Smack my bishop (into shape!) - The training log

Lucena

Well, end of the season already! Played our last league match today, it was basically a dead rubber as we were safe from relegation and out of the running for promotion, so it was nice to be able to just play, no pressure for a result.

Nice long game which ended in a two rooks and four pawns v two rooks and four pawns with end up as a draw. Felt nice that the last game of the season was a hard-fought affair that went to the very end. Also my game was the last to finish, so lots of people around the board watching. I just love an audience!

In other news my rating is now back up to 1691, so compared to when I started this training log, not much difference! Still, happy enough with the fact that I'm getting through roughly a chapter a week of Yusupov. Currently on chapter 19 of the 2nd book, hopefully finish the book by the end of April.

Lucena

Played in another giant Swiss system Open last weekend. Getting sick of these to be honest, too much of a difference in strength between players, especially for players ranked in the middle.

R1: Lost v 2362
R2: Won v unrated player in ten moves or so after he fell for a well-known trap in the Advance French. A 3-hour return trip to play 10 minutes of chess, yeah!!!!
R3: Lost v 2042
R4: Won v 1451
R5: Lost v 2000
R6: Won v 1591. In fairness, there was a bit of play in this one, so one interesting game in the tournament.
R7: Lost v 2080

French organisers don't seem to be aware that there are other ways of organising a tournament than a Swiss pairing system. So I've decided I'm going to stop playing in these, there's just too much time and money going into these tournaments and I'm not enjoying them. It's also very difficult to tell if I'm progressing or not, which would be easier if I played players within 200 points or so of my rating. I'm very tempted by a future e2e4 event, possible the one at the end of October.

In other news, I'm now up to 1695 elo and am on Chapter 23 of Yusupov's 2nd book, should finish it this weekend!

Lucena

Finished Chapter 24 this afternoon, just the final test left and I'll have finished the second book!

sinbad68

Lucena wrote: »

R1: Lost v 2362

You sure he was rated 2362 and NOT 2091?

Lucena

For rating calculation purposes, the maximum gap between players is 400 points, so seeing as I was 1691, my opponent was considered to be a 2091, even though his real rating was 2362.

Lucena

A game I played in the local individual league (Div 1):

https://www.chess.com/blog/Binouzenours/relegation-battle---second-last-game

sinbad68

Lucena wrote: »

A game I played in the local individual league (Div 1):

https://www.chess.com/blog/Binouzenours/relegation-battle---second-last-game

1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4... then you say

You know what's great about this opening? No-one knows it, they're scrabbling around in the dark, whereas I've a rough idea what to do.

Strange comment, as four knights Italian game is a very common opening and Not particularly good for your side ( white) .

Lucena

I've only been playing it for a short while, but most opponents don't really seem to know it very well. On the internet, there's either a pause after the second knight comes out and/or they play substandard responses. Over the board it has been the same, so until I reach 2300 (!), I might stick with it.

Lucena

Playing a 5-round weekender starting tomorrow afternoon. Once again it's with Swiss pairings, but as it's limited to under 2200s hopefully the opponents will be of similar-ish strength to myself. Based on players already signed up I'm 15th out of a field of 44, so a win-loss-win-loss-win cycle is fairly likely. Hopefully can break that cycle by beating a stronger opponent at some stage.

With all the work I've been putting in on tactics and Yusupov, I feel I'm on the cusp of a breakthrough, although more realistically I'll probably grind out decent results and gain a few points in every tournament as opposed to suddenly turning into Tal and gaining 50 points overnight!

Anyway, for no reason other than the fact that I felt like it, here's some (French) music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV65tWCZALI

sinbad68

Lucena wrote: »

I've only been playing it for a short while, but most opponents don't really seem to know it very well. On the internet, there's either a pause after the second knight comes out and/or they play substandard responses. Over the board it has been the same, so until I reach 2300 (!), I might stick with it.

I play the two knight defence against the Italian game and come across this opening numerous times, The opening is itself is regarded as substandard by some top players and doesn't score very well for white on data base,It is simple and uncomplicated and definitely NOT a secret weapon as you have made it out to be, and Just because opponent pauses,.... it doesn't mean he doesn't know what to do, he may just be considering his options, I regularly haves pauses in lines I know well so that my opponent thinks I don't know the line well and he may try something dodgy.

Lucena

Yeah, it's not the most dynamic of openings, and certainly not the most commonly played at the top level. Still, if Bronstein or Larsen can play it, it'll do me, for the time being at least.

