Everything in its right place

The move that brought me to my record high

2011-09-23T17:26:00.001+03:00

Once again one my opponents played the dubious Bf5?! after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3. And once again 4.Qb3! refutes this as far as I understand.

Couple of moves later we reach this position on the picture and his bishop is threatening my queen. I was happy to find the winner. In fact I seem to remember this from some previous game where the same tactic endured. So this time around everything was at its right place.

White to move

What is the winner?

When your friend pushes you into right direction

2011-08-17T07:08:00.001+03:00

I’ve been nagged by my lousy tactics by a friend in FICS so I spent some days at chess.ermrald.net trying to improve. Here’s a position from recent blitz game against 1458 player where he had major tactical oversight with ..Qb6. I am sure the hours spent on tactics helped here to see the oversight. Actually I saw the possibility even before black move and kept summoning (shouting aloud) the possibility to play it.

White to move.

That’s the way – aha aha

2011-07-27T16:55:00.002+03:00

White to move

Here’s pretty neat and unorthodox mate in three for you to solve.

Everything was right in the position but…

2011-07-23T06:55:00.003+03:00

Black to move

Here I have penetrated white position with doom hanging over whites king. This was from chess.com 60 30 game. I saw the right idea but executed the combination the wrong way. Do you see the right order to execute the threat of mate and capturing the queen? (Stop here if you want to work it out.)

I played Qa1+ when after Kd2 Bb4+?? is serious mistake as Rxa1 Bxc3+ Kxc3 I essentially sacrifice a bishop for nothing. So instead of BB4+ I just have to retreat the queen.

Yet more excellent coverage

2011-07-23T06:37:00.001+03:00

Before we get back to the key moments in my recent slow time control games I wanted to let you know in the case you missed excellent coverage of Biel tournament on excellent Chessbases youtube channel. Here example of Alexei Shirov and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave going at their game with lot of insights.

Wrap it up

2011-07-22T17:13:00.001+03:00

White to move

This is from very nice 60 30 game against Amneziya on Chess.com. It was a roller coaster where I was already winning but went wrong but maintained the advantage. What is the clean finish for white?

Some food for thought

2011-07-22T15:44:00.002+03:00

My latest involves going through Alekhines games. There is this tendency now in my games to draw for blood when there isn’t none as was the case here against Dragonfish when I played Ng5 after which Bxf4 must be close to equal. After h6? though it all comes ugly for black sooner than he expected I believe.

White to move

What is whites best?

(Stop here if you don’t want to know the answer.)

Now if fx, Qx+, Be7 trying to preserve the bishop, what is the quickest?

Excellent video interview of Vasik Rajlich

2011-07-15T16:21:00.001+03:00

Vasik Rajlich is of course man behind Rybka that has been banned by ICGA in its evets for using other programs code and not claiming it – so once again it wasn’t wrong to use that code but not to address that.

As the interviewer Nelson Hernandez says it is up to anyone to judge by themselves what they think of the answers. My take is that Rajlich is admitting he used this code as ICGA claims but he defines original and what is the kind of code that should be addressed differently then ICGA and that ICGA hadn’t stated the norms for that specifically enough to gives this decision.

Amazing material

2011-07-13T09:09:00.006+03:00

Andrew Martin, guy whose Czech Benoni DVD is my holy bible – for instance, has released videos of his own on his youtube channel for quite a while now. This is the best you can get and you don’t have to even pay for it. Much recommended. Here quite plain look on the essence of time in the opening – to wet your appetite.

Couple of really nice positions

2011-06-18T17:47:00.001+03:00

I had this really nice game against e4d4 with this luxurious 60 30 time control (60 minutes and 30 seconds extra for each move). My opponent used time really wisely compared to all my previous opponents who lived basically on inrements or close to that. I myself played pretty fast but in the end I am quite happy with my overall judgement of position. Still one critical position was misplayed by each player.

First:

Black to move

Here I get better with right move.

Second:

White to move

Here black is just gone beyond saving his game. What is winning for white?

Again some excellent coverage

2011-06-16T09:09:00.001+03:00

Some superb video coverage of Bazna Kings Tournament with GM analysis!

Visualize this, hon

2011-06-12T10:51:00.001+03:00

The next position is from the game in ICC this morning, I had played sort of relying on improving the position thus far but now tactics are there. It is just as my basic belief in chess: tactics arise from good position so just play for good position and it pays you back in the end.

White to move

What is best move for white?

(Don’t look ahead if you want to figure this out on your own.)

and if after this move Rx what is best move?

and afterr black moves and white Nx why Qx is bad idea?

A kind of discouragement

2011-06-09T16:37:00.001+03:00

White to move.

Watching my forthcoming fourth round opponents KillerWolfs games is a bit scary. It is rarely that he misses any obvious tactics or has tactical oversights – blunders.

But here he was white in slow time control game and misses how he is winning a piece.

So. What do you think is winning move and what is such a great threat that it would make black loose a piece?

Preparations for third round

2011-06-05T19:05:00.001+03:00

White to move

Here’s a position from StefanGERs game where he was black against blackjokercz.

White can win a piece.

Mating calcomar

2011-05-27T11:51:00.002+03:00

White to move

Here white has pretty neat mate in two against calcomar.

Nail in to the coffin

2011-05-27T11:35:00.002+03:00

Black to move and seal the deal

Again position from calcomar game where him with black has mate in four.

