Share your games!

[Narz]

I've seen some lectures on Capablanca's games and he was quite a positional master. I was observing your game against Thunderbird, nicely played

I have a few dozen books included many with annotated games I just haven't had the will to study since my big OTB tournies last summer. I've found a local chess club that meets every Wednesday & Thursday night at UMass about eight miles from me so I'm going to try to attend those & since if I can't get my competitive juices flowing (not to say they don't get flowing via correspondence play but nothing sparks me like OTB tournaments).

Congrats on your town championship. I was looking at that game and have to give 8. Nxg5 a !WTH?, you played very well after that, reminds me of a game from the classical era.

 

[Narz]

BTW (off topic),

Spoiler Warning! Politics :

Very interesting piece analyzing the tragedy of the commons. While I still do believe breeding beyond replacement should not be encouraged or rewarded I think that critique did a good job of dismantling some of the other parts of the essay that right-leaning folks like to use to justify private control & to insult the innate intelligence of pre-industrial (pre-capitalist) man in organizing himself sustainably without coercion or appeal to greed & that it's abundantly clear that greed & lust for power & control are not inherently the dominant forces that control men but modern capitalists & globalists imagine they are because arguing as such makes capitalism & unequal exchange inevitable & thus justifiable.

Also, back to a chess related note, if you have the time & inclination Luce we'd love to have you join in some of our Vote Games. Especially our current match against the Power of Chess!

 

[WhiteEagle22]

I am hoping to be back playing (and blogging) by Wednesday afternoon. I can't seem to get my ADSL connection working.

 

[peter grimes]

Here's a game that I thought was lost for sure. I still may lose, but I just might be able to pull off a draw - it will be my first

I'll comment more on the game later, as it's still underway...

 

[JonathanStrange]

Ouch! It looks like Black is going to gobble up White's last pawns and run his in for a queen(s). If White captures the c-pawn, Black's a-pawn queens... Best wishes though...

 

[Richard Cribb]

I've seen some lectures on Capablanca's games and he was quite a positional master. I was observing your game against Thunderbird, nicely played

It wasn't so bad, but I think I made some inaccuracies. However, I wanted to keep it simple. Since the opening line wasn't a critical one, I will see if I get around to comment this one.
As for Capablanca, he is one of those who makes things look deceptively easy. Studying some of his games gives invaluable lessons in the art of positional play.

I have a few dozen books included many with annotated games I just haven't had the will to study since my big OTB tournies last summer. I've found a local chess club that meets every Wednesday & Thursday night at UMass about eight miles from me so I'm going to try to attend those & since if I can't get my competitive juices flowing (not to say they don't get flowing via correspondence play but nothing sparks me like OTB tournaments).

You only need to study for about an hour each day, or 5 hours a week. I never did more myself, and I dare say that I know and understand the openings I play and the middle game positions they lead to pretty good.
I also agree that OTB is quite different, and why I am not so fond of it. The main reason I never tried to turn professional was my lack of competetiveness.

Congrats on your town championship. I was looking at that game and have to give 8. Nxg5 a !WTH?, you played very well after that, reminds me of a game from the classical era.

Thanks. I was favourite on paper, but my health problems are still not solved and this was my first serious tournament for quite a while and my playing strength is not what it used to be. I succeeded in my strange tournament tactic, I beat the strong players and drew against a couple of the weaker ones... I also picked up my two volumes of Smyslov games as pre-tournament preparation and adhered to the maxim of Lev Psakhis; that the best reply to 1.e4 is e5, and the best reply to 1.d4 is d5!
As for that game; he already is in difficulties when sacrificing the knight. The error he commited is instructive, since he has castled short and I have not, 6.h3? is a serious weakening of his king position and I can just thrust forward my g-pawn. He could have tried 8.Nh2 but simply 8...g4 seems to give black a irresistible attack. That is the danger of open games, errors are usually more fatal.
15.Na4 is a blunder, he had to try 15.g7 but 15...Ke7 with the idea Qg8-h7 followed by Rg8 is but one good alternative. A funny, but not forced variation then is 16.Kh2!? (with the idea Kg3, Rh1-h8) b5 17.Bb3? b4 18.Na4 Qh8+ 19.gxh8Q/R/B/N Rxh8+ 20.Kg1/Kg3 Ne2#
BTW glad to see that somebody reads the stuff in my sig.

