Hi Jim, I am willing to play a game with you. We can play it over Skype. Let's fix a date, and we can play and stop and analyze it. What do you think about this? Regards, Uwe 2010/6/17, alvin blazik <ablazik@xxxxxxxxxxx>: > Hi Jim, > Great idea! > I really like your attitude. > pastede below is the resulting game that Uwe and I played on this list > earlier this year, annotated > by Rod McDonald.. > Good Luck, Alvin > As most chess players know, there are 20 possible ways for white to > make his first move, and black then has 20 possible ways in which > to reply. thus there are 400 possible ways for a complete first > move in chess. Not all of these moves are "good", but very likely > some game, somewhere, has featured every one of the 400 > possibilities. > The vast majority of chess games nowadays, at least among strong > players, can be reduced to just four first moves for white. In > their order of popularity they are: > 1. e4 > 2. d4 > 3. Nf3 > 4. c4 > Most chess "experts" recommend that beginners play 1. e4, and being > a beginner of about 60 years' duration, I usually do. This opening > tends to lead to "open" games, with an early attempt at a clear > advantage. > When a player begins with 1. d4, it usually signifies that he is a > "positional" player, looking for long-term strategic advantage from > a solid position. > When a player begins with 1. Nf3, it is a safe assumption that he > is "holding back" his intentions until he sees how black will > attempt to set up his position, and then counter it. > The move 1. c4 - the English Opening - can be either sharp like an > open game, or positional like a closed opening. > This brief introduction does not mean that other moves are "bad". > In the hands of the right player 1. g3 can be very effective. > Napoleon liked to play 1. Nc3. But beginners like you and I should > not waste our time on "flank openings" until and unless we really > understand what we are doing, because these first moves are really > used just to be "different", or to get "out of the book". > So now let us take a look at the recent Uwe-Alvin game. I will > leave their comments in place and add a few of my own. > Open chess match number 1 > Uwe vs. Alvin > 1. d4 ... > Uwe: White occupies an important central square. He > tries to control the black squares. > Rod: In the classification of chess openings, this move > is known as the "Queen's Pawn" opening. It invariably > evolves into something more definitive. > 1. ... d5 > Alvin: Black moves to control the center squares of the > board. A "closed" game where both Pawns have the > immediate protection of their respective Queen. > Rod: The classical response to the Queen's Pawn > opening. Black's first move leads to a symmetrical pawn > structure in the center. Most of the time, however, one > player or the other is going to try to disrupt this > symmetry. > 2. Nf3 ... > Uwe: White brings his first piece into the battle. The > knight on f3 controls the center (squares d4,e5) > perfectly. > Rod: As the opening evolves, we now have what is called > the "Queen's Pawn, Zukertort Variation". White's second > move is something of a "waiting" move. More common for > white is 2. c4, but we'll get there. > 2. ... Nf6 > Alvin: Black brings out his first piece, protecting d5 > and attacking e4. > Rod: Black, too, is waiting to see how white sets up. > Now it is the "Queen's Pawn, Zukertort, Chigorin > Variation". Both sides have adopted a similar approach > to controlling the center. > 3. g3 ... > Uwe: Controls the black squares f4,h4; developing the > bishop to g2 from where it attacks the white squares > along the h1-a8-diagonal (e4,d5). > Rod: Now we have the "Queen's Pawn, Zukertort, > Chigorin, Catalan Variation". Both 3. c4 and 3. Nc3 are > more usual here. > 3. ... e6 > Alvin: Black anticipates White's Fianchettoed Bishop > and gives additional protection to its d5 Pawn and > opens a path for its f8 Bishop to develop. > Rod: Black's setup is a typical "orthodox" formation > against the Queen's Gambit - which white hasn't > committed to as yet. Slightly more aggressive was 3. > ... c5,, while 3. ... Nc6 and 3. ... g6 are also lead > to equality for black. > 4. c4 ... > Uwe: Once White decided to control the black squares, > he should attack and occupy the white squares > (c4,b5,d5,e4). 