I Won My First Tournament! - Game 2
Stick to your plan and don't be distracted by your opponent's.

I Won My First Tournament! - Game 2

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After finishing the first day with 2/2 points, I started with the Black pieces against a player rated 1564. 

Overall thoughts: 

  • I played too passively at key moments in the game. In the 6...e5 variation of the King's Indian, it's important that Black focus on its thematic plan of a kingside expansion and attack. White at the same time is attacking on the queenside, but Black needs to be careful not to "see ghosts" in the position, as IM Jeremy Silman would say, and forget about their own plan. 
  • During the Black Knights Tournament a couple of weeks ago, I was in a losing position, but putting pressure on my much higher rated opponent. In the end, he escaped my attack and won the game. Afterwards he says that if I had offered him a draw at the point where I was putting the most pressure on him, he would have accepted. He observed that I was playing for the pride of winning instead of thinking about the tournament score as a whole and the value of half a point from a draw. He encouraged me to look for opportunities to secure a draw instead of the slim chance of a win. In this match, in a position that felt like it was in my opponent's favor but was still really close, I offered him a draw that he accepted. We both ended up tying for first place in the tournament, so it worked out for both of us. 
  • One thing that I missed in the game, which I'm going to be on the look out for now are opportunities to make a greater or equal threat. I'm too quick to move a piece that's attacked instead of looking for alternative options. 28.Nh6 is a good example of this situation: He attacks my knight who then leaps away to a bad square. Instead, I push c6 attacking his knight now. If he takes on f5, then I take back with pawn creating a passer, and I'm in an improved position with a pawn structure that protects my king.  



An adult amateur's reflection on playing and learning the game of chess.