"Martin S" wrote in message
...
Depending on talent and ambition young players may well take up 1.c4 or
flank
openings - I developed into a solid 1800 player by taking up more
positional
openings (rather than 1.e4 and going for attacks).

True enough. If you have no ambitions to exceed 2000, then you may play
whatever scores best. 1. c4 or 1. Nf3 can indeed be very successful at
sub-2000 levels. However, flank openings don't advance your chess
understanding as quickly as open and semi-open games. On the plus side,
there is far less study involved.

Stronger players than me (some have become GMs) have stated that if you want
to really master chess, you need to thoroughly understand open and semi-open
games (i.e 1.e4 openings). It may not prove much, but Karpov and Kasparov
for example only switched to 1. d4 after playing 1. e4 for many years.

Pierre/
FIDE 2275

Tactics is the center of all chess. Get a good chess program like
Chessmaster 9000 / Fritz8 and let that spank you day and night or until you
can't take any more. Your tactics will improve. Chess programs are masters
at tactics but a little shot on strategy. But who cares, they win enough to
impress the crowds.
"Ron" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Alex) wrote:

I played these two in a tournament and played Bobby Fischer's openings
but could not win...what is wrong with my playing ability:

White: me 1250
Black: 1806

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3

Already you're playing a hypermodern strategy that is not well suited
to players of your ability. Your immediate results will be better if you
focus on playing classically.

d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Nxd5


This is a lousy capture, which accelerates black's development advantage.

Qxd5 7.
Bg2 e5 8. O-O Be6 9. d3 Qd7 10. Ng5

Finish developing your pieces.


Bg4 11. Re1 Be7 12. Ne4 O-O 13.
Qa4 f6 14.
Qc2

Think. Move your pieces to good squares and leave them there. You waste
more time here.

b6 15. a3 Nd4 16. Qc4+ Be6 17. Qc3 Rac8

Your play up to this point has been basically planless, and as a result
black has the stronger center and the better development.

It's not that you're doing anything downright horrible here, but you're
just sort of shuffling pieces around. You need to learn how to recognize
an appropriate plan an execute it.

18. Rb1 Nb3 19. Qc2 Rfd8
20.
Nd2 Nd4 21. Qd1 Bg4 22. f3

Black just quietly gets you to create another weakness in your position.
Now your dark squares will come under fire. It may have been better to
accept the doubled pawns which would have followed Nf3.

Be6 23. b3 Nf5 24. Ne4
Qd4+ 25. Kh1 Ne3 26.
Qd2 Nxg2 27. Kxg2 h6 28. Bb2 Qd7 29. Red1 f5 30. Nc3 Bg5 31. f4

And I don't like this move at all. Your opponet has the better
development, the two bishops, the stronger king position, and the
stronger center. You can not help him open the position under those
circumstances.

exf4
32. gxf4 Bf6
33. Qe3 Bxb3 34. Rf1 Re8 35. Qf3

A rather mundane losing move, but your position was terrible, anyway,
as a result of your lethargic play. Nevertheless, until you learn how to
handle basic tactics like this, you will never be a strong player. Study
your basic tactics!

Bxc3 36. Bxc3 Bd5 37. e4 fxe4 38. Qh3
exd3+
39. Kg1 Qxh3 {White resigns} 0-1

white: 1847
black: me 1250

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6

With your lack of fundamental tactical skills, you have no business
playing the sicilian defense.

3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bc4 g6 7. Be3
Bg7 8. Qe2 O-O 9. f3 a6

In all honesty, you may well be lost already, here. The white queen may
be misplaced on e2 (rather than d2) but you almost certainly won't have
time for a pawn-storm.

But this gets back to my earlier comment: you're not strong enough to be
playing the sicilian, much less the dragon.

10. h4 Nh5

Horible, as you're giving him g4 with a gain of time without even
winning a pawn in the bargain.

11. Qd2 Bd7 12. g4 Nf6 13. h5 Rc8
14. Bb3
Bxg4

I guess I should applaud your fighting spirit here. You're a tempo down
down on the normal continuation, plus you've wasted a tempo on -a6. This
sort of sacrifice requires a lot of preconditions, and since there's no
Rxc3 sacrifice to back it up, I think you're in trouble.


