This week my rating in chess.com is still fluctuating around 800-900 level, but I stop dipping down to the 700 level. I can easily beat any 500-600 level players and stand a good chance playing against 900-1000 level players if I did not make any blunders. In number of times, I have material lead in mid game but lost a major piece making a obviously stupid move.
I found studying the chess game of Grant Master Kasparov really improve my chess skill. It is an eye opening observing how the grand master plays. I learn a few things in due process. The number one lesson I had learn is when I have material advantage, I should patiently exchange pieces one at a time, don’t rush for checking that will not force a mate or it will end up destroying my formation. Advance the pieces by marching them slowly, make sure every piece is protected by another piece with the chain of defense starts at the King protecting the pawn. Beginner usually thinks an attack is an attack on a piece, but I start thinking attack in terms attacking empty squares to limit how the opponent can move his piece.
I played against a stronger player in this game and I won. Comparing this game to the last game I analyzed, I can see my improvement.
[pgn]
[Event “Live Chess”]
[Site “Chess.com”]
[Date “2010.08.14”]
[White “hevangel”]
[Black “ali79”]
[Result “1-0”]
[WhiteElo “832”]
[BlackElo “912”]
[TimeControl “10|0”]
[Termination “hevangel won by checkmate”]
1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 f6 3.Nf3 Qb6 4.d4 Qb4 5.a3 Qa5 6.Bd2 Qb6 7.b4 g5 8.Be3 g4 9.Na4 Qc7 10.Nd2 d6
11.Be2 h5 12.f3 b5 13.Nc3 Bh6 14.Bxh6 Rxh6 15.fxg4 hxg4 16.Bxg4 Bxg4 17.Qxg4 Rh8 18.O-O-O Kd8 19.Nb3 Qb7 20.e5 Qa6
21.Kb2 Nh6 22.Qh5 fxe5 23.dxe5 Qc8 24.exd6 Nd7 25.Rhe1 exd6 26.Rxd6 Qc7 27.Rxh6 Nf6 28.Qh4 Rf8 29.Rxf6 Kd7 30.Ref1 Rfe8
31.Rf7+ Re7 32.Rxe7+ Kd6 33.Rxc7 Kxc7 34.Rf7+ Kb6 35.Nc5 a6 36.Qh7 Ra7 37.Rxa7 a5 38.Qb7# 1-0
[/pgn]
1.e4 c6
I always use king-pawn opening. I will master this opening before I try other opening style. Black response with Caro-Kann defense.
2.Nc3 f6
I protect my prawn with queen-side knight. The standard response should be march queen-pawn. He advance the king-bishop-pawn for no reason.
3.Nf3 Qb6
I mobilize the other knight. Black move the queen to add my king-bishop-pawn. After many losses, I think I finally learn how to deal with queen’s attack by setting up traps.
4.d4 Qb4
Advance the queen-pawn to block black queen’s attack and black queen move again to skewer my knight.
5.a3 Qa5
I can’t move the bishop to block the skewer yet or I will leave the b2-pawn defenseless. I need to chase the queen away with the a2-pawn. Queen moves but stay in the diagonal.
6.Bd2 Qb6
I move the bishop to protect the king and prepare for a discover attack. The black queen is being chased around. He is losing tempo keep moving the queens when I slowly develop to castle
7.b4 g5
b2-pawn is under attack, march it forward to get protection from the queen-rook-pawn. Black is developing on the right, I think he wants to mobilize his king-bishop.
8.Be3 g4
I move the bishop to prepare for another discover attack on the queen. Black falls for the trap and march the pawn to threaten my knight. A lone marching is useless.
9.Na4 Qc7
Computer analysis think I should move king-knight to h4, but instead I chase the queen away with the queen-knight.
10.Nd2 d6
I retreat the knight from the pawn. Black advance the queen-pawn and block the queen. Advancing the pawn to d5 is a better move.
11.Be2 h5
I move the bishop to attack the lone pawn. Black back it up with the rook pawn.
12.f3 b5
I throw in the king-bishop-pawn. Black march the queen-knight-pawn to threaten my knight.
13.Nc3 Bh6
I retreat the knight, black wants to exchange the dark-square bishop.
14.Bxh6 Rxh6
Since no piece can protect my bishop, I accept the exchange. Computer analyze suggest march the king-bishop-pawn to protect the bishop, but I am not very convinced. I expect him to develop the knight which will protect the g4 pawn, but he use the rook instead.
15.fxg4 hxg4
Since g4 pawn is under protected, I started the exchange.
16.Bxg4 Bxg4
Continue the exchange.
17.Qxg4 Rh8
I finish the exchange and my queen has an eye on the black knight. Black retreat the rook to protect the knight. It is better to use the king instead. Remember, the king should be at the end of the chain of defense.
18.O-O-O Kd8
I castle to the left and black move the king. I should have move the queen to g7 and take the rook. Black should move the knight to chase my queen instead.
19.Nb3 Qb7
I move the knight to build up the defense for my king. Black move the queen to the left, probably want to attack my king from the left.
20.e5 Qa6
I thought for quite some time to design which pawn to march. I guess I should just take the free knight (or rook) instead.
21.Kb2 Nh6
Move Knight to guard a4 square. King is protected by the two knights. Black finally chase my queen away.
22.Qh5 fxe5
I move my queen to pin his knight against the rook. Black takes my middle pawn
23.dxe5 Qc8
I retake his pawn. Black wants put his queen to use on the right side.
24.exd6 Nd7
I prepare for a discover check, black move a knight to block the way.
25.Rhe1 exd6
Exchange pawn
26.Rxd6 Qc7
Take the pawn with rook. Black queen try to chase my rook with the queen and let me take the unprotected knight.
27.Rxh6 Nf6
Prepare for the rook trade. Black keep chasing my queen with his knight.
28.Qh4 Rf8
I move queen to pin his knight against his king.
29.Rxf6 Kd7
I propose a rook trade. Black move the king
30.Ref1 Rfe8
The black queen is skewered, I should trade the queen instead.
31.Rf7+ Re7
I line up the rook, but I missed a force mate.
32.Rxe7+ Kd6
I took another rook. Black is pretty much done.
33.Rxc7 Kxc7 34.Rf7+ Kb6 35.Nc5 a6 36.Qh7 Ra7 37.Rxa7 a5 38.Qb7# 1-0
The rest of the game is just the painful dead of black. However I missed so many force mate opportunities. I need to work on learn how spot force mates.
