I've started posting at a new url due to limitations on this blog format.

http://takchesschess.blogspot.com/

notes

Listing of Collections and User Names on CG.com

TakGambit:

Bronstein Open Games, Alapin French , Silicide, The Sorcerers Apprentice ,Colin Crouch How to Defend in Chess

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=tak+gambit

Takchess

The Art of Attack-Vukovich, The Modern Art of Attack, On the Attack-Timman, Knight Sacs on NF5 in Fianchetto Postions,Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=takchess

TakKing

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=takking

Koltanowski Max Lange Attack, GMRam, Impact of Genius, The Scandanavian by Ems, Neil Macdonald Chess, the Art of Logical Thinking , a handful of Giouco games

TakChessBooks

Games worth of Memorization, Comprehensive Chess Training V2, Games worthy of Memorization, icelandic gambit, Mastering Tactical Ideas by Minev, Reti's Masters of the Chessboard, Take my rooks Minev, Euwe's Development of Chess Style

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=takchessbooksTakQueen

TakPawn

Room to expand

TakQueen

Purdy 24 hour opening system, Torre Attack, Trompowski,

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=takqueen

Howtobeatyourdad

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=howtobeatyourdad

Tak Traxler

2 Knight Defense, A Wandering tour through the Traxler, The Italian Gambit, favorite games

TakKGA

King Gambit Accepted including a bunch of Gallagher Games

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=takkga

TakAttack

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=takattack
Kings gambit accepted and declined

Takchess Tactics
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=takchess+tactics

Takbook
Gambiteer and bronstein chess tutor

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=takbook

Takchessgiuicopiano

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=Takchessgiuocopiano

Patzer2 has the following attacking games by themes in this games collection

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=patzer2&page=1

notyetagm has a similar collection

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1014767

Pachman Modern Chess Strategy and Nezh Greatest Games

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=Bidibulle

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=maoam

game collections and attacks and sacs

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=syracrophy

The king in jeopardy

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=gauerhttp://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=arsen387http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=whiteshark

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1013303http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=Gypsyendingshttp://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?user=avidfanking indian http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1013811

Starting Out

The book begins with a short look at the Steinitz-Lasker ideas of defense. Lasker championed in his books the ideas which Steinitz developed.

You've heard them all before I'm sure but I find it helpful to be reminded of things I think I know.

PreSteinitz Chess was the battle of attackers if you were a better attacker you by all rights you should win.

Steinitz is considered to be the father of modern positional play.


He pointed out that
* Defense as well as Attack is important
* That there is a time when one should Attack and a times when one shouldn't.
* There are places on the board where one should Attack and places one shouldn't.
* It is one's Obligation to Attack when the time is right or else the advantage will slip away.
* Which ever part of the board the attacker has the advantage should be where he should attack.
* pawn weakness of the opponent, control of open lines and outpost squares are important
* the fight for positional advantage first not the kingside attack
*The Accumulation of Small Advantages is the basis for positional play.

Lasker promoted two big ideas based on Steinitz ideas.

1) The Principle of Economy - whoever is under attack must make concessions to defend himself but must make the smallest concession possible. Not an ounce more.

2) Strengthening the line of least resistance - the ideal situation is where all lines of resistance are equally strong with no weak link in the chain. Strengthen weak areas first. Be careful of Pawn Moves!

How to Defend in Chess: Learn from the World Champions

A while back I studied Vukovic's The Art of Attack and discussed it on this blog. I was hoping for someone to join me but as I recall I was the lone member of the A of A bookclub. 8) All in all it was time well spent.

I'm turning the tables and now studying Colin Crouch's book How to Defend in Chess: Learn from the World Champions . This is a study of defense using mostly Lasker and Petrosian games with other players games thrown in as suplementary games . http://www.chessgames.com/ had all but two of the games . I created this game collection . Although I enjoy an attacking style, I appreciate good defense and need to understand how to best defend bad positions.

So here we go. Crouch points out that it's important to win games; it's equally important not to lose them.

He writes in his preface: It's now well understood that an advantage may be genuine enough but insuficient to force a win against good play. For the player with the worst situation to carry such a position through to safety is the very basis of sophisticated defensive technique.

I want to be that guy........

interesting game

From my game as a guest on Playchess.com @ 20 + 6. I'm looking forward to getting Fritz and subscription to Playchess at Xmas. As white I took d5 here and after Qxd5 played Bf4 and then castled queenside . A fun game. Anyone care to comment on this ?

I'm playing and solving again (The low key version)

I've visited the chess club for 3 weeks in a row and am planning to renew my playchess.com account for Christmas.

I'm solving problems in http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1867326.Sharpen_Your_Tactics

I plan on doing all the one and two star difficulty problems . A page or two a night.

A shift in focus

For the past few years, I have been playing and studying chess everyday. Lately, this has slowed down as I am becoming more interested in learning about gardening, environment, global warming, alternative energy. Chess is seeming very trivial to me now given all we need to pay attention to.

Some sites I am finding interesting

www.ted.com

http://www.treehugger.com/

http://www.peakoil.com/

Books I recently read and recommend

http://www.amazon.com/ZOOM-Global-Race-Fuel-Future/dp/0446698660/ref=pd_bbs_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218535948&sr=8-4

http://www.amazon.com/Collapse-Societies-Choose-Fail-Succeed/dp/0143036556/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218536025&sr=1-2


http://www.amazon.com/Apollos-Fire-Igniting-Americas-Economy/dp/1597261750/ref=pd_sim_b_25

Alot of smart people are working on various solutions.

I'll be interested to see what technology will rise to the top. It is clear that change is needed.

An amazing combination

I have an Alburt and Palatnik book on Chess Tactics for the tournament player. This is a position from Palatnik game against Kasparov(white) . White to Move played Bishop x g5 . This combination is about 14 moves deep all forced . Those who are adventuresome should attempt to calculate this before looking at the game score below.


http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1069723

Amazing.