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I'm going to be on vacation without computer access from Wednesday to Sunday, so I'.l need to make use of that vacation pause for my games for that period. I'll be back and done with finals after that though, so my games should go much faster then.
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(December 10th, 2012, 07:26)Jkaen Wrote: Just realsied, something I get that you guys on free membership dont is a computer review of the game (my games only)

Taking the example that Gustaran reviewed earlier, the move lists are:

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. Nf3 b6?!
( 6... d5 7. Ne5 Nxe5 8. dxe5 Ng4 9. cxd5 Bxe5 10. O-O Qd6 11. h3 Nf6 12. Bh6 Rd8 13. Qb3 Qb6 )
( 6... b6 7. e4 d6 8. O-O Bb7 9. e5 Nd7 10. exd6 cxd6 11. Be3 )
7. O-O Bb7 8. e4 Nb4?!
( 8... Na5 9. e5 Ne4 10. Nxe4 Bxe4 11. Qe2 Bb7 12. b4 Nc6 13. a3 e6 14. Bf4 Ne7 15. Rfd1 d5 16. b5 )
( 8... Nb4 9. Nh4 c5 10. dxc5 Nh5 11. g4 e6 12. Nf3 Nf6 13. Bg5 h6 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. e5 Be7 16. a3 Nc6 )
9. e5 Ne4 10. a3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Nc6 12. Re1 d6?!
( 12... Na5 13. Qd3 Nb3 14. Rb1 Nxc1 15. Rexc1 e6 16. Nd2 Bxg2 17. Kxg2 d6 18. exd6 Qxd6 19. Ra1 a5 20. Ne4 Qe7 )
( 12... d6 13. e6 f6 14. Nd2 Na5 15. Bxb7 Nxb7 16. Qa4 Na5 17. Rb1 c5 18. Nb3 Nxb3 19. Rxb3 d5 20. Be3 cxd4 )
13. exd6 cxd6 14. Bg5 h6 15. Be3 Na5 16. Nd2 d5?
( 16... Bxg2 17. Kxg2 Qc7 18. h4 Nxc4 19. Nxc4 Qxc4 20. Qd2 Qd5+ 21. f3 Rac8 22. a4 e5 23. a5 bxa5 24. dxe5 Qxd2+ 25. Bxd2 )
( 16... d5 17. cxd5 Bxd5 18. Qa4 Rc8 19. Rac1 g5 20. Bxd5 Qxd5 21. f3 Rfd8 22. Kg2 e5 23. c4 )
17. cxd5 Bxd5 18. Qe2 Rc8 19. Rac1 Bxg2 20. Kxg2 Qd5+ 21. Qf3 Qxf3+?!
( 21... Qa2 22. c4 Rfd8 23. c5 Qxa3 24. h4 Qa4 25. h5 g5 26. d5 Nb3 27. Nxb3 Qxb3 28. d6 exd6 29. cxd6 Rxc1 30. Rxc1 Rxd6 )
( 21... Qxf3+ 22. Kxf3 Rfd8 23. Kg2 e6 24. h3 b5 25. f3 a6 26. h4 Bf8 27. Ne4 Nc4 28. Ra1 Nxe3+ )
22. Kxf3 Nc4?!
( 22... Rfd8 23. Kg2 e6 24. h4 Kh7 25. a4 Nc4 26. Nxc4 Rxc4 27. Kf3 Rdc8 28. Bd2 Rxa4 29. Ra1 Rxa1 30. Rxa1 a5 31. Ke4 g5 )
( 22... Nc4 23. Nxc4 Rxc4 24. Ke2 Rfc8 25. Kd3 e5 26. f4 e4+ 27. Kxe4 Rxc3 28. Rxc3 Rxc3 29. a4 )
23. Nxc4 Rxc4 24. Bd2 Rfc8?
( 24... e6 25. Rcd1 Rd8 26. Ke2 Ra4 27. Bc1 Bf8 28. Kd3 Rc8 29. Bd2 Bd6 30. Ra1 Kg7 31. Bf4 )