Changing to the right mindset

2011-05-27T10:49:00.001+03:00

I am currently studying my second round opponents – calcomars games and found this fascinating endgame position.

White to move.

There’’s 24 seconds in whites clock when there is one minute and 43 seconds in blacks clock. White is rated –70.

So white takes, right?

So what would you play after that as black? The reason I am showing the position before white to move is that I am trying to represent blacks mindset. Black was very happy with the draw and took on f5.

I guess the question of the mindset and energy on the field. There are great change in energies and for instance Josh Waitzkin talks about this. You are playing the position but sometimes you also play the energies on the field.

Superb coverage

2011-05-18T06:28:00.003+03:00

Ponomariov-Nakamura-Finegold-Robson matches have really nice coverage at Saint Louis Chess Club website.

Also from Kramnik-Radjabov I have some great coverage. It was quite widely spread so probably you already found these.

First here is the excellent translation of Kramnik Radjabov post-match press conference. Chessdom talked with Radjabov a bit and when asked about the team he remained silent. I haven't heard or read about it but I do think Kasparov was somehow involved. Why would Radjabov stay silent otherwise? At least it is not general custom - maybe he doesn't want to show his hand before next major events - which is another possibility.

After the match with Grischuk this clock thing was brought up again as Ponomariov had tweeted about similar incident with Kramnik. So. The thing was the clock shut down after Radjabov pressed it soooo. I don't think Kramnik is to be blamed.

I find it incredible that in the match where world championship candidate is chosen such a clock can be used! Radjabov took it the right way - what can you do if meteor hits you - kind of approach.

And below are the videos of Henrik Danielsen of the decisive blitz games that serve as quick coverage:

Blitz 1:

Blitz 2:

Blitz 3:

Blitz 4:

Radjabov versus Kramnik first game prediction time

2011-05-05T15:00:00.001+03:00

It is interesting question to try to figure out what Radjabov will play today. Last slow time control game Radjabov played e4, I think which lead to Petroff 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Mfxe4 after which in last encounter Radjabov played Nc3 and two previous times d4.

Of course here psychology comes to picture. In my opinion Radjabov plays "fundamental" chess in which he is trying to play what is essential. I wouldn't think Kramnik steps aside so early. Petroff has always been his main weapon so why wouldn't he trust his preparation. Somewhere there with white Radjabov is ready to deviate.

I gotta tell you my instinct tells this is where Radjabov has gone. If he hasn't found anything there after 1.d4 Kramnik has played d6 in Moscow blitz world championship and in my database that is their latest encounter after 1.d4 ..d5 was played in 2007 and ..Nf6 last time 2003.

Really nice interview with US Women's Champion

2011-05-03T08:52:00.000+03:00

Candidates favorite?

2011-05-01T17:58:00.001+03:00

Ok. My favourte in forthcoming world championship candidate matches is Teimour Radjabov. I find he is able to produce brilliant games even he hasn’t yet proved he is solid enough for upmost spot in chess.

Simply marvelous

2011-04-29T18:50:00.002+03:00

Again mishanp posted an excellent translation on great Vassily Ivanchuk interview.

Quite confused

2011-04-26T10:18:00.002+03:00

Ok. I am still loving Visualwize. I am thinking how to achieve something similar by my own means but still haven’t come up with one complete idea. Somehow I think Chessbase manouvre search when you can have couple of moves in between something specific like mate and the current position could do. But how do I check if both players played best moves or not? Maybe this is not a problem as you try to work out the mate anyway and get to visualize while doing it.

Anyway here’s when it gets confusing:

White to move.

This is a position we are asked to visualize from couple moves back. This is a game between Jan Timman – Artur Yusupov 1987.

In actual game the move given as right answer actually worked. As Nxd4 Qxd4?? You see why the queen takes is a blunder? It’s quite typical ladder. You make the “ladder” of queen and rook fall down with fork - Re8+! After this it’s quite simple. If Rdxe8 Qxd4 and if Kh7 Qxd4 Rxd4 we win the second rook on a8.

But. What if Nxd4 Rxd4!? isn’t this just equal? What am I missing?

Edit: Got a quick response from Louis Holtzhausen that confirmed that Rxd4 just had slipped his attention and he promised to correct the problem and send to link for that one to me. Soooo. Now I feel pretty good about spotting that one!

Visualization time

2011-04-24T20:18:00.002+03:00

White to move.

I don’t think I want to give too much hints on this one.

Since I begun with the visualization exercises some tactics seem to get simpler and feel natural . You have to look at white moves three moves forward.

Edit: It's still win but of course black doesn't have to give fast win. But still you need to work out the lines to see how and why white wins.

Really neat visualization exercise

2011-04-21T06:22:00.001+03:00

UPDATE: Demo version is worth the time in itself. After the purchase though, you get quite extensive visualization training. The payment is through paypal so it seems it should be safe. The visuals look a lot like they are from Peshk but I could not find such a course in the ChessOk site.

Beauty

2011-04-20T10:27:00.001+03:00

Here’s a position from my morning exercise with Chessmaster Grandmaster Edition.

This is mate in two.

1K6/2N5/3k3B/8/8/5N2/5Q2/8 w - - 0 1

I find these exercises quite rewarding actually. I feel they improve visualization and calculating. I guess it is question of what motivates you. Finding mate is such a concrete reward I guess it just gives me some determination not to give up.

