The Smell of Blood
Experts are human. I've played against two in tournament chess, so far, and I can say that, indeed, experts are human. I have lost both my games against the experts I played, but in the first one I was almost able to hang on to a gambitted pawn.
Almost.
In my second game, Silman's idea of imbalances really started to solidify itself in my mind when my opponent almost went pawn chasing and almost suffered what would probably have been a fatal kingside attack.
Almost.
Then, I watched another Class C player in my last tournament defeat not one, but two (!) experts in the same match. And...get this...in one of those games all of us kibbitzers (which included an expert), as well as the expert this Class C player was facing, mis-evaluated the ending that played out. It looked like surely the Class C player would lose with a bishop and pawns vs. rook and pawns. He proved us all wrong.
So, experts are human...and I think I smell blood.
Almost.
In my second game, Silman's idea of imbalances really started to solidify itself in my mind when my opponent almost went pawn chasing and almost suffered what would probably have been a fatal kingside attack.
Almost.
Then, I watched another Class C player in my last tournament defeat not one, but two (!) experts in the same match. And...get this...in one of those games all of us kibbitzers (which included an expert), as well as the expert this Class C player was facing, mis-evaluated the ending that played out. It looked like surely the Class C player would lose with a bishop and pawns vs. rook and pawns. He proved us all wrong.
So, experts are human...and I think I smell blood.
posted by CelticDeath at 2:14 PM
8 Comments:
CD,
I made a comment on Pawn Sensei's blog about memorizing games.
Maybe it is interesting for you.
Once you've tasted blood, there is no turning back. Beware. Congrats on your rating increase by the way and your fine showing at the tournament.
What was your big success game?
can you describe it (all the moves)
or maybe your most succesfull tactical move?
I wonder how you play, with what openings etc..
sorry I deleted your comment on my blog I've deleted it all by accident. I've made a new one now.
This weekend, I will try to post all the games. My most successful game where I had to use tactics was the one vs. the 1440 player. He moved a rook to a6 where it was inadequately protected by a pawn on b7. a6 was under attack by my queen. The pawn b7 was protected by a knight on d8. My knight took the pawn on b7, removing the rook's pawn protection, and now that knight attacked his queen on c5. Now, his best move would have been to take my knight with his knight, where my queen would then take his rook, and I would be up the exchange. Instead, he moved his rook, and I took his queen. Game over.
You'll be able to get a flavor for my openings when I post the games. Note that it's not the choice of opening itself that wins the game at our level, its usually tactics and strategy. I don't know most of my openings past the 5th or 6th move.
Hey CD, I would like to humbly disagree somewhat with your last post. I agree that the opening isn't that important but it is important to pick an opening that matches the style of play of the beginner.
Some people like gambits, which are unsound (I don't remember if it was tactically or positionally) but work wonders at opening up the center. Other's, like myself, like playing a more closed game therefore king safety is a priority.
The main thing for a beginner is to stick to one opening and two defenses (queen pawn, and king pawn) and to keep in mind what they are trying to accomplish with each game. If I hadn't stuck to the same opening for the last three months I wouldn't have gotten the same insights into the tactical possibilities that arrise from the different pawn structures of my opening.
Anyway, enough of my rambling. Again, just my 2 cents.
PS
PS, I wasn't trying to indicate that the choice of opening isn't important as far as personal style goes. We all have our preferences. What I was trying to say was that it wasn't my choice in opening that helped me win the games that I won.
Oh....my bad! See I just wasted all that time going down the wrong path again. Doh!
PS
I asked once a Dutch grandmaster what he thinks of agressive openings for beginners. He said: that it was the best because you learn to be inventive and creative,
"to fool around" and it is the best to develop your tactic skills
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