WP Closed 2015

Enter the tournament, play some fun blitz before the first round.

I had no idea which section I would be playing. (for those of you who do not know how these closed events work, they take the players ratings and the amount that entered and divide them into rating groups of 8 and play a round robin against each other.)

During the first game, I went to the toilets, but it was pitch dark there, which looked creepy. After that game, my friend came to me, and we made a joke, that they put off the lights to tempt you to use your phone and then they jump out from the stall and confusion, you lose your game by default. 

Anyway the section I was playing in was the A section, ranging from 1677 to 2177, and I was seed 7 (out of 8) with a rating of 1687. So I was out rated, but I thought that would make it more fun. 

My first opponent was John, never heard of John before, but he has a 1977 rating, so I expected him to be good. But watch the game below.

Game 1

At first John played 1.a3, alhtough I was a little confused, I''ve played a3 a lot in the past, and I remember the idea is to transpose to a good reverse line with a3 (a lot of sicilian lines. So I chose 1. ...c5, cause I knew that 1.a3 was not normally wanted in those lines. But then he played ...c4, another confusing move, I should played ...e5 as quickly as possible, but I delayed it to the point, where it wasn't playable anymore. I knew the idea, but delayed it to long. Then I played the stupid ...f5, making my weaknesses very relevent. he put his knight's in clear as day outposts, I lost a exchange and lost the game.

At this point, I was little crushed, but that about the fact that I lost, my opponent rating was 1977. But the fact, that I played so horrible, with moves like ...f5 and allowing his knight's so much play. I was a little disappointed, I went home got some rest and came back for day 2, this was a weekend tournament, so today there was 3 rounds, and then the next day. The second round I was paired to play WIM with a 1888 rating. 

Game 2

The opening got into a Accelerated dragon, and I was so unfamiliar with the lines, so I actually played it wrong, but then I played a move she did not expect Re1. she miss played with ...d5, ...Nf6 would have made my position bad, where her perminent central play, is hard to deal with. But now I got play. After that ...Qd6 was her next error, which either wins a pawn, or the exchange sac that she did, then her next mistake was ...Nc5, where she should have grabbed on b2, so a pawn for the exchange, after that the extra material seemed strong enough.

A happy win for me, and now next round I was paired up against a 1700s, I played him when he was younger (few years ago), but he has had a lot of coaching since then and has become rather strong

Game 3

We got into my favourite opening line with the black pieces, the kan Sicilian, but the early a4 lines, seemed confusing to me, so I went for a early ...d5, and got play, I miss played the middle game and a tactic that wins the bishop pair. Then went for a endgame position, where it was equal, but my active pieces did well.

ok Heading into round 4, the last round of the day, I had 2 wins in my bag, so I was happy with my results for the day, Now I was paired against a player in the 1700s, although he won a lot of Junior events, and has a FM title.

Game 4

We got into one of the more played Sicilian lines, and at one stage I managed to get a huge space advantage, but then, I was defending my space advantage, he offered me a draw, where he realized it was hard for me to make progress, but I didn't want a draw, where I could see my position is good. I sac a pawn to play on, but I wasn't calculating enough and ended up losing the game.

Now I went home to sleep, from 3 rounds of chess, only to come back the next day for 3 more rounds of chess.

Game 5

I was paired up against someone close to my rating, but now I was not in the mood for chess, and my opening system against 1. d4 is rather bad. when he played the move Nh3, it was the first time I saw the move, and I realized the hole on, in my position becomes obtainable, unlike the Nf3 lines.

after that I gave away my kingside and lost.

It was a horrible game.

Now the second last round of the tournament, I was paired against the last seed, but I had a rather disappoiting lose against seed 6, and now I was not in a good mood to play. 

Game 6
We transposed into French defense, from my Kan sicilian, and I miss played the line, and got a rather bad position, I played the f6 counter idea, but he got a rather strong attack, then he played a greedy move, that looked like it wins a pawn, but I had a nice resource.

So I got my first lucky win of the tournament, now I was headed to the last round, against seed, FM with 2100+ rating. Actually I was looking faward to this game.

Game 7
In this game, afterwards that was pointed out, my move Bf3 was slightly incorrect, (that is played in the ..Nd7 lines.) Also, I could have played Bxe5 with a better position, then my, Bd4. Then I got into a hard Queen, 2 rooks, and oppsite colored bishop position. I thought, go for the attack do not calculate and I lost.

Lessons Learnt from the tournament

Although I had a score of 3/7. I didn't think I had such a bad tournament, and I got to take away some valuable lessons. Like do not go for my own plan, that is not based on the positions needs. Also to calculate more, so I do not miss easy tactics, like my Nf3+ I missed. Also to keep my bishop on e2 in the sicilian lines. And I now have a new line against 1.d4, that I am happy with. 

thanks everyone.

so prefer knights over bishops strange but i see you have your own style nice.... now that tech is over you will see of me at the chess events