Here is one of my games against the higher rated players, a defeat, but I think I acuitted myself well. This was my first try at the scandinavian defence.
[WhiteElo \"1828\"] [BlackElo \"1370\"]
Also, I was being coached during the game, so obviously that helped a little.
Originally posted by Dewi JonesI'd say you got a fairly solid game. Qd8 is a lot less used than Qa5 (which is probably better). The problem is that you didn't even so much as threaten a piece the entire game. With an opening like the Scandinavian, it's just play solid defense and wait (for a mistake or a good pawn break). A waiting policy is ok, I guess, but you are highly unlikely to upset a stronger opponent merely by playing defensively.
Here is one of my games against the higher rated players, a defeat, but I think I acuitted myself well. This was my first try at the scandinavian defence.
[WhiteElo "1828"] [BlackElo "1370"]
[pgn][Event "Challenge"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2012.06.10"] [EndDate "2012.06.15"] [Round "?"] [White "plopzilla"] [Black "Dewi Jones"] [Wh ...[text shortened]... 49. gxf5 gxf5 50. Kd3e3 Kc6d7 51. Ke3f4 Kd7e6 52. Bf8c5 1-0[/pgn]
A few notes:
It wasn't a bad first effort with the Scandinavian by any means. I think you equalized in there. I keep saying to play more aggressive tactical chess, but if it's not your style stick with this. You did ok in the opening and got a playable game against a stronger opponent.
Cheers!
Good game.
Mr Buchman pretty much mentioned it all.
But let's discuss the reasoning behind the move that landed you in trouble.
So 1... d5?? just kidding! 😛
Ok,14.... Bb4 did it! (with a knife in the garden shed).
Why did you play that?Every move should have a reason,a purpose.So why this?
suppose for a moment white doesn't have the Bxf7+ tactic,or misses it,and plays 15.a3
What was your idea?
Trade bishop for knight?Probably not a great idea after having weakened your dark squares.
Pull the bishop back to,say,d6?Ok,but you could've played that at move 14.
All you would've accomplished is to lure white's a-pawn one step forward.Does that benefit you?
I may be wrong but I don't see it.
If you're going to play that bishop then play 14... Bd6 putting it on a more active square.
Or 14.... Bf8 with the idea of Bg7 creating a nice bulwark.But I would not play the bishop at all.
Let's look at the position after white's 14th and use simple reasoning to find a better move.
I don't have a clue about white's plans/ideas (except perhaps he aims for a d5 push in some lines,not sure but it's an idea).
Anyway,this means I can only decide upon a move by looking at my own position.
Not an ideal situation but it happens frequently to us,amateurs.
So what can black do?Not much I'm afraid (see also Buchman's gripe with the whole opening).
In such a situation you just try to improve your position.And then two ideas spring to mind.
14.... Qc7 activating the queen and connecting the rooks,followed by 15.... Rd8 activating the last piece
14.... Nb6 with an eye on d5 and then again followed by 15.... Qc7 (or maybe Qd7) and 16.... Rb8
I think I like the latter best.You might get this 14.... Nb6 15.Bb3 Qc7 16.h3 Rad8
Looks ok to me
Of course you check each move if the idea is still viable,white may do something that needs adressing.
Opponents tend to do that.The nasty buggers! 😉
Hope this helps somewhat.
Thank you both for a very helpful analysis, though I'm yet to look at Wilfrediva's post with a chess board in front of me. The reasoning behind my terrible move was to exchange off a few pieces, and blunt the attack I could see coming, but obviously it was a blunder - but one that might perhaps be excused for the moment considering my level - the point for me is that I got to an end game with a much stronger player in which I was only a pawn down, against players of my own level, they would possibly have blundered back, or I'd have had a chance in the endgame.
Also during the game I saw what I think was a much better move for white, 18 R-e7, which my opponent missed. I havent analysed it as I've just dropped into a hardcore tournament, so I'll look at it later.
I have another game, in which i played with a 1300 rating as white against a player who was 1800 at the time, and won. I'm very proud of this one. Though I'm sure you can pull it to pieces. My first go with the KIA. These are the openings I'm sticking with until the season ends in May 2013 😀
Oh, how do I add comments to a game as you have done in the games above?
Hi Dewi.
That was much better. Though it was more of a KID reversed than KIA.
(there is a difference, especially if Black throws in d5-d4.)
I hope you gave a good look at 11.Ncxe5
Back to the 3…Qd8 game.
I played this twice in OTB games and got slaughtered. I was never in the race at all.
It was not a ‘me ‘ position. Half the battle in chess is getting into ‘you’ middle games
and avoiding what are not ‘you’. At our level this is very important.
The resulting position is difficult to handle even for (ahem….) good players.
(It proved too much of an obstacle even for Bronstein to overcome when he
experimented with 3…Qd8 in the 50’s.)
You are so far behind in development you need to untangle very very slowly and carefully.
One slip and Bang. (as in your game.).
I disagree that the CENTRE COUNTER is a wait for a mistake opening though in
the 3…Qd8 line you are in the hands of White for a long time. 2..Qa5 or 2…Nf6
and Black can create problems and can put up a good show. At least get into the game.
(My OTB results with these two lines are plus scores.)
I bet when most well read players see 3…Qd8 they are reminded of Fischer - Robatsch
from Fischer’s 60. It is most likely the most famous game with this line.
People know of the game but very few recall how it went. (I can’t)
Forgetting a full game can be forgiven.
However Robbie’s statement a few posts back is just typical…
“I find remembering 1.d4 openings more easy than 1.e4 openings,…”
Memorise the ideas and why the move was played. Not just the move.
(it’s no wonder people forget the move if all they have remembered is just the move.)
One game in this line I do know is Fischer - Addison 1970.
L. Ingram - A. McDonald, Scottish Championship, Edinburgh 2009
The Qd8 line I showed him is based on practical otb play
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.d4 c6 (early c6 is critical) 5.Bc4
(5.Nf3 Bf5 6.Bc4 e6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Re1 Be7 9.Nh4 Bg6 10.Bf4 Nbd7 11.Nxg6 hxg6)imbalanced with some attacking chances
(5.Ne4 Bf5 6.Ng3 Bg6 7.h4 h6 8.Nf3 Nd7 9.h5 Bh7 10.Bd3 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 e6 12.Bd2 Ngf6 13.O-O-O Be7) I caro-kann
5...Bf5 (rather than ..Nf6) 6.Nf3 e6 7.Qe2 Nf6 8.O-O Nbd7 ok otb for black