Simply Sarah
Member
The latter. If you start with
1. Nf7+ then 1. ...Nxf7 wins White's Knight. Black should never allow the Nf7+ fork to be successful and, as a result, can't capture the White Rook after 1. Rxe5.
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The latter. If you start with
A-Dark-Injection
Member
Of course, I overlooked that, shame on me.
crazygambit
Member
I've grown tired of the Scotch game, which was usually my answer against 1...e5, I'm not a fan of the Spanish either and the Giucco Piano puts me right to sleep.
So I decided to try something different. I was reading that to beat stronger players you had to attack and make them make mistakes. Playing normally means you're certain to lose.
So here's a game I played today against a stronger opponent on chesslive.com. I'm pretty new to the site so my rating is probably lower than it should be (1528) and you increase really slowly too. My opponent was 1740 and I only got 12 points for the win. Time control was 15 15 and after he played 1...e5 I went with a Danish gambit in which you sacrifice not one, but 2 pawns for faster development and strong lines for your bishops.
My opponent not looking to get in trouble against a weaker player refused the gambit and found himself way behind by move 4!
It was also interesting that by the end I had only about a minute left, while he had over 10.
So here's the game:
http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game-replayer.php?id=99059
So the lesson here is that players stronger than you make mistakes all the time, it's much easier to force those mistakes if you put them in uncomfortable positions and having to be on the defensive the whole game is certainly uncomfortable.
So I decided to try something different. I was reading that to beat stronger players you had to attack and make them make mistakes. Playing normally means you're certain to lose.
So here's a game I played today against a stronger opponent on chesslive.com. I'm pretty new to the site so my rating is probably lower than it should be (1528) and you increase really slowly too. My opponent was 1740 and I only got 12 points for the win. Time control was 15 15 and after he played 1...e5 I went with a Danish gambit in which you sacrifice not one, but 2 pawns for faster development and strong lines for your bishops.
My opponent not looking to get in trouble against a weaker player refused the gambit and found himself way behind by move 4!
It was also interesting that by the end I had only about a minute left, while he had over 10.
So here's the game:
http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game-replayer.php?id=99059
So the lesson here is that players stronger than you make mistakes all the time, it's much easier to force those mistakes if you put them in uncomfortable positions and having to be on the defensive the whole game is certainly uncomfortable.
jchap
Member
Danish accepted isn't scary once black learns to give up the d pawn to slow white down a little bit. It buys just enough time to safely develop and remain up a pawn. That said, nice game. Just holding onto the material in that opening is terrifying.
crazygambit
Member
Agreed, but it still leads to an open game full of opportunities for both sides and is in no way losing for white.
Unless black specifically has prepared against it (and not many have), not many find d5 on the board during the game.
Simply Sarah
Member
Not to nitpick, but 3...dxc3 is quite clearly accepting the gambit.
crazygambit
Member
Well he refused the second pawn, which is the Danish gambit. I'm not entirely sure what the other gambit is called when you take with Nxc3.
Alright, OP update!
The Four Knights Game has always been my opening of choice as an introduction to openings and as a starting point for an 1.e4 repertoire. Obviously the Italian Game/Giuoco Piano is a tried and tested alternative but the 4N can be more easily expanded upon in some interesting ways. Also, a beginner won't get blown off the board by Black like he would if he was to face the Two Knights Defence or the Traxler in the Italian.
So, have fun studying the opening and don't be shy to ask any question, make suggestions, etc. If GAF wants to focus on a specific move 11, let me know and we continue down one path and dig into it further.
That is called the Göring Gambit, actually my favourite gambit in the Scotch family of openings. Granted, I do not think too highly of the others (from my standpoint, anyway). They're all fine if not excellent for Beginner and Intermediate levels. Playing gambits is one of the best things you can do starting out as it gives you a fundamental understanding of development and piece activity (aka 'time' in chess).
