Takchess Chess Improvement

A Novice chessplayer works to get better at chess using an improvement program based upon the methods of Michael de la Maza and the teachings of Dan Heisman

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

A King hunt & Xmas gifts

A King hunt after some questionable play in the middlegame where I threw away my advantage and was up against the ropes . I am playing black. Can you see the mates I missed?
paste below game into this link:


1. d4 Nf6 2. h3 e6 3. g4 d5 4. f4 c5 5. c3 cxd4
6. Qxd4 Nc6 7. Qa4 Rb8 8. e3 Bd7 9. Bb5 a6 10. Bxc6 Bxc6 11. Qd4 b6 12. Nd2 Bc5
13. Qd3 Bb5 14. Qc2 Bxe3 15. c4 Bxd2+ 16. Bxd2 Bxc4 17. b3 Bb5 18. Nf3 Rc8 19.
Qb2 Ne4 20. Qxg7 Ke7 21. Ne5 Rf8 22. Bb4+ Nc5 23. g5 Kd6 24. Qxh7 Kc7 25. g6
Qf6 26. Nxf7 Rxf7 27. gxf7 Nd3+ 28. Kd1 Qxa1+ 29. Kd2 Qxa2+ 30. Kd1 Qxb3+ 31.
Ke2 Nxb4+ 32. Kf2 Nd3+ 33. Kg3 Ne5+ 34. Kh4 Nxf7 35. Qxf7+ Kd6 36. Qb7 Rh8+ 37.
Kg5 Qg3+ 38. Kf6 Qxf4+ 39. Kg7 Qh6+ 40. Kf7 Qf8+ 41. Kg6 Bd3+ 42. Kg5 Rg8+ 43.
Kh5 Be2+ 44. Kh4 Qh6# 0-1


Yes My chessbookaholic nature has caught up with me for Xmas. Bought MCO-14, Shibut book on Morphy, Silman's Rethinking the chess pieces and recommendation from Tempo
Burgess Gambit book.

Other books that I would like to own but not until later Tal's My life and games and Watson's Secrets of Chess Strategy: advances since Nimzo (too advanced for me now).

On my someday to buy list are Euwe's development of Chess Style and Bronstein 200 open games as well as Burgess and Littlewoods Tactic books. I have looked over these at the library.

Friday, December 23, 2005

A Beautiful Tactical Masters Game

Here is a game I have memorized and am currently studying. I found this Euwe Reti 2 knights defense game in a book called Attacking the King by Walker. Euwe played this game against Reti when he was twenty and attacked fast and furious. This game facinates me due to some of the subtle shifts in the game including the 2 Rook sacrifice by Reti in the winning combination.

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1041899

There are a number of moves that I find interesting:

7 Bxd3
which sacs the bishop for development followed by

8 N-c3
which puts the knight into the attacking field of the pawn which Reti can't take because it is pinned to the queen.

11. B-g5
which sets up Whites queen to the back rank

By Move 14, White appears by the standards of development to be way ahead. Before this move black has only one piece off the back rank: the Queen and his King is on the 7th rank. Whites Rooks are centrally located and his king appears to be safely tucked away behind a wall of pawns.



But the most amazing thing is Reti's seven move combination started by Blacks rook sacrifice. Reti develops his bishops while sacrificing his rooks twice. I would love to know how much of this Reti had calculated out and when he saw the win. I want to think he saw the 7 moves (which I believe are all forced) before playing them.

This game truly is a beautiful work of art!!

Happy Holidays everyone !

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

PMD ,this one a traxler win

another traxler played an hour ago, . this time I play black and win. paste into viewer below

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5.
Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7. Kg1 Qh4 8. g3 Nxg3 9. Nxh8 Nd4 10. hxg3 Qxg3+ 11.
Kf1 d5 12. Qh5+ g6 13. Rg1 Qf4+

http://www.lutanho.net/pgn/pgnviewer.html

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Traxler King March

Unfortunately, I am the marcher .........

As you know I love to play the traxler and from time to time will post them on my blogg. I am still learning the earlier moves and what are best responses.

I thought this was one of my better played traxler against a 1750 rated opponent on playchess. I am playing black. Strong counterplay but I couldn't find a mating net. I am checking with Prof Fritz to see if i missed something and will report back in comments. {I just looked at it while it is processing there are a few 10 move mating nets that I missed)



Cut and paste in to this viewer
http://www.lutanho.net/pgn/pgnviewer.html



1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kf8 6.Bb3 Nd4 7.Nf7 Qe7 8.Nxh8 d5 9.0–0 dxe4 10.Nc3 c6 11.Na4 Ng4 12.c3 Nb5 13.Kh1 Qh4 14.h3 Nxf2+ 15.Rxf2+ Bxf2 16.Qf1 Ke7 17.d4 e3 18.Bc4 Nd6 19.Bxe3 Bxe3 20.Re1 Nxc4 21.Rxe3 Nxe3 22.Qf7+ Kd6 23.c4 exd4 24.c5+ Ke5 25.Qxg7+ Ke4 26.Nf7 Bxh3 27.Ng5+ Kd3 28.Nxh3 Qe1+ 29.Kh2 Nf1+ 30.Kh1 Ne3+ 31.Kh2 Re8 32.Qxh7+ Kc4 33.Nf4 Nf1+ 34.Kg1 Re3 35.Qf7+ Kb5 36.Qxb7+ Kc4 37.b3+ Rxb3 38.Qxb3#

Sunday, December 11, 2005

CT-ART

My games are somewhat inconsistant.Great games followed by stinkers. Most losses seem to be from me overreaching tactically. I do like to challenge myself creating attacks and seeing if I can finish them off. Perhaps there is a little Anderssen in me that wants to win beautifully.

I have decided to fire up CT-ART again and do all levels: problems 1-1200 once without stopping.

First Session:

level 1 - problems 1-27 92%

Session 2
level 1 - problems 28-50 92%

Session 3 * the craziness returns
Level 1- problems 51-75 96%

Session 4
L1- 75-100 85%

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Go Magnus Go!

Watched a little of Magnus'game against Cheparinov on playchess and found it quite enjoyable.


Magnus Carlsen Interview

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Rushing the Kingside

Attack on the kingside of a recent game I played a higher rated player. Fritz says I should of played 12 Qd4 for an earlier win. Although black resigned he could of played 14 kg7.


1. e4 {4} e6 {1} 2. d4 {5} d5 {1} 3. Nc3 {11} dxe4 {4} 4. Nxe4 {17} Nf6 {1} 5.
Bd3 {26} Be7 {15} 6. Nf3 {12} O-O {5} 7. Bg5 {19} h6 {29} 8. h4 {5} hxg5 {30}
9. hxg5 {5} Nxe4 {1} 10. Bxe4 {10} g6 {4} 11. d5 {98} c6 {45} 12. Ne5 {18} exd5
{62} 13. Bxg6 {9} Bxg5 {21} 14. Qh5 {
N resigns)

paste game into this viewer