OT: Chess

[Harbour Dog]

I feel like playing a defensive/counter attacking style can be almost more difficult then an attacking style. Similar to fighting(I watch a lot of MMA). There are good fighters who are all out aggressive. They dictate the pace of the match, and often opponents crumple and make mistakes under pressure. But the greats, they ALL play a counter attacking style - John Jones, Israel Adasanya to name a couple. The opponent doesn’t matter, they read and react and counter. They don’t dictate pace, because they use their opponents pace against them. Their technique is flawless and it confounds the aggressive attacker because it begins to feel like the counter attacker can read their mind. The key is the technique, the IQ and the precision. Chess feels similar. As a newer player (a year or so), when I get cramped in my own end I usually get forced into mistakes and lose. Just not good enough yet to be that counter attacker.

Yeah, I agree completely. When you are on the defending side, with little space, one mistake is normally game over. That's what can make those types of wins so satisfying.

I'm sure that the GM I referenced was expressing a genuine sentiment when he said that he never felt he was at the strength of his peers: but their ratings beg to differ. And I can't name one top guy who would willingly go into those tight defensive structures game after game.

Perhaps he felt that way, because he was playing a very similar system every game, and never had much early interaction.

But either way, I think you're right. Accepting a more cramped position without any compensation, can put you in a mode pretty early in the game where one misstep will be the last.

 

[Harbour Dog]

First moves made at Tata Steel!

 

[ORRFForever]

I feel like playing a defensive/counter attacking style can be almost more difficult then an attacking style.

Yes! Well said.

 

[ORRFForever]

...at Hoogovens (which starts today. In the first round Carlsen has Black and will try to avenge last year's loss to Esipenko) both players refuse to take a pawn for 18 moves and then 19.

As per a friend of mine...

"Apparently, Carlsen needs to finish the tournament with a crazy +5 to win a mere 10 ratings points. Achieving a rating of 2900 (which he says he wants) seems almost impossible. At this level, many super GMs say that if someone wants a draw, he can get it. Let's hope his opponents want to beat him."

 

[ORRFForever]

Accepting a more cramped position without any compensation, can put you in a mode pretty early in the game where one misstep will be the last.

Amen to that.

I like to play the Grunfeld against d4 - it combines the hyper modern approach with a more open position. I also find it lends itself to a lot of drawing possibilities.

I use to play the Kings Indian against d4 but, all too often, I found myself in a cramped position and it was painful.

 

[Ben Grimm]

This is the classical 2022 team tourney I'd like to see. Each team's board would get one White game and one Black game. Who would win? @Harbour Dog I know bad timing you're watching Tata, but someday I'm begging for a reply.

Team A - Team B

Board 1. Firouzja vs Ding, Liren

Board 2. Caruana vs Nepo - Nepo beat Caruana 1 to 0.

Board 3. Aronian vs Shak - Aronian beat Shak 6 to 4.

Board 4. Giri vs Grischuk

Board 5. So vs Rapport - So beat Rapport 2 to 0.

Board 6. MVL - Duda - MVL beat Duda 2 to 0.

Board 7. D. Perez - Radjabov

 

[ORRFForever]

Ding, Liren

It is funny... After all these years of being a TOP player, I have seen his name used BOTH ways (Ding Liren and Liren Ding) on the internet and in publications.

 

[Ben Grimm]

It is funny... After all these years of being a TOP player, I have seen his name used BOTH ways - Ding Liren and Liren Ding.

Yeah, that's why I always list Chinese players full names. When there's a comma their first and last names are listed the opposite of ours such as first name, last name.

 

[ORRFForever]

Yeah, that's why I always list Chinese players full names. When there's a comma their first and last names are listed the opposite of ours such as first name, last name.

LOL! Yes. I noticed you did that. Good idea.

 

[Harbour Dog]

This is the classical 2022 team tourney I'd like to see. Each team's board would get one White game and one Black game. Who would win? @Harbour Dog I know bad timing you're watching Tata, but someday I'm begging for a reply.