4. c4 occupies a white square, attacks > d5 (indirectly e4). > Rod: Ah, here we are - a typical Queen's Gambit, which > is not really a gambit at all because black cannot > capture a pawn and hope to keep it. Other possibilities > for white include 4. Bg2, 4. Nc3, 4. Be3 and 3. Bf4. > 4. ... Bd6 > Alvin: Black continues to develop and work toward > Castling his King. > Rod: 4. ... Nc6 would be a more natural response for > black. If black wants to move his kingside bishop, 4. > ... Bb4+ is more aggressive, while 4. ... Be7 seems a > more logical resting place for the bishop. 4. ... dxc4 > and 4. ... c5 are also to be considered. > 5. Bg2 ... > Rod: An obvious choice. However, 5. Nc3 0-0 6. Bg5 Be7 > 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Bg2 Bd7 10. 0-0 Bc6 11. > Qd3 Nd7 gives white a slight advantage. > 5. ... dxc4 > Alvin: Black captures undefended soldier. > Rod: Now we have a Queen's Gambit Accepted. While black > captures the "unprotected" pawn, it quickly becomes > apparent that white can recapture quite easily. the > problem is that black, by capturing the c4 pawn, is > giving up his claim to control in the center. Much > better for black to continue normal development with 5. > ... 0-0 or 5. ... Nc6. > 6. Qa4+ ... > Uwe: with the idea to recapturing on c4. > Rod: The quickest way to recapture the pawn. But white > should instead try for continued smooth development > with 6. 0-0 or 6. Nbd2. For example: 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Nbd2 > Bd7 8. Nxc4 Bc6 9. Be3 Nbd7 10. Rc1 Nb6 11. Nxd6 > clearly favors white. > 6. ... Nc6 > Alvin: Good move for White. Black can only block check > on King. > Rod: 6. ... Bd7 is slightly better. e.g.: 6. ... Bd7 7. > Qxc4 Bc6 8. Nc3 Nbd7 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Qd3 Re8 11. Bd2 h6 > 12. Rad1 Qe7 13. e4 Bb4 with a slight edge for white. > 7. Qxc4 ... > Rod: As noted earlier, white is in no hurry to regain > the "lost" pawn. Continuing white development with 7. > Nc3 or 7. 0-0 should also be considered. > 7. ... O-O > Alvin: King safety is first. > Rod: Good move. Both 7. ... h6 and 7. ... a6 are also > good defensive moves here. > 8. O-O ... > Rod: Good move here, too. 8. Nc3 is equally good here. > 8. ... a6 > Rod: Umm, while not bad, black should complete his > piece development with 8. ... Bd7. A possible > continuation might be: 8. ... Bd7 9. Nc3 h6 10. e4 e5 > 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. dxe5 Bxe5 13. Be3 b6 14. Rfd1 Qe7 15. > f4 Be6 with a slight edge for white. > 9. Bg5 ... > Uwe: By attacking and pinning the knight, White puts > pressure on the white squares (d5,e4,h7). > Rod: While this is not a bad move, it is not the best > choice here. White should probably try to get his queen > to a more comfortable square, such as c2. 9. Nc3 and 9. > Rd1 are also good choices. The problem with the current > move is that if black quickly attacks the bishop with > 9. ... h6, white must either retreat or exchange the > bishop for the knight on f6. > 9. ... e5 > Alvin: Opening a path for the c8 Bishop. > Rod: Not a good move. 9. ... h6 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. Nc3 > Bd7 12. Rfd1 Qf5 13. Ne5 Nxe5 14. dxe5 Bb5 15. Nxb5 > axb5 16. Qxb5 Qxe5 regains an equal position for black. > The right place for the c8 bishop is on d7. > 10. Nc3 ... > Rod: A good move, both completing white's piece > development and bring pressure ont he d5 square, which > black has just abandoned with his last move. 10. d5 and > 10. rd1 are also quite good. > 10. ... exd4 > Rod: Or 10. ... Nxd4 11. Nxd4 exd4. > 11. Nxd4 ... > Rod: This sequence of exchanges can come in various > ways, but the result is the same... > 11. ... Be6 > Alvin: Move the defending Queen. > rod: Oh NOOOOO! 