Chess

[Assassin]

Encard, now that you've seen my style of play, do you have any suggestions as to what I could do to improve?

[Encard]

Hmm... Blah, I would give suggestions, but I honestly can't remember how the game went anymore. If you want to play another, though, just let me know, and I'll attempt to comment then. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Assassin]

Dug up from my inbox... It turns out that I registered to Yahoo using a different e-mail than I usually use.

;Title: Yahoo! Chess Game
;White: goldrush945
;Black: lordencard
;Date: Thu May 27 02:10:28 GMT 2004

1. e2-e4 e7-e5
2. g1-f3 b8-c6
3. b1-c3 f8-c5
4. c3-a4 d7-d6
5. a4xc5 d6xc5
6. f1-c4 g8-f6
7. f3-g5 o-o
8. d2-d3 h7-h6
9. g5-f3 c8-g4
10. h2-h3 g4-h5
11. o-o c6-d4
12. c1-e3 d4xf3+
13. g2xf3 d8-d7
14. g1-h2 b7-b5
15. c4-b3 d7-e7
16. f1-g1 g8-h7
17. b3-d5 f6xd5
18. e4xd5 f7-f5
19. c2-c3 f5-f4
20. e3-c1 e7-h4
21. d1-e2 c5-c4
22. e2-e4+ g7-g6
23. g1-g2 f8-f5
24. d5-d6 a8-c8
25. d3-d4 c7xd6
26. e4-b7+ h7-g8
27. b7xc8+ g8-g7
28. c8-d7+ f5-f7
29. d7xd6 h5xf3
30. d6xg6+ g7-f8
31. g6-g8+ f8-e7
32. h2-g1 h4xh3
33. g2-h2 h3-f5
34. c1-d2 f5-c2
35. h2xh6 c2xd2
36. g8-g5+ e7-d7
37. d4xe5 d2xb2
38. e5-e6+ d7-c7
39. g5-e5+ c7-b7
40. a1-f1 f7-f8
41. h6-h7+ b7-a8
42. e6-e7 f8-g8+
43. h7-g7 g8xg7+
44. e5xg7 b2-e2
45. g7-f8+ a8-b7
46. e7-e8 e2-d3
47. f8-f7+ b7-a6
48. e8-c8+ a6-b6
49. f7-f6+ b6-a5
50. f6-a6++

ADD] Oh, and I wouldn't mind playing again, it's just that exams are just next week, and I really have to starting hitting the books. [img]redface.gif[/img]

[ 05-29-2004, 08:05 PM: Message edited by: Assassin ]

[Encard]

You have the notation? Cool, I'll take a look at it and see what I can come up with, then. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Assassin]

Thanks. [img]smile.gif[/img] Anyone else who wants to try and help me, feel free.

[Encard]

All right... Now, first off, this is by no means all necessarily right. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Now, on to the game...

4. c3-a4 d7-d6
I'd recommend developing more of your pieces before attacking with the knight like this. It's pretty easy for black to defend against, and the defense (d6) actually carries over from a common way of continuing this opening anyway. Of course, it does lead to doubled pawns, but personally I don't think it's worth it at this point in the game.

7. f3-g5 o-o
Although this can be a nice attack, it's also something that (in this position) doesn't generally get you much if your opponent notices it. Not to say that it's necessarily a bad move, but if you're not sure how good your opponent is it might be better to go for something more strategic, such as castling or preparing to get your second bishop out, instead of delaying that for later. As a side note, though, there are some positions where it's either not possible or a good deal harder/more costly to block this... In those cases, it's obviously a good thing to do.

9. g5-f3 c8-g4
10. h2-h3 g4-h5
11. o-o c6-d4
12. c1-e3 d4xf3+
A few things here. First off, this ends up putting you into a position that's generally undesirable (open king and doubled pawns). As such, there's two main options I see... Either defend against it, or execute some other plan while this sets up. A possible defense would have been moving Be3 before castling and preferably before the knight got there, on moves 10 or 11. That would also have helped set up for taking the center if you wanted to do so (c3, d4, maybe trade pieces there to end up with white pawn on e4 and no black pawns on d and e). Going h3 before black's Bg4 is also an option, although not one I personally like much. Or you could try pulling this off yourself instead, or various other things most likely... It's not a devastating attack, but it's not one I personally like being subjected to.

17. b3-d5 f6xd5
I don't think this is the best move here. It attacks the rook, but not in any way that poses a real threat (easy to move it or trade, neither of which appears to put black in a particularly bad situation). I would sintead have suggested strengthening the attack you'd started with the rook and other bishop. Double up your rooks, bring your queen over, that sort of thing. Setting up a center (c3, d4, +possible trading) could actually have turned out nicely... If full trading occurred, you'd probably be able to soon move up the e-pawn (attacking the knight in the process), then bring back the white-square bishop to solidify the attack and check the black king in the process, as well as bringing in other pieces. Even without full trasding, I think you'd end up with a nice position. Of course, I could be wrong.