Team A - Team B

Board 1. Firouzja vs Ding, Liren

Board 2. Caruana vs Nepomniachtchi

Board 3. Aronian vs Mamedyarov

Board 4. Giri vs Grischuk

Board 5. So vs Rapport

Board 6. MVL - Duda

Board 7. Dominguez Perez - Radjabov

I'm actually just about to head into a buddy's cabin for a few nights! So no cell service. I'll respond on Monday though!

 

[Ben Grimm]

I'm actually just about to head into a buddy's cabin for a few nights! So no cell service. I'll respond on Monday though!

Cool! I'll look forward to it.

 

[ORRFForever]

I'm actually just about to head into a buddy's cabin for a few nights! So no cell service. I'll respond on Monday though!

Enjoy.

 

[ORRFForever]

To have 2 players so low on time with 10(?) moves remaining is surprising. Would have loved to see them finish what was an interesting game.

I thought Dubov was better but Mamedyarov's c pawn looms very large...

Here to Entertain! || Dubov vs Mamedyarov || Tata Steel (2022) - YouTube

 

[Brief Candle]

Damn it, I just turned it on, and Shankland's bar starts dipping! In all seriousness, I can't believe it's been a year already. It feels like just a couple of months ago we were watching Van Foreest have a hell of a run. Good to see some chess being played, though!

 

[ORRFForever]

This game doesn't feature the sacrifice, but if White had done it on his fourth move, it could have. Emmanuel Schiffers vs Max Harmonist (1887) Schiffers Me Timbers! @ORRFForever

LOL! Thanks!

You'd be surprised how often it works when you're playing blitz. Your opponent's King is in no man's land and you'll get compensation for the B if you play it properly.

 

[ORRFForever]

I finally found a website about how you win in Blitz. You may enjoy it. The Jerome Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ @ORRFForever

LOL! Thanks. I will check it out.

Edit : That is terrific. It is always nice to see a fellow Irishman.

 

[Ben Grimm]

Bring your own bottle and fork

"Years ago, the great Mikhail Tal pithily expounded a critical aspect of all out attacking chess, noting that it is only possible to capture one piece at a time. In full battle cry, Tal’s instinct was not to retreat attacked pieces, especially minor pieces — but to pour more oil on the fire by putting further units en prise! Jonathan Speelman explores this theme using games by Tal and Fischer, as well as more recent examples".

I love articles about Tal and Fischer. The author Speelman was a very strong GM who was 4th in the world and beat Kasparov. "He qualified for two Candidates Tournaments:​

• In the 1989–1990 cycle, Speelman qualified by placing third in the 1987 interzonal tournament held in Subotica, Yugoslavia. After beating Yasser Seirawan in his first round 4–1, and Nigel Short in the second round 3½–1½, he lost to Jan Timman at the semi-final stage 4½–3½.
• In the following 1990–93 championship cycle, he lost 5½–4½ in the first round to Short, the eventual challenger for Garry Kasparov's crown.

Speelman's highest ranking in the FIDE Elo rating list was fourth in the world, in January 1989.
In 1989, he beat Kasparov in a televised speed tournament, and then went on to win the event". Jon Speelman

 

[Ben Grimm]

If anyone is looking for a good chess book, here's my recommendations with a link to Amazon. #7 will help your game the most.

1. Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess

2. How to Reassess Your Chess: Chess Mastery Through Chess Imbalances: Silman, Jeremy

3. My System: 21st Century Edition: Nimzowitsch, Aron

4. Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953 (Dover Chess): Bronstein, David

5. My 60 Memorable Games: chess tactics, chess strategies with Bobby Fischer

6. Think Like a Grandmaster: Kotov, Alexander

7. Silman's Complete Endgame Course - This will help your game the most.

8. Life & Games of Mikhail Tal

9. Karpov's Strategic Wins: The Making of a Champion 1961-1985 (Volume 1): Karolyi, Tibor

10. Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 1

 

[Ben Grimm]

@ORRFForever, what if the next time you played the French you tried this White game? Magnus Carlsen vs Parham Maghsoodloo (2021)

Magnus Carlsen vs Parham Maghsoodloo
World Blitz Championship (2021) (blitz), Warsaw POL, rd 13, Dec-30
French Defense: Advance. Wade Variation (C02) · 1-0

 

[ORRFForever]

@ORRFForever, what if the next time you played the French you tried this White game? Magnus Carlsen vs Parham Maghsoodloo (2021)

Magnus Carlsen vs Parham Maghsoodloo
World Blitz Championship (2021) (blitz), Warsaw POL, rd 13, Dec-30
French Defense: Advance. Wade Variation (C02) · 1-0

It's not often you see the French being played are the highest level.