 

[Narz]

I also agree that OTB is quite different, and why I am not so fond of it. The main reason I never tried to turn professional was my lack of competetiveness.

Edit : warning, verbose, meandering, off the cuff, off topic, 3AM stream of consciousness ahead.

I think much of my competitiveness stems from feeling like I need to prove something, at heart I think I am an organizer & creative type more than a competitive type but competition is kind of a quick fix for self-esteem & chasing dreams of glory.

I've always said I'd rather be a Sid Meier or Klaus Teuber than a Kramnik or Anand.

Not to say chess isn't creative, any great game requires creativity but I'd rather be a full time game master/creator & just a part time player.

I think there is still plenty of room in the world for new games. When I was a lad growing up with Nintendo I always used to redesign all the games I played & combine elements of one into another or add whole new elements. But later I figured that every kid & their brother wanted to be a game designer & already at 18 I felt I'd fallen way behind the curve in terms of programming (from 16-18 I was away at a very strict school, using the word loosely, more like an internment camp for difficult youths, where I was not allowed use of a computer). Before college I took an intense course in Visual Basic but found the teacher & most of the applications for the language mind numbingly dull. In college I made up for a awkward & socially/sensually deprived youth & barely spent even a moment online (I think I first saw someone posting on an Internet forum at around this time [in the library perhaps] & found it mindboggling that someone could actually spend hours communicating with strangers in this way). I also discovered chess in college & have been addicted for just over ten years now!).

The moral of the story is, I don't know what the hell I'm doing with my life but, in the meantime (and probably always), chess is a better hobby than many.

 

[peter grimes]

Ahh, finally! A short, sharp, shock of a checkmate after several recent games full of blunders:
Team Match COOL, board 15.

The game started out very straightforward, with me playing as Black. I know just about nothing of book openings, lines, defenses, etc... so feel free to categorize the first 6-8 moves, since I won't.

Looking back, the game opened up for me with with 10. Bxf6. White is telling me "Please, lock down my Knights! My Queen won't threaten you - she's tucked safely out of the way for now!"

Ok

Now I simply take advantage of White's weak play. I'm not very good at guessing what my opponent aims with each move, so I can't offer insight. But whenever I had the opportunity to gain a tempo (11. b3, 12. Rc1, ); grab a pawn (13. ...Qxb4); pin a piece (14. Qd2) I took it.

This left me well set-up for delivering the final moves, which started with the seemingly small sacrifice of 18. ...e5. Apparently, he's on to me, as shown by 20. Kf1. But with 21. Qxc3, I'm really not sure there's much he could have done to avoid the loss. He's just given up his queen, and I've got a solid check, plus an attack on both his rooks!

I hate to admit it (bleeding liberal at heart, hates to win through other's mistakes ), but I was on a real high last night when I snatched his Queen and realized that I had secured a win, barring any phenomenal mistakes like in this game.

 

[Panzar75]

Looked like some sort of exchange version of the Caro-Kann. Well done spotting the tactic winning the queen. I guess he needed to play 20. Nxe5 to avoid the worst of it.

 

[Narz]

This blitz game reminded me of our first vote match a little bit.

 

[Richard Cribb]

Edit : warning, verbose, meandering, off the cuff, off topic, 3AM stream of consciousness ahead.

I think much of my competitiveness stems from feeling like I need to prove something, at heart I think I am an organizer & creative type more than a competitive type but competition is kind of a quick fix for self-esteem & chasing dreams of glory.

I've always said I'd rather be a Sid Meier or Klaus Teuber than a Kramnik or Anand.

