Hi NoEarthlyReason.
No quick fix I’m afraid.
If you do not have the gift (Capablanca, Tal, Carlsen etc…etc&hellip😉
Then you have to put some hours in (notice I did not say work.)
You will only get out of the game what you put into it.
Look upon playing over games as you would listening to a favourite
piece of music. Enjoy it. Look forward to it.
Learn from your losses.
As I said in a recent blog, a bare score never tells the full story.
The same on here.
Pointing to one blunder in one game and claiming the player is a duffer
is wrong without knowing all the details.
People do use this site to play coaching games or two of them get together
to produce and show a whole load of opening traps in action.
But I can only work with what I see.
Let’s look at that list you produced in the opening thread.
Things you learned when you were a boy.
Aim for good development into the centre during the opening.
Castle early.
Keep the queen back until the board has opened up.
Bishops are better later, knights earlier.
Get rooks onto open files.
Piece values: pawn =1, knight/bishop=3, rook=5, Q=8
Look for knight forks (and other forks), discovered attacks, double checks,
smothered mates, back rank mates.
Force exchanges when you are ahead on material.
Avoid isolated pawns and doubled pawns, and try to get supported passed pawns.
Be aware of the en passant rule.
Do not drink and play (I worked this one out later).
Even when your opponent is clearly a novice or just a poor player, don't get
over confident and abandon caution.
The bits I’ve highlighted (bolded) need re-learning.
CrashMorriss - NoEarthlyReason RHP 2012
1. b3 Nc6 2. Bb2 e5 3. e4 {3.e3 is the book move here but you cannot argue with the logic. White wants to target the e-pawn so first prevents it from moving. The trouble is it's too slow and easy for Black to defend against simply by making natural developing moves.} 3... Bc5 4. Qe2 Nf6 5. g3 {A double fianchetto against a classical set-up at the lower levels always favours the classical set-up. (I have the stats to prove it.). One slack move from White and Black is in.} 5... d6 6. Bg2 Ng4 {Black tickles the f2 pawn and the...} 7. Nh3 Nb4 {...c2 pawn. All good raw stuff.} 8. d3 O-O 9. f3 {There it is. The slack move we were expecting. And Black is in.} 9... Ne3 10. Rg1 {That is not very good at all. White had to put the other Knight on the rim with 10.Na3.} 10... Nexc2+ {Black now gives up his developed pieces for naff Rooks. OK it wins but you don't get such positions every day of the week. Hiding within may be that once in a lifetime combo. (see next game.)} 11. Kf1 Bxg1 12. Nxg1 Nxa1 13. Bxa1 {Black has won two exchanges. I never figure in terms of exchanges, White has a Queen and four bits, so does Black.} 13... b6 14. Qd2 c5 15. a3 Nc6 16. f4 exf4 17. gxf4 Bd7 18. e5 dxe5 19. fxe5 Rc8 20. Nc3 Nxe5 21. Nd5 Re8 22. Nf3 {Material up so trade down to a simple win. 1-0.} 22... Nxf3 23. Bxf3 Bc6 24. Qg2 Bxd5 {OOPS! Thinkng only of - Material up so trade down to a simple win. 1-0.} 25. Qxg7 {Bonk!}
Forget all this Knight=3 Rook=5 crap. Forget it.
It stifles the imagination and has been responsible for more losses and more
missed brilliancies than any other piece of ‘good advice’ I can think of.
The games on here mean nothing.
You have not come here to win the exchange and trade off into a won ending.
Do that in your important OTB games. Here you have fun with no regrets.
Let every game be your canvas, paint me a masterpiece.
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp2ppp/3p4/2b1p3/1n2P3/1P1PnPPN/PBP1Q1BP/RN2K2R w KQ - 0 10"]
10. Rg1 {Now not Ne3c2+ and Nxa1 that e3 Knight is worth 10 Rooks!} 10... Nbxc2+ {and now you will never know....he might have gone...} 11. Kf2 Ng4+ {Double-check and...} 12. Kf1 Nxh2 {....Mate.}
OK so he does not fall for the mate.
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp2ppp/3p4/2b1p3/1n2P3/1P1PnPPN/PBP1Q1BP/RN2K2R w KQ - 0 10"]
10. Rg1 Nbxc2+ 11. Kd2 {and now the real reason why using the b-Knight to check on c2.} 11... Nxa1 12. Bxa1 Nxg2 13. Rxg2 {If Qxg2 Bxh3 is the same result material wise..} 13... Bxh3 {That Rook is lost to a Bishop so instead of coming out two exchanges up, as in the actual game, Black emerges a whole Rook up. It will pan out to White has a Queen a two bits, Black has a Queen and three bits - a big difference.}