Even little improvements on visualization show as you find it easier and easier to work out variations at least a bit deeper.

Bunch of live games

2011-04-19T08:47:00.001+03:00

On this third video my opponent plays me out of book and ignores own development.

In the fourth game my opponent was fast and accurate and I was in big trouble.

The fifth game is finished fast.

In the sixth game my opponent sacrifices or drops a piece.

I save the seventh game by miracle.

On the eight game I rule.

Everything in right place at blitz

2011-04-18T06:08:00.001+03:00

Out of a whim I recorded couple of live games on FICS.

On first one I trapped my opponents queen by miracle.

On this second one I had serious time advantage and hold enough material to mate and won on time.

The big fish that got away

2011-04-06T00:31:00.001+03:00

Here’s a first video of two from my sunday game against NokiaTwenty.

EDIT:

I recorded and released the second part today.

Psychologically demanding

2011-03-28T11:40:00.000+03:00

After some search I did finally get Windows Media Encoder back to my installation of Windows 7 so here's my first more relaxed time spent looking at game last night.

The problem with my previous video was that I seemed to rush to somewhere - I was bit worried how the camstudio will work out so I kind of didn't have the mental capacity to just breath and be in the moment.

Actually, maybe this is my best effort so far. Switching on houdini didn't seem to be a problem and even I missed that Nf6 does occupy e4 and some other things I did catch most of my ideas there.

For me the main theme here is how to deal with different kind psychological tricks your opponent does to distract you and I think here I kind of kept my composure, so way to go me. :)

Nakamura annotation

2011-03-22T14:49:00.000+02:00

For my own curiosity sake I wrote down the great Nakamura comments on the Amber site. I hope everybody understands I am providing These without any interest to gain advantage. Certainly I take them down if somebody thinks they are not appropriate.

Best video annotation I've ever seen

2011-03-21T18:05:00.001+02:00

Oh my! Aronian not only reveals grand master chessplayers thought process in totally digestive form, is totally honest. Must see!

Oversight

2011-01-30T14:22:00.000+02:00

Last couple of days I've been looking for mates in three on my big database. This position comes from game Asger Thor Arnaison - Bjarni Hjartarson. The game was played 1988 in Reykjavik open. Hjartarson just took pawn on e4 with his queen and missed mate in two for white.

The oversight is following your own intentions and missing the holes in them.

It is interesting how these practice sessions affect my blitz play as I lashed out these really dubious attacks on my opponents king. Hopefully I get my balance back together later.

The slump

2010-09-22T17:06:00.001+03:00

Ok.

I had a ball couple nights ago going at my first try in bughouse! But afterwards something happened. The next night and day my head tried to work out the experience and at the same time I seem to have lost some thread of thought in my basic chess. I hit one of the worst loosing streaks and I kept loosing both in ICC and FICS untill the last game I had this morning before I run for work.

Naturally my opponent was totally winning, but erred and played Nxa1?? unaware what will hit him.

White to play:

To tell some background I summoned up my good ol' CT-Art 3.0 and Peshk the other day and out of curiosity bought the Elementary checkmates for beginner and have quite regularly trained on the mates so it seems it has become easier for me to find mates.

Do you see the continuation? I'm sure my opponent didn't.

That turned the tides somewhat and also gives more motivation working on my tactics and mates.

My favourite sacrifices part 1

2010-09-13T17:38:00.000+03:00

White to move

This particular sacrifice is one of my favourite ones. I played it in Free Internet Chess Server 5 minute blitz game.

Nice mate

2010-09-09T17:53:00.000+03:00

Position of analysis in 5 minute blitz game white to play.

Here's what would have happened if white had played rybka recommended Rf6+ against me. Now Kh5 and white has nice mate in two? Do you see how?

Trivia time once again!

2010-09-09T17:22:00.000+03:00

I ran rybka with depth of 7 to find some missed tactics in my 100 recent games and here's beautiful tactic black missed against me in five minute blitz.

Black to move.

Do you see it?

A new video

2010-04-18T13:36:00.001+03:00

I published a brand new video on my recent slow time control game on FICS. There's pretty neat attack on the end of it as an icing of the cake.

Mate in two

2010-02-26T19:06:00.000+02:00

I run around 250 of my recent games with Fritz looking for missed mates. Here's first one. Black to move. Mate in two.

Cheers, mate.

2010-01-01T17:53:00.000+02:00

Last couple of days I have been working the ladder up in 5 minute blitz against chessmaster personalities. I am currently playing against around 1200 rated opponents so still I have a long way to go. It seems to be in many cases that I am not very able to use available resources for a mate but I usually just promote enough queens to deliver. Here I stopped to think for a change and found the fastest mate. Which is mate in two.

I had 1:32 on my clock and it took me seven seconds to confirm it.

White to move.

Haunting positions #2

2010-01-01T17:41:00.000+02:00

Another positions that keeps coming back from subconscious is this mate in one with white to move. The reason I guess it is that it is a bit against natural instinct. It is nice that I am one to deliver. This is from 5 minute blitz game in FICS. I am not sure how difficult it is. I had 3:12 and my opponent 2:56. For me it took 5 seconds to see it.

A draw!!