Code:
- Added an Intermediate subject to Study With GAF, the Scotch Four Knights Game
- Added new puzzles for every level, old ones are linked at the very bottom ('Archive')
- Added Chesstempo and Chess Café to the Training Resources
- Added two books for exercises to Chess LiteratureThe Four Knights Game has always been my opening of choice as an introduction to openings and as a starting point for an 1.e4 repertoire. Obviously the Italian Game/Giuoco Piano is a tried and tested alternative but the 4N can be more easily expanded upon in some interesting ways. Also, a beginner won't get blown off the board by Black like he would if he was to face the Two Knights Defence or the Traxler in the Italian.
So, have fun studying the opening and don't be shy to ask any question, make suggestions, etc. If GAF wants to focus on a specific move 11, let me know and we continue down one path and dig into it further.
That is called the Göring Gambit, actually my favourite gambit in the Scotch family of openings. Granted, I do not think too highly of the others (from my standpoint, anyway). They're all fine if not excellent for Beginner and Intermediate levels. Playing gambits is one of the best things you can do starting out as it gives you a fundamental understanding of development and piece activity (aka 'time' in chess).
jchap
Member
I laughed when I saw the new beginner tactic. Still can't believe Saric missed that.
It's strange but I haven't quickly found the solution for the intermediate tactic you picked. Usually intermediate level has an immediate win somewhere but I don't see anything in the 2-3 move range.
Bd5 looked fairly obvious to try and displace the knight but it is answered by Nc7 which seems to barely keep things under control.. after thinking about it for about 20 minutes the only follow up I see is f4. If ...Rd8 then you end up a piece up after fxg5+...Kxg5, Bc6...Kxg4, Re8. If instead of ...Rd8 black plays ...gxf4, g5+ and the king can't ever take g5 because the bishop gets put on g8 to block the rook and if taken the king and rook get skewered on the g-file. Still the king can just blockade the pawn instead of taking... While this is probably good for white if it is the answer it is way to obscure to be an intermediate puzzle.
EDIT:
After thinking about it some more I think I have an improvement... start with f4 with the same idea in mind. Rd8 doesn't work for the same reason as above. The knight can't take so gxf4, g5+. The knight again can't take. The king can't take or the knight is lost. ...Kf5, now Bd5...Nc7, g6 and the King can't get in front of the pawn anymore and he can not take or the skewer tactic is back. The queening square is supported by the bishop. Still... it seems too obscure for an intermediate puzzle. I don't see what I am missing.
I don't even want to look at the Advanced puzzle anymore... Maybe later
Oh chess.
I've been playing it since I was 7 year old. Sadly, not playing it as much as I used to.
I used to play chess on yahoo! many years back, what I hated the most that people used to play (while playing chessmaster), was pretty stupid, I mean what's the point of just copy-pasting the computer's moves?
If anyone up for a friendly game, I'm ready.
& Awesome thread @daydream <3
I've been playing it since I was 7 year old. Sadly, not playing it as much as I used to.
I used to play chess on yahoo! many years back, what I hated the most that people used to play (while playing chessmaster), was pretty stupid, I mean what's the point of just copy-pasting the computer's moves?
If anyone up for a friendly game, I'm ready.
& Awesome thread @daydream <3
The difficulty is a bit higher compared to the first round of puzzles but I think appropriately so.
(Intermediate puzzle solution)
Well, you know what to do when one line doesn't work - you change up the move order! 1. f4! is indeed the solution and Black can't maintain defence of the Knight, the e8-square and deal with the g-pawn at the same time.
Nakamura-Karjakin, Tal Memorial 2013. As you see, White won with the same trick later albeit not as smoothly.
The Advanced tactic was also missed in the game btw, so nobody should feel bad if he/she doesn't get it. It's a great position to dig into, though.
jchap
Member
I see Nakamura eventually went with the first line I thought of and continued by just protecting the g pawn with the rook and swinging his bishop around to cover the d pawn. Still, while I may have stumbled into the first line in an OTB game I would never have found the solution. When you know there is a solution to be found it is always so much easier to find great moves. Really great players have a way of detecting when there might be a winning tactic. I, on the other hand, have a faulty detector and usually invest lots of time looking for a win when nothing exists and overlook wins when they are available.
Simply Sarah
Member
Well yeah, that's certainly always a thing with puzzles and presented positions. Generally you aren't given one and asked "What's Black's best move?" where the answer is "Stop the clock and tell White 'Good game'".