Not to say chess isn't creative, any great game requires creativity but I'd rather be a full time game master/creator & just a part time player.

I think there is still plenty of room in the world for new games. When I was a lad growing up with Nintendo I always used to redesign all the games I played & combine elements of one into another or add whole new elements. But later I figured that every kid & their brother wanted to be a game designer & already at 18 I felt I'd fallen way behind the curve in terms of programming (from 16-18 I was away at a very strict school, using the word loosely, more like an internment camp for difficult youths, where I was not allowed use of a computer). Before college I took an intense course in Visual Basic but found the teacher & most of the applications for the language mind numbingly dull. In college I made up for a awkward & socially/sensually deprived youth & barely spent even a moment online (I think I first saw someone posting on an Internet forum at around this time [in the library perhaps] & found it mindboggling that someone could actually spend hours communicating with strangers in this way). I also discovered chess in college & have been addicted for just over ten years now!).

The moral of the story is, I don't know what the hell I'm doing with my life but, in the meantime (and probably always), chess is a better hobby than many.

Ah, to be young again! (Starts performing "September Song")

Ahh, finally! A short, sharp, shock of a checkmate after several recent games full of blunders:
Team Match COOL, board 15.

The game started out very straightforward, with me playing as Black. I know just about nothing of book openings, lines, defenses, etc... so feel free to categorize the first 6-8 moves, since I won't.

Looking back, the game opened up for me with with 10. Bxf6. White is telling me "Please, lock down my Knights! My Queen won't threaten you - she's tucked safely out of the way for now!"

Ok

Now I simply take advantage of White's weak play. I'm not very good at guessing what my opponent aims with each move, so I can't offer insight. But whenever I had the opportunity to gain a tempo (11. b3, 12. Rc1, ); grab a pawn (13. ...Qxb4); pin a piece (14. Qd2) I took it.

This left me well set-up for delivering the final moves, which started with the seemingly small sacrifice of 18. ...e5. Apparently, he's on to me, as shown by 20. Kf1. But with 21. Qxc3, I'm really not sure there's much he could have done to avoid the loss. He's just given up his queen, and I've got a solid check, plus an attack on both his rooks!

I hate to admit it (bleeding liberal at heart, hates to win through other's mistakes ), but I was on a real high last night when I snatched his Queen and realized that I had secured a win, barring any phenomenal mistakes like in this game.

You played quite well, but 14...Rae8 is a mistake that allows white back in the game. Simply 14...Qd6 keeps the pawn and a dominant position. The problem with your move is that white could play 15.Nxd5 Qxd2 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Nxd2 with a rather equal endgame. Tactics apart, rooks belong on open files, so doubling your rooks in the c-file looks like the very best approach thereafter, but then your plan is sufficient also. On move 20 white may try 20.Re1 but black should be winning.

This blitz game reminded me of our first vote match a little bit.

Re the opening line in that blitz game; you should insert 11.Ne5+ to prevent artificial castling. I don't know if you are familiar with the following game:

Albin - Tarrasch, Dresden 1892
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4
Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Nxe4 8. Bxb4 Nxb4 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qb3+ d5
11. Ne5+ Kf6 12. Qxb4 c5 13. Qa4 Qe8 14. Qd1 Ng5 15. f4 Ne6
16. Nc3 g6 17. Nxd5+ Kg7 18. O-O cxd4 19. f5 Nf4 20. f6+ Kf8
21. Ne7 Qb5 22. Rxf4 Qxe5 23. Qxd4 Qxd4+ 24. Rxd4 Be6 25. Rd6
Kf7 26. Re1 Bxa2 27. Nd5 Rhd8 28. Re7+ Kf8 29. Rxd8+ Rxd8
30. Nc3 Bf7 31. Rxb7 a6 32. Ra7 Rd2 33. Ne4 Rxb2 34. Ra8+ Be8
35. Nd6 1-0

Tarrasch was almost invincible at the time it was played.
But still I find all those lines with 5.d4 to be drawish.

