Comments on: Exercise I http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/ Free lessons on chess strategy Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:43:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Exercise III « Chess Strategy http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-758 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 15:30:55 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-758 [...] Some months after the Exercise I and Exercise II, it was about time for new challenge, and I picked one example from the absolutely fantastic “John Nunn’s Chess Puzzle Book”. What I liked was the pattern of identifying opponent’s potential and then imposing problems which he cannot solve. Give yourself at least 15 minutes on the board. [...] […] Some months after the Exercise I and Exercise II, it was about time for new challenge, and I picked one example from the absolutely fantastic “John Nunn’s Chess Puzzle Book”. What I liked was the pattern of identifying opponent’s potential and then imposing problems which he cannot solve. Give yourself at least 15 minutes on the board. […]

]]> by: Exercise II « Chess Strategy http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-64 Mon, 26 Feb 2007 03:23:42 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-64 [...] Same test as in previous one. Setup the position and concentrate for 15 minutes as if you are playing on the board. Then suggest the move/plan and we will discuss it in comments. In both games it is White to move. [...] […] Same test as in previous one. Setup the position and concentrate for 15 minutes as if you are playing on the board. Then suggest the move/plan and we will discuss it in comments. In both games it is White to move. […]

]]> by: Phil Bourke http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-60 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 23:00:04 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-60 A far better plan than what I was able to come up with. Guess that means Fischer is a better player than me :) Very good exercise Goran, look forward to the next one. A far better plan than what I was able to come up with.
Guess that means Fischer is a better player than me :)
Very good exercise Goran, look forward to the next one.

]]> by: Tom Chivers http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-59 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 15:19:54 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-59 Wow. Not even close. A nice little threat to make a new strategy realisitic, very good. Wow. Not even close. A nice little threat to make a new strategy realisitic, very good.

]]> by: admin http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-58 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:41:04 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-58 Hello, the book is Chess for Zebras. It's not an easy reading, but Jonathan is introducing many useful concepts. You can read <a href="http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/kenilworthian/2006/01/chess-for-zebras.html" rel="nofollow">Michael Goeller's review</a>. Michael also has an fantastic post <a href="http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/kenilworthian/2007/02/to-adult-chessplayer-who-wants-to.html" rel="nofollow">"To an Adult Chessplayer Who Wants to Improve"</a>, where he writes: "But I will say that the biggest lesson I have learned over the years is that there is chess knowledge and there is chess practice, and the two are not the same. Reading chess books gives you knowledge, but you need training and experience to improve your practical results.". Your english is perfect :) Hello,

the book is Chess for Zebras. It’s not an easy reading, but Jonathan is introducing many useful concepts. You can read Michael Goeller’s review.
Michael also has an fantastic post “To an Adult Chessplayer Who Wants to Improve”, where he writes: “But I will say that the biggest lesson I have learned over the years is that there is chess knowledge and there is chess practice, and the two are not the same. Reading chess books gives you knowledge, but you need training and experience to improve your practical results.”.
Your english is perfect :)

]]> by: rocktheboard http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-57 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 08:08:34 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-57 Hallo! Thanks for the explanation. I thought for 15 minutes and wasn´t able to find a clear plan. I was mislead by the badsituated white knight, but didn't know how to profit from it. Goran, Could you please give us the title of rowson's book? P.S: Sorry for my english. Hallo!

Thanks for the explanation. I thought for 15 minutes and wasn´t able to find a clear plan. I was mislead by the badsituated white knight, but didn’t know how to profit from it.

Goran, Could you please give us the title of rowson’s book?

P.S: Sorry for my english.

]]> by: admin http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-56 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 14:07:35 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-56 Hey Tom, good to see you here. Welcome Phil. I couldn't perform the exercise on this position because I saw the game in advance. The thing that amazed me was "simplicity" of Black's moves (But only after I see them in the book. I could hardly come up with most of them). This kind of exercise is great, it helps us to compare our vision of the position as a whole, and the way we break it on parts, with how Grandmaster handles it. The game was Hort-Fischer 1970, and Fischer went with 21...Bf6 22. c3 Bd8. His idea was to press weak a5 pawn, provoking other weakness on c3 after 23. b4 Bf6. I have to admit I would probably never consider this kind of transformation, particularly when it involves "ugly" Bd8. But Rowson's book has another instructive chapter "Finding beauty in ugly moves". After I saw what Fischer did, it was obvious that c3 is easier target than a5. It is on open file, Nc4 is nested on nice outpost (White can't challenge it because c3 falls), Ra4 is out of play and White will have to spend some time to improve it. The position is far from clearly winning, there is a lot of struggle left. But I'm sure a Grandmaster would consider it as big achievement. Later, Fischer advanced his h-pawn in order to create another weakness on kingside, and eventually he won in deep endgame. Goran Hey Tom, good to see you here. Welcome Phil.