Incitemaybe
Member
Great thread, subscribed.
crazygambit
Member
For the beginner puzzle my answer is:
I'm thinking on the intermediate. I think I have the answer, but I need to look at it in a little more detail. Will do so later today.
Edit:
So my answer for the intermediate one would be:
After that I don't want to even look at the advanced puzzle.
1...axb2 2 Kb1 (forced since Rxb2 Qxb2#) Qa2+ 3 Kxa2 b1=Q 4 Ka3 Qb3#
3 Kc2 is slightly better, but after b1=Q+ black is up a queen and mate will follow soon.
3 Kc2 is slightly better, but after b1=Q+ black is up a queen and mate will follow soon.
I'm thinking on the intermediate. I think I have the answer, but I need to look at it in a little more detail. Will do so later today.
Edit:
So my answer for the intermediate one would be:
1 f4 (the idea is to remove the e5 Knight from the e file to place the rook on e8) gxf4 2 g5 Kf5 (Taking loses immediately) 3 Bd5 Nc7 and that's as far as I've gotten. Maybe push the g pawn some more since black can't take it without opening the g file for the rook and a huge weakness on g8.
After that I don't want to even look at the advanced puzzle.
Simply Sarah
Member
OK, I finally got a chance to really look at the Advanced puzzle today after sorta only having vaguely glanced at it previously. I'm certainly enjoying doing puzzles and board situations again. A lot of thinking being jogged. Also, below is my massively detailed, messy, and overdone solution and analysis of the Advanced puzzle.
I'm going to go way overboard and cover pretty much all of Black's options and why they don't work, since hopefully it may help other players understand it better. Or not. I dunno. I've written it in part for my own use (I'm way out of practice and it's more concrete than just doing it in my head/on a board), so I might as well put it here, too. And yes, I realize it's a total mess and way too detailed. I also can't say all the lines for White below are optimal, only that they're winning.
I'm going to go way overboard and cover pretty much all of Black's options and why they don't work, since hopefully it may help other players understand it better. Or not. I dunno. I've written it in part for my own use (I'm way out of practice and it's more concrete than just doing it in my head/on a board), so I might as well put it here, too. And yes, I realize it's a total mess and way too detailed. I also can't say all the lines for White below are optimal, only that they're winning.
The proper move (assuming I just haven't done a massive incorrect analysis) actually jumped out at me immediately and it's actually something I may have picked up on in a game, although I wouldn't have been able to confirm all the lines in such a situation unless we were playing with no timer and multi-hour turns were a-OK.
1. Be5, which threatens 2. Qxh6+...Kg8 3. Qxg7#. Black cannot simply capture the Bishop as 1...Bxe5 leads to 2. Qxh6+...Kg8 3. Ne7#.
Black cannot directly protect the Bishop, as 1...Rg7 means 2. Qxh6# whereas the Black Queen cannot safely cover the Bishop at all.
Black cannot try to move their King as 1...Kg8 leads to 2. Ne7+ and wins the Black Queen (And maybe better, but I stopped looking at that point since winning the Queen there is winning the game) whereas 1...Kh7 is answered by 2. Qxf7 threatening 3.Qxg7#. Black's only option here is to protect the Bishop. 2...Qf6 means 3. Nxf6+...Kh8 4. Re8+ which Black has two losing responses to: 4...Bf8 5. Qh7# or 4...Rxe8 5. Qxe8+...Bf8 6. Qxf8#. Protecting with the Rook with 2...Rg8 leads to 3. Nf6+ and either 3,,,Kh8 4. Qxg8# or 3...Qxf6 4. Bxf6 after which mate is inevitable.
As such, Black only has two remaining responses to 1. Be5 that do not immediately lose in two moves: 1...f6 and 1...g5.
Let's look at 1...f6 first. This prevents 2. Qxh6+ because 2...Bxh6 is now an option. Instead, White's move is 2. Bxf6, which restores the mate threat. 2...Rg8 has the same result as before with 3. Qxh6#. 2...Qxf6 is obviously a bad move since it loses the Queen and gains nothing. 2...Kg8 also gives the same result as before with 3. Ne7+.