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

Wanted to make a progress post since no one else in my life understands or enjoys chess, lol. Maybe you guys can appreciate it.

Started playing chess in October, 2020. I began my journey on the social chess app, playing an assortment of timed and daily games. Had no idea what I was doing, lost a lot, but committed to learning. Signed up for chess.com early in 2021, since then:

-I am now a rating of 993
-Record of 121-100-6 all-time in rapid(30 min exclusively) on chess.com
-Over the last 90 days I've broken through a major plateau and have climbed 186 rating points in that time frame with a record of 66-45-5. Accuracy of 74.7% in that timeframe.


My path to success so far has been:
-I've committed to learning very basic openings. That is all I play. Italian - e4/e5 variations only.
-I do tactic/puzzles 5/6 days out of every week. I focus on getting the right answer vs just getting an answer quickly.
-I try to play 1-2 rapid games per day(30 min), trying to focus on limiting blunders.
-I use blitz as my playground to try new openings and gambits.

Big area's for improvement:
-END GAMES!!! I am so lost in end games still. Chess is so deep and daunting that I literally just haven't had time to study them yet. I need to focus, perhaps for the next several months on end games.
-More opening variations & middlegame strategies and tactics. I am capitalizing on opponents mistakes at lower ratings. That will not be as viable as I try to improve from here out.

Questions for those of you with deep chess experience:
-Are there any openings that you'd suggest for the next step after let's say "very basic" openings?
-Do many of you play over the board at chess clubs, ect? I am not sure if that is a thing. I would love to do that. Seems like chess clubs are few and far between these days.
-At what point do you suggest a player enter tournaments? Is there an advantage from a development/skillset perspective? I have no delusions of being good enough to win tournaments, maybe ever, but it'd be fun to challenge myself and see my weaknesses.

If anyone actually spent the time to even read all of that, thank you! I appreciate it lol

 

[Harbour Dog]

Wanted to make a progress post since no one else in my life understands or enjoys chess, lol. Maybe you guys can appreciate it.

Started playing chess in October, 2020. I began my journey on the social chess app, playing an assortment of timed and daily games. Had no idea what I was doing, lost a lot, but committed to learning. Signed up for chess.com early in 2021, since then:

-I am now a rating of 993
-Record of 121-100-6 all-time in rapid(30 min exclusively) on chess.com
-Over the last 90 days I've broken through a major plateau and have climbed 186 rating points in that time frame with a record of 66-45-5. Accuracy of 74.7% in that timeframe.


My path to success so far has been:
-I've committed to learning very basic openings. That is all I play. Italian - e4/e5 variations only.
-I do tactic/puzzles 5/6 days out of every week. I focus on getting the right answer vs just getting an answer quickly.
-I try to play 1-2 rapid games per day(30 min), trying to focus on limiting blunders.
-I use blitz as my playground to try new openings and gambits.

Big area's for improvement:
-END GAMES!!! I am so lost in end games still. Chess is so deep and daunting that I literally just haven't had time to study them yet. I need to focus, perhaps for the next several months on end games.
-More opening variations & middlegame strategies and tactics. I am capitalizing on opponents mistakes at lower ratings. That will not be as viable as I try to improve from here out.

Questions for those of you with deep chess experience:
-Are there any openings that you'd suggest for the next step after let's say "very basic" openings?
-Do many of you play over the board at chess clubs, ect? I am not sure if that is a thing. I would love to do that. Seems like chess clubs are few and far between these days.
-At what point do you suggest a player enter tournaments? Is there an advantage from a development/skillset perspective? I have no delusions of being good enough to win tournaments, maybe ever, but it'd be fun to challenge myself and see my weaknesses.

