Sicilian Defence (Trap #4)

Here is the Magnus-Smith Trap which is good for White ...

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4 g6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. e5 Nh5 9. Qf3 e6 10. g4 Ng7 11. Ne4 Qa5+ 12. Bd2 Qxe5 13. Bc3 1-0

PGN Viewer courtesy of http://chesstempo.com/

Sicilian Defence (Trap #3)

Here is a very simple Trap in the Smith-Morra that is good for White ...

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 d6 5. Bc4 Nf6 6. e5 dxe5 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qxd8 1-0

PGN Viewer courtesy of http://chesstempo.com/

Simul with Nigel Short - 26th Oct

Last night I took part in a simultaneous display against the UK's No.2 Nigel Short. He played 14 of us at a time. I played in the 7pm session, Short had 50 minutes on his clock and I had 40. I tried to play my usual Dragon as Black but Short played a Maroczy bind with c4 on move 5.  I have to confess that I have never faced this over the board before and didn't have a clue how to play against it. I have included the game here and would appreciate any comments from readers of this Blog. I have to admit that I was a little overcome by playing such a brilliant player and wasn't thinking AT ALL when taking Short's Knight on d5. I found a way of getting some compensation so as not to be a whole piece down but this involved sacrificing my queen ... I exchanged my Knight and Queen for his knight, Bishop and Rook, so the comparison in points was 12 - 11 in his favour. The thing I overlooked though was the won endgame that he had! I was the last guy to finish in the group - (typicially clinging on for dear life).  Finally I had the privilege of facing him over the board as he was urged to sit down in the chair opposite me to play the final moves that crushed me!

Steve also took part and really enjoyed himself - but I understand that he left a Rook hanging which was unfortunate!

Here is a photo of myself and Nigel, kindly taken by Steve on my mobile ... :)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Be2 Bg7 8. Be3 Bd7 9. O-O a6 10. f3 Rc8 11. Rc1 O-O 12. Qd2 Re8 13. Rfd1 Ne5 14. b3 Nc6 15. a4 Qc7 16. Nd5 Nxd5 17. cxd5 Nxd4 18. Rxc7 Nxe2 19. Qxe2 Rxc7 20. Rc1 Rxc1+ 21. Bc1 Rc8 22. Bb2 f6 23. Kf2 Kf7 24. Qd3 h6 25. Ke1 g5 26. Kd1 h5 27. Qd4 h4 28. Qb6 h3 29. g4 1-0

At this point I got into time trouble and played a few more weakening moves without writing them down - it was a great experience though!!

PGN Viewer courtesy of http://chesstempo.com/

The London System

Here is my game from last night ... My opponent opted to play the London System. I found that as the game progressed there were fewer and fewer chances to make a tactical breakthrough. I just had to hang on, dig deep and defend. I find the London System quite frustrating to play against - so any advice and comments concerning this game will be very welcome!

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 d5 4. e3 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O Bd6 8. Bxd6 Qxd6 9. Nbd2 cxd4 10. exd4 O-O 11. Re1 Re8 12. Ne5 Qc7 13. f4 Bd7 14. Ndf3 h6 15. g3 Rad8 16. Qc2 Rc8 17. a3 a6 18. Nxd7 Qxd7 19. Qe2 Ne7 20. Ne5 Qc7 21. Qf3 Nf5 22. g4 Nd6 23. g5 hxg5 24. fxg5 Nfe4 25. Qg4 Qe7 26. h4 f5 27. gxf6 Qxf6 28. Rf1 Qh6 29. Rf4 Nf6 0.5-0.5

PGN Viewer courtesy of http://chesstempo.com/

Reading about chess

If you enjoy reading about chess as well as playing it - then you ought to have these two books on your Christmas list:

King's Gambit - Paul Hoffman

Counterplay - Robert Desjarlais

Here is Steve's game from this week ... A great mixture of strategy and tactics combining in his favourite opening as White - "The Catalan".  By his own admission he missed Bxd5 on move #23 but the position and pawn advantage indicates that the game was virtually won at this juncture ... Well done Steve for winning your first game of the season!  Here it is ...