25. d3-d4 c7xd6
Although it turned out well for you because I missed something I really shouldn't have, I'm not sure this is the best move here... Am thinking that Qb7 might be better. What that does it attack the rook on c8 while also adding another piece to the attack of the c7 pawn. I don't see very many options for black here... Basically just that he either has to move the rook while you get the pawn and then move his rook ro queen back to prevent you from being able to win his rook (c8=Q, Rxc8, Qxc8), move the rook he has on f5 back to f8 again to defend the one that's on c8, and let you take the pawn, or move his queen back to d8. All the options end up winning you at least a pawn, and drawing pieces away from black's attack on you. That assumes, of course, that I saw everything... [img]tongue.gif[/img]

1. g6-g8+ f8-e7
I don't see any real benefit from this move right now... If I'd played a bit better and just taken the rook instead of doing something stupid in the next few moves, you might have ended up in a fairly nasty position, actually. I think Qd6 might have been better. Main options I see for black are either moving the king and losing a rook, trading queens (which destroys black's current attack, and is generally good for you when you're ahead pieces), and blocking check with the rook (Re7). Then you check again with Qd8. He can do Re8 and lose his queen, or move Kf7. Then white moves Qg8, black can only move Kf6, and next move by white is Qg6++. I think so, anyway.

37. d4xe5 d2xb2
Hmm... I think this might have been better if it was Qxe5. Then you'd be set up to do Qe6+ and fork his king and his rook and checkmate him, and there's not too much black can easily do about it. At least, not that doesn't still lead to a nasty position and probably the loss of the rook/checkmate. The current move could, I think, have been defended against by Bd5.

49. f7-f6+ b6-a5
Not that it matters much by this point, but you could have had checkmate with Qf7-c7++.


So... Overall, you played pretty well, I'd say. Not sure what else I can say other than the stuff I already have. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Black Baron]

Comments:


Unless the position cries for it (theory or material winning) do not move the same piece twice in the opening. c3-a4 is a mistake.

Instead of d6 black had to play bb4. pawn pursuit achieves nothing except to damage white pawn structure. bishop retreats to b6 and the white must exchange it with the knight a4.white Pawn structure is a debris by then, and the black takes the center with ease afterwards.
d6-big mistake.

Since that it was played d6, Na4 achieves its goal- double pawns and the loss of the "2 bishops advantage" that the black had.


About the tie of the knight on f3. H3 had to be played out, but, most certainly not be3. Why to loose the "2 bishops advantage"?

h3 sometimes is a prelude to a most ambitious plan-Nh2 and f2-f4 afterwards. The absence of black bishop allows to play f2-f4 with no loss of temp. Black must waste another temp in order to play f7-f5 (if the white plays f2-f4-f5 black is dead meat), due to bishop on c4. Seemingly innocent in the beginning, h3 (or h6 for the black), more often than not in mittelspiel is a bane and the doom of the unaware.

Black attack on the white king, after the death of Nf3,was done with too many mistakes to count them. I will point out several.
G7-G6-a huge mistake. The rook had to be placed on this spot in the future.

The rampage of the white queen had to be prevented with all costs. The black had to play Ra8-d,e,f8 from the start.

Instead of queen e7, queen d6.


Numerous Tactical mistakes from both sides cannot be mentioned here.

How much time did you have?

In conclusion: Study openings, and start solving tactical problems. That game should have ended on move 30+.
I hope that no one is insulted. If someone is, i apologize.

[Encard]

Can't say as I agree with you on everything here, Black Baron...

Originally posted by Black Baron: Instead of d6 black had to play bb4. .... d6-big mistake.

That assumes white would attack with a3. However, it seems to me that a better way would be, once you're in this position, c3, and then once black moves the bishop back white plays d4 and gets himself a nice center.

Originally posted by Black Baron: Since that it was played d6, Na4 achieves its goal- double pawns and the loss of the "2 bishops advantage" that the black had.

Hmm, can't say as I've heard of the two bishop advantage you mention... Any chance you'd be able to explain why this is particularly advantageous?

Originally posted by Black Baron: h3 sometimes is a prelude to a most ambitious plan-Nh2 and f2-f4 afterwards. .... Seemingly innocent in the beginning, h3 (or h6 for the black), more often than not in mittelspiel is a bane and the doom of the unaware.

Hmm... I have to wonder whether you aren't overestimating the effectiveness of this. If black had no e-pawn and the bishop were elsewhere, with a few other factors, I can see how this could potentially open up a nice line of attack for white, along with preventing black from easily moving his pieces to defend or to attack white in turn... However, I don't think I'd rank it as being a completely game-ending move. Especially, as I said, in this position. Perhaps you could explain what continuation you were thinking of? Oh, and also, not sure how moving Nh2 is done with no loss of tempo...

Originally posted by Black Baron: G7-G6-a huge mistake. The rook had to be placed on this spot in the future.

What move would you suggest, then? I'm seeing two possibilities, myself, and none of them appear greatly advantageous...
1. Kh8, followed (I would guess) by white's Qxe5. Black now has to defend g7, or else it's checkmate. And as far as I can tell, all that ends up happening with this is black losing material and not having any great attacks.

