Day 51 - day off

Yesterday, I actually didn´t exercise at all; I took the freedom to play some 45 minutes online chess. Actually, since I started to take training more serious, I hardly did go for online chess --- and today I hardly cared about the rating at all...   I assume that´s a good sign overall.

Day 50 / 315 to go

Yesterday I spent some 75 minutes with "Chess for Zebras" - and went over a nice chapter on the difference between an idea or plan, and its execution: sometimes the correct idea/plan is identified but lacks the correct move order! Actually, I read about the topic some 5 weeks ago. Ever since I actually kept it in the back of my head (and even told my son about it during our last tournament)! Now the book offered a pretty impressive example on NOT to rush into the direct execution too fast (Black to move):

It is obvious that White enjoys a nice position and that Black might have some chances for a perpetual with queen and knight... But how shall the plan be put into action?

In addition, I did one Lommer-position - but (partly) failed.
Then I added some 75 minutes on "Avoidable Mistakes" by Edouard: The first chapter is not that interesting as such, but the exercises are (always) welcome!

Day 49 / 316 to go

I did some 90 minutes with my Lommer today: some 60 minutes on one new position and another 30 minutes on a second, rather easy one...  I don´t know yet whether I solved them completely/correctly, as I don´t have the book here, but only received two pictures taken by my son!   8-) 
I am pretty done today - so it makes no sense to go for anything else.

Day 48 / 317 to go

After 10 hours of work and about 1 million emails written in the evening, I was simply not able to work through the planned schedule. Hence, I only did 2 PATs (and failed) plus a repetition of 3 Lommer-positions I already solved before...
 Tomorrow I will have a slightly less stressful working day - so it will be a FULL LOAD of Lommer for me then!

Day 47 / 318 to go

After a very long working day I started with a short post mortem on my last game of the tournament which finished yesterday. It was about the very aggressive (or better - "wanna be aggressive"?) h4-move early in the opening...  For many years I replied in acceptable fashion. Due to my intensified efforts, I made a switch and due to my analysis today (book+PC) I will now switch to the "third" option available...  8-)

In addition, I did work on/train with my PAT. Whereas I normally manage to work on 6 positions in some 60 minutes, today, I only covered 4 in 65 minutes...  here´s an interesting one:

White to move

Although "we all" can spot "what´s going on" and what White´s aim is, the question remains "how" - since even Gelfand himself didn´t spot the correct continuation during his game!


P.S.: Coach, I planned to work on my Lommer, but I forgot the book at home! I even told my son to take pictures of the puzzles - which he promised to send me, but he didn´t!!!  
So, I can only continue with my Lommer tomorrow...

To draw or not to draw - Make your choice in less than 3,5 minutes!

Here´s a nice one played just two days ago:

I managed to stay between +0,2 and +0,6 throughout the game, hitting Komodo´s top 3 moves pretty constantly. So far, so good. On the downside, it did cost me considerable time. So with some 3,5 minutes left for 7 moves, the following position was reached and my opponent offered a draw:

White to move

I actually melted things down to one variation where I get the g-pawn and we are both left with a light-squared bishop - fine! But the other variation I calculated was - again, White to move:

With some 20 seconds left, I was too scared that he would be able to get one of my pieces for free - then leaving me with a lost game...  and accepted the draw.
(Of course, the machine quickly revealed the correct pattern to get the job done: Bh6 and Rf8!)

Day 43 - 46 / Tournament Hassloch

Nope, yet another tournament where a clear development for the better - in terms of the results - was missing.
It becomes obvious that I still lack a decent understanding for my new opening with black. However, I have the feeling that it will not take much longer: As indicated last week, my understanding when and how to fight for the centre is getting better!

I don´t know why, but although 3 out of the last 4 tournaments went into the wrong direction, I suddenly feel a certain confidence - weird (as my games as such don´t really qualify for any such confidence)...  Once my performance with Black starts to kick in (and settles at the score before my switch) and I have advanced studying my Lommer, I am ready to sustainably advance towards 2100! (My coach was predicting that it will take me approx. 3 months before "something will change"...)

Day 42 / day off

...due to work + travel, I fell asleep some 2,5h earlier than normal - no chess training!

Day 41 / 324 to go

On this day I "only" worked on two positions with my Lommer. I solved the first (simply because it was an easy position) and took some 40 minutes on the second, but didn´t solve all variations correctly... 8-/
Nevertheless, I did what my coach advised: practise my calculation ability (incl. setting stepping stones).

Pawn Sacrifice

Who did already see it and who will?

Is it worth to watch it? I guess I will head for it with my son!  8-)