I couldn’t perform the exercise on this position because I saw the game in advance. The thing that amazed me was “simplicity” of Black’s moves (But only after I see them in the book. I could hardly come up with most of them).

This kind of exercise is great, it helps us to compare our vision of the position as a whole, and the way we break it on parts, with how Grandmaster handles it.

The game was Hort-Fischer 1970, and Fischer went with 21…Bf6 22. c3 Bd8. His idea was to press weak a5 pawn, provoking other weakness on c3 after 23. b4 Bf6. I have to admit I would probably never consider this kind of transformation, particularly when it involves “ugly” Bd8. But Rowson’s book has another instructive chapter “Finding beauty in ugly moves”.

After I saw what Fischer did, it was obvious that c3 is easier target than a5. It is on open file, Nc4 is nested on nice outpost (White can’t challenge it because c3 falls), Ra4 is out of play and White will have to spend some time to improve it. The position is far from clearly winning, there is a lot of struggle left. But I’m sure a Grandmaster would consider it as big achievement. Later, Fischer advanced his h-pawn in order to create another weakness on kingside, and eventually he won in deep endgame.

Goran

]]> by: Phil Bourke http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-55 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 01:09:59 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-55 I am with Tom, I like ...Ba7 also. Immediately removes all the threats around the pinned knight on c4 and keeps the bishop looking at the Black King. One idea is that the f2 pawn is pinned, and if Black can move d5, then Qxg3 is a threat. This combined with moves such as Nd2 suggest that a King attack may be a distinct possibility, though it is not clear that ...Ba7, ...d5, ...Nd2, etc will be achievable, as I think White has moves such as b3, c3 to cover f2 and d2 that may prevent Black achieving this aim. I can't say that I have any direct plan. A lot will revolve around what White does in his next few moves, and I cannot find anything that is clearly winning for Black. I confess too, I would have spent more like an hour looking at this position, and apart from settling on ...Ba7, I don't feel that I came anywhere near understanding it totally. I am with Tom, I like …Ba7 also. Immediately removes all the threats around the pinned knight on c4 and keeps the bishop looking at the Black King. One idea is that the f2 pawn is pinned, and if Black can move d5, then Qxg3 is a threat. This combined with moves such as Nd2 suggest that a King attack may be a distinct possibility, though it is not clear that …Ba7, …d5, …Nd2, etc will be achievable, as I think White has moves such as b3, c3 to cover f2 and d2 that may prevent Black achieving this aim.
I can’t say that I have any direct plan. A lot will revolve around what White does in his next few moves, and I cannot find anything that is clearly winning for Black. I confess too, I would have spent more like an hour looking at this position, and apart from settling on …Ba7, I don’t feel that I came anywhere near understanding it totally.

]]> by: Tom Chivers http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-54 Tue, 20 Feb 2007 18:26:46 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/02/exercise-i/#comment-54 I analyzed it like this. White's threatening to pick up the d4 bishop with 1. c3, so black has a decision to make as to which diaganol to leave it on. If it stays on the h8-a1 diaganol, it will be nice but not actually hitting at much. If it says on the a7-f2 diaganol, it will hit at the white king and f2 pawn, but weaken the dark squares around black's own king. But, white doesn't have the right pieces in the right places to exploit such a weakness for the time-being. In fact the white position is kind of airy and probe-able; black is probably a bit better. So I'd play 1. ... Ba7. (I like the similar idea of 1. ... Qc5 too, but it feels loose by comparison.) After that, the knight will always be active and on a good square, which leaves the major pieces for black to worry over. I'm not sure if they can get into the game via the c-file, or centre files or f-file after pawn-breaks - so I'm not sure I could confidently state I've come with an overall plan in my fifteen minutes. How did I do?! If I'm on my normal move-guessing form, 1. ... Bg7 will have been played! I analyzed it like this. White’s threatening to pick up the d4 bishop with 1. c3, so black has a decision to make as to which diaganol to leave it on. If it stays on the h8-a1 diaganol, it will be nice but not actually hitting at much. If it says on the a7-f2 diaganol, it will hit at the white king and f2 pawn, but weaken the dark squares around black’s own king.

But, white doesn’t have the right pieces in the right places to exploit such a weakness for the time-being. In fact the white position is kind of airy and probe-able; black is probably a bit better. So I’d play 1. … Ba7. (I like the similar idea of 1. … Qc5 too, but it feels loose by comparison.) After that, the knight will always be active and on a good square, which leaves the major pieces for black to worry over. I’m not sure if they can get into the game via the c-file, or centre files or f-file after pawn-breaks - so I’m not sure I could confidently state I’ve come with an overall plan in my fifteen minutes.

How did I do?! If I’m on my normal move-guessing form, 1. … Bg7 will have been played!

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