Artful 2022 Correspondence Games: An Analysis
Hello everyone. As we reach the end of 2022, I took some time to analyze some of my favourite correspondence chess games completed in 2022. There were some great games here, so let's unpack them.
1. My Best Win
In 2022, I defeated the highest rated player I had ever defeated yet in Correspondence chess. This was a game resembling a french defense which had sacrifices, imbalances, and required precise calculation for me to be able to pull off the win.
Game 1 Puzzle:
2. Positional Battles
This second game again features a lot of imbalances and strategical battles on the kingside, central, and queenside. Against the same opponent as game 1, this was an extremely close game that took on a more positional nature and ended calmly in a draw.
Game 2 Puzzle:
3. Moving forward at all costs
In this game, I was able to establish an advantage but had to push forward for the win. I had to calculate sacrifces and tactics, but there was also a positional nature to the game. When I reached a better endgame, I had to figure out how to capitalize in which there were so many sacrifices to be found in order to help my case.
Game 3 Puzzle:
4. Blunder in the Battle
This 4th game turned into an extremely tactical battle where there were so many things to keep track of. Unfortunately, a piece blunder ended this one, but the tactics are quite fun to go over.
Game 4 Puzzle:
Game 4
5. Suffocate the Counterplay - My Favourite Game This Year
In this game, my opponent was passive in the opening, and I was able to develop faster, and control the key squares, preventing key plans from my opponent. Then, just when I started to shift my focus to the attack, my opponent broke through in the center and completely outplayed me in a great display of positional prowess.
Game 5 Puzzle:
6. Activity over Material
In the second game against this same opponent, it was me who had less activity, and I was fighting to stay alive as my pieces were forced to the back rank. But after sacrificing lots of material, it looked like a draw. In this game, many sacrifices could have been made for my opponent to come out on top.
Game 6 Puzzle:
7. Missed Opportunity
This game was unfortunate as I had chances to win, but my inability to convert a winning middlegame into the best endgame and then inability to convert the endgame was a great learning moment for me.
Game 7 Puzzle:
Game 7:
8. Missed Opportunity - Again
Against the same opponent playing a king's indian, I had the opportunity to stop any counterplay and lay on the pressure but I misjudged several positions in the game and in the end we settled for what looked like a peaceful draw by King's Indian standards, but a closer look reveals all that was missed.
Game 8 Puzzle:
Game 8:
9. Chess960 Breakthrough
In this chess960 game, an even endgame was reached, but a breakthrough for me gave me the win as my plans in the late middlegame leading up to the breakthrough and then the breakthrough itself were nice plans that gave me a win in what looked like a drawish position.
Game 9 Puzzle:
Game 9:
10. Custom Creation Combination
This game was in a custom chess position/variant I created in March. In a great showcase of the potential of this position, this game features tactical and creative openings, insane middlegame combinations, vulnerable kings, and a pawn promotion endgame which is possible when this position is played at its best!
Game 10 Puzzle:
And with this, that is all for my analysis of 10 custom position games in 2022 that I played. These games were quite interesting and showcase the fun that can be had in correspondence chess, especially when there is a lot of time to think, in which we can put our best chess on display.
