08 Feb 12
Originally posted by tvochessJust try your idea in some games and see what happens.
Hey robby, not yet satisfied with the answer:
Why?
- 'naturally' castle kingside
- Be2 is passive
- Ne5 'natural' outpost
- Nc3 'naturally' more influence on the center than Nd2
- Bd2 (e.g. I feel b3, Ba3 can directly attack black's kingside castled rook)
Thx for taking your time.
08 Feb 12
2 edits
FabianFnas, I enjoy playing and studying. I wish I could add another 200 points to my OTB rating but that's not a must.
As for opening books I try to choose those that explain ideas with words rather than with variations. Still I can't sustain my interest in learning them...
08 Feb 12
Originally posted by robbie carrobieYou never got your Knight to e5 that way.
consider this game demonstrating the fight for e4!
[pgn] [Event "San Remo"] [Site "08"] [Date "1930.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Geza Maroczy"] [Black "Massimiliano Romi"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D45"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "1930.??.??"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 e6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd3 O-O 7. Qc2 Nbd7 8. O-O Qe7 9. Bd2 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Bd6 1 ...[text shortened]... 1 Rh7 45. Rh2 Rg7+ 46. Kf2 Rg8 47. Rh6 Kf7 48. e8=Q+ Rxe8 49. Rh7+ 1-0[/pgn]
08 Feb 12
Originally posted by iruJust be very cautious so you don't lose your joy of chess. That's what chess is for, to have fun!
FabianFnas, I enjoy playing and studying. I wish I could add another 200 points to my OTB rating but that's not a must.
As for opening books I try to choose those that explain ideas with words rather than with variations. Still I can't sustain my interest in learning them...
08 Feb 12
2 edits
Originally posted by greenpawn34On game 3218614 White should have played Nf5 and he could have played on.
Hi Robbie.
Your advice looks sound but you should look at his games.
He plays 1.e4 a lot more often than 1.d4.
Perhaps he has switched after deciding that the 15 minutes he is giving to
1.e4 is not working. Certainly not against the Sicililian.
Under 1800 games very rarely follow theory so cramming one's head full
of GM games where 90% of the mov ame White went onto to lose.}[/pgn]
Iru please come back on and post your OTB game.
P.S. This would give you an even game and a chance for some tactics of your
own if you can figure them out. Good luck on your study and play.
Originally posted by iruOK,
Here is my problem - I have rather poor memory. And opening is where you need to memorize the most. I love all the aspects of chess except for opening theory which I find boring and uninspiring.
Yesterday I made just another attempt to refine my d4 repertoire for an OTB game I have to play tomorrow and after 15 minutes I was fed up and bored to death. I feel ...[text shortened]... way). Do you think it's reasonable not to learn opening at all and only do what I really enjoy?
I don't much like staying out of anything. I felt like I should stay out of this one because Mr. Pawn had sorted this all out. Now I fear people may not be listening to him. The 'fella gaff's a few endings so you're sure he's a mine of coal. Well thats balderdash, the man delivered gold this time.
Mr. iru
You're on a good road - one that will take you to expert class with a bit of time and dedication.
" endgames, strategy, master games (which gives some indirect exposure to various openings by the way)." -iru
No reason to quit doing this at all. The master games and endings are exceedingly important. Don't quit them. I say KEEP UP THAT GOOD WORK. Now that the above is clear - its time for me to say what...I don't like having to say.
Mr. Pawn is right this time, you're still at the level that while endings and master games are very importan(the easy part to say) - you need to be working out puzzles (the hard part to say). The lads here all gumble together to call these puzzles tactics. Silly word for it if you ask me. No matter what they call it, this is your current hurdle. I recommend a stacked diet of Mate in 2 and Mate in 3 puzzles. The more per day the better...BUT! it is more important to study each day with these puzzles than it is to look at a hundred all at once! You will gain from them eventually.
Mr. Pawn is right, but don't stop your regimen! Keep fighting the good fight with the master games and the endings. Endings are huge, HUGE, HUGE!! But you may be missing the forest for the tree's until you get some of the finer maneuvers down (fine...you gaffers... " tactics "😉.
As far as opening preparation goes, Mr. Robbie is on point. Watch the pawn formations and most importantly where master players put there pieces. Robbie illustrated a semi-slav vs QG (although you'll find that exact pawn variation of the Semi-Slav only rarely). Do your best to learn the most important ones - Tarrasch, Classical, Dutch, KID, (QID I say, but its rare too), Slav and so on...
