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| Posted by wschmidt nikto.net 4/15/2006 17:56:02 Play online chess |  Subject: Novice Nook #13Message: The link is: -> www.chesscafe.com | ||||||||||
| Posted by ccmcacollister nikto.net 4/15/2006 19:08:06 Play online chess | I've Got a Piece ! Message: (or draw the endgame }8-)) , I really thought like that at one time. It's a phase :) | ||||||||||
| Posted by wschmidt nikto.net 4/15/2006 22:13:24 Play online chess | Ah, Craig, Message: ——— Chess: a tremendous attack by Bobby Fischer — Can you think of a way to win in this fiendish situation? Addison-Fischer, New York 1963. Black to play. This game is from the US Chess Championship 1963/4 that Bobby Fischer won with the phenomenal score of 11/11. Black's central position looks impressive, but can you think of a plan? RB: I don't think White has any specific threats, so there isn't anything I have to immediately guard against. But I really don't know what to do. Should I push the d-pawn? It's always dangerous to open up the game with your king still in the centre, and I don't see anything in it for Black after 1…d4 2 cxd4 cxd4 3 0-0 0-0, when White ... Posted by cascadejames | nikto.net 4/16/2006 10:16:36 Play online chess HubrisMessage: already learned, but then as I continued to read I remembered a few recent examples of games in which I gained a piece then threw it away by underestimating my opponent. It's not as if I thought that the game was over, but rather that once the opposing player made a mistake that allowed me to win a piece, I just subconciously concluded that I didn't need to work as hard to win the game. So instead of analyzing the position to figure out what the other player is doing, and why he is willing to keep playing in a "lost" position, I just assumed that their moves were pointless, and that I could win easily without worrying to much. And sometimes it is true, if they will give you one piece, they will often give you two! But as the jazz vocalist says, "It ain't necessarily so." So in one recent embarasing example, I was able to trade a pawn for a knight, but then shortly thereafter I gave up another pawn unnecessarily and then a couple of seemingly "pointless" moves after that I found myself looking at a forced mate in two. On another point, his advice to "Get every piece into the game fast." has always served me very well when I follow it. I think it is good advice in almost every situation, not just those where you are materially ahead. Finally, I would add another seed to his "Seeds of Tactical Destruction" g) Pieces that are constrained so that they have no place to which they can retreat. It doesn't always lead to destruction, but it is worth looking for. James ——— Fischer didn’t stoop to intimidation — Bobby Fischer had a formidable passion for chess. He was a fierce competitor who eagerly — if not hungrily — played offhand chess games in virtually any place at any time. He was also a seeker of truth, a profound scientist of the game. Edmar Mednis, the New York grandmaster who intensely analyzed games with Fischer during the 1962 Chess Olympiad, marveled at his teammate’s insistence on finding the one and only correct move. Fischer refused to play powerful, intimidating moves with hidden flaws even though he might win easily by such means. He recoiled at what he regarded as an essentially dishonest violation of true sportsmanship. Other top grandmasters didn't necessarily ... Posted by wschmidt | nikto.net 4/16/2006 16:41:24 Play online chess Craig reports....Message: ——— U.S. College Student Makes a Stand at the World Cup — The Chess World Cup has been an important part of the world championship cycle since 2005. There was no guarantee, given the history of the World Chess Federation, that it would continue to play such an important role. But it has. Some things have changed in the last six years — namely, how many players qualify for the cycle’s next stage — but the chess event has been held consistently every other year, and there has been an ample prize fund (almost $1.3 million, after fees). The top three finishers from the current tournament, which started last Sunday in Russia, will be eligible for the Candidates Matches. The competition features 128 chess players, with some clear favorites like Sergey Karjakin of ... Posted by cascadejames | nikto.net 4/16/2006 17:13:42 Play online chess the linkMessage: ——— British chess champion, Michael Adams, out of World Cup in second round — The $1.6m, 128-player World Cup now in progress in Siberia is a very strong chess event, packed with elite grandmasters. The world No5, Sergey Karjakin, is the top seed while the British chess champion, Michael Adams, was ranked only 21st. Adams, though, has an impressive record in global knock-outs. The Cornishman reached the semi-finals or final of the Fide world championships in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2004, twice losing only narrowly to the reigning world chess champion, Vishy Anand. He also began the World Cup fresh from victories in Philadelphia, Sheffield and Los Angeles. Round one was a disaster for China, which lost seven of its nine entrants, and a highlight for ... Posted by ccmcacollister | nikto.net 4/16/2006 18:05:31 Play online chess Thanks W and cascadejames ! Message: 1) Immediately after a piece is won, the next few move are CRITICAL. As the author mentioned , this is a time when there might be a tendency to let up if you have won the piece. But dont! This is the very time, if you Lost the piece, to look for every posibility to attack, complicate or win back material. And it is the best time to do so (except for Before losing the piece :)) because often your opponent will start napping. So dont be afraid to play on a ways after such an occurance and see how he handles his good fortune. 2) If you are the side that wins the piece: To me generally planning is overrated for an experienced player that knows many position types and what leads from them. To me analysis Rules. BUT ... if there is ever a Great time to plan, it is after receving a material gift. And the author points out to look things over very well at this point. True. But I dont think he came out and said the word(plan), tho it is implied in what he says to do. When you have the extramaterial, do Plan what to do with your position. After looking at all the opponents chances to attack, complicate or win material. Then look at your Own chances to attack, Simplify (generally trading pieces being better than trading Future Queens, aka Pawns) , win material or push/promote pawns. And for chances to tie enemy pieces to defensive tasks. The last and Simplification, together are elements of snuffing counter-play and you definately want to do that. So look for plans that deprive the opp of counterplay above all. And try to figure out how your extramaterial can figure into that. Plan it right down to Queening, Mate or some version of victory if you can. Ask yourself Questions about the position mentally if you need to, to check your logic. EG What is his Biggest threat? What is his best & worst piece. What are yours etc. Generally gives you an idea where to start. Get rid of his biggest threats and best pieces if possible, if you dont see a forceful winning plan. (or that may be part of that plan, cetainly) Then look at things again in that quiter position. The quiter it gets, the closer you are to winning, nearly always. The less quite it gets ... maybe is closer to winning at times, or closer to not winning at times. Imo Regards, }8-) ——— Back to school: Chess 101 — As schools across the area resume classes, it's time for a refresher to relearn what many of us already know, but all too often forget. Even strong chess Grandmasters can forget the basics and make silly mistakes. A few simple tips like king safety, maintaining active pieces and practicing patience can really help improve your play. King safety is an oft-overlooked concept. Back in the 1800s, all the top chess players played for checkmate from the first move. Sacrificing a pawn, a piece or more was quite common, all in an attempt to get at the opponent's king. Aggressive play was often rewarded with inaccurate defense, and many wins were what chess players call "brilliancies." As chess players became ... Posted by ionadowman | nikto.net 4/17/2006 03:53:22 Play online chess Good advice, Craig...Message: *** By the way, even GMs can stuff up a position when well ahead on material. Back in the 1951 World Championship match, David Bronstein dumped a whole rook against Botvinnik, and do you think Botvinnik could win? In fact Botvinnik let Bronstein get an exchange back for nothing, Bronstein gradually picked up pawns for the missing piece, and eventually came very close to winning. The result was a draw *** Just one slight caveat about Heisman's advice, concerning the example in which a wrecked pawn position is relatively trivial compared with the piece advantage (1...Qh6 example). He is right, but beware of making too many compromises. That's what happened to Botvinnik, and I did the same in a fairly recent GK game. Having won the exchange (it should have been a whole rook!!) I faffed around until I ran out of ideas, then sacced a pawn to create chances (for both sides), and had to fight like hell for the draw. Fortunately, my opponent overlooked or eschewed the draw and allowed my to win. So Craig's (ccmcacollister's) observation about planning is very pertinent - I didn't come up with a decent plan until my opponent had gone a long way towards neutralizing his material deficit. Cheers, Ion |