2010-01-01T17:00:00.000+02:00

Couple of positions remain with you for the longest times and come back to haunt you. This one is one of the better ones. It is between me and Jonfern in FICS 5 minute blitz match when I have had inferior position for some time but I am pressing my opponent on time. Here my opponent has 22 seconds and I have 40 seconds. So can you find the drawing move in 40?

Maybe it's not that difficult but most satisfying anyway for me.

King and two pawns x 2

2009-07-21T14:35:00.001+03:00

I have looked out today games in the collection of my own games for king and pawn endgames and found several positions I should have handled better. I published already one video of king and two pawns versus king and two pawns endgame.

And then there were more videos!

2009-07-20T22:07:00.000+03:00

I've made couple more chessvideos during last days: a video of me playing my sicilian against equally rated opponent and a video of recent game where I played black in very interesting positions of King's English Nimzowitsch-Flohr Variation.

The curious case of a King and Queen versus Queen endgame

2009-07-15T07:47:00.000+03:00

Here's a video for 5 minute blitz endgame with hopefully revealing mistakes and right solutions.

More fresh material

2009-07-13T17:44:00.001+03:00

I analysed superb defensive display of my friend Ereshkigal. Check out the Rybka brilliancy sacrifice in one of the variations!!

I also recorded another endgame video for chessvideos.tv.

I have found out new ideas on the opening also but especially I am feeling at the moment that working on the endgames improves my overall game as I am getting more feeling for the positions and what I would like to do to it. There's already couple nice examples but now I am heading for jam session with my friends so more about that later...

Some new material!

2009-07-12T16:01:00.000+03:00

Here's a treat for all the people waiting for some update. It's a video I worked out on the king and rook versus rook endgame.

Lately I've also published an endgame video of my game against Gouldy and some analysis on interesting 5 minute blitz game against my friend waparker on chessvideos.tv.

Tactics

2009-05-17T09:03:00.000+03:00

Watching curtains and zibbit commentaries on chessvideos.tv set my mind in a mode where position from yesterday came back to me. It's a position from 45 minute game yesterday so neither player har serious time trouble.

r3r1k1/ppp2ppp/3p4/3P4/1nP1N2P/1PN1Pq2/P2Q4/2K3R1 b - - 0 22

Here I spotted nice tactical theme of removing the defender and fork but in actual game I miscalculated it - still it is always delightful to find that my mind is able to work couple move forwards.

There was another really strong idea too in the position which also goes by the theme of removing defender.

I feel like not giving it up here if anybody feels like working them out so here it is.

First chess video I ever produced

2009-03-23T09:18:00.000+02:00

I'm not so sure everything was in right place in my head while recording, but anyways: here it is.

Rybka brilliancy

2009-03-15T11:24:00.000+02:00

Here's a position from yesteday. Black to move.

White has just blundered(!!) with b4. Black has most brilliant refutation. It's extremely sharp position where there is one move to win the game and other moves to loose.

Here it is.

Combination time

2009-03-15T08:18:00.000+02:00

Here's a little treat for all your tactics lovers out there from my game yesterday. There are maybe three good moves but one that in high level chess would be "winning". I didn't see it, something was bothering me at the back of my head but I wasn't able to figure it out in 10 minute blitz.

White to move.

I've got the solution here.

Roller coaster

2009-03-08T05:58:00.000+02:00

Here's a little treat for all herrahuu fans out there. It's a 45 minute game of mine against 1600 player with some informative psychological obstacles for both players to get over. And. In the end there was the most dubious rook sacrifice that set the game on fire.

This time it's David Bronstein

2009-02-18T14:04:00.000+02:00

Yasser Seirawan tells a wonderful story on this video of how David Bronstein sixty and so year old player reached a position where everything was in its right place.

Holes in Chessmaster Academy

2009-02-15T17:59:00.000+02:00

The snake has sneaked into my happy Chessmaster Academy universe. I had studied Josh Waitzkins chessmaster course earlier and thought I'd jump this time straight into mastery quiz for beginners and see where I'm standing.

Here's the first position I've strong reservations against:

Josh Waitzkin says with his well articulated clear manner: "Here white has mate in four. What's the first move?"

The snake is whispering from my shoulder: "Here white has mate in two. What the hell is Josh talking about?"

Do you see it?

Ok. I should be understanding towards teaching a point. Climbing a ladder is a good endgame technique. But what happened to being flexible in every moment to see how things actually where instead of applying some laws of nature that do not necessary apply? And how many seconds did Josh actually stare at the position?

And another position that has a problem:

"Here white has mate in five, but this one is a little tricky. Take your time. Recreate the pattern we found before."

Ok, I am willing to take the pattern but I want to apply to this position. Josh has mate in 5 in mind. But I've got something better. Mate in 4!

It's not THAT hard. I'm not sure what to make of it. This mastery quiz. Did I pass it or not?

Alternate ways of approaching the same thing

2009-02-13T17:42:00.000+02:00

I've been working on Chessmaster drills the last days. One interesting change that I noticed after working this time on memorizing 4-6 piece positions. It was really difficult first. But today I begun to make stories in my mind to memorize them.

For example:

"It's black's turn and he or she promotes to queen. All of three pieces are in the same diagonal with one square in between. King is on c8."

Funniest stories are with all pieces. I've had shotguns and what else on the positions.

