Surviving Two Difficult Caro-Kann Adventures

A few weeks ago on the Slow Chess League I played two difficult Caro-Kann games as Black, one after the other. In both games I was busted in the opening and had to fight for my life with my king in the middle, my pieces cramped on the back rank, and my clock running out. It was a stuggle! Here they are analysed and annotated in detail:

Notes & Lessons:

- I should know my openings! And when I don't, I need to make sure to consider forcing candidates such as Nxe6, especially when it is likely that the line has been studied by my opponent.

- I spent my time unwisely in both games, and had to suffer time trouble from very early on. I should be more mindful of my efficiency in thinking, and need to challenge myself to calculate more quickly. I need to incorporate this challenge in my studies too.

- There's always a plan to find and execute, even when things look bad. Do not give up!

Positives:

I think these games are two of the few games in which I did not succumb to extreme time pressure and kept trying to come up with plans and calculate as much as I can within the increment that I hung on to. I'm happy with the fighting spirit I showed overall. I'd rather lose games with fighting spirit rather than win with half-hearted play, and when I win with the former, the type of satisfaction it gives me is very difficult to get from anywhere else.

Hope you enjoyed the games and the analysis. See you next time!