Southampton Inaugral Rapid Play - Rd 1 How not to convert a middlegame advantage.
This weekend I played in the inaugral rapid play tournament in Southampton. It was a great experience.
My results were mixed, six good games - all of which were interesting and I got into good positions but not enough wins.
However, my two boys did my proud, with Matty winning the U100 BCF grading prize with 3/6 pts in the U140 section - not bad for a 9 year old. His brother, Thomas aged 11, won the game between them but had a tougher draw. He did well to score 2.5 pts in the same section.
My game from Rd 1
So just how does black create the conditions for a win after move 16.
1) Play with all your pieces - the R on h8 entered the game too late.
2) Play essential moves rather than 'nice plans'. The king was always going to e7 - so play it there early. The knight tour from d5 to d4 was ineffectual.
3) Make weaknesses in your opponents position - not your own. 23 ...h5 was a waste of a move.
And above all - be patient - remember your opponent has to find moves too. The better your position the harder it will be for him.
DD