Ask Coach/The Community!

I'd say he played Kf8 in advance to avoid a scenario where white plays Bh6 to prevent Kh2 and then plays Bb5. Black's king is caught in crosshairs and I don't think they'll ever have a chance of moving away from the centre. Kf8 is played to meet Bh6 with Kg8 and black's king is pretty safe since there is no way of exploiting the weaknesses on that side.

@Geelse_zot As mentioned before, …Kf8 was played to safeguard the king (it’s currently sitting on a semi-open file lined up with an opponent’s heavy piece, and the a4-e8 diagonal is open). As for Bc4, that’s a crazy engine line, and you shouldn’t pay too much attention to it, in my opinion. Sindarov’s move was more natural. Source: Neiksans’s recap.

Thanks a lot folks! Makes a lot of sense

Hi everyone, I'm 1600 FIDE, and this summer I am going to play in a few tournaments around where I live. However, I am unsure as to what sections I should be playing in. there are one or two u1800, but the rest are u1900/u2000 - should i play in these or not? these are OTB classical tournaments...

Hey @ajverdi123! Sounds similar to a tournament I was considering earlier in the year. It had a u1600, u1800, then 2000+. Based on your online rating and what you said, there are a good few arguments for playing in each section:

u1800: This fits your rating the best and lets you get used to competing for a decent place and keeping a good score; however, you could get paired against much lower opponents that don't challenge you. What might end up happening is you face a few lower-rated players and then win and have to face 1800s, essentially messing you up and not giving you an even tournament experience.

u1900/u2000: It will likely contain much less players, but more experienced players. It'll definitely be more of a challenge (especially considering you're 1600), but you'll also learn more and know what to expect without any "free" rounds.

Personally I'd go with the u1800 because I have yet to play OTB, but if you're more experienced, then you should definitely go for the u1900/2000!

hi about 6 years ago i was playing otb chess but i was getting too wound up about it so chose to do online i am feeling now a lot less wound up i am quite old 63 is it worth having a try at otb thanks martin

OTB tournaments can be a drag. I'd suggest joining a local club first and playing as much casual OTB as you can. Tournaments are a lot less daunting if you have some good friends to go with.

thank you much appreciated

Hi all!

Last night I played a fascinating casual OTB game against a fellow Chess.com member. I won a bishop, and then a rook….and then the game got interesting.

Here’s a link to my analysis - “Draw Your Conclusions After the Game.”

I think there’s quite a bit to learn and consider from this experience.

Onward!

Coach Dane

Hello everyone, I'm having trouble with my blitz, likely because I play too much bughouse. Does anyone have any tips to help me improve in any way?

I am no expert (especially when it comes to Bughouse, which I am terrible at playing), but I suggest playing Rapid. It helps develop your critical thinking skills. As that becomes more of a second nature, your Blitz performance will naturally improve as you become able to think more accurately in less time.

@King_Red_A thank you so much!

What can a beginner/intermediate level player learn from Paul Morphy?

Great question @clingermanchess ! I think Morphy’s games can feel both very accessible and overwhelming! I think his games are quite accessible with his priortization of rapid, active development to prepare harmonious attacking ideas. The sacrifices, on the other hand, can feel overwhelming at times.

I think the “Opera Game,” for example, is a wonderful example of rapid development, coordination, and a beautiful exploitation of time (doing the most with the least).

https://www.chess.com/terms/opera-game-chess

Since so many players who are starting out unintentionally follow the Count and Duke’s (his opponents in the Opera Game) “Bad Philidor” 3…Bg4 variation, learning how to make the most out of your initiative with 3. d4! is quite instructive.

Another way to appreciate Morphy is to see how he wins games and work backwards. In other words, start with the finish of the game, and notice the piece relationships that resulted in the outcome. The interplay of these pieces can be quite instructive, and then you can work backwards as you inevitably encounter some crazy-looking complications that can often be disorienting. With the end goal in mind, these combinations may feel more approachable (just like we did in the Rubinstein community lecture that you attended). :)

An opening theory went too far from that times, I guess the best thing that you can check his games for is practical chances. It’s really useful not only for "how to set up attack” but for defence in situations where you play without a piece. I’m not sure if there are any well noted lost games of Paul Morphy but why can’t we leave our own notes? :)

Hi,

I’m working on improving my chess and noticed that I often panic when I get into situations where my king is under attack. I sometimes struggle to see that there is a clear way out and it doesn’t always mean checkmate! Does anyone have any recommendations for puzzles/resources or any other way of improving this? I want to get better at spotting defensive moves in these situations

thanks!!

Have you looked at Learn chess the right way book 3 by Polgar as it focuses on defense? Good Chessable version as well