If anyone actually spent the time to even read all of that, thank you! I appreciate it lol

What you're doing sounds like the perfect path toward improvement! And struggling with end games is certainly not something that you're alone in. It's possibly always been my biggest weakness too. I find the end game practice on chess.com to be very helpful in driving home the ideas of opposition and how to leverage pawn breaks in the end game. I'm sure other sites would have similar drills to offer too.

I think that specific opening choice is much less important than knowing your opening choice well. If you're comfortable playing the Italian, then there's no reason that you won't just continue to get stronger in it as you see and repeat more and more variations. If you want to try something else, then go for it! But the actual difference in results at our level, from a relatively simple opening to something more complex, is probably right around zero.

I go to a weekly chess night at a bar here, but that's the only thing near me that approaches a 'chess club' unfortunately. It's too bad, because it's very satisfying to play at a real board with a real person.

If a tournament would be fun for you, then you can enter them now! At the chess night I go too, there are a couple guys rated as low as 700 online, with the highest guy at about 2050. And everybody is just there because they love playing and learning chess. I imagine that you'll find a similar atmosphere most places that you would play. Just like you're happy to have people to talk chess, every one of us is too!

 

[Harbour Dog]

Just seeing the scores from Tata Steel now... Vidit would have been in my bottom three to win the tourney. Hopefully he can follow in Jorden's footsteps and make a run!

 

[Harbour Dog]

This is the classical 2022 team tourney I'd like to see. Each team's board would get one White game and one Black game. Who would win? @Harbour Dog I know bad timing you're watching Tata, but someday I'm begging for a reply.

Team A - Team B

Board 1. Firouzja vs Ding, Liren

Board 2. Caruana vs Nepo - Nepo beat Caruana 1 to 0.

Board 3. Aronian vs Mamed - Aronian beat Mamed 6 to 4.

Board 4. Giri vs Grischuk

Board 5. So vs Rapport - So beat Rapport 2 to 0.

Board 6. MVL - Duda - MVL beat Duda 2 to 0.

Board 7. D. Perez - Radjabov

Firouzja gets Ding in a passive position where he is in quite a bit of trouble. Ding holds with more ease than he should have. Draw.

Caruana gets the initiative while challenging Nepo's Petroff. But the position fizzles out quickly, and Nepo is never really in much trouble. Draw.

Aronian plays solidly, but gets in some tactical trouble when Mamedyarov leaves a minor piece en prise to start an attack. Shak converts. 0-1.

Grischuk uses most of his time by move 30, but the position is simple, and manages to find a simple draw despite being way down on the clock. Draw.

Rapport finds an interesting idea early, which causes mass complications. So navigates them masterfully, and pulls out a convincing win. 1-0.

Despite Duda having some chances in the middle game, he makes a few poor steps under time pressure, and MVL has a sizable advantage going into the endgame; which he converts. 1-0.

The least exciting game of the round. Both players come out of the opening in solid positions, and neither overextends in the middle game. Draw.

 

[Ben Grimm]

Just seeing the scores from Tata Steel now... Vidit would have been in my bottom three to win the tourney. Hopefully he can follow in Jorden's footsteps and make a run!

Agreed. I wouldn't even pick Vitiugov to win a tourney of this category.

Firouzja gets Ding in a passive position where he is in quite a bit of trouble. Ding holds with more ease than he should have. Draw.

Caruana gets the initiative while challenging Nepo's Petroff. But the position fizzles out quickly, and Nepo is never really in much trouble. Draw.

Aronian plays solidly, but gets in some tactical trouble when Mamedyarov leaves a minor piece en prise to start an attack. Shak converts. 0-1.

Grischuk uses most of his time by move 30, but the position is simple, and manages to find a simple draw despite being way down on the clock. Draw.

Rapport finds an interesting idea early, which causes mass complications. So navigates them masterfully, and pulls out a convincing win. 1-0.

Despite Duda having some chances in the middle game, he makes a few poor steps under time pressure, and MVL has a sizable advantage going into the endgame; which he converts. 1-0.

The least exciting game of the round. Both players come out of the opening in solid positions, and neither overextends in the middle game. Draw.

Thanks! I always enjoy your analysis.

Off topic. In the 90s man vs machine matches were a big deal. If I could pick an opening for the AI White side it would be the Alapin. Let's grind the human down.