Perpetual Bullet Grind — Playing In A Chess.com Arena

Today, 22 October 2022, is the 1 year anniversary of my first blog post. My first post was on Opening Knight Forks, since I encountered a lot of those back when I played Bughouse, which was a lot in 2021. My blog has come a long way since then. Now, time for the post:

I have decided to start a new series, Perpetual Bullet Grind, in which I provide updates on my attempts to get to a high Bullet Rating. For my first post in this series, I am going to talk about the 1|0 Bullet Arena I played in on 30-9-2022. These Arenas last for 30 minutes, and chess.com has one every 30 minutes, so you can go straight from finishing one to joining another. In the end, I got 7th place out of 729 players, with 34 Arena Points. Following some information I learned about in a blogger discussion forum, I decided that I would post each game here, along with my analysis of each game, in order to show everyone how a 1400 Bullet player thinks, and hopefully you can learn something from these actual examples. So without further ado, let's start the games:

Game One: Blunders Galore

When the Arena started, there were not that many players above 1300 right there off the bat. For that reason, my first game was against a player who was rated 1200. I was hoping to win quick to advance to the next round. But did I win quickly, or would my rustiness make me lose?

This game was closer than I would have liked, given that my opponent was around 100 points lower. But a fair game is a fair game. We both played fast and well, we both blundered, missing a Mate in 1 in my case, and in the end, it was even. The rating gap between us might just be due to flagging, where it does not matter how well you played. Another element of the Bulllet chaos.

Game Two: Material Vs Time

After winning my first round, I was convinced that I would be paired with someone that was 1500 or higher. Instead, I got a 1400, which was where my average rating was around. I expected it to be close, and I was not sure who would win. Let’s see who did:

This game shows a particular pattern: One player who has the material and positional advantage, especially in the Endgame, ends up losing on time. This has happened in my games a lot. If this was Classical, such a position would have called for a resignation, since both sides have a lot of time. But the rules of Bullet are different. And my not resigning paid off, and gave me another win. They say it's better to be lucky than good.

Game Three: Moving Fast Helps And Hinders

So after being dead lost in my last game, I was not feeling as confident for the third one. I was paired against another 1400, and decided to just play like usual. But I took a lesson from my last game, and tried to do some more calculating to set up a better position early in the game. How did that go?

I was down on time for most of this game. It could have turned out to be the reverse of the last game, where I was losing but won on time. However, this one move towards the end equalized our clocks, and with that, even if my Opponent did not disconnect, I believe I would have won for that reason. I had the Time Advantage throughout the last game in the Endgame, and my Opponent did not have that. You need to secure a Time Advantage if you want to dirty flag.

Game Four: Thinking Fast Requires Thinking

Having won my first 3 games, I was feeling pretty good. My fourth game was against another 1400, so I was feeling confident. After all, I had just beaten 2 1400 rated players. So did I beat this one as well?

So that game did not go so well. After my Opponent took the Rook, I thought I was dead lost right there, but decided to keep playing in the hope of a surprise attack, which are very common in Bullet games. But it didn't happen. I just thought I remained lost throughout the game, and finally decided to resign later. We both played fast, and this shows the importance of knowing basic Theory and Middlegame Theory, to avoid being lost in the middle of the Middlegame. I probably wouldn’t have resigned when I did if this wasn’t an Arena, but Arenas only happen for a set amount of time, and I decided it would be better to quit a game I would likely lose so I could play more, and therefore stand a change of winning more, in the limited amount of time I had. So on to the next game.

Game Five: The Clock And The Endgame

After losing my last game, I was paired against another 1400. Having lost, I felt that this was definitely going to be a close game. I had still beaten 2 1400s, and with that and the inherent chaos of Bullet, nobody could predict what would happen. So here's what did:

In this game, I had both a Time Advantage and Material Advantage. However, my lack of knowledge of Endgames was not good for me. If this was Classical, I likely would have lost in the Endgame due to my lack of Knowledge. But this is a Bullet Endgame, where the clock is just important, and the clock was something I knew how to capitalize on. Another consequence of the chaos of Bullet.

Game Six: Theory's Impact On Time

Whenever you play someone 100 points higher than you, you automatically feel like you are likely going to lose. That happened to me when I got assigned to play a player who was almost 1500. I was slight intimidated, but still decided to do my best to ignore my Opponent's rating and just play. So how did I do?

That was not a good game on my end. As I did not know any Scotch Theory, I was at a Time Disadvantage right off the bat. That game goes to show how Openings in which your Opponent likely doesn't know any Theory for should be studied and used, so you can have a Time Advantage that you can convert into a win. This is why I'm trying to study Petrov's Defense (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6) Theory. Due to my reset streak, regaining a place in the Top 5 was going to be difficult. Can I manage to do it?

Game Seven: Attacks Are Important

Having lost, I knew that I needed to play better to get a place in the Top 5, as well as get my rating back up. So I was not feeling confident when I ended up having to play against a player who is actually 1500.

This game was a very attacking one, with me launching a couple of attacks after my Opponent blundered their Bishop. We both had a lot of time, despite having a Time Disadvantage, and so my Opponent could not hope for a dirty flag. All blunders are not good, but the closer you get to the first move, the worse they get, as shown by this game.

