..
Oh! to be a mandarin - (old chinese lament)..


Why would anyone want to be an orange?

..
A few of them (having no "life" outside of chess) actually enjoy
watching you squirm.

-- Robert D. James


Two Fischer quotes!

"I like the moment when I break a man's ego".

"Chess is life".


Who is "Fischer"?


-- Robert D. James

On 24 May 2004 20:36:26 -0700, (Alex) wrote:

So I took all of your advice and then read some books. I finally got
my courage back and went to my local chess club to play in another
tournament. But I got clobbered again. They even let me play white
three times for some reason. I did my homework and looked up the
openings; now I know the variations that my opponents played. 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!!!


As other people have pointed out it is unrealistic to expect to beat
opponents rated so much higher than you with any frequency.

As far as why you lost:

In each of the games with white during the early middlegame you made
moves which allowed Black to equalize (that is you have up the slight
advantage white has from moving first). My best guess is that these
inferior moves were made because you have not yet progressed from
having memorized the moves of an opening to understanding the basic
ideas and typical middle game plans that result from an opening. In
the two Sicilians you hung a pawn ahortly after Black had equalized.
Then later you hung further material to reach a lost game.

The Caro Kann game was slightly different in that you grabbed a pawn
(g7) which should have given Black a strong attack, but your opponent
played the wrong rook to g8 and two moves move later actually left a
rook en prise, but you did not notice. Instead you retreated your
queen and Black ended up with an even better attack that what he would
have gotten if he has moved the right rook in the first place and so
White's game was lost.

In your one game as black you reached the point around move 17 where
you could have equalized or even gotten a slight advantage, but
instead made two weaker moves and ended up a pawn down. Then Black
immediately made matters worse and hung a piece.

As far as advice goes:
* I suggest you study tactics until you recognize combination
possibilities instantly.
* I also suggest you look through Dan Heisman's Novice Nook columes
archived at wwww.chesscafe.com, especially the articles that emphasize
being aware of your opponents plans and what your opponent might do in
response to your move.
* One good exercise from one of Dan's columns that you could try: play
a friendly game with someone not too much stronger than you and as you
write down your move also write down the principla varation that you
have analyzed (that is what you expected your opponents next move to
be). If your move or your opponents starts an exchnage of material
take the variation through to the end of the exchanging. Once the
game is done, go back over the game with your opponent and paty
particlular attention to positions where what you expected and what
your opponent did do not match. Try to understand positions where you
missed the better move played by your opponent.
* Finally, try to find opponents who are at most one class (200 rating
points) above you.


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 Qc7 11. Be2 d6 12. Qd2 Nc4 13. Qc1 Nxe3 14.
Qxe3
Be6 15. Rad1 Rac8 16. Rd3 a6 17. Rfd1 b5 18. Nd5 Nxd5 19. exd5 Bf5 20.
Rc3
Bxc3 21. bxc3 Qxc3 22. Qxe7 Bxc2 23. Qxd6 Bxd1 24. Bxd1 Qe1#


Round 2:
White: 1923
Black: Me 1210

[Opening "Catalan opening"]
[ECO "E00"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Bxd2+ 5. Qxd2 Ne4 6. Qc2 f5 7.
Bg2 d5
8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O b6 10. Ne5 Bb7 11. f3 Nf6 12. Nd2 Nbd7 13. Nd3 c6
14. c5
Ba6 15. b4 Bxd3 16. Qxd3 Qe7 17. Rac1 a5 18. cxb6 Nxb6 19. Rxc6 Qxb4
20. Rb1
Qe7 21. Rbxb6 e5 22. Re6 Qc7 23. dxe5 Nd7 24. Rbc6 Qb8 25. f4 Qb2 26.
Bxd5
Kh8 27. Bb3 Rac8 28. Qxd7 Rxc6 29. Rxc6 I resigned.

Round 3:
White: Me 1210
Black: 1850

[Opening "Sicilian defense"]
[ECO "B32"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3 d3 5. Bxd3 g6 6. O-O Bg7 7. Re1
d6 8.
Be3 Nf6 9. h3 O-O 10. Qd2 Re8 11. Bh6 Bh8 12. Na3 Be6 13. Nc4 b5 14.
Ne3 a6
15. a3 Rc8 16. Rad1 Na5 17. Nd4 Bd7 18. b4 Nc6 19. Nxc6 Bxc6 20. f3
Nd7 21.
Ng4 Bb7 22. Be3 Bxc3 23. Nh6+ Kf8 24. Qf2 Bxe1 25. Rxe1 Ne5 26. Bf1
Qc7 27.
Rc1 Nc4 28. Bxc4 bxc4 29. Rc3 e6 30. Qh4 Qd8 31. Qf4 Qe7 32. Ng4 f5
33. exf5
exf5 34. Qh6+ Qg7 35. Nf6 Re7 36. Nxh7+ Kf7 37. Ng5+ Kg8 38. Qh4 Qxc3
I resigned.

