This next commentary game features a positional struggle involving what IM Jeremy Silman terms - usefully, I think - key "imbalances" between the sides. The opening, a Two Knights Caro-Kann, sets this up early, with Black exchanging bishop for knight on move 4. The minor piece and pawn structure imbalances are the main things both sides have to keep in mind for their strategies. It was useful to analyze their choices and see where different options might have kept more tension in the position.
Path to Chess Mastery
Training and practical concepts for the improving chessplayer
28 January 2023
Commentary: U.S. Women's Championship, Round 3 (Eswaran - Paikidze)
08 January 2023
Book completed - The Fabulous Budapest Gambit (New Edition)
The "New and Updated" (2017) edition of The Fabulous Budapest Gambit by GM Viktor Moskalenko, which I recently completed, was probably the first openings book I studied more for general chess skills benefit rather than as a deliberate addition to my openings repertoire. That said, I probably will put the knowledge to use at some point and it seems like a very interesting and at times fun opening to play.
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Table of Contents (from New in Chess site) |
- Chapter 1: 4. Bf4 (Rubinstein Variation)
- Chapter 2: 4. e4 (Alekhine System)
- Chapter 3: 4. Nf3
- Chapter 4: 4. e3 and sidelines, including the gambit declined
- Chapter 5: The Fajarowicz Gambit (3...Ne4)
The primary reasons I went through this book, first using a physical board for initial study then entering chosen lines into my repertoire database, were to get exposed to new and different ideas, along with an appreciation and enjoyment of Moskalenko's teaching style. He starts and ends each chapter and sub-part with a discussion of key ideas for both sides, annotating a selection of complete games as showcases. These include everything from classic games by early 20th century giants up to contemporary tournament and internet games.
While Moskalenko makes judgments about each line, it is deliberately not a fixed repertoire book and he encourages exploring different approaches and ideas. In that sense it is also a very practical book, not simply searching for the best theoretical line. At the same time, he does not flinch from pointing out serious difficulties and issues. The fact that he has real experience playing the opening at the tournament level is reflected in his ability to evaluate the practical chances in various lines and also present the opening as more of a living, breathing complex of ideas rather than a stale academic study.
It is important to evolve your openings repertoire over time, so that it (and you as a player) do not become stale and bored. For success in tournament play, it is also important to have more unbalanced openings in your toolkit, to be able to increase your winning chances in key situations. The surprise factor is also no joke, especially if your particular opening choice does well against "standard" or "obvious" moves played by an opponent unfamiliar with it. The Budapest Gambit appears to meet that need against 1. d4, as tactics lurk throughout it and in most lines it offers Black significant attacking chances. That said, there is still no "free lunch" and if your opponent plays solidly, as in most games of chess it will end up being your knowledge of the resulting middlegames and how to play them that determines how well you do against them.
27 December 2022
Commentary: U.S. Women's Championship 2022, Round 3 (Cervantes - Lee)
This round 3 game features a Slow Slav, which as the name implies normally does not have a lot of fireworks. However, close study reveals a game more like a stand-up boxing match, where each side jabs repeatedly at the other and looks for small openings. At first it seems that Black wants to keep the position more imbalanced to seek winning chances, then White does the same. However, White overreaches and Black had one opportunity on move 26 to win material and significantly imbalance things. After that the game heads for a draw, although the dynamic balance and a need by both sides to watch their weak points is what causes it, rather than a stagnant position.
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Evaluation generated by HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro |
26 November 2022
Commentary: U.S. Women's Championship 2022, Round 2 (Krush - Foisor)
This commentary game directly follows Eswaran - Lee from round 1 of the U.S. Women's Championship. I find it particularly valuable to look at similar but divergent games - this one again features an English with an e3/Be2 and b3/Bb2 structure against Black's Semi-Slav type setup. Black is the first to diverge from the previous game, pursuing a more assertive central strategy while White deliberately hangs back and waits to see if Black will over-commit. The conflicting central positional strategies merit close study, particularly the decisions around moves 16-20, as well as the clash of minor pieces and their exchanges. White ends up with the two bishops and eventually what could/should be a won ending, but the "all rook endings are drawn" saying again proves itself valid.
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Evaluation generated by HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro |
20 November 2022
Ronaldo v Messi: "[Chess] Victory is a state of mind"
As highlighted at Chess.com, there's a new Louis Vuitton campaign featuring Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi playing chess, with the tag line "Victory is a state of mind". Aside from the positive exposure for chess, it's good to see that they have a correctly set up board, featuring a position from a real game (Carlsen - Nakamura, Norway Chess 2017). As mentioned in "Chess imagery in popular culture" this is unfortunately rather rare; my favorite from that remains the Avengers headquarters with a colors-reversed chessboard.