Chess Report: September 24
An object in motion tends to stay in motion
Welcome back to Chess in Small Doses. Today we’re going to go over my September games and get an update on how my chess is going. The short answer is - it’s still going well. I feel a clear sense of momentum and improvement. Let’s get into it.
September Stats
Classical Games: 6 online (no OTB)
Lichess Rating Change: + 31
Average Game Accuracy: 88.3%
Performance Rating*: 2081 (3.5/6 score, measured in Lichess.org rating)
OK, +139 ELO over 12 games is pretty good. So what gives? As I said last month I’ve made a few changes to my training. I’ve incorporated visualization or conceptualization training with Dontmoveuntilyousee.it and Cognitive Chess. I’ve been studying mostly calculation and tactics, with some endgame and openings as needed. All in all, mostly the same as last month. But I did realize there was something else I changed.
What has changed the most is I am putting my attention on the things I can control. The thought process I use, the habits I keep, how I use my time both in games and outside. Secondly I have brought a clear intention to play games not to win, but to learn. Losses are the best teachers, but victories can be helpful too. I feel more present with the games and my training, so perhaps that helps. At this point, I’ll take it and try to keep it going.
Mistakes List
As for the September games, here’s my mistakes list so far based on 14 games in total. It’s still an ongoing process for me, trying to find and use consistent terms or conventions. Nonetheless, I think there’s a clear message.
Wide not Deep
I need to always be comparing moves and not getting sucked into one move only. So look wide for maybe a better move. Keep the “obvious” move in the back pocket so to speak and go looking for a better one.
Using Time
Looking back, I’m pretty sure both “Missed a better move” and “Wrong Calculation” are probably children of moving too fast. At least this month I really noticed that I still have the tendency to move quickly. Perhaps I get impatient, or just antsy to reply. Whatever it is I’ll need to work to ensure I spend time intentionally looking for at least two possible moves for me and compare.
Up Next
October 5th I’m playing in another OTB tournament. My current USCF rating is 1502. Hoping to perform well. Stay tuned!
Thanks as always for reading. See below for the games if you wish. Otherwise, until next time!
The Games
Find my study and analysis of all my classical games from 2024 here: My Games 2024
Game 1: anonymous (2238) vs nvasquez (1836)
I played a much higher rated opponent as Black in the Dojo Classic Tournament, Round 3. I used the Caro Kann with 3…c5 to gain the initiative. I made a terrible tactical blunder early on and was ready to quit. I kept on playing and somehow got a clearly winning position. I made a second terrible miscalculation and gave it away, probably because I moved too fast. Lots of learning from this game. 1-0
Position after 39.Rh2; Black has many winning moves but f2?? is not one of them. Bummer.
Game 2: tractorson7 (1868) vs nvasquez (1881)
Found a training partner near my level. We played a casual game where (again) I played the 3…c5 line in the Caro Kann. Our game ended in a draw partly because I missed a better move that would have put me at a significant advantage. Black to move below after 24.Kg2?
Best move here is to dislodge the knight with 24…g4! and only Ng1 saves the White position. Result: 1/2
Game 3: Faronchetto (2284) vs nvasquez (1881)
Round 4 of the Dojo Classic, and I played the Caro Kann. In the 3.Nc3 line, after 3…dxe4, I’m unsure what I want to do there. I chose Nf6 and got a rare line. We played toe to toe for over 26 moves until this position:
I failed to appreciate that the Ng3 move allows for Nxf5 because the Queen and Rook xray the e8 rook which is only defended once. I didn’t identify what his move did and therefore missed it. The position came apart after that and I resigned instead of getting mated in 2. Result: 1-0
Game 4: nvasquez (1877) vs momor (1732)
Round 1 of the Series Tournament from Lichess4545. Played a lower rated opponent and was losing after 25.c5, a miscalculation.
Here Black just need to get the queen out of line of fire from the rook and is then likely doing better. Luckily for me, instead he played bxc? I went on to equalize and win. Results 1-0
Game 5: nvasquez (1890) vs sarterus (2057)
Round 5 of the Dojo Classic against another higher rated opponent. This was a wild, tactical affair for which I was prepped through move 14. I had a clear advantage after he sacrificed his rook to keep my king in the center, but I lost it with what seemed a good move. What you would have played here as White?
I played the normal seeming 21.Be2 and my opponent played the normal looking 21…Nh6. However both are blunders. After Be2?? Black has d4! which leads to a nasty position for White once the d file opens up. The best move for White here was the very strange looking Rg1!?, where Qxg1 Qxe5+ puts White ahead a full piece. Interesting! I went on the convert my advantage and win a mate!
Result 1-0
Game 6: tractorson7(1870) vs nvasquez (1907)
Last game of the month due to family schedule. Another training game against my sparring partner. An interesting game where I sacrificed an exchange thinking it gave me an advantage in center pawns. However, there was one move that gave Black a winning advantage. What would you play here as Black?
My opponent played Rd8 to defend the pawn. Very normal looking but that gives White c4! and the pawn cannot be taken due to the back rank. Oddly, only Rc8!? give Black the advantage even after Rxd5. Go figure!
Given the center pawns I was able to convert into a winning position and got a winning tactic. However, even there I missed the best line. White to play and win (and no, it’s not Bb4+ which I played)
Thanks again for reading and I wish you good chess!
(the answer is d6! and the pawn promotion cannot be stopped)