Game Eight: The Chaos Of The Endgame

So at this point, even though Bullet games are close by nature, I wanted to do my best to ensure a good position in the Middlegame, so that I can get better odds. Bullet games are rarely positional, but even in tactical games, the position is still important. For Game 8, I got paired against a 1300. I was hoping for a quick win and a nice break before going back to giving my all against 1500s. Did I get both those things?

That was definitely a chaotic game. That was one of those Bullet games that I do not know how I won, and is a prime example that, at least at my level, tactics and mates and hung pieces are missed all the time in Bullet. While the idea of Never Resign is debated in Classical, this game shows that it should be kept in Bullet, as you never know what the chaos of the game will give you.

Game Nine: The Impact Of Blunders

With the last game being very close, I knew that I needed to up my game. For the next game, I ended up playing another 1200. In Bullet someone rated 100 points lower or higher than you can be equal in skill to you, the games are that chaotic. Still, being higher rated can trigger overconfidence. Did I succumb to it?

Another game in which I was losing for a lot of it. However, one blunder changed the game's outcome. While that is true for Classical games, the nature of blunders is different in Bullet. As you have less time, you have to think fast, and cannot scan the board as much, which allows for surprise Bishop and Knight attacks, which is what happened in my game.

Game Ten: Lose Pieces Or Lose Time

For this game, I ended up playing @Abz83, who I had played in Game 2. That last game was close. Will the rematch be close as well?

That game was very close. All in all, it shows the debate between playing good and playing fast. If you play good, you are winning, but have less time. If you play fast, you are losing, but have more time. I played fast, and not good, but ended up winning by time. Another demonstration of the power of the clock, and how chaotic Bullet games are.

Game Eleven: The Power Of Early Attacks

Following the last game, I was paired with another 1400. There have been a lot in this tournament. Time for another very close game. Or was it?

Overall, that game saw multiple blunders. The principle of damaging the Pawn Structure as early as possible applies to Bullet as well as Classical, and you can see the effects. In Classical, you can compensate. In Bullet, you can't, or you lose time. I did manage to regain the Material, but then blundered it all away. Welcome to Bullet. Even so, my opponent likely had the advantage due to having more Pawns. This shows that if you can attack early, you must attack early.

Game Twelve: The Power Of The Position

Close game after close game. I knew that I needed to get a better position early in the game, so that I can not have the games be so close. For my next game, I was paired against @Abz83, who I had played twice before. Do I get to keep my win streak against this player?

That game, just like my previous games against @Abz83, was a very close one, with me losing but winning on time. My opponent got a better position in the opening, and used it to attack. The same principles in Classical Chess, creating open files and using them. Even though this is Bullet, the basic positional principles still apply, as shown in this game.

Game Thirteen: The Power Of Attacks

Following that last game, I was assigned to play a 1500. I have mentioned this before, but in Bullet, a player who is 100 points lower or higher than you can be just as good as you instead of better or worse, only having more points due to flagging. So was that the case here?

How do you make your opponent lose their time advantage? By launching an attack out of nowhere. That is what I did back on Moves 21 and 22, and since then, the Time Advantage had mostly been in my favor. Another thing in this game to analyze is simplification in the Endgame, and Pawns vs Minor Pieces. My simplification with the Bishop Trade, and then the fork, allowed me to secure a win even if there was no Time Pressure. No matter the timing, attacks in Bullet are deadly.

Game Fourteen: The Importance Of Pawns

For this game, I was assigned to play a 1300. Having just beaten a 1500, I felt slightly confident, even though overconfidence is deadly, and as I said earlier, your opponent can be at any skill level, no matter their actual rating. So how good were they really?

That was a close game. I was losing out of the opening, but managed to turn it around due to some attacks. Again, the attacks are powerful. But many of my attacks came from Pawn Advances. That is why Pawn Advances can be important beyond the Endgame in Bullet. What is unsound elsewhere is sound in Bullet due to the chaos it brings.

Game Fifteen: Check The Defense

In this next game, I was paired against a 1600. Again, the mental battle of intimidation due to a rating gap. But I beat a 1500 just a few games earlier. So did I beat this player as well?

I was losing for most of that game, and only won because of a blunder. This game shows how deadly attacks you don't see are, like how I lost my Knight on c2, or how my opponent did not see the Back Rank Checkmate threat. This game shows how deadly surprise attacks are, and why you must always secure a good position early in the game, to avoid having to use time to prepare a defense.

Game Sixteen: The Defense Is Still Important

After that last game, I was determined to make sure that the game was not as close. For that, I needed a better position out of the opening. Did I get one?

That was not a good game on my end. I blundered early, and from there, I was basically losing. I had planned an offense, but in doing so, I damaged my defense, and that is ultimately what allowed my opponent to checkmate me.

