In this game, I am playing White in a inter-collegiate game against a player rated somewhere between 200-300 points higher than me (I'm around 1500). The other player can also be a bit cocky when he knows he has the win, taunting his opponents. In this game, I had a pretty good advantage, threw it away, then came back after not giving up and got the point, tying him for fourth place.

 

wonderful technique at the end there (:

Nice one.

Was your opponent really that smug whilst he was winning? I've never played over the board chess, and certainly never been near a tournament, however, I'm not sure I'd want to go. Most the stories I hear about tournament play sounds like it's a rubbish experience with people being arrogant and rude. Also, the pressure. Maybe it's just the case that bad stories make it through more than plesent ones.

 Do you have any good tournament experiences?

Possible forum there :)

Good game, well presented and annotated.

Good question Maradonna. I have not played tournaments either, though I have had the opposite impression. I've heard that people are generally well-behaved and that a camaraderie exists between most the players.

Obviously there will be tales of both positive and negative, i'd be interested in hearing what people's opinions are... are OTB tourneys mostly a friendly experience?

The pressure is something I WOULD like to feel at some point. I'd like to see how I handle it. I tend to think it would eventually crush me, but I'd like to try and hold out against it.

Nice game!  Your opponent sounds like a doosh bag.  How did he react?  I'd have found it hard not to make some comment back.

Maradonna> I've never played over the board chess, and certainly never been near a tournament, however, I'm not sure I'd want to go. Most the stories I hear about tournament play sounds like it's a rubbish experience with people being arrogant and rude. Also, the pressure.

oginschile> Obviously there will be tales of both positive and negative, i'd be interested in hearing what people's opinions are... are OTB tourneys mostly a friendly experience?

At the World Open, there was alot of pressure during the games and sometimes one or both of us were upset. But after the dust settled we were friendly with one another, chatted, and watched how each other did in the standings. The only exceptions were a couple players who attempted to win using underhanded means.

I both love and hate comebacks at the exact same time. <(^^)>

I have played in USCF OTB tournaments and am a USCF certified tournament director. I have played in the las Vegas Nationals each June, in local Phoenix Tournaments monthly and in the U.S.Open when it was held in Phoenix.

I find that 99% of players in the tournaments are very friendly and sociable, especially the adults and younger children. Sometimes you can run into a male teenager with lots of testosterone who thinks he is the next Fischer and can be arrogant and annoying (slamming pieces, the clock, or getting up and wandering to other boards after every move).

I advise everyone to try and play OTB games in local tournaments. The entry fee is usually quite low or zero. National tournaments have more expensive entry fees, but offer a much larger payoff for being in the top rankings at the end. Many friendships develop at the local level.

Oh I absolutely say those interested in OTB tournaments/games should do so. While my opponent here was slightly rude (nothing compared to how he was at the end of the game lol), I've always had great experiences in OTB play. I've only played in college tournaments, and a month and a half of unrated USCF tournaments, but it's much more fun watching your opponent struggle through the same things you are, contemplating moves, trying to look at a different side of the board in hopes he thinks you have a different plan lol, etc.

 

Also, the time controls for OTB tournaments are usually longer than what you'd experience in other chess games. Usually much longer than blitz, but they also offer the challenge of not getting a day to analyze one move. I find I play my best chess OTB, and I enjoy it the most.

I just want to comment on the game itself. I'm no expert in the Colle but I've started playing it fairly often and looked over a lot of games in Logical Chess Move by Move. I don't understand the need for 6. b3.  Black playing c4 doesn't seem all that good, the bishop just pulls back to c2 and black loses some ability to contest the center. I'd probably be encouraged if Black played c4 in that position

@ Chess Lobester

 Yeah, there probably wasn't a need for 6.b3. However, the version of the Colle that I play is the Zuckertort variation, where b3 defines the variation. It's really just from habit of playing thousands of games with it.

very nice game , I had completely forgotten the colle system, I learned it in my younger years.I just might bring it back into my repertiore

I highly recommend it. I find it to lead to interesting games, and it's pretty easy to learn, as well as being not too dependant on what your opponent is playing.

likesforests wrote:

At the World Open, there was alot of pressure during the games and sometimes one or both of us were upset. But after the dust settled we were friendly with one another, chatted, and watched how each other did in the standings. The only exceptions were a couple players who attempted to win using underhanded means.

---

please give an example of what underhand means an otb player could utilise - it can be something you have experienced, or observed between other players

Here's a game that I should have lost, but after my opponent literally demanded that I resign, I decided to find a way to win...

  You should never ask your opponent to resign.  I think it's bad luck.

I totally agree with you about not resigning. We learn early on that the object of the game is CHECKMATE, but how soon we forget this.

@ Niven42

That was a cute game lol. At what point did he demand you resign? There didn't seem to be any earth-shattering lost positions, although if I had to guess, it was probably after move 32. fxe5+. Also, I wouldn't put down the opponent's name in the game without permission, even if he was annoying lol.

 

@Head_Hunter

I love that explanation the best. A game isn't lost or won until the person is put into checkmate. So simple, yet as you said, so easily forgotten.

Very interesting combination at the end there.

In friendly play, I personally resort to "underhanded" tactics such as saying PWN!!! every time I take a pawn, but you can know it's in good nature.

Head_Hunter wrote:

I totally agree with you about not resigning. We learn early on that the object of the game is CHECKMATE, but how soon we forget this.

---

Oh Head Hunter how right you are. I think your reminder statement (The object of the game is CHECKMATE) should be above each game we play on this site.