4 Lost Matches. Need help.

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Avatar of JonZarate

It is embarrasing for me to show these 4 matches but I think it would not be useful if I would not do it.

The four games are against the same user, I was trying to change the strategy each time but I have got tired and without wishes to continue...

 

I think I made the same mistake in all games, but I don't know what I did wrong...
Avatar of Shivsky

If I could summarize the 3 big areas where you are clearly going wrong:

1. You are violating one of the big opening principles, namely : NEVER move a piece more than once in the opening unless there's a tactical reason for it.  Strong players harmoniously develop each piece with a purpose.  In 2 of your 4 games, you make aimless queen moves and in the other 2, you make aimless pawn moves with really no clear idea why you are making them.

2. You are missing basic tactical motifs like discovered attacks or even en-prise (hanging pieces and pawns), so you need to work on these a LOT.  This is analogous to a beginner boxer stepping into a ring with a pot-belly and zero physical fitness...so you will get clobbered against the even most basic of opponents who can throw a punch. You just can't fight if you don't know your basic tactics...even if you claim to be a master strategist.

3. In nearly all of your games, you are neglecting another BIG opening principle, namely king safety. Before you start looking for attacking ideas, you want to make sure that your king is safe out of the opening. This either means castling or ensuring a closed center where there are no easy lines of attack to him.

Avatar of DrSpudnik

The commentary above is very valid. Develop your pieces first! Watch for tactical cheapo setups.

Game 1: 19 Bxc4 and you are a piece up instead of a Queen down. Still, way too many Q moves with the little guys sitting at home doing nothing.

Game 2: Never got out of the box. You play a slow-developing opening and allowed the position to get closed before you got your pieces out--and then your opponent peeled open the K-side something awful!

Game 3: 1. c3?! Just don't. With White, you are to attack the center and keep your oppent off balance. No wimping out with evasive opening move ones.

Game 4: Another tragedy of non-development and king vulnerability.

You should not be embarrassed for trying to improve from your mistakes. What is really embarrassing is to go on for years accepting bad results. Now go back to playing chess and remember to develop pieces (generally Knights before Bishops). You'll see some serious improvements.

Laughing

Avatar of JonZarate

I must say Thank you because both of you have taken much time to write those posts, however, after reading the posts ( and seeking word meanings xD ), would I be right if I said that the major reason for me to loose are my openings ?

If I were right I could learn some and try them out...

Avatar of DrSpudnik

In the first game, you played the Scotch for 5 moves but then didn't continue developing. (The line with 4. ... Nxd4 5. Qxd4 is actually a big + for White! The Q gets to occupy the center and really can't get driven off without making Black's position worse.) Any standard opening would be a big help. But development is more important, given the results above. Shove a few pieces out and try to castle (0-0) as soon as possible. See if that helps avoid these king-hunts. The rest is just being careful. Laughing 

Avatar of Frankdawg

Game 1: you had won, but when you failed to get his queen that was hanging or to even trade queens outright you eventually lost. You were up a rook why not trade queens on say move 14 for example?

Game 2: You started off weak and on the defensive but some how managed to recover due to an inaccurate attack. on move 20 I would say you have a very winnable position and would say you are on the offensive... however by move 27 you managed to get into a losing position from playing inaccurately

Game 3: You were simply slaughtered, and at no point after around move 6 did you have any hope.

Game 4: Your opponent played a simply awful opening, probably the worst opening in chess you failed to make an attack out of it, and instead wound up on the defensive and lost.

Avatar of JonZarate

Thank you guys, I have realised that I had some choices to try an attack at certain moves, however, I think that owing to my distraction/careless/inattention I started to leave the good positions...

If you want to add somethig please keep on posting, and tell me if I am right.

Thank you so much!

UDKO2.

Avatar of MathBandit
UDKO2 wrote:

I must say Thank you because both of you have taken much time to write those posts, however, after reading the posts ( and seeking word meanings xD ), would I be right if I said that the major reason for me to loose are my openings ?

If I were right I could learn some and try them out...


No. Don't spend another second on openings. You were up a clean Rook in the first game, and then went on to lose your advantage fairly quickly by dropping your Queen to a 1-move tactic. Opening study will achieve absolutely nothing if you can't reliably win games that you are winning in.

Avatar of Shivsky

@SensFan33:

I think the OP is using the word "openings" more loosely.  He needs to work on learning good opening principles and guidelines (such as the link here) as opposed to actually paying attention to a repertoire, which as you suggested is extremely useless given where he is at.

Avatar of JonZarate

I am a little bit confused so I will post a match I have just played:

 

Look at Move 16 please!
Avatar of DrSpudnik

Much better! Laughing

Avatar of MathBandit

You seem to move your Queen out far earlier than necessary quite often. For the time being, I would suggest sticking to a personal guideline that you don't move your Queen until you've moved at least 3 of your 4 minor pieces (Knights and Bishops), unless you see a clear way to win material by doing so (or, I guess, if moving the Queen is the only way to avoid losing material).

