
7.Qxf3 O-O 8. d3 d6 9. Qg3 Re8 10. Bh6 Bf8 11. h4 Kh8 12. Bd2 d5 13.
Nxd5 Nxd5
14.exd5 Qxd5 15. h5 Bd6 16. h6 g6 17. Qg5 Qe6 18. Bg4 f5 19. Bh5 Be7
20.Qg3 f4 21. Qg4 Qxg4 22. Bxg4 Bxg4 23. f3 Bf5 24. O-O-O Bf6 25. b3
a5
26. Kb1 a4 27.Rdg1 axb3 28. cxb3 Re6 29. g3 fxg3 30. Rxg3 Bxd3+ 31.
Kc1 Rxa2
32. f4 Ra1+ 33. Kb2 Rxh1 34. fxe5 Bxe5+ 35. Ka3 Bxg3 {White resigns}
0-1

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 a5

Too cute? I don't know -- maybe it's OK.

8. O-O Na6 9. Be3 Ng4

Here you go again, moving a piece twice. Now certainly, you don't want to
miss an opportunity by blindly following rules, but you need to weigh such
decisions carefully. In this case, the manuever does nothing but weaken your
own kingside. You would probably be 200-300 points higher rated, if you were
thinking instead about how you were going to develop your bishop.

10. Bg5 f6 11. Bd2 f5 12. exf5 gxf5

In fairness, it does look like 12. ... Bxf5 here would have conveyed some
usefulness on your earlier move 9. ... Ng4, since you'd remain with a
semi-open f file.

13. h3 Nf6
14. Ng5 Nc5 15. b3 h6 16. Nf3 Nfe4 17. a3 Nxd2

You got that little bugger! White's last move was of course a real boner.

18. Qxd2 Ne4

Now, you need Nxb3 and have an eye toward e4 attacking the knight at f3 and
opening the diagonal for your bishop. I'm not sure what would have motivated
your move except maybe you were a little too eager to simplify?

19. Nxe4
fxe4

It's not going to be easy defending this pawn.

20. Ne1 Qe8 21. Qe3 Qg6 22. Nc2 Bf6 23. b4 Bg5 24. Qg3 e3

True, it would have probably fallen anyway, but you might as well have White
take the time capturing it.

25. Nxe3 Qg7
26. c5 Bf4

I had misread this move at first as 26. ... Bf5 and was about to comment
that it was a surprise move from someone who seemed to value bishops over
knights to such an extent earlier in the game -- and that for its benefits
of *developing your last piece* and having the potential of either claiming
the b1-h7 diagonal or speeding up the doubling of your rooks in the f file,
it couldn't be quite recommended since you're trading down a piece when
you're already down material. Of course, 26. ... Bf4 does this to a much
greater extent, which is probably why I misread the move.

27.Qxg7+ Kxg7 28. cxd6 Bxe3 29. fxe3 cxd6 30. Bc4 Bd7

Hooray!

31.
Rxf8 Kxf8 32. Rf1+ Kg7 33. Bd3 axb4 34. axb4 Ra3 35. Rd1 Rb3 36. b5
Bxb5 37. Bxb5 Rxb5
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

white: 1400
black: me (1008)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d6

I guess you just have a need to row your own boat?

3. c4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bd3 Bd7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O
Qc8
8.e5 dxe5 9. dxe5 Ng4 10. Re1 h5

Hmmm. I can sorta see adopting a cramped position if it's what it takes to
get your pieces developed ... but go attacking here? Maybe this is another
symptom. But hey, it probably made for a more exciting game.

11. h3 Nh6 12. Bg5 Qd8 13. Bxe7 Qxe7
14.Qb3 Na5 15. Qc2 O-O-O 16. Rab1 Nc6 17. a3 Nf5 18. Bxf5 exf5 19. b4
g5
20. Nd5 Qe6 21. b5 Ne7 22. Nd4 Qg6 23. Nxe7+

You should have resigned here. You were outplayed.


Kb8 24. Nxg6 fxg6 25. c5
g4
26. c6 Bc8 27. cxb7 Rxd4 28. bxc8=Q+ Kxc8 29. Qc5 Rhd8 30. Qxa7 gxh3
31. b6 hxg2
32. Qxc7# {Black checkmated} 1-0

OK, what do you do next time around? Hard to say ... if it were only as easy
as "try not to get so fancy," but that might be easier said than done.
Perhaps you have a subconscious need to break the rules. I have a brother
with a similar problem. I call it the "HyperTim Theory," where moves are
valued not for their merit in terms of winning/losing games, but for their
"ahhh" effect when an opponent sees them. It's rather comical.

Anyway ... maybe if you ask yourself, before attacking, "Are my pieces
developed and do I have the initiative?"

Matt

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