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. g3 c6 5. Bg2 Ne4 6. O-O Be7 7. Nfd2 f5 8. Nxe4 dxe4 9. Be3 O-O 10. f3 exf3 11. Bxf3 Bf6 12. Nc3 Qe7 13. Qd2 Rd8 14. Rad1 Nd7 15. d5 cxd5 16. cxd5 Bxc3 17. bxc3 exd5 18. Qxd5+ Kh8 19. Bc5 Qf6 20. Be4 Re8 21. Rxf5 Qh6 22. Rh5 Nf6 23. Rxh6 Nxd5 24. Rxh7+ Kg8 25. Bg6 Nf6 26. Bxe8 Kxh7 27. Rd8 Nxe8 28. Rxe8 b6 29. Bd4 Bb7 30. Re7 Bd5 31. Rxg7+ Kh6 32. a3 Bc4 33. h4 Rd8 34. Rxa7 Bxe2 35. Kf2 Bc4 36. g4 b5 37. Kg3 Rf8 38. Bg7+ 1-0

PGN Viewer courtesy of http://chesstempo.com/

Sicilian Defence - Intermezzo Tactics

I got lucky in this game a couple of seasons ago.  It shows how a lost game can be turned into a won game by clinging on to whatever hope still exists!  My opponent hadn't lost a game all season up until this game ... I managed to swindle him with an intermezzo (in-between) move exploiting a pin on move #33.  The lesson is - "never give up - your opponent can still make a mistake ... "

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 b5 (too premature I am told!) 7. f3 e6 8. a4 b4 9. Na2 a5 10. c3 bxc3 11. Nxc3 Be7 12. Bb5+ Bd7 13. Rc1 e5 14. Nf5 O-O 15. Nxd6 Be6 (I completely overlooked the capture of this pawn) 16. Nc4 Bxc4 17. Bxc4 Bb4 18. O-O Qe7 19. Nd5 Nxd5 20. Bxd5 Ra6 21. Qe2 Rg6 22. Rc2 Qh4 (I keep seeing a cheapo - Qe1# - hold onto that thought ... :) 23. R1c1 Rd6 24. Rc7 R6d8 25. Bf2 Qg5 26. Be3 Qh4 27. Ra7 Rc8 28. Bxf7+ Kh8 (he is mashing me now) 29. R7c7 Rc8d8 30. Bd5 Bd6 31. Bc5 Bxc7 (Here we go - definitely onto something here !!) 32. Bxf8 Bb6+ (No need to recapture just yet - play an intermezzo move and set up pin instead) 33. Bc5 Rc8 (Pin!) 34. Qe3 Bxc5 35. Rxc5 Rxc5 36. g3 Qe7 37. f4 exf4 38. Qxf4 Rc8 (wisely guarding back rank mate) 39. e5 Qc5+ (picks up Bishop) 0-1

PGN Viewer courtesy of http://chesstempo.com/

Android Chess ELO Converter

Here's a handy little Android App to convert ELO to/from BCF and USCF. This is available from the Android Market and FREE!

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.greg.chess&feature=search_result

Dragon's Discovered Diagonal is Devastating!

Here is my latest club game. This game is quite instructive because it demonstrates how tactics can be formulated down the long diagonal (a1-h8) where the 'Dragon' bishop is operating. I have the option of uncovering a nasty discovered check if my opponent takes the offer of my rook on move 18. I have been practicing this novel opening for a few months online (play early h5, defer castling), but never attempted it in a club game - I got the idea from Charlie Storey's excellent book on 'The Sniper'.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sniper-Charlie-Storey/dp/1857446437/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317937457&sr=8-1

Evidently this style of opening has been used by Carlsen on a number of occasions.

Here is the game ...(My opponent was rated about BCF 140). My Knight on d3 turns out to be a killer!

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bc4 g6 7. f3 Bg7 8. Be3 Bd7 9. Qd2 h5 10. O-O a6 11. a4 Rc8 12. Bb3 Ne5 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. Bxd5 Bc6 15. Nxc6 bxc6 16. Bb3 c5 17. c4 Rb8 18. Ba2 Rxb2 19. Qd1 Qb8 20. a5 Qb4 21. Rb1 O-O 22. Rxb2 Qxb2 23. Rf2 Qc3 24. Qd2 Nd3 25. Re2 Qa1+ 0-1

PGN Viewer courtesy of http://chesstempo.com/

Chess: Why we lose and how to fix it!

Time Trouble
If you're constantly getting into time trouble then it is advisable to play at a quicker time control than you normally would in order to acclimatise to playing quickly under pressure. For instance if you normally play 90 minutes each on the clock and you are experiencing time trouble, then it is advisable to play some 15 minute games to adjust to thinking quickly and making some timely decisions. Certainly it is useful to analyse where in the game unnecessary time is being spent. If too long is spent getting out of the opening, then it is advisable to learn some openings that rely on a few hard and fast rules - rather than loads of theory. Those players that have prepared their openings invariably have the advantage of time. If you are spending too much time looking for tactics in the middlegame, then perhaps you need to spend more time in training solving tactics according to Michael De La Maza's 7 circles study plan, which will sharpen up your calculation speed.  Too much time spent on the ending means more practice in training specifically on endgame tactics puzzles only.