I'm still to find out how these drill exercises are viewed in chess training usually and how are they used and is there other posibilities to get on with them than chess software as Chessmaster.

Watching Josh Waitzkins interview on YouTube confirmed me on some of my ideas I've been forming on my mind about chess and gave more food for my thoughts.

Damppu demonstrates

2009-01-29T05:35:00.000+02:00

My friend Daniel has had me in tough places in our encounter but has had some troubles finding comfortable positions against his opponents in FICS. He had a short break but now he is back and he is enforcing!

Here's a fine demonstration.

Kings Indian Attack

2009-01-28T18:26:00.000+02:00

I had fortunate situation to try my Kings Indian Attack ideas against French defense but I was clearly outplayed by better opponent.

My thoughts and analysis.

Sailing in unfamiliar waters

2008-12-27T18:07:00.000+02:00

Here's another really fascinating position that arose because two players had reached unfamiliar waters.

Success in preparation!

2008-12-27T11:40:00.000+02:00

Really interesting positions arose this morning against my fellow FICS membe in Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik. It is setup I have prepared for reasonably. Preparation is difficult as you don't want to go too deep in your own thought processess as it is impractical as there are so many other ways game could go. So my preparation is pretty limited but still I knew couple of concepts out of which I could find ideas to work with in playground.

Here it is.

Lighter note

2008-12-21T21:25:00.000+02:00

I had heavy day chesswise. Lot of dropping of pieces and lack of plans on board. I'm thinking maybe I'm taking in so many positions my mind is not able to settle as the subconscious is working constantly.

I have been quite dissapointed in my endgames and I've looked through my king and pawn endgames - and I was happy to see it paid off today for me!

Here's my endgame.

At the thresholds of brilliancy.

2008-12-18T19:34:00.000+02:00

I spent last couple of hours walking through one brilliant game by my fellow FICS member waparker. I hope I did some justice with my remarks.

Here's the game with analysis.

Why not just give up??

2008-11-11T09:16:00.001+02:00

I faced a lot of defeats sunday.

Here's key position from the 30 minute game against 1200 rating player:

It is blacks turn to move and my opponent opens up his defense by 6...c5?? which Rybka thinks makes white win!

I found the correct 7.Bb5+! and my opponent correct Bd7!. But now I missed the mate threat after 8.Qe2!

Black cannot take with pawn ...cxd4?? because both 9.Nd6# and 9.Nf6#.

So 8...Be7 is correct. 9.Nf5 and white has resolved the threat against his knight.

So I played 8.Bxd7!? Qxd7

Here I can either create some threat so that i don't loose my knight or exchange queens. And I didn't found the threat which was: 9.Qe2!

Now black has to defend against the triple attack against king with 10.Nf6!

10...Qxd4 and white is winning: Nd6+! 11.Nxf7 and white has the rook whatever black does.

10....Be7 11.Nb5!

Anyway I played the next best thing 9.Nf3? Qxd1+ 10.Kxd1 Be7?! 11.Re1! Nf6?! 12:Nd6+!? and also black looses his castling rights. 12...Kf8 13.Nxb7 g6?? 14.Bh6+! Kg8

The 10...Be7 prooves to be fatal mistake. But I don't see it! 15.Rxe7

Instead I start to work on manual castling:

15.Ke2?? Bf8??

Rybka thinks I should just take: 16.Bxf8! Kxf8 17.Nxc5 and white is dominating the game with two beautiful pawns on b- and c-files.

16.Bg5!? Kg7!? 17.Kf1 and my manual castle is ready.

17...Nbd7 18.Rad1 Rb8 threatening my knight.

Rybka thinks I am still winning after 19.Nd6 when black can either take with bishop or just threaten bishop with ...h6.

Anyway I just took with bishop Bxf6+ and black should be ok if worse with Nxf6. But my opponent didn't see this but played the horrible 19...Kxf6?? 20.Rxd7+ c4 and I am totally winning.

But wait a minute? I lost the game from this position.

Rybka likes 21.Nd8, 21.Ne5 the most.

21.Nd8! threatens mate in Rxf7#

So black has to exchange his rook for my knight 21....Rxd8 22.Rxd8

21.Ne5 and rook threatens to take on f7 so 21...Be7 22.Nc6 threatening to double rooks and take bishop at the same time Rexe7! so black exchanges knight with rook 22....Rxb7 23.Rxb7 threatening to double rooks and take bishop.

Anyway I play 21.Nd4 which is not loosing by any means. 21...Bb4 22.c3 Bf8 23.Nc6!? Rc8!?

And here i would need some basic understanding how knights operate: 24.Ndb8! and knights support each other beautifully.

I play 24.Nxa7 which is loosing move either. 24...Ra8! and black screwed my knight to pawn.

25.Nd8 looks just fine but I play 25.Na5 Bc5! 26.N7c6 Rhc8?!

27.Re4 and white threatens to check king with Rf4+

27.b4? cxb3! 28.axb3! Bb6 29.Rd6+?! Kg7 30.Re5 and I thought I lost the game and resigned.

The strange thing is even I lost the totally dominating position I am still anything but lost!?

31.Red5 and if bishop takes ...Bxd6 32.Rxd6 black still has two beautiful passed pawns and two knights and rook against two rooks.

