Chess

[pindicator]

Modern chess has exciting games. Try anything with Nakamura in it

[zakalwe]

I thought game 9 was very exciting indeed, and Carlsen played very daringly, considering that the match would again be wide open if he lost. He also displayed both good intuition and very deep calculation. It's a shame that Anand blundered like that, as he probably would have been able to secure a draw otherwise. It's also a shame that there aren't more games.

Maybe a fun format for a match like this would be to always have a mix of different game speeds, instead of only moving on to faster games in the event that the longest games result in a draw.

[Rowain]

Game 9 was exciting and interesting.

What this championship has shown is that chess-players have to adapt to a more sportive living. Now stamina does matter.

[regoarrarr]

So... I find I often get into a spot in the mid-game where I really don't know what to do.

Say this game http://www.chess.com/echess/game?id=78317710 around move 24 or so (though at this point I am down a knight so maybe it's already hopeless). But I just look at all my moves and don't see anything reasonable to do?

Any advice for me?

[spellman]

So... I find I often get into a spot in the mid-game where I really don't know what to do.

Say this game http://www.chess.com/echess/game?id=78317710 around move 24 or so (though at this point I am down a knight so maybe it's already hopeless). But I just look at all my moves and don't see anything reasonable to do?

Any advice for me?

Mostly then you're looking to prepare for endgame advantages (so much material off the board, you're effectively endgame at this point). Being the Knight down stinks, so if you can trap it or isolate it from the rest of the board you'd be better off. But in this particular game it's got a nice outpost.

At that point, get all your pieces together and start pushing the pawn structures up. I feel like the last World Champ game is an excellent example of WTF pawn structure racing and really goes to show how powerful pawns can be in the endgame.

Look for incremental maneuvers. You start pushing your pawn structure, but then leave both the b4 pawn open at 27 and let your king get Checked on 27. At that point you're effectively endgame, don't give up free checks. Strengthening your Queen to the center and using the Rook to help defend, like black did at 28..Re6 is what you should be doing.

[Gustaran]

So... I find I often get into a spot in the mid-game where I really don't know what to do.

If that is the case "often" why do you post a game where you have a completely lost position anyway (down a knight in the endgame) ?

The problem in that game is that you blundered a knight for no compensation whatsoever, not the lack of a plan on move 24.

[regoarrarr]

Thank you spellman - your advice was helpful.

Gustaran - I apologize for not pasting in a game that would allow you to give helpful advice.

How about one of my games with Cyneheard

http://www.chess.com/echess/game?id=78657732

Starting around say move 23 or so

[Jkaen]

I would have tried

23. Ra6 Qf7, Ne2 Rf8, f4...

To try and shore up the middle and link your pawns. I think the knight was just getting in the way for you

[Cyneheard]

Thank you spellman - your advice was helpful.

Gustaran - I apologize for not pasting in a game that would allow you to give helpful advice.

How about one of my games with Cyneheard

http://www.chess.com/echess/game?id=78657732

Starting around say move 23 or so

That was an incredible game. (28. Nxe6 blunder at the end excepted).

24. g5 seemed weak to me, because Nf5 was very much where I wanted that knight to be (that was the upshot of the insanity caused by 18. ...Qxa4).

[regoarrarr]

Just to be clear, I'm not necessarily looking for specific advice on any of these particular games. I'm at a spot where I more am looking for general advice about what to do in the mid-game.