Played a chess-dad today. It's his frist tournament. He is a very sweet guy with two really cool kids: Ryan and Daniel. Both are on their way to being great chess players. It was quite a fight.
Wow, this looks like a game from the romantic era of chess. I rather like it. 4...Bb4 is a much undervalued move these days, very old school. There are some obvious flaws. Even La Bourdonnais had a bit more respect for material.
Good to get your first win of the event. Hopefully this is the first of a string of wins :)
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Yes, 4...Bb4 is fine if followed up correctly. Also, 4...exd4 5. Nxd4 Bc5 followed by quick castling for Black is a safe and solid way to play.
6...Na5, maybe not the best place for the Knight as it did become a bit awkward and stayed on the side of the board as a spectator for quite a while. Instead maybe 6...Ne7 when the Knight will go from Ne7-g6 and then maybe hop into the f4 square at some point.
9...Bd7 is fine. However, there is an interesting positionally minded idea here. To play 9...b6 and then play Na5-b7-c5 when the Knight goes from being a spectator to a monster on the c5 square exerting pressure on the e4 pawn which White will always have to be concerned with.
18...Nxc4 is a tactical mistake, at first it looks like a great move exploiting the overworked Bishop on c1. However, you should always look for creative ways for your opponent to solve problems you pose for them. In this case the opponent has 19. Qe2! attacking both of your "loose" Knights which do not have defenders as well as removing the Queen being attacked. Impressive to see the chess dad find this idea. His kids have trained him well! haha
23...Nb5 is a slight mistake as White could have played 24. Rxb5 Bxb5 25 Qxb5 getting two minor pieces for a Rook. Instead you should have gone for 23...Nxc2! 24. Qxc2 Ba4 when you will get the Rook AND a pawn for the two minor pieces so this is an improved version for you.
24...Nd4 is a star move! The Knight is a monster on the central outpost square where it hits f3, b3, and c2.
43...Qb2 is a game losing mistake which luckily the opponent did not find. When you play this move you have to first calculate what happens if 44. Qxb2 Rxb2 45. c7 when d6-d7 follows next and Black is dropping serious material. It is important to calculate concrete forcing variations like this in your head before actually making a committal move like this. Then once you realize that White is forcing a touchdown with one of his pawns you will reject this candidate move and then find something like 43...Qb6 which preventing White from having time for 44. c7 due to 44...Qxd4!
45...Re4, another move which could cost the game as after 46. Rxe4 fxe4 47. Qxe4 there is no way to stop c6-c7 in combination with d6-d7. Before playing a move like this you need to make 100% sure that you can guarantee a stoppage of these pawns from running down the board and here it is not possible. Instead here you must counterattack with 45...Re2 making serious threats on the White Knight to not give time to White to roll the pawns down the board.
49...e3, a great move, stealing the initiative out of the opponent's hands. OUCH! Now your pawn becomes the one which will promote himself to royalty!
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This really was a hard fought back and forth game. I liked at the end how it was an epic pawn race with both sides hoping to get to the promotion square first. And you did very well to seize your opportunity when it was given to you with 49...e3 turning the tables. Sometimes one mistake like that is all it takes to flip the script.
Wow, this looks like a game from the romantic era of chess. I rather like it. 4...Bb4 is a much undervalued move these days, very old school. There are some obvious flaws. Even La Bourdonnais had a bit more respect for material.
ReplyDeleteGood to get your first win of the event. Hopefully this is the first of a string of wins :)
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Yes, 4...Bb4 is fine if followed up correctly. Also, 4...exd4 5. Nxd4 Bc5 followed by quick castling for Black is a safe and solid way to play.
6...Na5, maybe not the best place for the Knight as it did become a bit awkward and stayed on the side of the board as a spectator for quite a while. Instead maybe 6...Ne7 when the Knight will go from Ne7-g6 and then maybe hop into the f4 square at some point.
9...Bd7 is fine. However, there is an interesting positionally minded idea here. To play 9...b6 and then play Na5-b7-c5 when the Knight goes from being a spectator to a monster on the c5 square exerting pressure on the e4 pawn which White will always have to be concerned with.
18...Nxc4 is a tactical mistake, at first it looks like a great move exploiting the overworked Bishop on c1. However, you should always look for creative ways for your opponent to solve problems you pose for them. In this case the opponent has 19. Qe2! attacking both of your "loose" Knights which do not have defenders as well as removing the Queen being attacked. Impressive to see the chess dad find this idea. His kids have trained him well! haha
23...Nb5 is a slight mistake as White could have played 24. Rxb5 Bxb5 25 Qxb5 getting two minor pieces for a Rook. Instead you should have gone for 23...Nxc2! 24. Qxc2 Ba4 when you will get the Rook AND a pawn for the two minor pieces so this is an improved version for you.
24...Nd4 is a star move! The Knight is a monster on the central outpost square where it hits f3, b3, and c2.
43...Qb2 is a game losing mistake which luckily the opponent did not find. When you play this move you have to first calculate what happens if 44. Qxb2 Rxb2 45. c7 when d6-d7 follows next and Black is dropping serious material. It is important to calculate concrete forcing variations like this in your head before actually making a committal move like this. Then once you realize that White is forcing a touchdown with one of his pawns you will reject this candidate move and then find something like 43...Qb6 which preventing White from having time for 44. c7 due to 44...Qxd4!
45...Re4, another move which could cost the game as after 46. Rxe4 fxe4 47. Qxe4 there is no way to stop c6-c7 in combination with d6-d7. Before playing a move like this you need to make 100% sure that you can guarantee a stoppage of these pawns from running down the board and here it is not possible. Instead here you must counterattack with 45...Re2 making serious threats on the White Knight to not give time to White to roll the pawns down the board.
49...e3, a great move, stealing the initiative out of the opponent's hands. OUCH! Now your pawn becomes the one which will promote himself to royalty!
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This really was a hard fought back and forth game. I liked at the end how it was an epic pawn race with both sides hoping to get to the promotion square first. And you did very well to seize your opportunity when it was given to you with 49...e3 turning the tables. Sometimes one mistake like that is all it takes to flip the script.