Weird resignation. I felt bad about how I handled position and just wanted to give it all up. This tells me as much as a person as chess player. Weird sensation to replay these events afterwards.

Speculation begins

2008-11-02T16:19:00.000+02:00

I had some really interesting games against my fellow FICS member last night. I went to sleep early in the evening and woke up far too early and played some games.

The thing is I feel maybe I had prepared slightly more accurate opening repertory and ideas but my opponent is more accurate counting combinations and sees more deeply into the position than me. This made really interesting games when my opponent dares to make speculative maybe even dubious moves and finds way to resolve the problems that persue.

He has added me on his notify list and me him so it seems there is something challenging for both of us in our games together. So as usual when I am sleepy I just observe and I found him against another player on this position:

Knight and bishop have been exchanged and it is black to move. It is not a pattern I recognize from anywhere and some ideas spring to mind on what black should do but it seems they are all refuted. It is most fascinating. This kind of multiplexity is something my fellow member drives for. During some game he just stated he does not want to get rid of his pieces. I am not sure if this always makes him play sound but it sure makes interesting game. So what black should do?

White threatens hxg4 so something has to be done not to double threat 20.hxg4 when white either threatens to take the knight gxf5 or exchange rook for rook and knight ...hxg4 Rxg4 Nxh6 Qxh6+

So. 19...Rxf6! seems correct even it exchanges rook for knight. Now 20.exf6 Qxf6 seems yet still correct.

Black threatens to play g3 when the pull white had in the position is lost. It seems correct would have been: 21.hxg4! hxg4

Now Rybka at depth of 18 gives two suggestions that both seem worth checking out: first: 22.Bxg4!? Ncdx4 23.Bxd4 Nxd4 24.Qxd4 e5 25.Qe3 Bxg4 26.Rxd5 Bf5 when position is simplified and white is simple rook better.

And then the move white on the actual played on move 21: Qf4!? Rxb2 23.Kxb2 Ncxd4 24.Rxd4 Bxd7 25.Bxg4 Qxd4+ 26.Qxd4 Nxd4

White is exchange better.

Anyway 21.Qf4? was played from being in winning position white has to face a bit better position for black.

Fascinating stuff both made some really dubious moves on the next few moves.

This kind of positions are not my turf but really fascinating stuff. And now in the middle of the night I complimented my fellow fics member on good game and we got into these interesting games I am willing to have a look at next posts or so.

Position that makes me happy

2008-10-28T18:34:00.000+02:00

Funny thing that I should feel relieved and happy about this position:

It's black to move and one move keeps position slightly better for black and every other move is loosing.

Bishop has forked my bishop and queen. That bishop is protected by white queen and white knight. My bishop on g4 is threatening white knight and my bishop and queen on g7 and b6 are threatening white bishop.

The funny thing is that I chose wrong move and I stll feel this way. Why do I feel good about this? It is because this is so typical - or preminiscent of the position that I have great difficulties in. And here I have it. This kind of multirelation understanding is very difficult for me.

Playing on FICS I get those comments of gloating on my bad moves and I am not able always to just ignore them. The reaction I am waiting for is that even I made bad move I am kind of respectable fellow chessplayer and not somebody that can be treated badly. I DO understand my limitations and problems but because I am not sure of myself I am still waiting for some assurance. Is it wrong to expect good manners on the net? I think it is a bit hopeless task: there are always people who do try to make me feel bad - this is what makes them tick and feel good about themselves.

Anyway.

The right move is 14...Bxf3!

This was 5 minute blitz game so I do not have eternity to think over is one explanation. But. I did spend only 5 seconds on thinking over. My opponent has still 4 minutes on the clock and I have around 3:20 minutes on mine. I seem to recollect that I wonderer a millisecond about Bxf3 and I thought white can just take my queen and be better.

This is very unsharp recollection of those five seconds.

But 15.Bxb6 is in fact bad move because after 15...Bxd1 16.Rxd1:

I have rook: Bxa1!

Can't white just save the rook by 16.Ra2?

No.

After 16...Be2 and black threatens white rook. Interesting answer for white is 17.Ba4!? Bxf1 18.Kxf1 axb7 19.Bxe8 Rxe8

Can't white just refuse to give rook by 17.Re1?

Well. No.

White moves bishop to c4 17....Bc4! and rook on a2 is totally trapped.

This is only one of the variations that is totally bad for white naturally. Right is 15.Qxf3 after which black can take back whites minor piece with either bishop or queen. But I never got to see this.

My mind went black and I took bishop on d4 and I lost one minor piece on the exchange of pieces. 14...Bxd4?? 15.Qxd4

Once again

2008-09-29T17:24:00.000+03:00

This position arose in the 25 minute blitz game in FICS yesterday against 100 hundred rating points lower player than me. I have drifted last days hanging my queen because I thought there was a pin when there de facto wasn't and so on. Hell, in one game I gave my queen just because I didn't notice it was there for the taking and so on.

But anyway even I lost it is always joy to find out afterwards that I had reached a winning or atleast promising position after 36. moves. When in game I made loosing move, there was much stronger move available.

Here's the position.

It is blacks turn to move.

The bad news is. White has a passed pawn on c5 and rook cannot move to c8 because of whites bishop. Black bishop is not able to stop it.

The fact that black king can stop the promotion is so much out of my head that I have spent this afternoon working out blacks best move without realising black can do for a while with moving the king!