So you like Queens Pawn games? I recommend some Rubenstein, some Tartakower, and Definitely some Tarrasch!!! Find a few masters you like and watch how they do it. Copy them if you can. I have a copy of an old book here that has some great games in it - I'd be surprised if Mr. Pawn doesn't figure out which one I'm citing by the games I choose out of it... These are games every queens pawn player must know:
La Bourdonnais vs McDonnell, 1834
La Bourdonnais vs McDonnell, 1834
Marshall vs Janowski, 1907
H E Atkins vs Von Bardeleben, 1902
Euwe vs Flohr, 1932
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937
Alekhine vs Book, 1938
Capablanca vs Reshevsky, 1936
Gruenfeld vs Tartakower, 1926
They are annotated by the very best (and I mean it!) I'm sure you can find them online with annotations with a few searches. Best of luck to you iru!
Q
08 Feb 12
2 edits
PhySiQ, thanks for so detailed reply.
My study and training time is divided roughly like this:
60% - tactics (puzzles)
20% - endgames
20% - all the rest (master games, attack and defence, strategy etc.)
For all those I use playing against computer a lot. That means after solving a puzzle I go on and try to win a game (and against Houdini it is not a piece of cake even if you are a bishop up for example). Endgames from Dvoretsky and Howell are played against engine as well. As for master games I play from critical positions trying to achieve a draw if it's equal and win if there is an advantage.
08 Feb 12
Originally posted by tvochessYou have to ask your bishop what good it is on a3 after the opponents rook moved.... basically an attack isn't the end but the means to the end.
Hey robby, not yet satisfied with the answer:
Why?
- 'naturally' castle kingside
- Be2 is passive
- Ne5 'natural' outpost
- Nc3 'naturally' more influence on the center than Nd2
- Bd2 (e.g. I feel b3, Ba3 can directly attack black's kingside castled rook)
Thx for taking your time.
Generally moving those queenside pawns signifies the start of a minority attack which means you want your pieces behind your pawns and not in front of them.
-Be2 is passive simply because it hits less squares on the opponents side of the board.
-Ne5 is the "natural" outpost because a knights weakness is its slow movement from one side of the board to the other so you want it in the center from where one hop can take it to any quadrant on the board. In this particular pawn structure e5 is a great square because it is in the center on a dark square and white is controlling the dark squares. Black has obviously placed his pawns to try and control the light squares, namely the d5 square, and will have his pieces placed accordingly so anything like f6 to chase the knight away weakens his position... besides it is also like saying that black has no constructive ideas of his own and is reacting in fright to his opponents ideas.
-Nc3 is more active for the same reason that Bd3 is more active than Be2.
-Bd2 its hard to place this bishop but I would like it somwhere active and out of the way and if I have the opportunity to trade it for blacks dark bishop I will.
Too easy. Though you say book I would argue it is books.
Tartakower and J du Mont's 500 Master Games.
I know there is now one single algebraic volume.
I have it/them in desctiptive split over two books printed in 1952.
Open Games (book 1) and Closed and Semi-Open Games (Called books two and three).
One of my desert island chess books.
08 Feb 12
1 edit
Originally posted by tomtom232Nd2 can be a springboard to another square where it can be helpful
You have to ask your bishop what good it is on a3 after the opponents rook moved.... basically an attack isn't the end but the means to the end.
Generally moving those queenside pawns signifies the start of a minority attack which means you want your pieces behind your pawns and not in front of them.
-Be2 is passive simply because it hits less squar e and out of the way and if I have the opportunity to trade it for blacks dark bishop I will.
depending on the plan. Of course, you should not leave it on d2.
08 Feb 12
Originally posted by greenpawn34I've found pdf of 1975 edition - it's in descriptive but I don't mind.
Too easy. Though you say book I would argue it is books.
Tartakower and J du Mont's 500 Master Games.
I know there is now one single algebraic volume.
I have it/them in desctiptive split over two books printed in 1952.
Open Games (book 1) and Closed and Semi-Open Games (Called books two and three).
One of my desert island chess books.
What I'd like to know - how does it compare to books I used till now as a source of commented master games: "Understanding Chess Move by Move" by Nunn and "50 Essential Chess Lessons" and "50 Ways to Win at Chess" by Giddins?