( 24... Rfc8 25. Rxe7 Ra4 26. Ra1 Bf8 27. Rb7 Kg7 28. Ke4 Bd6 29. Kd3 Rd8 30. h4 Be5 31. Bc1 Bd6 32. Be3 Ra8 )
25. Rxe7 R8c7?!
( 25... Bxd4 26. cxd4 Rxc1 27. Bxc1 Rxc1 28. Rxa7 Kg7 29. Ra6 Rd1 30. Ke4 Re1+ 31. Kd3 Rd1+ )
( 25... R8c7 26. Rxc7 Rxc7 27. a4 Rc6 28. Rb1 Kf8 29. a5 Rf6+ 30. Kg2 Ke7 31. Bf4 Re6 32. axb6 )
26. Rxc7 Rxc7 27. Ke4 Bf8 28. a4 Rc4 29. Ra1 Kg7 30. Kd3 Rc6
( 30... Rc8 31. c4 g5 32. a5 Bd6 33. axb6 axb6 34. Be3 Rb8 35. Ra6 f6 36. d5 Bc5 37. Bxc5 bxc5 38. Ke4 Re8+ 39. Re6 )
( 30... Rc6 31. c4 Rf6 32. f4 Rf5 33. Bc3 g5 34. d5+ Kg6 35. Be5 Bg7 36. Bxg7 Kxg7 37. a5 gxf4 38. Ke4 )
31. c4 Be7?!
( 31... Rf6 32. Be3 Bb4 33. Rb1 Ba5 34. d5 Rd6 35. Bf4 Rd8 36. Kd4 Rc8 37. d6 g5 38. d7 )
( 31... Be7 32. a5 Rc8 33. axb6 axb6 34. Bc3 Rb8 35. Rb1 Bd6 36. d5+ Kf8 37. Bd4 Bc7 38. Be3 Ke7 39. Bxh6 Ra8 40. Ke4 )
32. f4 Rd6 33. a5 Bf6?!
( 33... Rxd4+ 34. Kxd4 Bf6+ 35. Kd5 Bxa1 36. axb6 axb6 37. Be3 Kf6 38. Bxb6 Ke7 39. c5 Kd7 40. c6+ Kc8 41. Kd6 Bf6 42. g4 Bc3 43. Ke7 f6 44. Ke6 g5 45. fxg5 fxg5 46. Bc5 Kd8 47. Kd5 )
( 33... Bf6 34. Bc3 Rd7 35. axb6 axb6 36. Ra6 Rb7 37. Bb4 Rd7 38. d5 b5 39. d6 bxc4+ 40. Kxc4 g5 41. Bd2 Kf8 42. Ra8+ Rd8 43. Rxd8+ Bxd8 44. fxg5 )
34. Bc3 g5?
( 34... Rd7 35. axb6 axb6 36. Ra6 Rb7 37. Bb4 Rd7 38. d5 b5 39. d6 bxc4+ 40. Kxc4 Kf8 41. Ra8+ Bd8 42. Kd5 Ke8 43. Bc5 g5 44. fxg5 hxg5 45. Be3 )
( 34... g5 35. axb6 axb6 36. Ra6 gxf4 37. gxf4 Kg6 38. c5 Rd8 39. Rxb6 Kf5 40. c6 h5 41. Rb5+ Kxf4 42. Rxh5 Rc8 43. d5 )
35. f5?
( 35. axb6 axb6 36. Ra6 gxf4 37. gxf4 Kg6 38. c5 Rd8 39. Rxb6 Kf5 40. c6 h5 41. Rb5+ Kxf4 42. Rxh5 Rc8 43. d5 Bxc3 44. Kxc3 Kg4 45. Rh6 Kf5 46. Kd4 Ra8 )
( 35. f5 Rd7 36. axb6 axb6 37. Ra6 Rb7 38. d5 Bxc3 39. Kxc3 Kf8 40. f6 Ke8 41. Kd4 Kd7 42. h3 Kc7 43. Ke5 h5 )
35... Rd8 36. axb6 axb6 37. Ra6?
( 37. Rb1 Rd6 38. Ke4 h5 39. Rb3 h4 40. gxh4 gxh4 41. Rb1 Rc6 42. Kd5 Rc8 43. Rxb6 Bd8 44. Ra6 Bc7 45. h3 Rd8+ 46. Ke4 Re8+ 47. Kd3 Bf4 48. d5+ Kf8 49. Bb4+ Kg7 50. c5 )
( 37. Ra6 Rb8 38. Ra2 Be7 39. Rb2 Ba3 40. d5+ Kf8 41. Bb4+ Bxb4 42. Rxb4 Ke7 43. c5 b5 44. Kd4 )
37... Rb8 38. d5 Bxc3 39. Kxc3 Kf6 40. c5 Kxf5 41. Rxb6
( 41. Rxb6 Ra8 42. Rxh6 Ke5 43. Kc4 Rb8 44. d6 Rd8 45. Rh5 Rg8 46. d7 Rd8 47. Rxg5+ Ke6 48. c6 Kd6 49. Rc5 Kc7 50. Kd5 Rg8 51. Rb5 Rg5+ 52. Kc4 Rg4+ )