2. Kg8, followed (I would guess) by white's Qxe5. Doesn't seem too great to me... Black loses material, possibly along with other bad things, as far as I can tell.

Originally posted by Black Baron: The rampage of the white queen had to be prevented with all costs. The black had to play Ra8-d,e,f8 from the start.

I assume you mean at move 24? What continuation were you thinking of, wondering, if white did dxc7 or d7? Rc8? Since otherwise, it appears to me that black ends up losing a rook... But with Rc8, white could bring the queen to b7, forcing black to defend with his other rook (and thereby locking both of them up for the time being). White could probably start his own attack soon after. At least, that's what I'm seeing.

Originally posted by Black Baron: Instead of queen e7, queen d6.

Can't find this... Which move is it?

Originally posted by Black Baron: How much time did you have?

Technically unlimited, but we were both under a bit of unspecified time pressure, iirc (Assassin had to go, I was going to have dinner at an unspecified point in the near future). Lucky for him, methinks... I have a habit of being a very slow player. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ 05-30-2004, 06:51 PM: Message edited by: Encard ]

[Assassin]

[img]smile.gif[/img] Okay, yes... I see what both of you mean. I really should bone up on some chess stuff, but I've only started to play lightly for 2 weeks now, after a 2 year hiatus.

Black Baron, after my exams (June 15th or later), could we set a time/place on Yahoo to play a match? I'll probably lose, but I could use some more comments. (hey, I learned stuff in your short little post [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

Looking back now, I realized that I should've at least stopped the pin on my queen with the bishop. =/ That, and manage my pawn structure a whole lot better.

42. e6-e7 f8-g8+

That was what baron was talking about.

In conclusion: Study openings, and start solving tactical problems. That game should have ended on move 30+. I hope that no one is insulted. If someone is, i apologize.

Insulted? Nope. By all means, go ahead and comment some more. I can use some more criticism. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 05-30-2004, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: Assassin ]

[Black Baron]

White does not have anything, after c3 and d4. Their N sucks there is no beter word to describe it. after a6 and b5 and d6 it is lost. anyway white must waste another tempo to get him out of here. What does he do there? nothing.
There is no defence for the E4 pawn so N:e4 is a grave possibility after Nf6.
f.e: c2-c3 b4-a5
d2-d4?! e5:d4
f3:d4 d8-f6
white has problems. Black threats to eat on d4. The Nd4 must be defended ( 1) be3 or 2) bd2 or removed 3) nf3 or 4) nb3)

1: c1-e3 a7-a6
white Bf1 is stuck. every move of his is a disaster-loss of material. (if be2 -qg6, and Bf3 black will answer Nf6. white cannot defend the e4 pawn normally, he will damage his strategic position) as the result the king is also stuck; castling on queens side after qd2 is a bad idea- sooner or later the pawn b has to move in order to rescue the useless Na4.
d4:c6 f6:c6
The white pawn e4 cries for help. in either case i will play g8-f6, so if you will play f3 your white bishop will be rendered useless.
be3-disaster. i move and attack, you move and defend. Black is at the very least equal, white has no center and no agressive enough play. Acceptable result for the black.

2) Bd2 - a7-a6.
Same story. E4 in the end is undefendable. After 10, 15 moves i will eat it, or force to play f3 which will turn the white bishop into a valuable...pawn in case you played g2-g3 and Bg2.
In any case pawn f3 is a nuisance for the white.

The retreat with the Nd4 is admittance of the failure. Nb3 will achieve nothing, since that i will simply play d7-d6, a7-a6 and b7-b5.
Nf3 is a wate of time.

So in conclusion the grab for the centre is not successful.


The advantage of the 2 bishops: they are fast moving pieces that in tandem cover all your holes in your defence in the end of the game. In open positions they are better than a knight and a bishop. It is a small, yes, but sometimes extremely important advantage. Losing it is considered a mistake.

The plan h2-h3 works sometimes and only if the opponent made some mistakes, which the white can dupe him into. Botvinnik (world's chess champion) sometimes used it. Nf3-Nh2-NG4, and N:h7 or b:h7, than: Ng4 and qh5/h4 with checkmate attack. Sometimes it works.

d7-e7 move 15. It is a little thing but it is sometimes important, f.e Bd5 could not work. Not that it is of any importance.

I have checked g7-g6 again. I sacrifice the pawns e5 and c7. To hell with them! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

....Kh8
q:e5 f8-f6
e5:c7 a8-g8.
Here we see that the hungry queen was too hungry. There is no defence against the checkmate. f.e:
c7-c5 (pawn f2) f6-f5
finito la comedia. there is no defence against B:f3 - q:h3 - rh5 with checkmate. The pawn f3 falls regardless of white's actions. Kg2-rg5+
changing rooks and q:h3 afterwards. B:f3 and qh1/g2 with checkmate.

Remember-pieces are not important. The enemy king is!b

If the white will not eat c7, after rf6 i will play re8 with victory.

Instead of c5-c4, ra8-e8 had to be played.