Where is Nezh

http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game...r.php?id=40190

My thoughts, non-computer aided so they may be awful, in spoilers below:

Computer just showed me how I could have still kept the game fairly equal with my 20th move. Grr.

That's it. I didn't notice the move you suggested because I didn't notice the second thing you said.

I've missed very similar saves in other games in the past. Big blind spot.

Wow.

Just had such a frustrating moment in a correspondance game right now. Played it badly but then somehow got to this position with him to move.



I assume it'll play out with him playing f6, me replying Qxf6 then he plays Qxc5+ I play Kh1 and I just win. Anyway.. I come back this morning and he's played Qxc5+ instead of f6 but in my infinate wisdom I just bash out Kh1 and nearly break my laptop in disgust.

Seriously wtf.

I didnt even look at the board.

You are probably still winning after it, but e5 just has to be the main move in your head, not f6..

1.Rxd8+ Bxd8 2.Qxe5 f6 3.Qe6+ Kh8 4.Qf7 and then he cant stop the mate either I think

Well yeah, but just in general, e5 is tougher defense than f6, so it should be your first consideration

I've played the Black side of the Ruy Lopez almost exclusively for 10 years and I still can't figure out how Black is meant to win.

If you look at games won by Shirov or someone with it, the common themes are something like:
1. 20 moves of theory, usually following a game Shirov lost the previous month
2. Shirov plays a dubious looking novelty on move 21
3. White wins a pawn (usually the b, d or e pawn, but there's no real pattern) for practically no compensation on move 24. It's a stretch even to call it a pawn sacrifice.
4, Black somehow gets some active piece play on move 29, but it still looks barely enough for the pawn
5. White thinks he's still better and overpresses and loses, or Shirov outplays him in an endgame with equal chances.

My won games mostly look the same Honestly I couldn't tell you the main plans for Black in this opening.

What does it say about me as a chess player that I love playing this guy? He does this to me every time. Through 10 moves, I feel like I'm holding my own. Sometime around move 15 or 20 I suddenly realize that I've got a bit of a worry but I have a decent chance to hang on and diffuse the pressure. Two moves later, he comes up with a spectacular mate and I'm toast.



http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game...r.php?id=40235

I just love Chucky.

The following position is from his Gibraltar round 4 game against GM Erdös:



White to make his 40th move.

Solution inside:

First move I looked at when I saw the positon funnily enough lol. Doubt I'd have the balls to play it in anything but a mess about match though.

On Saturday, there's finally going to be a cheap one-day tournament near me coinciding with a weekend I can take off.

I'm about 90% sure I'm going, but I'm waffling for a very bad reason: I don't want to lose all day.

It's a small tourney, looks like they can expect between 20-30 people. 4-round swiss, one section. Judging from the turnout they've had for similar events in the past, I'm looking at the following tournament:

Loss to player rated 600 points above me, loss to player rated 400 points above me, bye (maybe the bye comes a round earlier, but I'm likely to be among the lowest-rated players there and in serious bye danger), a single game against a player rated 100-300 points above me that is my only chance for a result.

Plus, with my rating still early in the provisional stages, the 0.0/4 will really give me a dip and I'd have to live with the ignominy of a 3-digit rating for awhile.

On the other hand, I should get a ton out of this:

1) I don't think it's completely out of the question that I scrape a big upset somewhere in those early rounds. I've been working hard, and even players 500 points above me are in the "can occassionally blunder a game" level.

2) Chess is fun! I usually have a good time even if I get smoked by a better player.

3) I want to get into the habit of playing rated tournaments 3-4 times a year, at least. It's been since Thanksgiving since my last one. Even besides the fun, the more experience I get playing rated OTB tournament games, the better. It's a whole different world than internet chess.

Basically, I need a pep talk to keep me from wussing out here, guys!

Man,

I really really wish there were tournaments anywhere near me, and if I had a chance to go play a live rated tourney without significant travel I'd do it in a heartbeat. Haven't gotten that opportunity in years. WTF are you waffling about? Just go out there and beat some fools and your rating will spike!

Same as BJJ. Just be glad you have the live tournaments to play in

unsure of why cadaz thinks there are no live tournaments in Finland

Kyle, you wouldn't happen to live in Dallas area would you?

Feel free to send me information. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places

'fraid not. Hannibal, Mo.

pretty bad beat for Nigel Short not to win the Gibraltar Masters with 8,5/10. Kudos to Ivanchuk, "if they don't let me play with the big kids at wijk i'll beat up some smaller ones" must have been his thought process. His performance rating is close to 3000 ELO.

When Chucky gets in to one of his zones, there is really not much his opponents can do, even the ones of the highest caliber.. Short had a fantastic tournament too, I thought he might do well before the start, but boy, I totally was not expecting such performance

looks like Nisipeanu watched that game too.

This is Nisipeanu - Kanep from Gibraltar, round 10:


There followed:
70. Bxb5! cxb5 71. c6 Qc7 72. Qd3 Qb8 73. Rc2 Kc7 74.
Bc5 Rh7 75. Rxh7+ Nxh7 76. Qd4 Re8 77. Ba7 Qa8 78. Qb6+ 1-0

Sure sucks to lose like that after shuffling pieces around for hours...

Hypothetical:

1800 player vs a 2400 player

1800 player has:
White
3 hrs on chess clock

2400 player:
Black
3 hrs on chess clock
Must take a shot of absynthe every time one of his pieces is captured.


The 1800 player is knowledge on the effects of alcohol and knows to stall a bit to let it soak into the 2400's bloodstream and play for trades, etc.


Who is a favorite? %'s?

NM, I have no idea how much alcohol that is.