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Playing in a Fog ... Attitude in Chess

Playing in a Fog ... Attitude in Chess

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It's been a long long time since my last blog post. Much has happened in my life in that time, primarily a new opportunity career wise has arisen. Right now I'm on a holiday break in Taichung Mountains where the mist is very much reflective of my Chess game.

 

I largely would have dropped 200+ rating points in the past half year as I've simply stopped caring about my correspondence play and wanting all my games to finish. I hope to regain some pride in my play where I previously put maximum effort into my simultaneous correspondence games. A real lack of Chess work ethic has come over me.

 

In reviewing my game on the White side of a Semi Slav, I can see I was also in a pessimistic mist which clouded my Chess assessment. Having believed I was much worse for a lot of the middlegame, I failed to appreciate my own resources, and this is a constant theme in my games.

Playing with Real Purpose

 
In this position I fear ... c5 and I want to control the d-file. I have it fixated that I'm worse in this middle game and succumb to the meek 23. Qd1 thinking it was important to control the d-file. But yet I had (thank you Fritz) 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Qc5 which solves all issues from blockading the c-pawn to hitting both a7 and Ne5.
 
To me, it comes down to attitude when you're playing Chess
You Must Solve Problems
 
In this critical position, I didn't work hard enough to solve problems at the Chess board. I had routinely played 28. Qe3 largely hoping for 28. ... Bxd5 29. exd5 where the threat of the back rank protects the d-pawn. But I had missed 28. ... f5 undermining my centre and Black takes over.
 
I didn't fight hard enough. There waiting for me was 28. Qe2 with the same idea, but attacking c4 and pointing to the Black King in the event of ... f5. Again, it's a sense of optimism.
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