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 Nxe4 9. Qxe4 e6 10. O-O Bd6 11. Bg5 Qc7 12. h3 h6 13. Bd2
b6 14.
Bc3 Bb7 15. Qg4 O-O-O 16. Qxg7 Rdg8 17. Qf6 c5 18. Rad1 Rg6 19. Qh4
Bxf3 20.
dxc5 Rxg2+ 21. Kh1 Rh2+ 22. Kg1 Rg2+ 23. Kh1 Rg4#
Ouch!!

David Richerby wrote:

Luis Matos wrote:

I would recommend to begin by reading Nimzowitch "My System"


That's possibly a little advanced for a beginner.



Why?

a beginner, after learning how to move the pieces, etc, and BEFORE, he
begins to put pieces where they do not attack nor defend, and before he
begins to play without a plan, he should begin (I think) to learn the
center, the development, the pawns, and that is well covered in My System.

Yes.. it has been updated only in algebraic notation and not in its
ancient jokes and way of living. But still so is an excellent beginners
book. Better, and excuse me all Capa's fan, than Chess Fundamentals.

Luis

Alex wrote:

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!!!

The reason is simple: they are much stronger than you. You were
outplayed.
Details:

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

The knight is well placed in the center. The apparent tempo gain is no
gain at all, as after Black's answer you have to move the Bc4 anyway.
The knight controls e6 where Black would like to develop his bishop.
It also blocks the diagonal h8-a1 and so protects your queenside (c3,
b2) from the Bg7, should the Nf6 go away.

Note how Black attacks your queenside with his pieces. Bg7 aims
towards c3 and b2. Qa5 eyes c3, Qc7 attacks on the c-file (c3, c2),
Be6 (to come) attacks a2, Rc8 (to come) attacks also on the c-file.

What can you do about it? Of course you have to adress the immediate
threat, so move the Bc4 away. I would play Bb3 where the bishop
controls c4, d5, e6 and pins f7. Black can't play Be6 now obviously.
Next would be trading off the Bg7, relieving the pressure on the
diagonal. later you could secure your queenside by moving the Nc3 away
(Nd5, Nde2, Nb5 whatever looks best) and c3 or b3 and c4.

For instance 10. Bb3 d6 (Black wants to develop and put a rook on the
c-file) 11. Qd2 (prepares for Bh6) 11...Bd7 (11...Re8 12. Bh6 Bh8
avoiding the trade strongly comes into consideration) 12. Bh6.

Qc7 11. Be2 d6 12. Qd2 Nc4 13. Qc1

13. Bxc4 Qxc4 14. Bh6 trades the bishop and removes most of your
problems.

Nxe3 14. Qxe3

Now Black attacks your queenside and wins.

Be6 15. Rad1 Rac8 16. Rd3 a6 17. Rfd1 b5 18. Nd5 Nxd5 19. exd5 Bf5 20.
Rc3
Bxc3 21. bxc3 Qxc3 22. Qxe7 Bxc2 23. Qxd6 Bxd1 24. Bxd1 Qe1#

Round 2:
White: 1923
Black: Me 1210

[Opening "Catalan opening"]
[ECO "E00"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Bxd2+ 5. Qxd2 Ne4 6. Qc2 f5 7.
Bg2 d5
8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O b6 10. Ne5 Bb7 11. f3 Nf6 12. Nd2 Nbd7 13. Nd3 c6

I don't understand this. Black blocks his Bb7 and loses control of e4.
Better would be 13...Qe7 to prepare c5. This also protects e6 in case
White plays something like Nf4. In this kind of set up the black plan
would be to thwart e4 by White and attack the center with c5 or e5.

14. c5

Not the best. Black has given up control on e4, so e4 would be more
logical. c5 begins a plan that should have no chance of success.