2...Bxf6 loses to 3. Qxh6+...Kg8 4. Ne7+...Bxe7 5. Rxe7 and Black cannot avoid mate.
2...Kh7 avoids the situation of 3. Qxf7 from before, but instead has to deal with 3. Bxg7. 3...Kxg7 loses to 4. Re7+ and mate in two after 4...Kg8 or 4...Kh8. 3...Kg8 loses the Black Queen. 3...g5 loses the Black Queen or is mated (OK, I lied about covered everything).
2...g5 is also answered by 3. Bxg7+. 3...Kxg7 still results in Black being mated. 3...Kh7 means 4. Qf5+. King moves end the same way as before and 4...Qg6 loses to 5. Nf6+
Anything else means mate the next turn.
So all that remains is 1...g5, which both prevents 2. Qxh6 and threatens the White Queen. White's move is 2. Bxg7+
2...Kh7 is answered by 3. Qxf7, which ends up at least winning the Black Queen for a Knight. Black is forced to use their Queen to threaten the White Queen, as otherwise the discovered check from moving the Bishop is mate. The only move Black has so that their Queen is both protected and threatening the White Queen is 3...Qd7, but interposing with 4. Ne7 forces 4...Qxe7 5. Qxe7 (or 5. Rxe7).
2...Kxg7. 3. Qe5+. 3...f6 leads to 4. Qe7+ and eventually White either wins the Black Queen or mates (This can go out quite a large number of moves chasing the king around before resolving, so I'm not going to list them all. You're going to either need to take my word for it or analyze it yourself). If 3...Kg8 then we already know how that ends. 3...Kf8?? means 4. Qh8#. 3...Kg6 also faces the power of 4. Ne7+ (That said, 4. h5+ may be better here, but, as stated before, winning the Black Queen basically wins the game and I wouldn't worry about looking for mate unless this line played out).
3...Kh7 is answered by 4. Nf6+. If 4...Kg6 then 5. h5+...Kg7 6. Ne8+, which is double check, then either 5...Kg8 or 5...Kh7 followed by 6. Qg7#.
If 4...Kg7 then 5. Ne8+(double check)...Kg6 as the other two possible King moves lose immediately to Qg7#. The play again is 6. h5+...Kxh5 7. g4+. 7...Kg6 loses to 8. Qg7#. 7...Kh4 results in 8. Qg3#. 7...Kxg4 leads to 8. Nf6+. If 8...Kh4 or ...Kh3 then 9. Qh2#. If 8...Kf3 then 9. Qg3#.
4...Kh8 also loses to 5. Ne8+. If 5...f6 then 6. Qe7, threatening 7. Qg7#. Either 7...Rxe8 or 7...Qxe8 end with exchanges putting White with a Rook and 5 Pawns against Black's 5 Pawns and is a White win. Any other attempt to defend against mate ends with White either still mating immediately or with a winning material lead.
The last remaining option is 2...Kg8. This is followed by 3. Ne7+. 3...Kh7 means 4. Qf5+ and the Black Queen is lost.
3...Kxg7 then 4. Qe5+. Black, at best, loses their Queen with a King move. 4...Qf6 leads to 5. Nf5+, which wins the Black Queen for a Pawn or for nothing. This is better than 5. Qxf6+ Kxf6 6. Nxc8.
If 4...f6 then 5. Qf5. There is no way Black can both defend against mate and save their Queen.
1. Be5, which threatens 2. Qxh6+...Kg8 3. Qxg7#. Black cannot simply capture the Bishop as 1...Bxe5 leads to 2. Qxh6+...Kg8 3. Ne7#.
Black cannot directly protect the Bishop, as 1...Rg7 means 2. Qxh6# whereas the Black Queen cannot safely cover the Bishop at all.
Black cannot try to move their King as 1...Kg8 leads to 2. Ne7+ and wins the Black Queen (And maybe better, but I stopped looking at that point since winning the Queen there is winning the game) whereas 1...Kh7 is answered by 2. Qxf7 threatening 3.Qxg7#. Black's only option here is to protect the Bishop. 2...Qf6 means 3. Nxf6+...Kh8 4. Re8+ which Black has two losing responses to: 4...Bf8 5. Qh7# or 4...Rxe8 5. Qxe8+...Bf8 6. Qxf8#. Protecting with the Rook with 2...Rg8 leads to 3. Nf6+ and either 3,,,Kh8 4. Qxg8# or 3...Qxf6 4. Bxf6 after which mate is inevitable.
