You're off to a good start -- good luck tomorrow!

(And TexAg06: that was a great game, thanks for sharing.)

Good luck!

That's awesome man, I'll definitely be following the game tomorrow and pulling for you. Definitely good luck and you better give us some game analysis after this thing is over

Ty to everyone above.

I am playing pretty poorly since the return (scored 3/3 in Lithuanian Team chess league so far, but its like one game a weekend so not really a tournament), but so far have found ways to win after long huffing and puffing. That might not be enough tomorrow heh

I'll post a couple diagrams a bit later, for entertainment purposes

The one from today:



as usual I butchered the opening and have a very unpleasant position. I haven't checked with any engines, but during the game I was not too pleased. Sooooooooooo, it is time to set up a TARP!

1.. Nf6 2. Nxf5 (om nom nom nom, as expected) Bxf5 3. Rxf5 (Qxf5 was best, but black should be fine there I think after Qxb2) Ng4 surpriseeeeeeeeeeee. After Rxe3 white has Rxf6, but he missed Ng4 after which it's already pretty much 0-1.

game continued 4. a3 Qd6 (wins by force I think, Ne3 was also possible but it leads to some ending with only a pawn up so meh) 5. Rh5 Ne3 6. Qb3+ (oh noes he saves an exchange!) Kh8 7. Rd2 Rf8 8. Rf2 Qg6 white resigns because of Qxg2 Rxg2 Rf1 mate threat.

http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game...r.php?id=59918

Im black in this game, what do you guys think about it?

I tried to pull up the page to follow YKW's game but I can't seem to find it. Is anyone else having that problem? It doesn't seem like that tournament is in the live games window.

Endgame position, black to move.



What is your move and your plan?

Offer draw and save myself a lot of frustration.

Real answer: My goal is to break up white's pawns and weaken as many as I can. f5 is my first thought, but g5 works too.

Yeah, rook endgames are hard. I had some thoughts typed up, but then decided not to post because I don't really know what's best here.

I lean towards the plan opposite to what you proposed though; try to create a queenside passer instead, maybe starting with f6 to try and hold the kingside together...

Yeah, I can't figure out where YNW's live game is either. And google chrome translating his name to "Gio Fredrickas" is not helping.

I was able to find one of his games here: http://live.chessfed.lt/lsl2012/r4/tfd.htm
But it wasn't from this tournament, as far as I could tell.

Today's game is already over though, 0-1, unfortunately.

How strong was his oponent anyway? First seed from Lithuania sounds tough.

A 2450 IM, so no slouch.

Meh, tough game. Got a decent position out of the opening (funny how that happens against 2450 yet I get raped in the opening against everyone who is much lower rated ^^), then sac'ed a piece but misevaluated the consequences and got punished. Tried about a billion tricks but guy defended well

The boards were all plugged in, but after the game someone told me that there was some technical error or w/e. Probably tomorrow

To Valenzuela: he is only a top seed in this tournament, not the highest rated Lithuanian in general

will post the game at some point.

Can't believe you survived that. I love playing in such positions from the defense though, so satisfying when you don't get mated. I really feel white had to have had something, though. I was staring at move 26 for a long time, but can't come up with anything. How about on move 28, though?

28. Qxg6+! hxg6 29. Rxh8+ and
A) 29...Kf7 30. R1h7+ Ke6 31. e8=Q+ Rxe8 32. Rxe8+ and white wins
B) 29...Kg7 30. R1h7+ Kf6 31. e8=N+ Rxe8 32. Rxc7, oh 32...Re1# ruins this!! I'm doing this without moving the pieces except in my head, but there has to be something here, right? I can't make it work, so maybe black really is ok.


I'm not sure about 20...a5. Seems like you would need something quicker, but I don't know that I can find a real recommendation.

I already reviewed the game with a computer and White was like +6 at some point .
But people can tell me stuff a computer cant. I did a5 because I didnt want to lose material in that position and I didnt see a clear attack for white, it seemed to me like giving up even a pawn would allow him to win without having to finish his kingside attack succesfully while not falling behind in material forces him to find a way to break through.

Sorry to hear about the loss YKW. How'd you feel about the way you played?

So did white have some crushing blow at some point? Was I close?

Well Rybka thinks move 16 is a mistake it prefers Bxd4, I think its because Bxg7 leaves my king more exposed.( Bxd4 is -0.2 while the move I made is -0.7)
Rybka also likes my move 20 but it thinks my mistake is move 21, Rybka thinks g5 is -0.3 while the move I made its -2.20. g5 doesnt allow white h pawn to open the h-file.
White missed several oportunites after that. In the lines you propose after Kg7 the correct move is underpromoting right away and then after rook takes knight , you can make a skewer with the rook on the eight rank on h7, no need to worry about the mate because white leaves a rook on the first rank.

at quick glance, I think I like 24. Rh6

24. Rh6+

a) i) ...Kg7 25. exf6+ Kg8 26. Qg5+ leads to mate.
ii) ...Kg7 25. exf6+ Kf8 26. Rxh7 Rxh7 27. Rxh7
iii) ...Kg7 25. exf6+ Kf7 26. Rxh7+ Rxh7 27. Rxh7+ Ke8 28. f7+

b) ...Kf7 25. Rxf6+
i) ...Kg8 26. Qg5#
ii) ...Ke6 26. exd6+
iii) ...Ke8 26. exd6 and white is clearly better with Re1 coming

Wasn't too happy with it yesterday. I was happy with the effort, but some other things just weren't there (*cough calculation *cough)

Won today. Happy with the game, nothing fancy or flashy, just did my job

3/4 now, I think 6/8 would be a lock to get in to the final, quite possibly 5.5 too with good tie-breaks. So, need another 3/4, since my tie-breaks won't be good I don't think

How many players make the final?

Six from this tournament.

Do you review your oponent games on chesstempo or something or do you just go ahead and play?