Back on the battlefield
I've been back in the saddle for about a week. Surprisingly, the time off didn't seem to adversely affect my chess. I'm doing pretty well on the Chess Tutor, learning lots of new stuff with each module (for instance, pawn endgames, which is a weakness of mine). I've also been having lots of fun playing online (still mostly at Playsite).
A friend from San Diego (now Oregon) and I have been playing a couple of times a week. It is a lot of fun, as we are pretty evenly matched. We play untimed games so we can chat and have fun while playing. Games like this make all this crazy practice worthwhile. Also, I finally beat a 1200+ player for the first time at ICC. In all fairness, he should have had me: he missed a mate in one, but I'll take wins any way I can get 'em!
It's good to be back. To blogging, that is. My trip to Brazil was cancelled, for annoying reasons I don't even want to go into because I'll just get extraordinarily pissed off.
A friend from San Diego (now Oregon) and I have been playing a couple of times a week. It is a lot of fun, as we are pretty evenly matched. We play untimed games so we can chat and have fun while playing. Games like this make all this crazy practice worthwhile. Also, I finally beat a 1200+ player for the first time at ICC. In all fairness, he should have had me: he missed a mate in one, but I'll take wins any way I can get 'em!
It's good to be back. To blogging, that is. My trip to Brazil was cancelled, for annoying reasons I don't even want to go into because I'll just get extraordinarily pissed off.
posted by Blue Devil Knight at 12/13/2005 09:17:00 PM
5 Comments:
Welcome back.
About "all fairness, he should have had me:"... that's Caissa for you. I feel that my blitz rating is inflated due to similar situations that regularly crop up. It's taught me that when your opponent has the advantage, good play still can make the difference when those inadvertent gifts fall in your lap.
Congratulations on your win. It's always nice to beat someone higher rated. Hopefully, soon, you'll be able to add 1300, 1400, 1500, etc. to your list!
Had you a chance to look at that opening book that you bought? If so what did you think?
Tak, I like it (especially since I got it for like $3). I have always been a fan of those 'programmed learning' type books, and openings seem particularly well-suited. The only complaint I have I have against all opening books I have seen: doesn't consider responses to off-book lines that crappy people play. IF there is a book that considers such lines, I'd love to see it.
The one book that does go into amateurish openings is 'Chess Master versus Chess Amateur', which someone here recommended to me (I think PawnSensei). However, it is full game analysis: someone could make some dough going over refutations of common patzer openings!
Hey BD,
Congrats on your first 1200 scalp.
Don't waste your time studying bad moves. Knowing what to do in those situations comes with experience. At your level you should concentrate on avoiding immediate blunders and taking advantage of one to two move tactical shots if you see any. Looking for traps comes much, much later. Even if your opponent makes a bad opening move, if you don't see any immediate material gains, just continue with your development. If you can do this every game you'll be at 1400 in no time.
PS
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