Pete's Pathetic Chess: 'Aimless, Random Moves'
The response from the Chess.com community has been overwhelming.
Readers demand to see more of my ungainly intermediate chess.
Once again, the brilliant grandmaster Roman Dzindzichashvili has stooped down to my level to analyze and annotate one of my mistake-filled blitz efforts.
Alongside GM Dzindzi's comments, I try to explain my lack of chess thinking during the game.
We also ran the moves through Stockfish 6 in a foolhardy attempt to weaken the chess machine, hoping my game would set back computer chess enough for humans to once again rule the 64 squares.
That didn't work, but at least you can learn what not to do by playing through the game below.
Let us know what you think of my pathetic chess in the comments below and on Facebook.
The game: Chess.com blitz, 10 minutes per side.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bg5 Be7 8.Qd2 O-O 9.O-O-O b5 10.Bb3
Pete:
I’m feeling pretty good about my position. I think I have a big advantage. All of my pieces are developed, while Black hasn’t moved any of his queenside pieces at all. I am keeping my bishop on the important light diagonal leading to his king. We castled on opposite sides, and I should be ahead in the race thanks to my faster development.
GM Dzindzi:
10...b4 is simply winning, the punishment for an aimless selection of random moves (11. Na4 Nxe4 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Qf4 Qb7).
Stockfish 6:
-0.65, depth 25. I thought White was supposed to be slightly better in the opening? Guess not.
10...Qc7 11.h4 Bb7 12.h5 b4 13.Nce2 Nxe4
Pete:
Looks like my e4-pawn was really weak, and now I am in trouble. My bishop and queen are forked, and I have to give up a piece. My queen must move off the c1-h6 diagonal or else it will be pinned to my king after Black wins my bishop. Hopefully I can stir up an attack after losing the piece.
GM Dzindzi:
This is where the game is supposed to end...in this case, the game is just starting.
Stockfish 6:
-3.79, depth 25. How is it possible to lose a bishop after just 13 moves?
14.Qd3 Nxf2
Pete:
I thought he would take my bishop, but now he is forking my rooks instead. At least now I can defend my bishop and only be down an exchange instead of a full piece.
GM Dzindzi:
The way the scoring system in chess works is that you get a point if you win a game -- regardless how much extra material you have in the end. The simple Bxg5 and Nxf2 were enough to win three or four games, but let's try to make it exciting.
Stockfish 6:
-4.01, depth 25. You know, I could be doing something useful right now, like calculating a few trillion digits of pi.
15.Qg3 Bxg5+
Pete:
I moved my queen to the g-file to defend my bishop, and to position it for a possible attack against Black's king. My opponent traded bishops and now I am getting excited about playing h6 if he takes one of my rooks.
GM Dzindzi:
Why not 15...Ne4? No one knows.
Stockfish 6:
-3.51, depth 25. You would have been even worse if Black had found Ne4. Don't worry, though: your position is still extremely losing.
16.Qxg5 Nxd1
Pete:
If I take the knight, I will still be down an exchange and two pawns. Not good. But instead I can play h6 and really put pressure on his king. I will threaten mate on g7, and I might be able to open the h-file for my rook. My queen is also very menacing on the dark squares around Black's king.
GM Dzindzi:
Sometimes, you get punished by horrible play, and Black did deserve to get punished. 16...Qd8 was forced.
Stockfish 6:
White mates in 10. I know computers aren't supposed to have intuition but somehow I do not think you will find this mate in 10.
17.h6 f6
Pete:
This is the move I have been counting on. If Black had played g6, I could have moved my queen to f6 and I think mate is unstoppable. Black played f6, but now I can take on e6 with check and continue my attack.
GM Dzindzi:
17. h6 is an obvious and bad move. After Nf5, Black gets mated: 17. Nf5 f6 (17... g6 18. Qf6 gxf5 19. h6) 18. Bxe6+ Kh8 19. Nf4 and Ng6+ is unstoppable.
Unreal. It's move 17 and the game should have been over three or four times with various different results.
Stockfish 6:
+1.77, depth 25. Why play a forced mate when you can get a small advantage instead?
18.Bxe6+
Pete:
Time to eliminate this pawn with check. My next plan is to open the h-file by force.
GM Dzindzi:
This is OK, but better is 18. hg.
Stockfish 6:
+1.25, depth 25. Stop me if you've heard this one before: your position is getting worse.
18...Kh8 19.hxg7+ Qxg7 20.Qxg7+ Kxg7
Pete:
Black was able to defend against my immediate attack by trading queens, but now I am not down so much material after I take his knight. My pieces are all much more active than his and his king is still wide open. I like my chances.
GM Dzindzi:
Now after 21. Nf5 Kh8 22. Nf4 Rg8 23 Bxg8 Kxg8 and Rxd1, White simply is almost winning, but...
Stockfish 6:
+1.31, depth 25. Looks like your advantage has stabilized. Surely you won't lose it in a single move.
21.Rxd1 Nc6
Pete:
Looks like I can win another pawn at the cost of trading my great knight for his knight on f6. I don't see anything better, so let's do it.
GM Dzindzi:
And White is back to a bad position.
Stockfish 6:
-1.07, depth 25. Did I ever tell you that my grandfather was "The Wizard" tip-calculating computer on Seinfeld?
Will I be able to finish this game as accurately as a late-1980s computer? Check back next Monday for the thrilling conclusion of Pete's Pathetic Chess.
Let us know what you think of the game so far in the comments section.
