Hi Guys

Few posts in the LC thread but not a ton. Really going to be trying to improve at chess again. I was 150 ish BCF about 10 years ago which I think is approx 1900 elo or something.

I have been knocking around playing blitz for fun last 5 months or so. I have now decided to get back into longer games possibly I might even join a OTB league team at some point

2 aims one is to get back to my old strength, 2nd is to surpass it!

I am taking some lessons from Youknowwho at the moment as well to help with this. Major issue is not only tactics in general (no surprise) but keeping active and looking out for minor tactics.

First game I think I have played ok since lesson with YNK and a nice little game

http://chess.tuxtown.net/game-replay...39f9e197598e44

At the end I think taking on f6 is slightly more accurate but I am happy I went with the exchange sac right out of the opening!

Thoughts/comments appreciated

(Can't seem to get the re-player on chess.tv to work properly I prefer it so any help would be cool.

Seems like the problem is your PGN is saving timestamps; try to disable those.

^^thanks you are GOAT chess poster

So in the next few weeks I think I am going to put some time in developing a playable opening versus d4.

Previously I used to play modern benoni as black, but it's way to tactical for me atm and I can't recall the thoery anyway.

I have toyed with KID and it's fun but I get crushed by anyone that has a clue

Any suggestions from people, ideally I want something that won't have razor sharp theory. Gives black a playable position basically but wont be super boring.

I would say atm my strengths are mainly positional and I am relatively solid in endgame (this is ment loosely in that I kow classic endgames such as philidor/luceana position etc).

Some idea's I had without knowing anything about theory really.

Perhaps Queens gambit declined/accepted (not sure on the type of play that flows from accepted though). Queens indian or bogo indian (I like the names ).
Someone suggest slav to me but I played it a few times and it was boring. Or the benko gambit which seems to give black some play/initiative but obv we give a up pawn.

Anyway suggestions would be really helpful/great from people who have experience of these openings.

Which openings do you consider boring?

Even if the Nimzo-Indian makes you fall asleep, you can try some unconventional lines there, like the following one

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 Nc6 (Black Knights' Tango) 3. Nf3 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Qc2 d6 (NID, Classical Variation, Milner-Barry Variation) 6. Bd2 Qe7 (Black is preparing e5 and will exchange the DSB off as a bad bishop) 7. a3 Bxc3 8. Bxc3 O-O 9. e3 e5 10. d5 Nd8.

(Edit: yikes, I didn't know that Sir Stuart Milner-Barry was such a versatile personality.)

P.S. I'm not really a good advisor on positional pet lines, esp given that you've dismissed the Slav / Semi-Slav (which is better achieved by 1... c6 - most of the time White will transpose to the Caro-Kann - 2. e4 - and life will be easier ).

I normally get into wild tactical positions by playing the Sniper (1... g6 2... Bg7 3... c5) against almost everything (except e4, d4, Nc3 where the Gurgenidze C-K - 3... c6 - works better). It's not that I've got exceptional results with it; anyway, they haven't converged yet as I don't play much.

^^^ I guess anything where black is gonna really struggle to get any advantage should he wish to fight for it I find to dry boring.

Talked in depth with Youknowwho about it and we both agree I am neither a tactically driven player or a really deep positional player. Basically I am ok at both more of a universal style.

Though I think my play longer term will become more postional. Kinda funny cos as a kid all I wanted to do was through everything at the king.

Anyways after long discussion narrowed down to 2 possibilities Benko gambit amd Queens gambit accepted. I really liked Queens indian but issue is would have to learn Nimzo as well for that.

So am gonna research see if any good vids out there on them and find some games to play through before committing to one.

Long term I am pretty sure I will end up playing club chess again if poker allows me to (pretty time consuming when you play MTTs).

Thanks for suggestions **** they are prob very fun but prob too wild for me

oh v interesting about milnar barry didn't know he was involved in the enigma project.

Kinda funny as I live 10 mins from Bletchley park where they did all the code breaking and me and my wife were married near there!

Also I played the milnar-barry gambit versus french defence but its basically unsound but very fun if your opponent doesn't know it

Experimenting with new lines versus french also atm both the exchange variation and classical

The semi-slav isn't boring!

If you want something that's a mix between positional and wide open there's always the tarrasch.

yea semi slav isn't the slav is though

plus I don't want razor sharp positions that semi slav can produce.

Been researching QGA and benko and leaning slightly toward QGA atm.

I have bigger issues before I learn a whole new system and thats improving tactical play.

Putting in 30 mins each day on tactics trainer and also reading the art of attack which is really enjoyable. I had it when I was a kid but was in old notation and really hard to get to grips with.

The modern edited version is much improved.

Pleaseeee do not play the Benko. I will have to start disliking you haha

Told you buffy, 1. d4 players hate the Benko!

Benko it is then

In seriousness I have been looking at some old pal benko games and watched a couple of vids on it from ICC.

Though if you are a 2700+ GM playing versus benko is fine for you for mortals it seems very annoying.

Who wants to play all game without the initiative as white (or black for that matter) Of course games I have looked at so far ofc black has won them all so I need to look at instructive versions where he gets crushed.

I was leaning QGA way but having researched more benko seems way to much fun!

Part of the improvement plan is to spend 30 mins a day on tactics trainer.

Today was meh dropped points common theme is missing trapped pieces and looking for fancy mates over simple material.

Toward the end cracked a ton of trapped pieces motifs so guess training helps!

Ok here is a game I played today

http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game...r.php?id=94089

I got confused in the opening and ended up playing a Sicilian somehow, my opponent didn't seem to have a clear plan except throw some pawns at kingside for attack that never comes

Think I got a good position out of the opening but I should have played d5 as soon as I got the chance and relocating the Knight could be a error straight away? Also toward the end I think knight Na3 rather than Ne3 is better and then hop back into C4 with Tempo

Also should I be exchanging Queens here? In game I thought well easy endgame and he only has one plan to attack kingside so remove all counter play.

I think it might be a mistake though given I have way more activity and my attack would land before he ever gets started?


Here is a shocker of a game I played as well from 2 days ago ( I can't work out how to remove timestamps did the last one manually and that’s the issue thx rei)

http://chess.tuxtown.net/game/view/i...a75a835876665d

Out of the opening fine I think, but removing Rd8 was a mistake I think and taking on D4 really bad. I just got really un-coordinated and lost grip on centre as well I think

Comments appreciated as to where we go wrong. I am guessing should consolidate and then blockade d4?

Wow, White's 2. Nc3 in the first game is so atrocious. 'I stopped reading after that' as we say on the forums That knight blocked the thematic c2-c4 that is seen in the bulk of 1. Nf3 games for a reason (after care is taken of the e5 square, it's logical for White to challenge the d5 square as well, by a pawn (the c-pawn here obv) because, with Black's knight on f6, piece-only pressure on d5 is not sufficient; White need not play 2. c4 immediately). You could have exploited that by 2... d5 and gained the advantage immediately, though your 2... c5 is a decent (second best) response too.

I'll come back to those games later, need a nap now

I had to take a look at the game after I read that White develops a piece to its best square, how bad can it be? Sure 2...d5 is probably more positionally correct but you shouldn't get carried away here with thoughts of being better.

Idk why the position after 3...Nc6 is never played, you must be giving White some other option compared to a normal Sicilian move order but I don't see what (Bb5 maybe? then Qc7 or Nd4 look fine).

6. Bb5 really is a poor move and as you point out you get a very comfortable position. I don't think you need to rush d5, you are better in every possible position from here because of the extra centre pawns. It's only necessary if an e4-e5 pawn sac is a threat, and I think you are safe from that here.

The Queen exchange looks forced but it probably favours you anyway. By move 23 it's clear that this guy is just bad at chess and you should beat him no matter what.

second game, after 15. b4 it's clear that White should expand on the queenside, and you haven't got much of a plan so he will probably be better if he does that successfully. If 15...e5 works you should play that. Looks like it probably does work (b5 Nd4, or de Qf5, or Be5 Qf5), but needs some more concrete analysis. 15...Nd5 looks like a good move, puttting your N in the centre with tempo, but somehow it doesn't seem quite right to me - it's vulnerable to a3 and c4, and it actually doesn't blockade the light squares all that well. Maybe it should go to the "bad square" b6 to control c4.

Before 18...Ne7, did you calculate at least as far as finding somewhere for your queen after 23. Rc1? If not, that was your mistake, even if it's objectively fine for Black. The computer will tell you the real truth here, but that's not what matters.

Well, at least it's evident that White has no repertoire (pretty every serious 1. Nf3 player knows that, except if s/he goes for KIA, c4 has to be played first, even if it's a sac like in the Reti or QGA, where White has enough comp) and just tried to play good-looking developing moves like you said. But in some cases, they don't work.

And it's the case where playing Nc3 early is suboptimal because, if White makes another 'natural' move 3. d4, he ends up playing an analogue of Queen's Gambit Refused but with a pawn on c2 instead of c4, with Black first bringing the LSB out to f5 (which he can do because Qd1-b3xb7 isn't threatened with the pawn stuck on c2) and then being able to cement the centre by e6 and to meet Bg5 by Nbd7, and also to support d5 even more by c6 in the Semi-Slav fashion.

White is better off playing in the KIA spirit - 3. d3 to prepare e4, and blocking the LSB and having to fiachetto it, or 3. g3 immediately with the same idea, whereas Black will develop normally by Nc6 and e5.

But I think it's rare to see someone who plays 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. Nc3 actually know his trade and play 3. d3 or 3. g3. That's because the best square for Queen's knight in KIA is d2 (not c3), where it's ready for the Nd2-f1-e3 manoeuvre and also prevents the queen exchange after the pawn exchange on e4. So a serious KIA player just wouldn't put the knight on c3. (I play 2. c4 after 1. Nf3 so can't tell much about KIA.)

Like you said, 13.-d5 definitely looks right. Your B is gunning towards the a3 pawn very nicely after that. Worth noting that his King is on c1, with the K on b1 d5 would run into a stock Nxd5! tactic (worth remembering)

Exchanging the queens is a close call, your attack is progressing faster thanks to the b-file than his for the time being. OTOH you'd have to dance around with the Q to avoid the trade and the endgame, as many Sicilian endings, is comfy as well.

His 18.Rdg1 is really bad, what on earth is the other rook doing on h1? Besides he could have played g4 (good or not) without putting the rook there.

Not sure why you gave the a-pawn, instead of Ne3 (he could play fxe6 and Bxa5 though the a-file might be dangerous) you could have gone Na3-c4 to protect a5.

Not quite back at your old level if I had to guess based on one game, but a decent game overall

Thanks for comments

I looked at 15...e5 but I think it just loses a pawn after dxe5

Wrt to Ne7 I didn't exactly calculate where I would but the Queen but figured I would have plenty of decent squares to put it, b6,d6 and d7 (as in game) though Qd7 is prob just a error and Qd6 looks better followed by plan of Nd5, other Nf5 and I think I can consolidate the pawn nicely.

His rooks can get active on the c file but d4 is always week and my position is solid and I don't think he has enough for a pawn

Yea think d5 was a must really I have not played sicillain for a long time but black always does well when he gets this move in.

On reflection think exchange queens is just fine since I have a very nice endgame and villain is pretty weak.

Wrt to A pawn think I said that I should go Na3, c4 with tempo. In game I didn't really look at fxe6 to long since I assumed (prob bad thing to do so) that my f8 rook is coming to c8 and we can roll forward the e and d pawns, B and N are nicely pointing at the K as well.

You are right though I think I should be looking at this in way more detail as of he gets any counterplay would be annoying.

Thx for comments and agree nowhere near old level

In other news tactics training is going ok got up to 1805 on chess.com, I also got John Nunns puzzle book from amazon (my kids lost some puzzle book I had along with my wedding ring which was on top of said book) though its kinda rock hard!

Still missing some easy ish ones with motiffs I know which is annoying. Keep crunching them is the main thing and I do feel I am getting some rust off. In my last few games I have felt a tad sharper in this aspect of the game.

As I'm gonna be somewhat false to myself and play 1. d4 in the upcoming 2+2 TM and the Benko is about the only popular opening against 1. d4 in which I never find myself after 1. Nf3, I'll take this warning seriously. But isn't 4. Nf3 (bxc4 5. Nc3!) an antidote against the Benko (though there's still a lot of play)?

Edit: and could anyone explain me the general difference between 1. Nf3 and 1. d4 in terms of optimal lines (deeming transpositions the same line) for White vs a sufficiently strong opponent (apart from KIA that I don't play and the Benko; otherwise they seem pretty much the same)?

One major difference I see so far is that 1. Nf3 allows 1... c5, but the Symmetrical English - 2. c4 - is not bad, especially if Black doesn't play 2... b6 or 2... g6.

playing an early Nf3 cuts out a bunch of White's options, e.g. if you want to play the Bc4 Gruenfeld or the Saemisch Kings Indian. Even if you don't plan to play these, it's good to keep Black guessing, so if you are going to play d4, c4 and Nf3 regardless, then I think it's best to start with 1. d4.

On the other hand, playing Nf3 and not committing to d4 means that you have flexibility to avoid critical lines of the Nimzo, Gruenfeld etc, and you force Black to be ready for two setups - English style positions and d4 mainlines. e.g. if you hate the Nimzo, you can play 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3, and now you can meet d5 with d4, or Bb4 with Qc2 b6 a3. This was Kramnik's idea for most of the 90s and you can checkout Khalifman's books to understand all the situations where this flexibility is useful. I haven't actually read the Khalifman books, but they are meant to be really thorough and I'm sure they explain why White would prefer to play this position without having included d4.

Of course either option is theoretically perfectly fine and it's just a matter of personal preference. As you point out, the only real extra line you have to be familiar with is 1...c5, and either c4 or e4 gives you a very popular position then.

Oh right, that was one of my main reasons for picking 1. Nf3 iirc. I've been testing 3. g3 but feel uncomfortable in the arising Catalan (3... d5 4. d4 dxc4 5. Bg2 a6) so might as well go back to 3. Nc3 Thanks for Khalifman book recommendations, and sorry for hijacking the thread.