Working My Way Upstream
These last few weeks have contained some interesting changes for this adult improver. First and foremost... I'm playing less?
Yup. This is an extension of what I had written about in an earlier post. I have gotten off of blitz and bullet and am concentrating on some slower format games. I am also taking time to analyze and study the outcome rather than just jumping into game after game.
I am also spending more time with Chessable, focusing primarily on seeing deeper into my preferred opening lines. However, the biggest shift has been deciding to get on Twitch. My coach had advised me early on to start playing longer games and go slower. When I am working with him, he has me identify 3 possible moves and look at what the impact of each would be. In order to practice this, I will be streaming these games. I ran a test and then gave it a go last night.
The game only lasted 17 moves. I had white and was able to play the Italian game, castling on move 4. My opponent played some odd moves early including 4... g5 and 5...g6. Sticking to what I had been studying in my course, I was able initiate a knight trade and queen trade that left me up 2 pawns with complete control of the center by move 9.
I was able to keep pressure on the center with 10. Re1, which the engine labelled as inaccurate, preferring that I should support my e pawn with Bf4. On that note, the engine did not like the queen trade either.
I had the mindset of increasing pressure on the center, but seem to have wasted some time, delaying a knight capture in favor of my own knight's development and more positional play to increase pressure on his undeveloped rook.
Capitalizing on my opponent's attempt to attack my dark square bishop with that same rook, I did eventually take the knight, forking both his rooks. He resigned at this point.
While I am happy with the win, I am happier still with a few other things.
1. Despite my inaccuracies, the engine did not feel there were any mistakes or blunders.
2. The actual act of talking through my options went well. I feel I can go slower still and calculate a bit better. ( I got up in my head a little bit)
All in all, it was a good practice and I think I will continue it in the future. Finding me on Twitch might be a challenge as I have 2 versions of my name in various systems (for now). I show up as RKBChess on Twitch. I have to wait a while before I can change the name, at which time I will be RGBChess on all platforms. I also won't be streaming on a regular schedule. Such are the realities of a working Dad / amateur Adult Improver.
I hope you can check it out and I hope you like it. It really is just a lab for my own thought process. If it only helps me, it is still a success.
Cheers