15. fxg4 Nxg4 16. Nxc6 Rxc6 17. hxg6 hxg6 18. O-O-O b5 19. Bd4
Bh6

Like in the last game, a mind-numbing tactical blunder in a bad
position, in truth, you were in trouble anyway, as white's attack will
soon break through and yours is nowhere to be seen. But this is just
horrid. Work on your tactics. Until you get better at tactics, you will
NEVER be able to beat strong players. Period.

20.
Rxh6 Nxh6 21. Qxh6 e5 22. Rh1

Qxg6 mates faster, but it's all the same, really.

{Black resigns} 1-0

Basic tactics. In both of these games you GAVE material away. The finer
points of strategy are meaningless until you stop doing that.

"Pierre Boutquin" writes:

"Martin S" wrote in message
...
Depending on talent and ambition young players may well take up 1.c4 or
flank
openings - I developed into a solid 1800 player by taking up more
positional
openings (rather than 1.e4 and going for attacks).

True enough. If you have no ambitions to exceed 2000, then you may play
whatever scores best.

I reached 2100+ using 1.d4 and feel quite satisfied with that, thank you.
I started playing 1.e4 as everyone else.

1. c4 or 1. Nf3 can indeed be very successful at
sub-2000 levels. However, flank openings don't advance your chess
understanding as quickly as open and semi-open games. On the plus side,
there is far less study involved.

1.c4 and 1.Nf3 doesn't necessarily lead to closed games.

Stronger players than me (some have become GMs) have stated that if you want
to really master chess, you need to thoroughly understand open and semi-open
games (i.e 1.e4 openings).

I haven't said anything to contrary. Just that it doesn't imply that you must
play 1.e4.

It may not prove much, but Karpov and Kasparov
for example only switched to 1. d4 after playing 1. e4 for many years.

You are right. It doesn't mean more than that they switched.

/M.

In article et,
"alex" wrote:

Tactics is the center of all chess. Get a good chess program like
Chessmaster 9000 / Fritz8 and let that spank you day and night or until you
can't take any more.


That sounds really kinky, but how will it help my chess?

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson

"Harold Buck" wrote in message
...
In article et,
"alex" wrote:

Tactics is the center of all chess. Get a good chess program like
Chessmaster 9000 / Fritz8 and let that spank you day and night or until
you
can't take any more.


That sounds really kinky, but how will it help my chess?

Sharply improve your tactical play. Got it?
Again, tactics is the main point to this game

In article et,
"alex" wrote:


"Harold Buck" wrote in message
...
In article et,
"alex" wrote:

Tactics is the center of all chess. Get a good chess program like
Chessmaster 9000 / Fritz8 and let that spank you day and night or until
you
can't take any more.


That sounds really kinky, but how will it help my chess?

Sharply improve your tactical play. Got it?
Again, tactics is the main point to this game


But I don't see how spanking until I can't take it any more will help my
tactics. I mean, I know the whole spanking thing is very erotic for some
people, but how will it help tactics?

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson

Harold Buck wrote:
But I don't see how spanking until I can't take it any more will help my
tactics. I mean, I know the whole spanking thing is very erotic for some
people, but how will it help tactics?

Presumably, if you've been spanked that much, sitting at the board will be
uncomfortable so you'll want to get the games over as quickly as possible.
This would favour a tactical rather than positional style of play. Or
premature resignation.


Dave.

--
David Richerby Artificial Drink (TM): it's like a
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ refreshing juice beverage that's made
of plastic!

David Richerby wrote in
message ...
Harold Buck wrote:
But I don't see how spanking until I can't take it any more will help my
tactics. I mean, I know the whole spanking thing is very erotic for some
people, but how will it help tactics?

Presumably, if you've been spanked that much, sitting at the board will be
uncomfortable so you'll want to get the games over as quickly as possible.
This would favour a tactical rather than positional style of play.
Or premature resignation.

Or he could just give simultaneous exhibitions.

--Nick