Search found 2156 matches

by Alan
Fri Oct 29, 2021 12:38 am
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

I finished the 100 Endgames book, and decided that the Art of Attack book was a bit too advanced for me at the moment. My Blitz tactics rating has slowly increased. Over the past 6 months the center-point of my fluctuating rating rose from 1550 to 1600, at this point my rating is generally around 15...
by Alan
Mon Apr 26, 2021 1:33 am
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

Mostly doing the Blitz tactics on Chess Tempo and studying two books on Chessable, 100 Endgames You Must Know and The Art of Attack in Chess . My Blitz tactics rating is mostly fluctuating between 1550-1600, and my focus there is to hone my pattern recognition and improve the speed of my calculation...
by Alan
Mon Mar 08, 2021 3:59 pm
Forum: Games
Topic: Artifact 2.0 beta
Replies: 13
Views: 3357

Re: Artifact 2.0 beta

Guess it’s dead.

Too bad, I still think the fundamental structure of 1.0 was the best card game I’ve played.
by Alan
Mon Mar 08, 2021 3:58 pm
Forum: Games
Topic: Artifact 2.0 beta
Replies: 13
Views: 3357

Re: Artifact 2.0 beta

by Alan
Sat Jan 23, 2021 2:20 am
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

In the past two months or so I've noticed an evolution in the way I can see the board; rather than looking at individual pieces and what they are attacking or defending I am recognizing patterns much more frequently. I have developed a second way of solving problems; for more difficult or complex pr...
by Alan
Sun Dec 20, 2020 2:10 am
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

I have been playing 10 min Rapid games these days. The "meta" is a quite a bit different from Daily games, where you're trying to find the best move in each situation. In 10 minute chess you are: 1. Trying not to make a major blunder on your move 2. Trying to stay ahead on the clock 3. Capitalizing ...
by Alan
Tue Oct 13, 2020 7:52 pm
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

After losing my c pawn, I was in a situation where I would be at a disadvantage going into an endgame. Not only would my opponent have an extra pawn, they have a better pawn structure, and I wasn't sure how I could keep my passed d pawn. I went Rf6 on move 24 with the idea of protect it when I advan...
by Alan
Tue Oct 13, 2020 7:37 pm
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

From this position SirSchmev position4.png I wasn't sure what to do. The engine apparently thinks the best thing to do is double up the Rooks on the f file; I had looked at that but wasn't sure what I would do after that. In this kind of situation you need some kind of a plan. To figure out what pla...
by Alan
Tue Oct 13, 2020 7:18 pm
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

My next game was against the Sicilian. I played the King's Indian Attack, but on move 5 my opponent surprised me with 5. ...g5. SirSchmev position1.png I had never heard of that being played against the KIA, where the main plan is for White to attack on the Kingside. I thought that it was likely tha...
by Alan
Tue Oct 13, 2020 6:57 pm
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

Two interesting games for totally different reasons. I played the Evans Gambit in this Daily game. sickcoyote position1.png Up until Black's move 9 we were playing one of the main lines, I think at that point my opponent was no longer sure what to do. The most common move in this position is 9. ...N...
by Alan
Sat Oct 03, 2020 12:45 am
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

Stats as of today:

Daily
Rating: 1193
Record: 21-1-1

Rapid
Rating: 1035
Record: 6-3

Blitz
Rating: 751
Record: 7-7
by Alan
Sat Oct 03, 2020 12:38 am
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

Against everything other than 1. e4 as Black I play the King's Indian Defense. Actually I could basically play the King's Indian Defense against 1. e4 as well if I start with 1. ...d6 (it is then called the Pirc Defense ) but it has the same set up as the KID. The nice thing about having the KID and...
by Alan
Sat Oct 03, 2020 12:32 am
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

As Black against 1. e4 I play the Scandinavian . This ensures that I will be playing the game on my terms with an opening that I understand and my opponent may not. The only good response to 1. ...d5 is to play 2. exd5 as White. Everything else gives Black an advantage within the first 2 moves. Thes...
by Alan
Fri Oct 02, 2020 11:48 pm
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

I have settled on an opening repertoire. As White I play 1. e4. If Black cooperates I prefer to play the Italian, and my response if they mirror me is the Evans Gambit , where I gambit my b pawn in order to speed up development. If they allow me to play the Italian but don't mirror me, then I strike...
by Alan
Fri Sep 11, 2020 12:55 am
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

In that other Rapid game, a few moves before winning the Queen I actually had another sneaky tactic available. On move 9 I could have left my Knight apparently undefended and played 9. Re1. If my opponent then played 9. ...Qxe5 I would have 10. Bb5+ with a discovered attack on their Queen, effective...
by Alan
Fri Sep 11, 2020 12:22 am
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

I had a pretty good advantage out of the opening in this Rapid 15+10 game, but panicked on move 14. DmitriyKiev1 position 1.png My Queen and Rook were forked! According to the engine I'm actually in excellent shape and have a large advantage. The most straightforward thing to do would have been to ...
by Alan
Fri Sep 11, 2020 12:19 am
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

I won my most recent Rapid game . My opponent played the Scandinavian Defense , replying to 1. e4 with 1. ...d5. The point of this opening is to interfere with White's plan to establish a strong center, but by bringing the Queen out so early (after 2. exd5 Qxd5) the Queen is forced to retreat after ...
by Alan
Thu Sep 10, 2020 11:28 pm
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

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mqsret16.gif (199.31 KiB) Viewed 6453 times
by Alan
Thu Sep 10, 2020 11:27 pm
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

In this Daily game I was put under heavy pressure in the opening. I play the King's Indian Defense against 1. d4 as Black, but this game transposed into what is apparently called the Pirc Defense - Austrian Attack . The Pirc is actually an 1. e4 defense that leads to a similar set up to the King's I...
by Alan
Thu Sep 10, 2020 10:51 pm
Forum: Games
Topic: Chess
Replies: 39
Views: 11595

Re: Chess

I had a pretty good advantage out of the opening in this Rapid 15+10 game, but panicked on move 14. DmitriyKiev1 position 1.png My Queen and Rook were forked! According to the engine I'm actually in excellent shape and have a large advantage. The most straightforward thing to do would have been to j...