To be honest, before this I used to just wing it against whatever came up, so this is definitely an improvement.

What line do you play yourself, sinbad68?

Lucena

Resultswise, everything went as expected today.

Round 1: Win as White against a 1210
Round 2: Loss as Black against a 1880

Playing a 1450 as White tomorrow, should win that and then hopefully try to get something out of the 4th game to break the cycle.

Lucena

Lucky to win the third game. Made a bags of the opening, going two pawns down for next to no compensation, other than having my opponent's king still in the centre. He didn't manage to castle, I threw all my pieces at him and luckily I was able to take advantage of some tactical possibilities.

I shouldn't be making things this hard for myself against weaker opposition.

Lucena

Round 4: Draw with the black pieces against a 1835
Round 5: Draw with the white pieces against a 1676

Gained a whopping 2.6 rating points! In a way, I'm happy enough with my performance, I felt tired throughout the tournament but still managed to play ok, and fight my way back into games where I was doing badly. So while I didn't increase my rating much, I managed to avoid losing a lot of points.

I know I keep saying this, but I really need to turn up at these tournaments better rested!

sinbad68

Lucena wrote: »

What line do you play yourself, sinbad68?

You don't really expect me to reveal my secret weapons in public ?

Lucena wrote: »

Round 4: Draw with the black pieces against a 1835
Round 5: Draw with the white pieces against a 1676

Gained a whopping 2.6 rating points! In a way, I'm happy enough with my performance, I felt tired throughout the tournament but still managed to play ok, and fight my way back into games where I was doing badly. So while I didn't increase my rating much, I managed to avoid losing a lot of points.

I know I keep saying this, but I really need to turn up at these tournaments better rested!

Your posts would be more interesting if they contained interesting incidences or games you played, otherwise just posting I went up 3 points in this round and lost 5 in that round doesn't do anything for anyone here, why should people be interested in a round by round rating change in an anonymous poster living overseas ? .

Lucena

Kind of doing it for myself, mostly. I will stick up some of the games during the week, probably starting with my tactical masterpiece from round 3.

Betcha can't wait.

Valmont

Yes, I second that complaint give us the notation or at least a picture. Otherwise all people have to read are my hideous games!

Lucena

Ok, here's my third round victory from last weekend. I don't know whether to be ashamed of the opening or proud of not missing an opportunity to come back into the game.

https://www.chess.com/blog/Binouzenours/1480

Lucena

Yeah! Just finished the 2nd Yusupov book, having failed none of the chapters. I am a chess god!:D

My Fide rating has also risen by almost 30 points in the last 3 months, so up to 1710, a mere 21 points from my all time best. Hopefully it's onwards and upwards.

To celebrate finishing the 2nd Yusupov book, I'd love to buy ye all a pint, but unfortunately this is the internet, so I can't, so you'll just have to make do with this lovely tune:

Valmont

Great game, Lucena. I think black must've started resting on his laurels a little too early given the big advantage.

Lucena

Well, another season over and I'm now basking in the glory of my 1698 rating. Not an iota of improvement in my rating over the last two years.

I have a confession to make though, and this might go some way to explaining my lack of progress. I AM CRAP AT OPENINGS!

I've been playing 1. e4 for the last 15 years (gulp!), and here's the list of openings where I more or less know what I'm going:

Sicilian
French
Caro Kann (ish)

That's it, three openings

Here's the list of openings where I don't really know what I'm doing, otherwise known as the 'ah, sure I'll wing it!" list:

1...e5
Petroff
Scandinavian
Philidor
Alekhine
Pirc
Modern
Latvian Gambit
Elephant Gambit
1...b6
1...Nc6

That's a long list. I've never looked through my database of my own games to see what my stats are, but I know that when most of these openings appear, my heart sinks, especially against the Scando and the Alekhine.

But fear not, help is at hand:

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/1/209/playing_1e4_-_caro-kann_1e5_and_minor_lines_by_john_shaw/

Picked up this beaut a couple of weeks back, which coincidentally covers most of my wing-it openings and am working on my repertoire using the following method. I play a Lichess tournament once a week at 10min/game, which gives me 5 whites. When an opening is played, I look up what I should have played and add it to the database.

The main openings covered by the book are the Caro, and against 1...e5, the Scotch. Sinbad'll be happy, I'm playing a proper opening! Which also appears to have the benefit of being less well-known, judging by some of the dodgy responses from my opponents.

So there you have it, success guaranteed this season! :cool: