My First Win In Thirty Years!

Welcome once again to my blog, where I have decided to analyse all my OTB (Over The Board) chess games for my local club Pontypridd played during the season 2016/17. After abandoning competitive chess at the tender age of sixteen to focus on the small matter of school exams, I still harboured a love for the game, and after playing online for many years I decided to join a club again last year (full story here) and the rest is history - or at least it will be once I've finished blogging about it...

We finished last time with my first OTB game for thirty years which ended rather ignominiously in time trouble and defeat. Chastened, but unbowed I approached my second game of the season with hope and determination to acquit myself better for own my own satisfaction and the sake of the team.

Now that's more like it! I received a pat on the back from a team mate and I had won my first OTB game since I was a teenager, some thirty years ago! I was really pleased to win, and Pontypridd won the match 3.5-1.5. But every game provides a lesson (often several) whether you win, lose or draw, and this was no exception. 

Lesson One: I seem to have a blind spot for attacked knights being "forced" to retreat when they actually have much better squares that they can jump forward onto. 

Lesson Two: Before recapturing I need to stop and consider if there are better alternatives. Captures are not forced in chess - this isn't checkers! 

Lesson Three: Don't move a piece twice until you have completed your development unless you are absolutely sure it's a good idea!

Lesson Four: Over to YOU! Comments are welcomed, so please let me know what you think about the game.