Any help would be appreciated...

After 2 d4, White has wasted a tempo and given up the advantage of the first move. Just play 2 ... c5, and now you're playing a Queen's Gambit (with colors reversed, of course).

 

2 ... e5 wasn't actually that bad. You were just playing a Blackmar-Diemer Gambit (again with colors reversed) with 3 ... Nc6 4 Nf3 Bg4 as one of the likely continuations.

  You should try not to put your pieces on squares where they can be captured for free. Beginners should play untimed games and they should stop and think every move - OK where did my opponent just move? What is the moved piece/pawn attacking and what squares are it looking at? Is the square I'm about to move to being attacked? Establish this routine early on and a) it will immediately improve your game and b) I will get you into a good habit that you will continue to use as you develop.

  You do seem keen to get your pieces out and working - this is good.

  Beginners should just learn the fundamental opening principles and the piece valuations then practice until they can get through most games without hanging pieces (putting them on square where they can be captured or leaving them sitting undefended on a square that has just come under attack) - then they will be ready to learn more theory.

 

 

 

Hi Bishop357, you might want to study an opening to get down some developmental moves.  I would suggest starting with the Giuoco Piano (aka Italian Game) which goes: 1. e4...e5, 2. Nf3...Nc6, 3. Bc4...Bc5.

Also, in general you should try to follow these rules of development:  1. put a pawn in the center, 2. develop your knights, 3. develop your bishops, 4. castle, 5. connect your rooks by moving your queen.  These are generalizations and so are not necessary rules but a good way to begin playing sound games.

Other than that, try not to simply chase the king around the board but instead immobilize him as best as possible and keep your opponent defending him and then pile on your pieces in the attack...good luck!

Read Pandolfini's 62 Commandments of Chess

That's a lot of commandments. It might even be easier to be a Christian.

brewd wrote:

Hi Bishop357, you might want to study an opening to get down some developmental moves.  I would suggest starting with the Giuoco Piano (aka Italian Game) which goes: 1. e4...e5, 2. Nf3...Nc6, 3. Bc4...Bc5.

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 No please don't! Just because most beginners are taught this first, does not mean you have to start with this also. Playing some other openings will improve your understanding of dynamism in chess. Also, it might improve your winning chances, since some beginners might never have seen anything else before. There is no reason to start with Italian or Giuoco Piano! A beginner's mind is just as capable of grasping any other opening as it is the Italian. Throw yourself into the turbulent waters of chess, and have fun!

The Italian Game is  1. e4 e5  2. Nf3 Nc6  3. Bc4. It is a decent opening, but has a terrible reputation for being sophomoric. This is because most beginners, after being punished for simply bringing out their Queen and bishop and trying to hammer f7, merely graduate to playing the Italian game...and then use their knight and bishop to pound f7. There are a couple ways to play against this opening, including the two knights (3...Nf6), giuoco piano (3...Bc5), and the Hungarian (3...Be7). The Hungarian is solid but passive. The giuoco piano, Italian for 'the quiet game,' is just that. It is very symmetrical and very quiet. But if this is what you are looking for, so be it, you will find it boring soon enough. Easily the most dynamic and interesting is the two knights. If you are looking for a way to mix up the opening and get your opponent out of their comfort zone, this is probably the way to go. Of course, you could just play the Alekhine (1...Nf6) or the Sicilian (1...c5) and get into a sharp game right from the get-go. Good luck!

57..Rb8 was probably worth a shot - If white takes it for a queen then its a stalemate. 

tonightonly7 wrote: brewd wrote:

Hi Bishop357, you might want to study an opening to get down some developmental moves.  I would suggest starting with the Giuoco Piano (aka Italian Game) which goes: 1. e4...e5, 2. Nf3...Nc6, 3. Bc4...Bc5.

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 No please don't! Just because most beginners are taught this first, does not mean you have to start with this also. Playing some other openings will improve your understanding of dynamism in chess. Also, it might improve your winning chances, since some beginners might never have seen anything else before. There is no reason to start with Italian or Giuoco Piano! A beginner's mind is just as capable of grasping any other opening as it is the Italian. Throw yourself into the turbulent waters of chess, and have fun!

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Funny that you offer no advice whatsoever other than the mysterious "turbulent waters" comment.  It's easy to be critical, but instead how but some practical advice and not some random generalization.  You've left him with no suggestion for improving his game at all...  By the way the Italian IS the Giuoco Piano (hence the aka...).  Nearly everyone starts with it because it's a solid opening which demonstrates sound principles of development extremely well.  Sure a beginner could use the English or King's Indian but they don't exemplify the opening principles as well and are not in my opinion a good place to start.

41. Rb6+ Ka4 42. Ra7 might be mate.

I think you have the board upside down mxdplay4. :-).

 

If you're suggesting 41. ... Rg3+ 42. Kh5 Rh2#, it is foiled by 42. Ng5.

 

After 42.  Nc5, black's try 42. ... Rg3+ is still nicked just  barely by 43. Bg5 Rxg5 44. Kxh6 and there's no mate because the rook on g5 is hanging. Meanwhile white threatens to win a pawn.

 

All of the  opening advice on this thread is just silly. Black would be much better off if he simply doesn't allow his opponent to take his pieces for no reason. 

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 Thanks to everyone...especially Batgirl,Quixotical,and Loomis.