Please help me to improve my games...

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Avatar of ianyl18

somebody to help me to improve my games on chess openings .. i like to play caro kann but i always fail to deliver .. some one to teach me ? someone can give me the whole variation of caro kann??

 

 

Avatar of Cherub_Enjel

At your level, not knowing the Caro-Kann is not the reason why you're losing.

At the master level, not knowing the Caro-Kann is not the reason for losing.

At the top GM 2600+ level, not knowing the Caro-Kann *might* be a reason you lose..

Avatar of ianyl18

can you give me some advice

Avatar of Cherub_Enjel

No - you didn't say any specific issues, or post your games. I could look at your games, but your post doesn't show any effort. 

Ask a more specific question..

Avatar of kindaspongey

Before 2017, perhaps the best introductory Caro-Kann book was Starting Out: The Caro-Kann by GM Joe Gallagher. However, I am a little nervous about suggesting something written in 2002.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627062050/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen45.pdf

Considerably more recent (2012) is The Caro-Kann: Move by Move by IM Cyrus Lakdawala, but that is a very different sort of book, intending to provide the reader with over 400 pages about specific repertoire suggestions. Some readers have been unhappy with Lakdawala's choice of the "unpopular" 4...Nd7 as his suggestion for Black after 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627015516/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen163.pdf

I understand that Opening Repertoire: ...c6 by Cyrus Lakdawala and Keaton Kiewra has recently been published. Perhaps the authors decided to go with the more mainstream 4...Bf5 this time.

Another very recent book is The Caro-Kann Defense Classical Variation, surprisingly described as by Anatoly Karpov, Mikhail Podgaets, and Fred Reinfeld. Despite the involvement of Reinfeld (by Ouija board?), I suspect that this new Karpov book is not introductory level.

Avatar of Cherub_Enjel

It's quite telling though, when most good chess instructors tell you that openings aren't important anywhere near the OP's level, and especially NM Heisman, arguably the best chess instructor there is for club level players, actually uses the Caro-Kann as his main example almost every time he emphasizes his point (Source: ICC Videos) : "You don't need to learn 20 moves in the Caro-Kann, for example". 

Avatar of kindaspongey

"... I feel that the main reason to buy an opening book are to give a good overview of the opening, and to explain general plans and ideas. ..." - GM John Nunn (2006)

Avatar of blueemu

I took a look at about half a dozen of your recent games (mostly 3 days per move, not the Blitz games). You don't need to study opening lines at this stage. You need help finding an appropriate middle-game plan that suits the position. Your tactics are OK for your level, but not stellar, so they could use a bit more work, too.

Avatar of kindaspongey

"... almost all opening books and DVD's give ample attention to general plans and developing schemes, typical tactics, whole games, and so on. ..." - IM Willy Hendriks (2012)

Avatar of Cherub_Enjel

lol...

Still, if there's opening book I'd recommend, it's John Watson's "Mastering the Chess Openings, Vol. 1". When I first bought the book, it was way too advanced for me, but I find that's it's really good now!

 

It explains almost all the openings with 1.e4 in great detail, giving attention mainly to ideas and not theory (although there's a good amount of that, if you want it), and providing a lot of instructive games. Might be too high level for the OP, but so much good stuff. 

Avatar of kindaspongey

Good luck finding something in Watson's book about 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3.

"... Once you identify an opening you really like and wish to learn in more depth, then should you pick up a book on a particular opening or variation. Start with ones that explain the opening variations and are not just meant for advanced players. ..." - Dan Heisman (2001)

Avatar of Cherub_Enjel

Well, Watson's initial chapter, before all the openings, actually gives a bunch of instructive games on common middlegame ideas, like IQP structures, closed structures, etc.. 

I think the OP would benefit from that. I read Watson's book when I was a 1400, and I still benefited from the "tough reading" for sure. 

Avatar of kindaspongey

I gather that you don't want to claim that Watson has anything at all about 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3.

"... John Watson's 'Mastering the Chess Openings, Vol. 1'. When I first bought the book, it was way too advanced for me, ... Might be too high level for the OP, ..." - Cherub_Enjel (~19 minutes ago)

"... I find that [Starting Out: The Caro-Kann by GM Joe Gallagher] is an excellent introduction to the Caro-Kann for players with either color. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2003)

Avatar of Cherub_Enjel

I believe it does (the book itself is somewhere far away right now), because I found it very comprehensive, and actually pretty good at explaining general ideas - it's just that the book also contained a lot of concrete variations and theory in more complicated lines, like the Sicilian.

 

What I'm saying is that certainly these books will teach the Caro-Kann to the OP, and his results may improve slightly, but I believe that he would get much faster improvement by picking up a copy of "back to basics: tactics" or something like that - the Watson book was just a reference to the suggestion that the OP learn basic middlegame ideas. 

Avatar of kindaspongey

 

 kindaspongey wrote:

I gather that you don't want to claim that Watson has anything at all about 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3. ...

 

 Cherub_Enjel wrote:

I believe it does (the book itself is somewhere far away right now), because I found it very comprehensive, and ...

I have my copy of Watson #1 right here. Let me help you out a little bit: "... I won't be dealing with the 3 Nc3 main lines, although naturally they're full of wonderful ideas. ..." - IM John Watson (page 254)

Gallagher (like most introductory book writers) tried to explain basic middlegame ideas. He discussed the 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 line and others.

"... Once you identify an opening you really like and wish to learn in more depth, then should you pick up a book on a particular opening or variation. Start with ones that explain the opening variations and are not just meant for advanced players. ..." - Dan Heisman (2001)

"... John Watson's 'Mastering the Chess Openings, Vol. 1'. When I first bought the book, it was way too advanced for me, ... Might be too high level for the OP, ..." - Cherub_Enjel (~44 minutes ago)

Avatar of Cherub_Enjel

I'm not in for a theoretical argument. The bottom line is that it should be obvious that x amount of time spent on Heisman's book Back to Basics : Tactics will probably give the OP much more improvement than time spent learning those books - and forget my recommendation of Watson, which was too far-fetched. 

When I was at the OP's level, I knew about 4 moves of opening theory into every opening I played, universal opening ideas (develop actively, control center, connect rooks, etc.) , and that was it for openings. 

I bought my first specific opening book when I was rated about 1850 OTB (and it didn't even help that much, I'm convinced!)

Avatar of kindaspongey

What works for one person does not necessarily work for another.

"... Heisman, arguably the best chess instructor there is for club level players ..." - Cherub_Enjel (~9 hours ago)

"... Once you identify an opening you really like and wish to learn in more depth, then should you pick up a book on a particular opening or variation. Start with ones that explain the opening variations and are not just meant for advanced players. ..." - Dan Heisman (2001)

Avatar of Cherub_Enjel

That's true, but I did go over a few of the OP's games, and I believe that 0 of them were decided by opening - AKA, he could have played 1.a3/a6, and then played on his own, and the result wouldn't have changed.

Heisman recommends getting a basic opening repertoire, but never ever does he say that it's the best way for club level player to improve. 

But sure, your book is fine for the Caro-Kann. 

Avatar of kindaspongey

Is there any reason to think that Heisman believes that there is one "best way for a club level player to improve"?

Avatar of Cherub_Enjel

His "formula" is safe and active first, which would include universal opening ideas, and then all the other chess strategies afterwards. I hope you're being devil's advocate - judging by the OP's games, you can't seriously think he'll improve more with reading a month of Caro-Kann book than a book on basic tactics and safety?