 

[Narz]

Ah, to be young again! (Starts performing "September Song")

Tell me about it. Even the difference between 19 and 29 is profound!

I'm trying to get into jogging again (on soft Earth not concrete because of knee issues) but I've let my self-discipline muscles get remarkable flabby over the years. For now maybe I'll stick with once every other day & hopefully the difference in how I feel on days I do it will be motivation enough. I got a book on the power of regular exercise's power to influence the brain which I'm trying to use as a catalyst to get myself together before I hit thirty. If I don't start getting physical now I likely will suffer a lot of aches & pains in a decade or two, already I have a significant amount of neck & back pain if I'm too sedentary.

Re the opening line in that blitz game; you should insert 11.Ne5+ to prevent artificial castling. I don't know if you are familiar with the following game:

I used to always play it but for some reason seem to have more success holding it on reserve. It does make logical sense though to throw the knight check in first.

Albin - Tarrasch, Dresden 1892
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4
Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Nxe4 8. Bxb4 Nxb4 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qb3+ d5
11. Ne5+ Kf6 12. Qxb4 c5 13. Qa4 Qe8 14. Qd1 Ng5 15. f4 Ne6
16. Nc3 g6 17. Nxd5+ Kg7 18. O-O cxd4 19. f5 Nf4 20. f6+ Kf8
21. Ne7 Qb5 22. Rxf4 Qxe5 23. Qxd4 Qxd4+ 24. Rxd4 Be6 25. Rd6
Kf7 26. Re1 Bxa2 27. Nd5 Rhd8 28. Re7+ Kf8 29. Rxd8+ Rxd8
30. Nc3 Bf7 31. Rxb7 a6 32. Ra7 Rd2 33. Ne4 Rxb2 34. Ra8+ Be8
35. Nd6 1-0

I'll go over that one, thx. I love old classical games.

Tarrasch was almost invincible at the time it was played.
But still I find all those lines with 5.d4 to be drawish.

Yeah, I think eventually I'd like to quit the main line Piano & start playing the Scotch Gambit or something but it's pretty sharp & requires more study than I'm ready for ATM. No way I want to get into studying the Ruy Lopez though, way too much work!

 

[WhiteEagle22]

I'm looking at checkmate and win in a couple of games, if everything goes my way...

*crosses fingers*

 

[Richard Cribb]

Tell me about it. Even the difference between 19 and 29 is profound!

Yep. The sad thing is only that youth is indeed wasted on the young ones.
I must confess though, that I rarely feel like 45, I still have a healthy dose of the child in me!

I'm trying to get into jogging again (on soft Earth not concrete because of knee issues) but I've let my self-discipline muscles get remarkable flabby over the years. For now maybe I'll stick with once every other day & hopefully the difference in how I feel on days I do it will be motivation enough. I got a book on the power of regular exercise's power to influence the brain which I'm trying to use as a catalyst to get myself together before I hit thirty. If I don't start getting physical now I likely will suffer a lot of aches & pains in a decade or two, already I have a significant amount of neck & back pain if I'm too sedentary.

Well, due to my state of health I am forced to be less ambitious, but I try to keep in acceptable physical shape with less rigid methods, and my diet the last year has been a success, so for the first time in my life I can face the future with confidence. Too bad only that so long time was required to find the problem. But I digress.

I used to always play it but for some reason seem to have more success holding it on reserve. It does make logical sense though to throw the knight check in first.

If your opponents are not well versed in te opening line in question, you might have success with most reasonable moves, but in the long run it serves you better to play what is considered the best.

I'll go over that one, thx. I love old classical games.

They are often less complex and therefore of greater didactic value. If time allowed me I would post some articles here based on master games. I'll see when my schedule becomes less hectic.

Yeah, I think eventually I'd like to quit the main line Piano & start playing the Scotch Gambit or something but it's pretty sharp & requires more study than I'm ready for ATM. No way I want to get into studying the Ruy Lopez though, way too much work!