As such, Black only has two remaining responses to 1. Be5 that do not immediately lose in two moves: 1...f6 and 1...g5.
Let's look at 1...f6 first. This prevents 2. Qxh6+ because 2...Bxh6 is now an option. Instead, White's move is 2. Bxf6, which restores the mate threat. 2...Rg8 has the same result as before with 3. Qxh6#. 2...Qxf6 is obviously a bad move since it loses the Queen and gains nothing. 2...Kg8 also gives the same result as before with 3. Ne7+.
2...Bxf6 loses to 3. Qxh6+...Kg8 4. Ne7+...Bxe7 5. Rxe7 and Black cannot avoid mate.
2...Kh7 avoids the situation of 3. Qxf7 from before, but instead has to deal with 3. Bxg7. 3...Kxg7 loses to 4. Re7+ and mate in two after 4...Kg8 or 4...Kh8. 3...Kg8 loses the Black Queen. 3...g5 loses the Black Queen or is mated (OK, I lied about covered everything).
2...g5 is also answered by 3. Bxg7+. 3...Kxg7 still results in Black being mated. 3...Kh7 means 4. Qf5+. King moves end the same way as before and 4...Qg6 loses to 5. Nf6+
Anything else means mate the next turn.
So all that remains is 1...g5, which both prevents 2. Qxh6 and threatens the White Queen. White's move is 2. Bxg7+
2...Kh7 is answered by 3. Qxf7, which ends up at least winning the Black Queen for a Knight. Black is forced to use their Queen to threaten the White Queen, as otherwise the discovered check from moving the Bishop is mate. The only move Black has so that their Queen is both protected and threatening the White Queen is 3...Qd7, but interposing with 4. Ne7 forces 4...Qxe7 5. Qxe7 (or 5. Rxe7).
2...Kxg7. 3. Qe5+. 3...f6 leads to 4. Qe7+ and eventually White either wins the Black Queen or mates (This can go out quite a large number of moves chasing the king around before resolving, so I'm not going to list them all. You're going to either need to take my word for it or analyze it yourself). If 3...Kg8 then we already know how that ends. 3...Kf8?? means 4. Qh8#. 3...Kg6 also faces the power of 4. Ne7+ (That said, 4. h5+ may be better here, but, as stated before, winning the Black Queen basically wins the game and I wouldn't worry about looking for mate unless this line played out).
3...Kh7 is answered by 4. Nf6+. If 4...Kg6 then 5. h5+...Kg7 6. Ne8+, which is double check, then either 5...Kg8 or 5...Kh7 followed by 6. Qg7#.
If 4...Kg7 then 5. Ne8+(double check)...Kg6 as the other two possible King moves lose immediately to Qg7#. The play again is 6. h5+...Kxh5 7. g4+. 7...Kg6 loses to 8. Qg7#. 7...Kh4 results in 8. Qg3#. 7...Kxg4 leads to 8. Nf6+. If 8...Kh4 or ...Kh3 then 9. Qh2#. If 8...Kf3 then 9. Qg3#.
4...Kh8 also loses to 5. Ne8+. If 5...f6 then 6. Qe7, threatening 7. Qg7#. Either 7...Rxe8 or 7...Qxe8 end with exchanges putting White with a Rook and 5 Pawns against Black's 5 Pawns and is a White win. Any other attempt to defend against mate ends with White either still mating immediately or with a winning material lead.
The last remaining option is 2...Kg8. This is followed by 3. Ne7+. 3...Kh7 means 4. Qf5+ and the Black Queen is lost.
3...Kxg7 then 4. Qe5+. Black, at best, loses their Queen with a King move. 4...Qf6 leads to 5. Nf5+, which wins the Black Queen for a Pawn or for nothing. This is better than 5. Qxf6+ Kxf6 6. Nxc8.
