Creating Weaknesses

I started a DVD-session on "endgame strategies". The following is a nice example of how to play for a win. Within the below position, the white pieces are to be prefered, for sure. But actually wouldn´t really know how to advance things.

The pawn on b7 is a weakness, no doubt. But it seems hard to put yet more pressure on this square. So how appraoch this position? I tried to make tactics on c6 work, but there are simply none to it! To cut it short, Ivanchuk saw his knight on b5 and his bishop on c4. (While I didn´t. Manoveuvering the knight to g5 is fine for me, I might have done this, too. But without the proper plan to direct the bishop towards c4, the move of the knight becomes useless.)
Only a few moves from now black is simply destroyed: f7 cannot be protected and any advance of this pawn simply weakens g6 and h5 too horribly... (Within the game, f6 was played. After the knight went back to f4, the rook entered the scene via e4 to e6. End of story.)

So the key (for me personally) here is to (i) have a plan (not just move pieces) and (ii) identify a second weakness.

Pawn + Rook versus Rook - classics

When was the last time you had to have a look at Lucena + Philidor in order not to confuse one with the other or simply not forget about them at all? Well, actually I can manage to forget about this really fast - as indicated before!

But do you also remember how to successfully defend about g- or b-pawns in the "rook versus rook plus pawn"-endings? Or to put it the other way round: Is the below position a draw; regardless who is to move?

To cut it short - with a pawn on g or b, simply retreat with both king and rook to the 8th rank!  Place your king on the file of the pawn and if forced to move the king due to check by the rook, move to the corner. (It is vital to move to the corner!) A double g/b-pawn, however, wins.

Interestingly, the following position is a dead-draw:

The black king is perfectly placed, there is exactly ZERO change for white to win. All black has to do is move is rook (and never ever take the g-pawn)!  If the second pawn is on the f-file, it is won.

Just one last scenario (so next time I prepare, I can simply consult this posts):

While the above one is a draw with black to move. There are some interesting variating set-ups - most with two files between the black rook and the white king... The thing to remember here is to end the sequence with tactics:

White just played d7 to win. See it?! 👦

Nice finish (and nice animation)

...wouldn´t need the sound, though... I am not a "French"-player, but I like when both sides seem to follow their plan somewhat ignoring the other one´s (reminding me on King´s Indian Defense battles).

Nevertheless, I had to look twice before being sure about Leko´s intention after black resigned:

Picking things up again

Due to rather drastical - but absolutely desireable - change within my work-life, I wasn´t able to focus on chess at all. Actually, for the first time in many years I even had to skip quite a series of tournaments which I normally would have attended. This "transition phase" will continue until May next year - only then I will have "transformed" into my new profession. Hence, it will not be truely active chess phase prior to that date and only then can I yet pick up my journey again to elevate my chess towards higher levels...

Nevertheless, I am still working with CRT 4.0 to keep up with tactical issues. It seems like this allows me to keep my current level of 2100 - last week I won against a 2183 FM. (BTW - many former IMs recommend solving tactic puzzles as one of the most important means to increase one strenght!)

Today, I spent quite some time in the afternoon to read and evaluate some of the newsletter articles I get from TheChessWorld.com. My inbox showed some 75 emails which I finally took the time to go through. Ever heardt about the site TheChessWorld? Actually, I am a frequent consumer of the content (and products) offered there. Besides some really helpful insights into some of the openings I am confronted with at the board, they also offer articles that I find rather helpful - not always, let´s be fair, but every now and then.

Let me share just two things for a start:

Looking for real blasts - following the link you will find some amazing blasts by Anand. To be honest, I wasn´t too sure about the value for me personally. Only some 30min after I finished going through the material, I realized that, probably, I should open my eyes (much) more and look for game-changing sacrifices, even if I cannot really calculate things to the very end...  I know, too well, that just because "I want to", nothing will happen. But:

Today, I was reminded that prior to an important game or even tournament, I should go not only through my openings, but also have a decent look at my own posts within this blog!  YES - taking the time to review old posts is actually an advice given by more than one GM (since I keep a pretty open record of my mistakes and this is what it is all about - facing prior faults): It helps to be reminded of things that went wrong in the past and those worth to remember during the game. Hence, going through "Anand´s blasts" prior to a match may well help me to actually go for it. I saw an interview with German´s top talent Vincent Keymer yesterday where he made his point by committing that he finds winning positions so interesting because of the many creative opportunities they bring.

So, all I want is to remind myself of Anand´s blasts and Keymer´s joy in order to open my vision...  Let´s see! 👦

Endgames - with GM Ben Finegold

Have you ever had the chance to view any of Ben´s chess videos? Never?! 😕
Well, then it is definitely time to go for one. Personally, I like his entertaining way but I know that for some he is not what they consider a good instructor. Anyway, I like his style and actually, so does my son (I once told him about a funny instructor from the Saint Louis Chess Club and before I could say his name he said "Ben Finegold". So he actually knew him before I did).