Can't agree with that. Studying Ruy Lopez is crucial to aquire a good positional understanding. Besides, there are quite a few lines that are not so theory heavy. Scoth Gambit and the two Knights on the other hand...

 

[col]

http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=17982566

US number 1 downed

A small inaccuracy in the opening

9 ... Nbd7 is essential to defend e5.
After 9 ...Bb7, 10 e5 is very strong

15 Bb5+! A common sac in this opening. Black cant afford to accept it.
After 15 ... axb5 a second sac
16 Nxe6 kills him. 16...fxe6 17 Nxb5 wins the queen or mates
(The joys of correspondence chess - I wouldnt dare play this over the board!)

After Ne4 I'm continually looking for Nf6+ followed by Qh6 but it never quite works.
23 The h pawn hangs
24 He follows with Rfc8 and I dont have time to get to h6 and mate him.

27 Now he's moved his queen I'm in!

 

[WhiteEagle22]

I may be looking at checkmate and win in a game or two in a few moves. Wish me luck!

 

[Sashie VII]

http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=17982566

US number 1 downed

A small inaccuracy in the opening

9 ... Nbd7 is essential to defend e5.
After 9 ...Bb7, 10 e5 is very strong

15 Bb5+! A common sac in this opening. Black cant afford to accept it.
After 15 ... axb5 a second sac
16 Nxe6 kills him. 16...fxe6 17 Nxb5 wins the queen or mates
(The joys of correspondence chess - I wouldnt dare play this over the board!)

After Ne4 I'm continually looking for Nf6+ followed by Qh6 but it never quite works.
23 The h pawn hangs
24 He follows with Rfc8 and I dont have time to get to h6 and mate him.

27 Now he's moved his queen I'm in!

Col, you might have just cured me of Chekhover. Great game

 

[MyIllusionX]

1st post Finally signed up to share my games

Game 1 (I play as Black)

1. e4 d5
2. exd5 Qxd5
3. Nc3 Qa5
4. d4 Nf6
5. Nf3 Bf5
6. Bd2 c6
7. Bc4 e6
8. h3 Nbd7
9. O-O Qc7
10. Re1 Be7
11. Qc1 O-O
12. Bf4 Bd6
13. Ne5 c5
14. Nxd7 Bxf4
15. Nxf6+ gxf6
16. Nb5 Qb8
17. Qd1 a6
18. Na3 Rd8
19. Bd3 Rxd4
20. Qh5 Bxd3
21. cxd3 Bg5
22. Red1 Qd6
23. Qf3 Qd5
24. Qe2 Rd8
25. Nc2 Rxd3
26. Rxd3 Qxd3
27. Qxd3 Rxd3
28. Na3 b5
29. Kf1 Rd2
30. Rb1 f5
31. Ke1 c4
32. h4 Bh6
33. g3 Rd5
34. Rd1 Rxd1+
35. Kxd1 Kf8
36. Nc2 a5
37. Nd4 b4
38. Nc6 a4
39. Nxb4 Bg7
40. Kc2 Ke7
41. b3 cxb3+
42. axb3 axb3+
43. Kxb3 Kd6
44. Kc4 h5
45. Nd3 Be5
46. Ne1 f4
47. gxf4 Bxf4
48. Kd3 f5
49. Ng2 Ke5
50. Ke2 Ke4
51. Ne1 Bd6
52. Ng2 f4
53. f3+ Kd4
54. Kd2 Bb4+
55. Ke2 e5
56. Kf2 Kd3
57. Kf1 Kd2
58. Kf2 Bc5+
59. Kf1 Bb6
60. Ne1 Ke3
61. Kg2 Bd8
62. Kh3 Ke2
63. Nc2 Kxf3
64. Nb4 e4
65. Nc6 Bf6
66. Nb4 e3
67. Nd5 e2
68. Nxf6 e1=Q
69. Nxh5 Qh1

I am happy about the endgame, but it'd be fantastic if anyone cares to comment.