Frankly, I am not sure how much that feature is going to help you.

For example why does 37.Ra6 get a "?". Fritz even thinks it's better than 37.Rb1, which is good move as well. My point is neither of these moves deserve a "?". I also believe these variations are too long and become imprecise 6-7 moves in. The other thing is that throwing variations at a player might help for short term tactical blunder but does nothing to enhance your understanding.
IMHO, it is peferable to check the game manually and test variations you find interesting and see why they work or fail.

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(December 9th, 2012, 04:29)Jkaen Wrote: Do you guys tend to pick up your moves on the go at whatever machine or iphone etc you happen to have access to, or do you assign a given time a day at your computer with books/apps etc where you can focus properly.

I think me playing some moves from the girlfriends phone down the pub probably isnt helping !

Since many of you are playing from phones and suffering from blunders I would like to give a brief summary of a recent video training on calculation I went through. Before you start calculating you need to check all possible candidate moves. But how do you find all important candidate moves? As a rule of thumb, the following possibilities always have to be considered:

- All moves that give a check
- All moves that are captures
- All moves that establish a threat

Now, in a nutshell you don't calculate endlessly, usually it is enough to look 2-3 moves into each candidate move and often you can discard the variation immediately. The problem (sometimes even up to grandmaster level) is that often players calculate too far without considering all alternatives and resources earlier in the variation. So for every move you make you should have a broad variation tree that shows your possibilities and your opponents.

If you want to test this technique here is a great example:

(White to move)

[Image: pos1.jpg]

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Ok, will give that a go (since I cant play my turns again due to being on the usb stick), my thought process spoilered below:

Initial review
White
h2 - No threat available, not theatened, discard
Kf2 - No threat available, cant be checked in 1 turn, discard
Ne3 - d5 threatens queen and protects b4. f5 threatens queen, but is inferior to d5, consider
c2 - c3 supports b4 but loses momentum, c4 however checks. responses would be moving king to b4, b6, c6. If former 2 then opens up knight fork with queen! c6 does not pose problems, but no obvious continuation, need to come back and analyse closely
b4 - cant move
Ra8 - cant take, obvious pressure moves are a5 (gives same options as pawn c4) or b8 (king moves a4, a6 or c6, R then supports b pawn), no obvious continuation though.

Black
Pawns no immediate threats, K cant take due to fork, Q cant pin N, but could take b pawn but then R can pin K against Q. Hence no immediate threat to concern against

Ok, so most likely options are:
Ra5 Kc6 or c4 Kc6

Second move review
If Ra5, then moves to remain momentum are b5, Ra6, Rc5.
Ra6 returns us back where we were with no gain.
Rc5 offers Q for R and pawn (bad for him) only real option due to knight is Kb7 but then i think Rc7 is the only decent move bu I feel this line unless he slips up just means we waste time pushing the king around in circles
b5 Ka6 gives us a good chance to run the pawn home. knight stops d5, d6, b6, c7. I cant see a continuation from b7 though

If c4, then moves open are b5, Nd5, Ra6, Rc8
b5 has same issued as already covered
Nd5 moves the queen (e4 for sort of pin?) and buys me time to set up an attack with the N more involved
Ra6 is answered Kb7. c6then loses pace with the pawn trade. Rb6 pushes the king around a bit more
Rc8 again has to be Kb7, but then rook is trapped

Decision
Cant see much difference between my 2 options, gut says link up the pawn so I move c4
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@Jkaen:

That's not bad, but you discard some moves very quickly without really looking ahead. You have correctly identified the following candidate moves:

Checks:

a) 1. Ra5+
b) 1. Rb8+
c) 1. c4+

Captures:

None available

Threats:

d) 1. Nd5
e) 1. Nf5

So these 5 candidate moves need to be calculated according to the rules above and form the base of your tree. You need to look about 2-3 move into each move and then decide if the variation is worthwhile. The solution is very clear, no need for gut feelings wink


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@Gustaran

Doh you are right, didnt examine close enough, Nf5 wins the queen within 2 moves

See what you said right up front about not considering all alternatives being an issue
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@Jkaen

Corrrect! smile
(December 12th, 2012, 07:22)Jkaen Wrote: @Gustaran


See what you said right up front about not considering all alternatives being an issue

Jkaen Wrote:Ne3 - d5 threatens queen and protects b4. f5 threatens queen, but is inferior to d5, consider

I think part of the problem is "calculation laziness". You saw Nf5 as a candidate move, but decided it was not worth looking into, without actually calculating anything. If you tackle that problem in a systematic way, i.e. looking into all 3 categories 2-3 moves and only then discarding them, you are much less likely to miss obvious moves.

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One thing with your checklist however I noted is they are all offensive checks. Would you do the same exercise for the opponent? If not how do you analyse threats to your pieces?
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Yes, that's called null-move - you virtually give the right to move to your opponent and analyze all his checks, captures and threats. You also need to do the same after each of your moves in your variation, i.e. if you decide to capture your opponents piece you need to make sure that in response he doesn't have a check that leads to mate in three.

I would like to mention that this is only a very rough guide for the calculating phase of your move. Usually you would have a planning phase and then check if your plan is tactically valid through calculation. On the other hand if your opponent decides to sacrifice his queen to mate you, any long term strategical plans are not as important and usually you can go right into calculating lines. On the other hand if a queen exchange happens in a blocked position, you probably won't start calculating a huge tree of variations.
One word of warning though: In online blitz games you obviously lack the time to do all this, in standard over the board play you need to decide at what point in the game you will invest your time. But in serious correspondence chess this is basically done whenever needed.
Last but not least, often the best move is neither a check, capture or threat. The above only serves as a rough guide to avoid missing tactical shots.

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Cool stuff Gustaran, but unfortunately, I will never use it. It looks like a lot of the guys here are very much calculating players, while I'm an instinct based player. For me, I don't run all those calculations, I play the move I see that feels the best. Sometimes that makes me make really odd plays, but other times it lets me do some very cool moves.
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