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Frankem51's Blog


    • Not so lucky

      Computer analysis shows that both players missed a tactic for Black which would have won me a game against Lucky52, graded 200 points above me.  | Read More

      • Frankem51
      • | Apr 7, 2013
      • | 80 views
      • | 0 comments
    • Positional evaluation

      Another list of concepts in positional chess - Mobility, Flexibility, Vulnerability, Center Control, Piece Coordination, Time, Speed, Material, Space, King Safety and Development.  There seems some repetition in this.  For example, what's the di... | Read More

      • Frankem51
      • | Mar 31, 2013
      • | 111 views
      • | 1 comment
    • yet more about evaluating a position

      Silman's list of imbalances: Superior minor piece, Pawn structure, Space, Material, Control of a key file, Control of a hole/weak square, Lead in development, Initiative, King safety, and Statics vs. Dynamics. | Read More

      • Frankem51
      • | Mar 30, 2013
      • | 74 views
      • | 0 comments
    • Rook sacrifice forcing a win

      | Read More

      • Frankem51
      • | Feb 28, 2013
      • | 81 views
      • | 0 comments
    • Obviously

      play the most aggressive move you can | Read More

      • Frankem51
      • | Oct 13, 2012
      • | 131 views
      • | 3 comments
    • Tactics Trainer

      My scheme for Tactics Trainer is as follows: to take as much time as necessary to solve the problem even if that means getting the minimum score of 20% and a reduction in my grading; to play each problem through twice, so I can absorb its lesson. ... | Read More

      • Frankem51
      • | Aug 20, 2012
      • | 192 views
      • | 0 comments
    • Tactical indicators

      Look for weaknesses and tactical indicators such as weak, undefended or hanging pieces; checks; the strengths of competing pieces such as squares commanded; forks and pins; batteries;passed pawns, unsafe king, weak squares, files and diagonals; pi... | Read More

      • Frankem51
      • | Aug 11, 2012
      • | 206 views
      • | 0 comments
    • Forcing moves

      There's a good article elsewhere on chess.com about the importance of efficient, forcing moves: checks, captures (which can gain tempi) and threats. The author illustrates his point from a famous win by Morphy.  However, my forcing moves are only... | Read More

      • Frankem51
      • | Jul 9, 2012
      • | 202 views
      • | 0 comments
    • Cheating

      There's been an exchange of notes on the Team England site about cheating and how highly graded players get detected and their accounts closed.  Perhaps there is a need for  lateral thinking about the question of cheating.  There could be event... | Read More

      • Frankem51
      • | Jun 5, 2012
      • | 355 views
      • | 2 comments
    • Chess 960

      I enjoy 960 but it's not really a variant of standard chess, only a way of deterring over-reliance on book knowledge of openings.  Capablanca thought chess was played out but it's still going strong.  It may be that standard chess is in principl... | Read More

      • Frankem51
      • | May 12, 2012
      • | 268 views
      • | 0 comments