Game 2 (I play as white)

1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Qxd4 Nc6
5. Bb5 Bd7
6. Bxc6 Bxc6
7. Nc3 Nf6
8. Bg5 e5
9. Qd3 Be7
10. Rd1 Qc7
11. Bxf6 gxf6
12. Nh4 O-O-O
13. Nf5 Rhg8
14. O-O Qd7
15. Qh3 Kb8
16. Qxh7 Rdf8
17. Nd5 Bxd5
18. Rxd5 Rg4
19. Nxe7 Qxe7
20. Rfd1 Rd8
21. f3 Rgg8
22. Rxd6 Rxg2+
23. Kxg2 Rxd6
24. Qg8+ Kc7
25. Rxd6 Kxd6
26. Qb8+ Kc6
27. Qc8+ Kb6
28. Qc4 Qd7
29. Qb3+ Kc7
30. Qd5 Qe8
31. Qc5+ Kb8
32. Qd6+ Kc8
33. Qxf6 Qg8+
34. Kf2 Qe8
35. h4 Qd7
36. Qf5 Qxf5
37. exf5 Kd7
38. h5 Ke7
39. h6 Kf6
40. Ke3 Ke7
41. h7 1-0

I think on move 14 I should have played Qh3, not castle. Saw that discovery tactic after I castled tho. Comments? I'd appreciate it.

 

[Riffraff]

http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=17982566

US number 1 downed

A small inaccuracy in the opening

9 ... Nbd7 is essential to defend e5.
After 9 ...Bb7, 10 e5 is very strong

15 Bb5+! A common sac in this opening. Black cant afford to accept it.
After 15 ... axb5 a second sac
16 Nxe6 kills him. 16...fxe6 17 Nxb5 wins the queen or mates
(The joys of correspondence chess - I wouldnt dare play this over the board!)

After Ne4 I'm continually looking for Nf6+ followed by Qh6 but it never quite works.
23 The h pawn hangs
24 He follows with Rfc8 and I dont have time to get to h6 and mate him.

27 Now he's moved his queen I'm in!

wow your rating has reached crazy heights

 

[Panzar75]

Hi MyIllusionX and welcome. A few comments on your games:

13. c5 might not look so bad at first glance but it turns out it loses a pice. After Nb5, Qb8, Nxd6, Qxd6, g4 and sadly, there is no safe square for the bishop to go to (Bg6, Nxg6). A better move would for example have been 13. Nd5.

21. Bg5 an okay move but why not untangle your pieces with something like Qc7? Then you also have the option of keeping your bishop on the b8-h2 diagonal if that turns out to be something you want to do. Having more options is always good.

36. a5 I don't like this move. you already have a good pawn chain, don't make the pawns weak for no reason. Instead, play Bg7 to attack his pawn or move the king towards the center.

43. Kxb3 Now you have traded off all your pawns on the queenside, not so good. In general the more pawns you trade off the easier it is to draw for the side a pawn down, and the bishop is generally a better piece than the knight when there are pawns on both sides of the board because of its mobility. You're still a pawn up and probably winning but it's now much harder than it needed to be. (The plan for white is to trade all pawns and sacriface his knight on your last pawn. As you know you cannot win with K+B vs K.)

----------------------------------------------------------

4. Qxd4 I like and play this move myself.

8... e5 When they play this move (that is a big mistake) you usually get an easy game. You should never play e5 in this system giving white's knights free reign in the center.

10. Rd1 Not bad I guess but I personally much prefer 0-0-0.

14. Qh3 is a good move but after Kb8 you'll still have to castle next. Not a big difference. I would also have castled rather than play Qh3.

16. Qxh7 An alternative might be Nd5. It's probably not going to be a problem opening another line to your king but I'm not sure I would have gone for that.

Black played some questionable moves but there wasn't much he could do. This is a good example of why you do not play e5 in this line.