Hanging Pieces
Everyone does it! We all leave pieces hanging from time to time, but if this is a frequent occurrence, then it is necessary to consciously pause before every move you make and perform a 'blunder check' - a check to see whether or not the piece you are about to move leaves another piece undefended or whether the piece you are about to move will itself be 'en-prise'. Top players rarely need to blunder check because they have excellent 'sight of the board' and instinctively know how to coordinate their pieces and pawns.

Failure to see checkmate against you
Mate against you is easy to overlook. Really it is necessary to check for mates against you on practically every move. Mate can occur on move 2 in chess (Black can mate White) therefore it is necessary to remain vigilant from the outset. Mates against you commonly occur when you move a piece away from a square that had previously been guarding against a mate threat. E.g. Nf3 guarding against mate on h2 etc. It is advisable to play through the exercises in the following book to get into the habit of checking a situation first of all before being tempted into moving a piece or pawn that you shouldn't. I reviewed this book on Amazon some time ago.

Practical Chess Lessons: 600 Lessons from Tactics to Strategy - Ray Cheng
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Practical-Chess-Exercises-Lessons-Strategy/dp/1587368013/ref=cm_cr-mr-title


Failure to see checkmate that you could have played
As a chess player you should always be looking out for mating combinations. It is quite unlikely in long-play that your opponent will reward you with a mate in one, however, a forced mate in two or three should not be overlooked! Practice by running through mate in 2 and mate in 3 problems. Solve several of these for between 10 to 20 minutes per day. You will find great improvement in solving these if you stick to a daily regime.

http://www.chesspuzzles.com/mate-in-two



Failure to see a tactical combination against you
I chatted to chess colleagues in the car recently on the way to a match about how they look for candidate moves without blundering. The overall concensus or opinion and advice is this: When you are looking for a candidate move - check and double check what your opponent can do once that candidate move has been played first and foremost. In fact you should spend as much time analysing your opponents possible combinations as you should your own! There is a strong grandmaster that recommends looking at "squares you leave behind" once you move a pawn or a piece. This is a kind of retrospective way of looking at the situation but nevertheless very effective.


Failure to see a tactical combination that you could have played
Really there is no substitute for practice. Again, dedicate up to 20 minutes per day solving tactics problems and stick to a training regime that gauges your improvement and encourages you to 'speed up' progressively (E.g. De La Maza - 7 circles). Mates will come easy once you know the patterns to look for and the type of position where you can help to bring that pattern about. I train during the week with a strong intermediate player who, when solving chess tactics, advises me to "look for all the crazy sacrifices" even if they look ridiculous - they may actually work!

Queen sacrifices for instance, are often overlooked by most amateur players because their mind is telling them "never lose your queen - it's your most valuable piece" - but if losing their queen leads to mate in their favour - then why worry?  I recommend the following books strongly:

Sharpen Your Tactics - Arkhangelsky & Lein
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sharpen-Your-Tactics-Anatoly-Lein/dp/1880673134/ref=cm_cr-mr-title
(reviewed on Amazon)


Find the Checkmate - Gary Lane
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Find-Checkmate-Batsford-Chess-Book/dp/0713488611/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227616840&sr=8-1
(Reviewed on Amazon)


Inferior Opening leading to weak position
Great advantage can be gained from having a deep understanding of the openings. Relying on tactics alone in chess can get you into hot water when faced with someone who is clued up and has an encyclopedic understanding of the opening that you are playing. Lack of understanding of the opening WILL lead to an inferior middlegame. Please read this post for a study plan and advice on the openings ...

http://chess-tactician.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html


Inferior Middlegame Strategy
Middlegame strategy is an extremely difficult subject to master.  Indeed some players are brilliant combative tacticians while others are defensive, strategic 'diehards' who like nothing more than to to fight in the trenches until the last man!  Whatever your style, it is important to know the subtleties and characteristics of a position.

Read the following books if possible for a complete study program:

Mastering Chess Strategy - Johan Hellsten
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mastering-Chess-Strategy-Johan-Hellsten/dp/1857446488/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317395109&sr=8-1

Reassess Your Chess Workbook Imbalances - Jeremy Silman
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reassess-Your-Chess-Workbook-Imbalances/dp/1890085057/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317395181&sr=1-7

Inferior Endgame Technique
The chess endgame concepts can be grasped from CM9000 at amateur / intermediate level.  Knowledge of chess endgames is essential if you want to improve ...

http://chess-tactician.blogspot.com/2011/09/chessmaster-9000-for-endgame-tactics.html


Please read this post as well if you are fairly new to chess endgame technique.

http://www.mychessblog.com/endgame-tactics-rook-and-pawn-endings-%E2%80%93-part-1/