If 4...f6 then 5. Qf5. There is no way Black can both defend against mate and save their Queen.
greyshark
Member
Excellent analysis, I believe you are spot on!
This is a great thread - I'm glad I found it. I use ChessTime for correspondence chess (believe it's on Android and iOS), I like it better than the Chess.com app. Anyone else here use it?
Simply Sarah
Member
I cannot say I have, although I suppose that's not saying much considering that I can't recall how long ago my last actual game of chess was.
jchap
Member
Absolutely beautiful destruction of Anne Haast by Wei Yi today in the challenger's section of wijk aan zee. He has had a very strong showing in the challengers section battling with Navara for first. He is also only 15.
Check it out:
http://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2015-tata-ch/12-Wei_Yi-Haast_Anne
Check it out:
http://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2015-tata-ch/12-Wei_Yi-Haast_Anne
Simply Sarah
Member
Rather terrifying, honestly. Black is scrambling trying to hang on for most of the match and fails pretty badly. I'm not even sure what else can be said, it's just lovely play from White against an obviously outmatched opponent..
jchap
Member
Pretty funny opening by Nakamura today at the Gibraltar Chess Festival. He played the classic patzer trying to hold onto the pawn line in the QGA line as an exchange sacrifice and actually got a strong position out of it with connected passed pawns on the 3rd rank. It took him a while to coordinate his undeveloped king side but once he managed that he converted it for a win.
http://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2015-gibraltar-m/05-Adhiban_B_-Nakamura_Hikaru
http://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2015-gibraltar-m/05-Adhiban_B_-Nakamura_Hikaru
It reminded me of this great game: Aronian - McShane, 2012
Naka's sac is quite a bit more daunting, however. I wonder if Black can create adequate counterplay after 10. f3.
transience
Member
Aw man. I wanted to get in on this thread but never saw it until now.
So, time to revive it! Jerry posted a great chess puzzle today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkC3jcsvCtA
So, time to revive it! Jerry posted a great chess puzzle today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkC3jcsvCtA
jchap
Member
I always did find that puzzle incredibly elegant. Speaking of elegant I thought Carlsen's win today was particularly harmonious. His pieces worked together so briliantly and it was clear he calculated the win from very far out, He played most of the last 15 or so moves nearly instantly. Very impressive.
the positional awareness is gorgeous.
With the last week of the semestre over, I have the time to update again.
Have fun with the new puzzles, again taken from recent games!
Will update the 'news' section over the coming days and start thinking about an advanced-level subject to have in the 'study' section. Also, there GAF beginner tournament idea is still on the table, so let me know if you guys would still be interested (like I said, I'd help out with organisation and scheduling).
Have fun with the new puzzles, again taken from recent games!
Will update the 'news' section over the coming days and start thinking about an advanced-level subject to have in the 'study' section. Also, there GAF beginner tournament idea is still on the table, so let me know if you guys would still be interested (like I said, I'd help out with organisation and scheduling).
Updated the news section with Super GM results and some choice games.
Anand had a great (classical) tournament in Zürich, using the opportunity to show some of his leftover preparation from his WC match.
Tomashevsky is killing it in the GP atm. He's got one of my least favourite styles among current Super GMs but the performance is impressive.
Anand had a great (classical) tournament in Zürich, using the opportunity to show some of his leftover preparation from his WC match.
Tomashevsky is killing it in the GP atm. He's got one of my least favourite styles among current Super GMs but the performance is impressive.
cartoon_soldier
Member
Just played this game:
http://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=1071853139
I usually avoid lightning games but been playing them recently for some quick time killing
http://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=1071853139
I usually avoid lightning games but been playing them recently for some quick time killing
RadioHammer500
Banned
I love chess i have always been a fan of Paul Morphy who i feel like was the most naturally talented player
Capablanca, Tal, Carlsen are some of my other favorites
but in terms of current chess would you guys say Magnus Carlsen is the greatest player of all time?