After writing the chapter above I begun to wonder if this has to do with recognizing that the game has shifted from middlegame to endgame!? I'm not sure if this is important as good move is good always. But maybe it is in a sense that the concepts that mind should dwell are different. King becomes much more valuable piece than before and pawns become more important - maybe we are in thresholds of endgame in this position?

Anyway: the king move 37...Ke6!? is possible but the best move is simple 37...Rg5!

Mate in two

2008-09-27T23:08:00.000+03:00

As the title goes. This is from a game this morning. Not bad game because there are solid choices among dubious ones all the way to the move 30 or so. And now everything was in its right place. It's whites move.
It's mate in two.

I missed it. Lately I have focused pretty much in the opening phase. I wish I get better seeing these kinds of positions clearly. I miscalculate combinations and my mind is not well set. This is what I would like to be better at - among basic pawn endgames, mates and so on.

The time I outplayed Robert J. Fischer

2008-05-30T10:01:00.000+03:00

This wednesday I found myself in the same position as Robert J. Fischer back in 1964 against Michel Tordion in simul game held in Quebec. What's peculiar is that it seems I made better decision on the position. It must be matter of wholelotta discussion and debate what you consider better but. Here we go.

Me - NN
Blitz 20 minutes
28.5.2008

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 6.3.d4 9.cxd4 4.Nxd4

Here black has three standard approaches the Accelerated dragon 4...g6, the Sveshnikov variation which seems to be the main line 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 e5, 4...e6 that is the Taimanov Sicilian and the Kalishnikov Variation 4...e5.

At least on databases accelerated variation seems to favour white. One of the ideas behind it is to put pressure on d4 but at the same time allows white to set up the Maroczy Bind with c4.

Accelerated dragon and Maroczy Bind:

In Svehnikov black forces action in the center and accepts weaker d5. To this square white will try to settle a knight or a bishop. Often in this line white plays Bc1-g5xf6 to further weaken Black's grip on d5. Black can then develop counterplay on the dark squares.

The Sveshnikov and weak d5 square for black:

The Taimanov Sicilian is described by John Donaldson on book review on JeremySilman.com to be one of the most flexible variations in sicilian and is considered quite sound and reliable.

So. Kalashnikov. One of the ideas behind it is that after 4...e5 5.Nb5 d6 white does not have pin with Bg5.

Kalashnikov after 4...e5 5.Nb5 d6:

But anyway back to the position after 4.Nxd4 where none of this happened:

My opponent played 4...Nxd4?

Curiously I found Dan Heisman talking about this move in a column he wrote for ChessCafe.com. It violates couple of very basic principles, it helps white develop another piece, it wastes one tempo moving same piece twice and so slows down blacks development at the same time as it accelerates whites.

5.Qxd4 e6 6.Nc3

So. Black has one pawn developed and white has three pieces out. In theory white is one move away from castling to either side. Black is two moves away. On Chessbase.coms databases black has two main moves ...a6 and ...Ne7 that have both played around 30 times. The close seconds are ...b6 and ...d7 that have been played around 10 times. ...Nf6 was played by near 2400 rating player Evarth Kahn who managed to draw against Denis Sallinikov a near 2300 player.

The strongest player on my database with known ranking who has played the position is Igor Mikhailovich Khrenov who was there twice a bit over rating 2400. He played ...Ne7.

I left my Rybka 2.32a 32-bit calculating and also it did come up with two moves where it considers at the depth of 21 and 22 white to be only slightly better: ...Ne7 and ...a6.

So I guess ...Ne7 is pretty strong. The lines that arise with quick look are quite even with slight plus for white.

For example:

6...Ne7 7.Nb5 Nc6 8.Nd6+ Bxd6 9.Qxd6 Qe7 10.Qxe7+ Kxe7 11.b3 d6 12.c3 Rd8 13.Be3 b3 14.0-0-0

With unclear position where white might be slightly better:

But anyway. This is after all 20 minute blitz game so I guess my opponent with almost 200 higher rating wanted to sharpen the position and chose:

6...Qc7?

Rybka at the depth of 13 ranks this as 20th best move in the position and thinks that after this white is better by +1.38. I'm not sure what this accomplishes but expose queen for harrasment. This does nothing to help black castle it does not develop any of blacks minor pieces or better pawn structure. And now after black's sixth move white is much better if not winning!

And so I and my fellow chessfanatic Fischer played the excellent and only 7.Nb5!

Funnilly enough in a game Steinar Hardersen - Amund Nergaard resigned at this point. It does not come easy to black from this position to do anything. Especially as we are in blitz game and black has feeling that the brilliancy of previous move should become apparent rather sooner then later.

The best move seems to be Qb8!

The position is just terrible but white still needs some good moves before anything should happen. It is just mentally very difficult to submit to this move.

For instance:

7...Qb8! 8.Qc3 Kd8 9.g3 f6 10.Bf4 e5 11.Be3 Nh6 12.Be2 b6 13.0-0 a6 14.Na3

So. I can understand my opponent choosing Qxc2. And here is where I believe I outplayed Fischer.

Not many such occassions arise in my chess career so I proudly give you:

8.Bd3!

Naturally this is good not only because this develops yet another piece but also this puts black queen on a difficult spot. There is nowhere to go but Qc6 and black spends yet another tempo without anything concrete to show that is achieved. Nb5 knight looks hungrily for spot in c7 to fork rook and king all the time.

