Advice for improvement needeed based on 3 recent OTB games

Hi all,

 

I am a FIDE 1100 player and although I have improved a lot in the past months I seem to make a lot of losses out of winning positions. An example of this is my recent streak of 3 consecutive losses in OTB games (90 min/30 sec), which I am posting here.

I would appreciate any advice on how to improve from here (e.g. helpful books, study routine etc). I try to do tactical puzzles almost daily and try to play 1-2 OTB slow games/week. I have also taken several lessons reviewing my games working mainly on strategical concepts and get a solid opening, of course paying attention to calculation and missed tactical opportunities.

I just seem to be lost in late middlegame positions onward. For example in the first game posted after 19...Rh6 I was feeling anxiety about meeting potential attack to my kingside. 

Could you notate your games? I’m interested in your move 19 in the two first games. You should always go over your games, write notes about what you were thinking and look at what else you could have done/faults in your thinking.
Especially for blunders and inaccuracies. And then apply your conclusions to the next game, rinse and repeat.

In general the more effort you put into finding and rectifying errors when learning the more you learn. Also very good that you posted and asked for advice. That’s my two cents.

El_Goffman, thank you for the reply.

I definately take the time to review my games myself and with a coach. These three games we have already heavily annotated. The thing is I keep losing when having significant advantage.

In the 1st game I played 19.a3 in order to prevent the knight jump to Nb4 attacking my bishop.

In the 2nd game 19...Qxb2 was a huge blunder!

Hi tilletios, Two tips: Consolidation and regrouping. When ever you achieve a material advantage, your next priority is your piece and king safety. Think prophylactic moves to strengthen your position. When you are ahead keep it simple, when you are behind complicate. 11. Qxd5! Wins a piece. I want to know why you move 14. Qb5, in this position your priority is consolidation and regrouping, you need to develop and castle. A move like 14. Ba6, 14. Bc4 and 14. Be2 are all good. 19. a3? Is not necessary in this position.. 19. Qc6 threatening mate on c8 and aim to exchange heavy pieces further. 20. e4 only brings black's knight to a nice square f4. 21. Bc4? It blocked the rook on c1 and did not help a defense on the king. 21. Bf1 defending. 22. Qg5 is a mistake, after 23... Rg6 there's no defense to g2. And finally you missed mate in 1, 27. Rc7??

Good that you review the games. Il keep this going until someone more proficient at chess gives you some solid chess advice.

From those three games it seems to me that the issue is nervousness. At move 19 in the first game you were dominating, and qc6 or qa6 seems to me to be winning moves. Yet you played a profilactic move.

Same in game two. The trade of queens would be a lot better as you know. Yet you played a more cautious move.

In the third game you also started playing a lot more cautiously when you entered the mid/late game. You also mentioned that you felt “nervous” about a threat.

(If I’m not totally of base) My advice would be that you try to get into the middle game with a lot of time on the clock and then just sit there to you feel your nervousness dissipate. Even Carlsen struggled a lot with nerves and lost lots of games because of it.

Thank you for the replies and tips!

Galdave, the reason I played 14.Qb5 was a strategic one. I tried to put pressure on the e5 square so that the isolated e6 cannot advance and after freezing it I intended to attack it with my bishop and knight.

El_Goffman, it's true that I am quite slow at calculation and frequently end up with time troubles but in these three games my mistakes in the middlegame were not with time pressure. It's also true that I get nervous and try to play too cautiously especially when in advantage. It seems like I don;t understand very well how to coordinate my pieces (particularly major pieces) to finish a good attack.

MoreMightyChess, this is true and deeper advice than initially seems

For game 1 and 2 this tip is good to know (from https://thechessworld.com/articles/middle-game/4-things-know-trading-queens/)

In case your opponent’s king is weaker, exposed, and potentially attackable, then always keep the queens. Even if you have a minimum material advantage, let’s say a pawn, our advice is that with queens on the board this advantage can be turned into a bigger one.

3. The potential activity of the remaining pieces in the endgame

This one defines itself. Take in consideration if your opponent’s pieces will be more active after the trade of queens, for example is his king closer to the center? Will he be able to seize the initiative by advancing the pawns that protect his king? Will my opponent’s rooks play a major role?

Hi tilletios,

Okay nice intention, but in the position you can look for bigger goals. Like threaten mate and exchange further pieces and go for winning endgame.

 

bump. 

 

Any general advice on how to improve further would be appreciated.

First game move 19. What I'm seeing is you have an active queen, an open file next to their king and two other pieces who can easily join the attack. The knight for example once it gets to e5 it's devestating (e.g. Nc6 fork).

I'd play Qa6 or Qc6 threatening mate on c8. Basic tactical pattern but I don't see a decent defence for black?

Second game is just counting. Move 19, just take the queen? And you win an extra knight.

Im not a great player, but have some thoughts about game 2, others can judge it. Move 29 seems to be crucial. In that position, white king is nicely blocked from moving further. e5 is hanging, but Ra4 can work maybe, or some other way just to keep king blocked. Past pawns should be pushed, so you should push that H pawn asap.  Im no expert to endings, so i just belive that having your rook in front of your past pawn is better than behind...you moved it behind later, to worse position i believe. At move 46, Kg7 should be easy way how to hold draw position, Kxe6 is big blunder.

Once again, im not a great player. But if you want general advice, i would say that you have nice patient carefull opening - early mid-game, but you miss agression to win in better position or endgame. Can be lack of endgame practice as well.

At game 1 a3 at 19 was carefull defensive move, while you were in great attack position and able to give some strikes. When you can force opponent to defend, theres no need to care about your defence in that move. At game 2 and 3, you failed to push properly. Also as been already said...when you are up in material, simplify, force some exchanges.