11. ... Nxd4 is necessary here. Up to > now both players have been playing like experts, with > only minor variations from the "best". But black's 11th > move is a real game-loser. > 12. Nxe6 ... > Rod: Of course. > 12. ... fxe6 > Not a good move, but had to recapture. > Rod: True, a necessary evil. > 13. Qxe6+ ... > rod: Right on. > 13. ... Kh8 > Alvin: Cannot capture or block Queen attack, so must > move King. > Rod: Yeah, forced. > 14. Qb3 ... > Uwe: Attacking b7. > Rod: Good choice. > 14. ... h6 > Alvin: Attack g5 Bishop. > Rod: Black's best chance seems to be 14. ... Rb8 15. > Nd5 Qe8 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. e3 Ne5 18. Rfd1 Qb5 19. Qc2 > Qc4 20. Nc3 Qf7 , but black's position is still > perilous. > 15. Bxf6 ... > rod: Good move. Even better is 15. Qxb7 hxg5 16. Qxc6 > Rb8 17. b3 Be5 18. Rad1 Qe8 19. Na4 Qxc6 20. Bxc6 g4 > 21. Rd3 Kg8 22. Rc1 Bd6. > 15. ... Qxf6 > Alvin: but now Black will lose the b7 Pawn. > Rod: Much better than anything else. > 16. Qxb7 ... > Rod: The obvious next move. > 16. ... Na5 > Alvin: running to avoid capture. > Rod: Yes, well, other locations would be better. e.g.: > 16. ... Ne7 17. Ne4 Qe6 18. Qb3 Qxb3 19. axb3 Rab8 20. > Nxd6 cxd6 21. Rxa6 Rxb3 22. Rb1 d5 23. Re6 Rf7. > 17. Qd5 ... > Uwe: Saving the queen and attacking the knight again. > Rod: Very good. > 17. ... Qe5 > Alvin: Ready to capture Queen if she captures Knight. > Rod: At this point 17. ... Bb4 would have been better. > 18. Qxe5 ... > Uwe: White wins the exchange (bishop vs. rook) on a8. > Rod: Sorry, Alvin, it's time to go. Black is really > lost. > 18. ... Bxe5 > 19. Bxa8 ... > 19. ... Rxa8 > Alvin: Black is down 4 points but the game continues. > 20. Rac1 ... > Uwe: White brings his rooks into the game and attacks > the c7-pawn. > 20. ... Rb8 > Alvin: Blacks Rook ready to capture White's Pawn on b2. > 21. b3 ... > 21. ... Bxc3 > Alvin: a necessary sacrifice > 22. Rxc3 ... > 22. ... Rc8 > Alvin: Getting ready for Whites battering ram. > 23. Rfc1 ... > Uwe: Putting more pressure on the c7-pawn. > 23. ... c5 > Alvin: Black can hear a fat Lady humming. > 24. Rxc5 ... > 24. ... Rxc5 > 25. Rxc5 ... > 25. ... Nb7 > 26. Rc6 > White offers a draw. and Black accepts gratefully . > ========== > The blind-chess mailing list > View list information and change your settings: > //www.freelists.org/list/blind-chess > List archives: > //www.freelists.org/archives/blind-chess > ========= > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jim" <jhomme1028@xxxxxxxxx> > To: <blind-chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 8:20 PM > Subject: [blind-chess] Friendly, Coaching Game Sought > > > Hi, > Would one of the higher rated players on this list like to play me a > friendly game? I would like to play the game and possibly annotate as we go. > I'm not sure how to do it without giving away what we're thinking at the > same time, so I'm open to suggestions. > > Thanks. > > Jim > > Jim Homme > Skype: jim.homme > "Every day's a gift." > > > ========== > The blind-chess mailing list > View list information and change your settings: > //www.freelists.org/list/blind-chess > List archives: //www.freelists.org/archives/blind-chess > ========= > > ========== > The blind-chess mailing list > View list information and change your settings: > //www.freelists.org/list/blind-chess > List archives: //www.freelists.org/archives/blind-chess > ========= > ========== The blind-chess mailing list View list information and change your settings: //www.freelists.org/list/blind-chess List archives: //www.freelists.org/archives/blind-chess =========