Capablanca, Tal, Carlsen are some of my other favorites
but in terms of current chess would you guys say Magnus Carlsen is the greatest player of all time?
crazygambit
Member
Depends on what you mean by greatest player of all time. If you mean could he beat all the past champions at their prime, given the strength of computer preparation and increased knowledge in the game I think that would be true for any player at the top today. And given that Carlsen is at the top today I think he's the strongest human player that's ever lived (which will probably be true for the next World Champion and probably the one after that as well).
In terms of accolades or compared to his peers I think it's too soon to tell, but he definitely has a chance.
Last night I played a really nice game on chess.com. 15/10 is a little faster than what I like and it's impressive how my rating drops the faster the time control it is, but it's on the verge of being acceptable. It had one of those positions you would instantly solve on a "White to play and win" puzzle, but finding it in an actual game, with only 6 minutes to convert it, is a whole other thing. I was pretty proud I found not only the correct first move, but the correct continuation to convert it. It would have been nice if it had ended in a pretty mate, but at a point I had less than 12 seconds, so simplifying to a crushingly won endgame seemed like the way to go.
What's better +18 in a very tactical position when you can easily blunder it away on time pressure or a +7 ending where he has absolutely no chance of counterplay (7 paws vs 1 and we each had a bishop on the board).
Anyhow I'd post it, but chess.com seems to be blocked at work. My handle is the same as here though, so if anyone's interested they could look it up I guess.
crazygambit
Member
Probably some version of Chessmaster. I remember it having some nice tutorials for beginners, but it's old, there might be better stuff out there right now.
However I wouldn't recommend playing against a computer, after you learn how to play I think it's better (and more fun as well) to play against other humans online. You'll get destroyed at first, while your rating is being adjusted, but after a while you should start playing against other beginners. It's also a decent way to track how you improve.
Thanks for the suggestions. I've heard of Chessmaster before -- pretty hard to find new and 2nd copies are pricey.
RadioHammer500
Banned
my Dream Match
vs.
not counting Morphy..the two greatest naturally talanted chess players of all time
vs.
not counting Morphy..the two greatest naturally talanted chess players of all time
RadioHammer500
Banned
I think we are living in the age, where we get to watch the greatest chess player that has ever lived
jchap
Member
The game by Carlsen today at the Gashimov Memorial was nice but the idea of Anand to sacrifice that knight in the spanish was incredible! He got such incredible pressure from the resulting position and beat So who was on fire (after having a very weird US championship). A great day of chess overall.
RadioHammer500
Banned
is it too early to say Magnus is the greatest chess player of all time?
RadioHammer500
Banned
Magnus is a machine..i don't know he he does it...he is a full point ahead of Anand with 2 rounds to go
it's actually nice to have a World Champion that actually wins tournaments...
will Magnus reach 2900?
Probably will, especially considering the rating inflation. As for the wins, well, it's a case-by-case thing. His play in this tournament hasn't been exceptional, Caruana and Kramnik today blundered quite badly against him.
RadioHammer500
Banned
yeah...but isn't that how you have to win though..is to have your opponent blunder
perfect play by both sides is always a draw? theoretically?
Perfect play from both sides will lead to a draw, yes. But there are a lot of different types of mistakes that will require different amounts of ingenuity and effort to exploit, from very small inaccuracies that will leave one side struggling a bit but still able to draw with a good defensive effort to outright blunders that lose instantly. Caruana just gave away the game in a dead drawn position that could have reached its natural (drawn) conclusion in many simple ways - a few moves later, he found himself in a lost rook endgame. That's blundering quite badly. Kramnik's ..Bc7 was also quite a bad mistake in a relatively sharp position albeit not outright losing. The subsequent pressure proved too be to much, though. After ..Bb7, he'd have been fine and honestly in a preferrable spot with the bishop pair.
RadioHammer500
Banned
i agree with what you said here...its just, magnus opponents blunder against him alot....
Well, I'm not trying to diminish his accomplishments, obviously.
Although I'd be far from the first person stating the phenomenon of strong players playing well below their level against Magnus, it's been a thing for years now. Which is fine, psychology is an important aspect of the game after all.
RadioHammer500
Banned
yeah..i have noticed that., alot of good players make elementary mistakes against magnus that they don't make against other players
obviously Magnus is still the strongest player in the world based on chess strength...but psychology does play apart
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