Ba6 15. b4 Bxd3

The white pawn advance looks impressive but is weaker than it looks.
Apparently White wants to open the c-file to attack c6. But this is
not to be feared. 15...Qe7 puts pressure on the pawns while preparing
for the counter e5. For example: 15...Qe7 16. Rfe1 (moves out of the
diagonal of the Ba6. If 16. e3 the knight is pinned. Bad is 16. cxb6?
(opens the diagonal e7-b4 for the black queen) 16...axb6 17. Qxc6??
Rfc8 18. Qa4 Bxd3 and Black wins a piece.) 16...e5 17. e3 e4 18. fxe4
(or 18. Nf2 exf3 19. Nxf3 bxc5) 18...fxe4 19. Nf4 bxc5 20. bxc5 g5 21.
Nh3 h6. The pawn e3 may be more problematic to White than c6 is to
Black. Black rooks on the f-file can't be opposed by White because the
black bishop controls f1. Also White can't occupy the b-file now
because of Bd3. If White controls d3 with Nf2, Black can go for the
kingside with g4 and Nf6-h7-g5-f3. If White trades off the bishop 22.
Bf1 Bxf1 23. Rxf1 Ng4 the black pressure can be felt (future plans
could be h6-h5-h4 or Qe7-e6-g6-h5).

This is a classical example of how to counter an attack on the flank
with a strike in the center.

16. Qxd3 Qe7 17. Rac1 a5

Attacking on the wing where White has more forces is risky.

Safer would be bxc5 which closes the c-file forever. The white rook on
c1 looks silly and would have been better on b1. After 17...bxc5 18.
bxc5 Black can strike back in the center (e5). Because of the missing
Ba6 which controlled the white squares in White's position this looks
not so favorable for Black as before but still should keep the
balance.

18. cxb6

Follows the original plan. White had the chance to break trough with
18. b5!? Now 18...cxb5 is bad because of 19. c6 Nb8 20. Qxb5.
18...Rfc8 doesn't help because of 19. cxb6 Nxb6 20. Rxc6. So 18...bxc5
is the only move where follows 19. bxc6 c4 (19...Nb8 20. Rxc5 +-) 20.
Nxc4 dxc4 21. Qxc4 Rfc8 22. e4.

Nxb6

Loses material. Much better was 18...axb4 opening the file for the
rook.

19. Rxc6 Qxb4

Loses more material. 19...Nc8 saves the knight, though White has a
definite advantage.

20. Rb1

Skewer. Time to give up.

Qe7 21. Rbxb6 e5 22. Re6 Qc7 23. dxe5 Nd7 24. Rbc6 Qb8 25. f4 Qb2 26.
Bxd5
Kh8 27. Bb3 Rac8 28. Qxd7 Rxc6 29. Rxc6 I resigned.

Round 3:
White: Me 1210
Black: 1850

[Opening "Sicilian defense"]
[ECO "B32"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3

I notice you chose a different line from game 1. If you really looked
up the openings I'd say you're loading too much ballast. You are 1200
not 2200, so choose a line and stick to it. If you switch openings all
the time you will know something in all of them but be good at none.

d3 5. Bxd3 g6 6. O-O Bg7 7. Re1
d6 8.
Be3 Nf6 9. h3

I'm not familiar with this line but h3 looks like a loss of time to
me. Bg4 isn't a threat because h3 would drive away the bishop. Better
use the time to develop e.g. 9. Bf4.

O-O 10. Qd2 Re8 11. Bh6 Bh8 12. Na3 Be6 13. Nc4

You are developed, time for a plan. The last of your pieces to develop
is the Ra1 which currently can't move because of Bxa2.

How about 13. Ng5? This attacks e6 and f7. If Black retreats the
bishop, the diagonal a2-g8 can be occupied by White, 13...Bd7 14. Bc4
and Black has problems to defend f7 (14...e6 15. Qxd6; 14...Ne5 15.
Bb3 (threat f4) 15...Qb6 16. Kh1 e6 17. f4 Nc6 18. Nc4 Qc7 19. Nxd6).
So Black can't go away with the bishop which as a minimum gets you the
bishops pair. 13...Qd7 14. Nxe6 Qxe6 15. Bc4 Qc8 (if 15...Qe5 the
queen may come into trouble after 16. Bd5 plan g4 and Bf4) 16. Rad1.
The plan is to attack in the center and on the kingside (f4 and e5 or
f5).

b5 14.
Ne3 a6
15. a3

Much too passive. Ng5 was still a good plan combined with a4. b4
wasn't a threat.
Also 15. c4 was good. If the position opens up, White's pieces are
placed better.
If Black keeps it closed (b4) White has an excellent place for his
knight (d5).

