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wizzifnab vs kiltro 7.20.08

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I'm planning to analyze all my games, since that is supposed to be the best way to improve your game.  This first game was against an opponent rated a bit lower than me.  Since I haven't played in a while this suited me fine.  I'm now trying to only play games where my opponent is rated no lower than 1700.  My rating here is still fluctuating since I've only played 7 games total.  So depending on where my rating levels out at (I'm USCF 1572), I'll adjust the range of my opponents.

Currently the game score includes my initial annotations without use of a computer or other reference material.  I plan to run this game through an analysis engine and look for recommendations on how to handle black's unfamiliar defense.  I'll update this blog entry when I have something to add.

Update:  I've now added some annotations from Rybka.  It doesn't appear that I made any blunders, although I missed a couple of good moves.  The engine pretty much agree'd with the my evaluations on what were poor moves.

UPDATE:

I looked blacks 1. ... b5 up in MCO and this appears to be the Polish Defense.  I responded well with 2. e4.  However, at this point the most common reply by black is 2. ... Bb7, with 3. f3 a6 to follow.  This seems reasonable: 

I did also find part of a game that seems to try to mix this with the early Nf6 that black played: 


Update:

After doing this analysis, I have the following learnings:
  • I know a little more about what to expect with the Polish Defense
  • when out of familiar opening territory, relying on opening principles works
  • I'm not always considering my opponents candidate replies to the move I'm about to make (recently read a B. Pandolfini article on ChessCafe.com about look forward at least 3 half-moves-your move, your opponents reply, and your likely reply to that)
  • with 3moves/day time control, its good to rewind a couple moves if your returning to continue a game after a few hour break
  • when you have a good move, look for an even better move
  • analysis took too long
    • need to get better at tools:  blog posts, getting annotations into diagram editor, running the analysis engine
    • may need more target analysis:  focus on key points in the game, don't analyze every game-loses/draws/instructive games
  • on wins, need to focus more on finding better moves for the opponent-its easy to just point out bad moves, but what should the opponent have done