Game Seventeen: Material Calculations Are Important

The arena was drawing to an end. I likely had only 2 more games left, and it was 50-50 that both of them, instead of just one, would finish. Therefore, this game would be very important if I wanted a chance at the Top 5. So of course, I had to play another 1500. Could I beat them, or would I lose? Ratings are tricky, and the outcome will determine how I do in the arena. This is it:

Miscalculating an exchange, I was losing, but then ended up winning due to a blunder. However, I blundered myself, and from there, it was over. Even while thinking fast, basic trade calculations are still essential, and not as complicated. More material for the playing fast vs thinking debate.

I managed to play one more game, but while I was playing, the Arena Timer finished. Whenever that happens, all the ongoing games automatically abort. I, and many of my friends, are not a fan of that, as it allows for the losing player to stall. I think they should allow for the continuation of games but no starting new games when the timer hits 0.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I would say it was a good turnout. Chess.com arenas are very popular, and coming in 7th place, I would say that I played well. In the end, I had 34 points in the arena and got 7th. The reason I did not get 6th was because somebody else got 34 points as well and that person was higher rated. And hey, I got a new highest rating of 1475 while playing.

In Classical Chess, it is a basic principle that whoever has the advantage must attack, or they risk losing that advantage. In regards to my games, I would extend that principle to Bullet and expand it. Whoever has the advantage must still attack, but in Bullet, it is a good idea for the player without the advantage to attack themselves, due to the fact that your opponent has to make a bad move or think, and that could give you the advantage. The games I played were won or lost due to the attacks and the dynamics that ensue, that cannot be found in a slower timer.

Interview With Lightning

For the finale for this blog, I will be interviewing @Lightning, who is another blogger and a Top Blogger. Many of Lightning’s recent blogs have been part of a series called Journey To NM, which is about his grind to the NM title, featuring multiple tournament recaps.

1. Do you consider Bullet to be real Chess?

Yes. I mean, even if the quality of the game is awful, and even if the focus eventually turns to just trying to flag your opponent, you're still playing the game, you're still playing chess.

(I agree. Even though Bullet is fundamentally different from Classical, @Hikaru once said that even Classical has fundamentally changed from 50 years ago. Because it was so different then, should it also not be considered real Chess? No, because the rules are the same, the principles are just different. To me, it is the same difference as between Bullet and Classical)

2. Would you define an unsound opening as sound in Bullet because it takes time to respond to?

Oh, absolutely. I like to say that anything goes in bullet. You can do anything and still have a chance to win given that your opponent could easily blunder, or you could just flag them. You can take risks that you normally wouldn't take because your opponent doesn't have time to punish you for it. And if they do take time to punish you, then you have the advantage on time.

(One of the most famous Bullet moves is sacrificing a piece at the end to flag your opponent. Bullet is sacrifices abound, and in the Opening, a good sacrifice can give you a good time advantage. I already covered the importance of unconventional openings, and to get a better time advantage, the dubious gambits are the best openings in Bullet)

3. What is your stance on U1700 players playing Bullet and trying to improve?

I'd say it's fine to keep playing bullet, for sure, but I wouldn't advise any U1700 players, or really any players at all, to focus on bullet if they want to improve. Bullet can improve some areas of your game, potentially, but it's not a great way to try to improve.

(A lot of top players say to not play any Bullet at all when trying to improve. I disagree. Bullet is still fun to play, even if it is just casual. And if it is good for one thing, it is improving your tactical vision, which is important even in Classical. I do not know if Time Pressure exists in Classical, but if it does, Bullet can help you avoid it.)

4. Do you prefer watching a streamer play a faster or slower timer?

Heh, I prefer watching a streamer play a faster timer. It's far more entertaining.

(I agree. Unfortunately, I only know one streamer who plays a timer of less than 3|0: @DanielNaroditsky. The rest play Blitz or slower, and I want to see more Bullet games. That is part of the reason I once considered streaming myself, so that there would be someone who streamed Bullet and Variants)

5. When annotating games, do you take timing into account for any timer?

The only time I annotate games is when I play otb, and I always have plenty of time then, so no not really, I haven't had to take it into serious consideration. Just that I'm more likely to find moves and play accurately with more time.

(I have never played a game with a timer slower than 15|10. Therefore, I am not really sure how I would annotate a Classical game, but I do not believe dirty flagging is a technique like it is in Bullet. Is there even time pressure at all, and what is it defined as in a Classical game? Bullet is where I, as well as many of my friends here, have the highest rating).

Finishing The Blog

Some shoutouts are in order, of course. At the top is @Lightning, not only for the interview, but for giving me the idea for the template to use in this blog, and the idea to start this series, the idea being from his Journey To NM Series, which you should check out. @Lightning and @DanielGuel both get one for giving me the idea to do a tournament blog, which I decided to do and then make a series after that. I am constantly doing research to improve my blog, and I learned from them in a forum what usage a tournament blog has, both for informational value and as a means of keeping the post good.

What do I have planned next? As I said at the top of this blog, I plan to make a blog series about grinding Bullet as I aim to get to 1600. Whenever a league or club event features another Live Tournament, I will likely blog about that as well. Due to the fact that annotating the 17 games for this blog took a while, blogs for this series will likely only be every couple months, but that does not mean that I will not be working on other blogs in the meantime.

Hope you enjoyed these games

— @ChessPawn921