Rc8 16. Rad1 (16. a4) Na5 17. Nd4 Bd7 18. b4

This is a most suspicious move as it creates a backward pawn on c3.
This move could be justified only if White had the opportunity to
resolve the backward pawn with c4 thereafter. An alternative here is
to reorganize the pieces while keeping c4 under control. 18. Qe2 Qb6
19. Bb1 Nc4 20. Ba2.

Nc6 19. Nxc6

Activates Black's pieces. Better is 19. Nf3 when White can follow up
with c4.

Bxc6 20. f3 Nd7 21.Ng4

Better solve the issue of the backward pawn with c4.

Bb7 22. Be3

Blunder. 22. Rc1 remains in the game. Black has some advantage after
22...Nb6 23. Be3 h5.

Bxc3 23. Nh6+ Kf8 24. Qf2

24. Qa2 (threat Qxf7 mate) would have kept the exchange, but Black is
better after 24...e6 25. Rf1 d5.

Bxe1 25. Rxe1 Ne5 26. Bf1
Qc7 27.
Rc1 Nc4 28. Bxc4 bxc4 29. Rc3 e6

Better is 29...d5 with the intent Qe5.

30. Qh4 Qd8 31. Qf4

Your opponent underestimated your attack and here you almost had him.
31. Bg5 throws another piece into the attack.

Black draws after 31...Qb6+ 32. Be3 (maybe White can go for more with
32. Kh2 Qd4 (Qc7 is questionable because of 33. Ng4 d5+ 34. g3 f5 35.
Bf4 Qf7 36. Ne5 g5 37. Bxg5 Qc7 38. Bf6 with a very strong attack) 33.
Ng4 h5 (33...Qxc3? 34. e5!) 34. Bh6+ Kg8 35. Qf6 Qxf6 36. Nxf6+ Kh8
37. Nxe8 Rxe8 38. Rxc4) 32...Qd8 (32...Qb5 33. Qf6 Rc7 34. Bf4 Qb6+
35. Kf1 Rec8 36. Qh8+ Ke7 37. Qxh7 Rf8 (37...Kd7 38. Qxf7+ Kc6 39.
Qxe6 is better but hopeless) 38. Nxf7 Rxf7 39. Bg5+ Ke8 40. Qg8+ Rf8
41. Qxe6+) 33. Bg5 =

Also a draw is 31...f6 32. Bxf6 Qb6+ 33. Kh2 e5 34. Nf5 (threat Qxh7)
34...gxf5
Alternatives are worse:
a) 34...Qc7 35. Rxc4 Qd7 36. Be7+ Kg8 (36...Rxe7 37. Qf6+ Ke8
(37...Rf7 38. Qh8 mate) 38. Nd6+ Ke8 39. Qf8+ Rf8 40. Nf7+ and wins)
38. Rxc8 Bxc8 39. Nh6+ Kg7 40. Qf6+ Kxh6 41. Bf8+ Rxf8 42. Qxf8+ Qg7
(42...Kg5 43. h4+ Kh5 44. g4+ wins; 42...Kh5 43. g4+ Kg5 44. h4+ Kxh4
45. Qh6 mate) 43. Qxc8 and White wins (either a6 or d6 are lost) or

b) 34...Rc7 35. Bd8 gxf5 36. Rxc4 Bc6 37. gxf5 e4 38. Qf6+ Kg8 39.
Qxd6 Qb5 40. Qxc7 Qxc4 41. Bf6 Qf7 42. Qxc6 with advantage for White

35. Qh6+ (35. Qxh7 is also a draw) 35...Kf7 36. exf5 Rg8 37. Qxh7+
Kxf6 38. Qh6+ Ke7 39. Qe6+ Kf8 40. Qf6+ with a perpetual.

If 31...Re7 32. Ng4 f6 (32...f5 33. exf5 gxf5 34. Qh6+ Kg8 35. Nf6+
Kh8 36. Nxh7 +-) 33. Nxf6 h5 34. Bh6+ Kf7 35. Nxh5 gxh5 36. Qxh5+ Kg8
37. Qg6+ Kh8 38. Bg5 Qf8 39. Bf6+ Rg7 40. Qh6+ Kg8 41. Bxg7 Qxg7 42.
Qxe6+ Kh7 43. Rxc4. White has four pawns for the piece.