Avatar of bhandelman

In that last game you missed a couple of hanging pieces, such as a pawn on move 12, or his queen on move 20.  At one point, you could have traded your bishop for his rook and instead traded it for a bishop.  Also, you need to stick to a basic opening, you are making a lot of early pawn moves that block in your pieces.  Try sticking with the standard kings pawn opening for now until you have a better grasp of tactics.  So, first move 1. e4, then if you can and the square is not attacked, 2. d4, then 3. Nf3, 4. Bc4 or Bb5, 5. O-O, 6. Nc3, 7. Bf4 or Bg5.  This is the standard opening most beginners move, and allows you to develop your pieces to useful places, it will serve you well for pretty much ever.  Also, considering your level, I would recommend against playing blitz games.  Part of the reason you are probably playing bad moves is because you are playing so fast and missing important things.  For now, try sticking to long time controls until you have a better understanding of chess, at least 30 minutes per side.  This will give you enough time to check for basic safety and tactics.

Avatar of JonZarate

@bhandelman,
I have some questions abour your post, first of all, you said I made mistakes likely for moving pieces fast, however, you told me to play Biltz games, sorry but I don't understand why.

Then, I neither undertand this sentence: "try sticking to long time controls until you have a better understanding of chess, at least 30 minutes per side"

I would be so grateful if you could explain them again.


@SesnFan33,
Maybe, I move it because I think it is powerful in the middle of the board, although it can be risky, simply trying diferent things...

Avatar of MathBandit
UDKO2 wrote:

@bhandelman,
I have some questions abour your post, first of all, you said I made mistakes likely for moving pieces fast, however, you told me to play Biltz games, sorry but I don't understand why.

Then, I neither undertand this sentence: "try sticking to long time controls until you have a better understanding of chess, at least 30 minutes per side"

I would be so grateful if you could explain them again.


@SesnFan33,
Maybe, I move it because I think it is powerful in the middle of the board, although it can be risky, simply trying diferent things...


It is very powerful in the middle of the board. But if you notice, you dropped it in 2 of your 4 losses, and in the other 2 you got checkmated for being extremely under-developed.

At your level, your ideal start to the game would be something like moving your e- and d-pawns, bringing out your Knights, bringing out your Bishops, Castling, and only then touching your Queen. And then don't forget to get your Rooks active.

In chess, your pieces are no stronger than their counterparts on your opponent's side. So don't forget that any pieces that you haven't bothered to bring out to be their best are going to mean that you're effectively playing down in material. And you won't start improving and beating stronger players if you're always playing with 4 pieces against 6.

Avatar of bhandelman
UDKO2 wrote:

@bhandelman,
... you told me to play Biltz games, sorry but I don't understand why.


No I didn't, I said I would recommend against playing blitz games.  Play long time controls so you can think things out instead of playing hope chess, where you make moves because you can't think of anything else to do.  I guarentee if you take more time on your moves you will be able to recognize blunders more easily and can make less mistakes.

Avatar of JonZarate
bhandelman wrote:
UDKO2 wrote:

@bhandelman,
... you told me to play Biltz games, sorry but I don't understand why.


No I didn't, I said I would recommend against playing blitz games.  Play long time controls so you can think things out instead of playing hope chess, where you make moves because you can't think of anything else to do.  I guarentee if you take more time on your moves you will be able to recognize blunders more easily and can make less mistakes.


I am awfully sorry but I am not English and I don't understand what you mean, did you say that is better playing blitz games because you dont think of anything else ?

Avatar of MathBandit
UDKO2 wrote:
bhandelman wrote:
UDKO2 wrote:

@bhandelman,
... you told me to play Biltz games, sorry but I don't understand why.


No I didn't, I said I would recommend against playing blitz games.  Play long time controls so you can think things out instead of playing hope chess, where you make moves because you can't think of anything else to do.  I guarentee if you take more time on your moves you will be able to recognize blunders more easily and can make less mistakes.


I am awfully sorry but I am not English and I don't understand what you mean, did you say that is better playing blitz games because you dont think of anything else ?


Blitz:
*Fast moves without thought
*Hoping you can deal with whatever your opponent does
*Little/no time to think about the position

Standard:
*No move is rushed
*Can make sure you analyze fully to at least 3 ply (find an answer to every single next move your opponent could make)
*Lots of calculation and analysis

You need a lot of the second, and very little of the first.

Avatar of JonZarate

Wow! Thank you very much, I understand it perfectly, however...

Are you able to analyze the opponent's next 3 moves !? Unbelievable!

Now, apart from that, would you suggest me something else ?

Avatar of MathBandit
UDKO2 wrote:

Wow! Thank you very much, I understand it perfectly, however...

Are you able to analyze the opponent's next 3 moves !? Unbelievable!

Now, apart from that, would you suggest me something else ?


No, I can only usually look deep enough to see 3 moves of my opponent in forcing lines.

What I meant was 3 moves total; before you make any move, try and find at least 1 good move you could make against any possible response your opponent has. So you're looking 3 total moves in advance: your current move, your opponent's move, and then your next move.