The one below is a beginner´s course on classic endgames. Even for me the bishop+knight versus king as well as the rook versus bishop endings need a refresher every now and then. Soooo, why not with Ben?!
(Apart from that, I did a refresher on a position within the Symmetrical English - based on one game I so bitterly lost last Sunday.)

Enjoy! 😉

Not Dead Yet

Actually, even during the last 10 months without and ChessMonk activity, I still managed to do my daily dose of tactics (using CRT-ART 4.0) and I am also doing quite well in the ongoing chess league. And yes, I was also spending quite some time playing online-bullet - shame on me. Nevertheless, I miss the tournaments. It finally looks like I will be able to get back into the chess circus later this year!

So after pretty tough working year, where I actually wasn´t able to play any tournaments at all and yet some professional changes soon to follow, I finally managed to go for a Blitz Team Championship yesterday. So for the first time ever we had to go for "3+2" and all in all, it went better than expected! To be honest, I want to reduce my online bullet exposure and exchange most of it for more 3+2 games...
As a side-effect, my son also joined and there is some sort of "hope" that he might get back into the game with a bit more ambition...

But of course, there´s always room for improvement and I always considered Blitz a good way to test your opening (and endgame) knowledge. So tonight I took the time to increase my understanding within a rather exotic, not 100% correct, but definitelly fun-to-play, overall playable and really agressive line within the English Opening. It is PERFECT for Blitz and I am using this "weapon" in online Blitz a lot; but I never took the time to dive into it more analytically. I destilled some key hypotheses on when to use it and when not to, which will have to be tested (theoretically and practically) during the coming days and weeks...
In addition, I found a nice idea within the Sicilian based on GM Le. Interestingly, it never made it into any book I read on "my variation" of the Sicilian. But according to the engine it is pretty sound!

Unfortunately, I cannot go into any details in order not to lay open my "secret weaponry". But I promise to reveal "time and place" next time it comes to the board in a face-to-face match!  😉


Sooo, it looks like I can finally continue working on reaching my next chess target and climb above 2100!

Yet again - not enough precision

I played Hassloch - and yet again faced my "old inless": controlling the game until reaching a won position and then allowing my opponent to escape to a draw...😕  Black to move:

I was trying to make Nd2 work, but didn´t get to the point. Actually, I didn´t have any time for working on my chess during the last 5 months or so. I am pretty convinced that I would have found the continuation Rxc3 (after Bxb7) some 6 months ago or would I have had the time for any decent training recently.  I was able to keep up the pressure for a few more moves (assuring a slight advantage of  0.6), but only to throw it all away shortly after: dead draw!

Lacking these (highly necessary) training units, I even fuck up positions like the one below (White to move):

Believe it or not, there was a clear reason why I fixed the g + h pawns - yes there was!  And by taking on e5 I could have assured the necessary edge.  But I was blind - ignoring the very reason why I fixed the pawns...😡

Not only did these full points slip through my fingers, but I also faced time trouble in 4 matches. The later, to my mind, is yet another clear indication that I need more training  and (definitely) NOT more tournaments!

Unfortunately, I will not be able to pick up my chess lessons prior to July...  (what a painful pitty!)

Will I  - FINALLY - get over 2100 in 2018?  I have my doubts. But I don´t give up: mid 2019 is my new target!

Working on heavy pieces games

As indicated before and verified by my error db, I started working on my play with heavy pieces (queen + rooks). I bought and work with:

I only started - but the positions and explanations so far are pretty insightful and yet so familiar to the mistakes I make...
Here´s a typical position  - White to move:

How would you continue? Rxh7? So did I - and it loses!  But how - can you see the refutation?!

(What somewhat scares me: I am sure that Black wouldn´t see the refutation neither. But since Black can´t do anything else anyway, he simply can wait until it becomes his "last resort"; whereas White better calculates it to the very end...) 
So for now, these examples are rather scary and not yet increasing my self-confidence; but I am convinced it will chance soon!  This book will surely elevate my understanding on how to thoroughly act with heavy forces!

Endgame Basics

Given the very embarrassing lack of endgame knowledge so well demonstrated during the last tournament - and also based on the latest advice of my former Coach - I went back to the classics: endgames!

Yes, I am very good at forgetting these rather boring and tiresome endgame principles rather sooner than later - and it is definitely not really funny to study these anyway - but this is exactly the reason why it has to be done!

Did you know that this is a draw?! Black to move:

Well, I fairly admit that I did NOT.  BUT NOW!
If I had to move, I would have chosen the right piece and square, BUT to be totally honest:
I would have resigned earlier on!!!

(Interestingly, the latest Komodo-Version considers it +2 for White while at the same time recognizing that it is part of its endgame database and expressing that it´s a draw!)

Stockfish 9 available

Check this out: Stockfish 9 is available!