Insufficient is 31...Qc7 32. Ng4 f5 33. Rxc4 Qf7 34. Bh6+ Kg8 35. Nf6+
Kh8 36. Nxe8 Rxe8 (36...Rxc4 37. Nxd6 +-) 37. exf5 exf5 38. Bf4 with
white advantage.

Qe7

The attack is over, Black wins with his material advantage.

32. Ng4 f5 33. exf5
exf5 34. Qh6+ Qg7 35. Nf6 Re7 36. Nxh7+ Kf7 37. Ng5+ Kg8 38. Qh4 Qxc3
I resigned.

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
Nxe4 9. Qxe4 e6 10. O-O Bd6 11. Bg5 Qc7 12. h3 h6 13. Bd2
b6 14. Bc3

Blocking your c-pawn. First c4 would have been better.

Bb7 15. Qg4 O-O-O 16. Qxg7

This is a thing you should just avoid. You are opening the g-file for
Black against your king. Better is 16. Rfe1 with the plan Ne5 so the
queen can retreat to e2. Also a4 to open files against the black king
can be considered.

Rdg8

Wrong rook. 16...Rhg8 17. Qxh6 (17. Qh7 c5 18. Qd3 Rxg2+ 19. Kxg2 Rg8
20. Kh1 Qc6) 17...c5 18. d5 (controls h8) 18...Bxd5 19. Ne1 Rg6 20.
Qe3 Rdg8 with a winning attack.

17. Qf6 c5 18. Rad1 Rg6

Blunder. Rh7 threatens both Be7 and Rg6.

19. Qh4

Double blindness. 19. Qxh8+ wins a rook.

Bxf3 20.
dxc5 Rxg2+ 21. Kh1 Rh2+ 22. Kg1 Rg2+ 23. Kh1 Rg4#
Ouch!!

Claus-Juergen

["Followup-To:" header set to rec.games.chess.analysis.]
On 2004-05-25, Harold Buck wrote:
In article ,
Luis Matos wrote:


I would recommend to begin by reading Nimzowitch "My System"

I know... they may say that this is a very old book, not updated, and
they may be right!!!

Just so you know, while some people love this book, I really thought it
sucked. Not very readable. It reminded me of the professor who is trying
harder to convinve you how smart he is rather than really trying to
teach you anything.

I read it in German. It has a very unusual style, I loved reading it.

That said, I don't think it had any effect at all on my chess.

--
Remco Gerlich

Can anybody say "TROLL"?

Somebody is pulling your collective chain.

Notice "he" has not seen fit to respond to any of the comments, either the
serious ones or the derogative ones.

HA! This clown does this same thing every once in a while. He/she
obviously cares nothing at all for improvement, but just enjoys watching
people try to give serious responses to what is a repeated troll expedition.

Here, check these out:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y28015768
http://makeashorterlink.com/?L29012768
http://makeashorterlink.com/?L5A012768
http://makeashorterlink.com/?T2B012768

"Alex" will do this exact same thing in a few months, again laughing at
people giving serious responses. He/she doesn`t take the advice seriously,
and for all we know could in fact be an A player or Expert or something
using false games as some kind of weird "joke". I don`t see how it`s funny,
or what the point is, but it happens over and over.




"Dick Schneiders" wrote in message
...
Can anybody say "TROLL"?

Somebody is pulling your collective chain.

Notice "he" has not seen fit to respond to any of the comments, either the
serious ones or the derogative ones.

"Tim Hanke" wrote:
Smythe cut out the part about "better governance." That part is key.

There was nothing about "better governance" in the post to which I
responding. Look for yourself.

Bill Smythe

In article , Avanti wrote:

There is so much to learn that , he would lose at many stages of the game,
Original poster, you need to play folks similar or just above your own
strength up to about 1600, at 200 these players are storng and highly
unlikely to make a mistake that we could capitalise on.

The other thing is to do post-game analysis; you are not going to get someone
to do it for you very often, so you need a good computer program. The
program will not tell you the *why* of the moves but it will point you
in the right direction.

I think the biggest failing of woodpushers (of which I am one without
question) is not learning from mistakes. That requires analysis and
frankly, hard work. Each lost game can be treated as an opportunity.

What follows from this is that you shouldn't worry about losing. Play
as well as you can, enjoy playing, and then follow up with analysis and
more study. Winning will come naturally as you progress. Don't get
hung up on ego trips (or depression).

Don't forget that after all it's supposed to be fun. I'll never ever
be an international grandmaster, but I obtain my enjoyment from knowing
that I'm improving, even if little by little, and from the sheer fun
of participating in a great pastime.