Fischer played 8.Bf4? and his opponent replied with excellent ...Bc5!

Suddenly white is only slightly better. Whites best take on the situation which Fischer also took is to go to 9.Qd2 let his opponent have e4 pawn by 9...Qxe4+.

Here Fischer essentially has lost the momentum but gets it back later even the game continued 10.Be2 Bb4 11.Nd6+ 12.Bxd6

Here black has iniative and queen on central position ready to grab g2 pawn for starters and then better his position. But here Tordion played unenergetically and Fischer played more accurately and eventually equalized and got better of his opponent. If Fischer is not loosing the position it is easy to see it is complicated and far from where I got with my Bd3!

8...Qc6 9.Bf4!

I develop yet another piece and have really strong spot on e7 where I still threaten to fork.

Here white still has a long way to go. The best reply from black would have probably been 9...f6.

For instance:

9..f6 10.Nc7+ Kd8 11.Nxa8 b6 12.Nxb6 axb6 13.Rc1 Bc5 14.Qc3 e5 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.fxe3

White is the exchange knight for a rook better but position is unclear and there is work and effort required to acquire the victory.

Black might want to exchange queens and white to develop his b-pawn and double his rooks. For instance:

16...Qxc3+ 17.Rxc3 Bb7 18.Ke2 Ne7 19.Rd1 Bc6 20.b4 Nc8 21.b5 Ba8 22.Bc4 Ke7 23.Rcd3

But. Here my opponent thought about position about two minutes, did not come with anything better, stumbled and played the aggressive looking but uninspired Bc5?

It is a loosing move at least in this game. He hungs his g pawn and eventually rook:

10.Qxg7! Bb4+ 11.Ke2!

Here black resigned.

One possible line would have been:

11..e5 12.Bxe5 Qh6 13.Nc7+ Kd8 4.Qxh8 Qd2+ 15.Kf1 Qxd3+ 16.Kg1 d6 17.Nxa8

Pictoresque position that tells lot about my current concept of the game. I have startered to wonder how much using Rybka has influenced my game. I guess it is somewhat. I don't think positionally but I think in material and in tactics.

Black queen is in the middle influencing the game and all my pieces but bishop are close to edges. Both sides have open warfare where shots are given and taken. It is more about exchanging, tactics then long term strategy.

...but I just didn't see it?

2008-05-28T11:08:00.000+03:00

My game on FICS this morning had couple of knocks and turns but in the end I missed a mate which would have resulted on defeat or draw if my opponent would have been more careful.

My theory goes if I try to verbalise the ideas - maybe next time instead of my mind going blank I would maybe recollect the idea.

The thing was I was short on time. I was trying to calculate and did saw two halfmoves ahead but failed to asses the position after that.

My opponent was clearly better and fumbled with 27.g3??

I did found 27...Rxb2!

White king has nowhere else to go to but 28.Ka4.

Here I spent three minutes and 17 seconds from 20 minutes I had for all for these moves and now I was running on few minutes.

In my mind I did see 28...Nc5+ 29.Ka4

But then I did not see the next move. I gathered I need another rook.

All in all I did not succeed to visualize where I could mate exactly and how did I could mate.

So.

29...Rd6 and white has nothing to prevent 30...Ra6#

So I saw Nc5+ but played 28...Ka8? and here the game is draw. Fortunately my opponent didn't pull it off.

I think I was trying to get my rook to a6 using four moves or rather get two rooks restricting white king.

I am not sure how to avoid such blank moments. Instead of vague idea I would need crystallized moves.

One thing is maybe have a mind fully working. I'm bit tired at the moment.

Everything in its right place

The move that brought me to my record high

When your friend pushes you into right direction

That’s the way – aha aha

Everything was right in the position but…

Yet more excellent coverage

Wrap it up

Some food for thought

More excellent GM analysis videos

Excellent video interview of Vasik Rajlich

Amazing material

Couple of really nice positions

Again some excellent coverage

Visualize this, hon

A kind of discouragement

Preparations for third round

Mating calcomar

Nail in to the coffin

Changing to the right mindset

Superb coverage

Radjabov versus Kramnik first game prediction time

Really nice interview with US Women's Champion

Candidates favorite?

Simply marvelous

Quite confused

Visualization time

Really neat visualization exercise

Beauty

Bunch of live games

Everything in right place at blitz

The big fish that got away

Psychologically demanding

Nakamura annotation

Best video annotation I've ever seen

Oversight

The slump

My favourite sacrifices part 1

Nice mate

Trivia time once again!

A new video

Mate in two

Cheers, mate.

Haunting positions #2

A draw!!

King and two pawns x 2

And then there were more videos!

The curious case of a King and Queen versus Queen endgame

More fresh material

Some new material!

Tactics

First chess video I ever produced

Rybka brilliancy

Combination time

Roller coaster

This time it's David Bronstein

Holes in Chessmaster Academy

Alternate ways of approaching the same thing

Damppu demonstrates

Kings Indian Attack

Sailing in unfamiliar waters

Success in preparation!

Lighter note

At the thresholds of brilliancy.

Why not just give up??

Speculation begins

Position that makes me happy

Once again

Mate in two

The time I outplayed Robert J. Fischer

...but I just didn't see it?