beginner : needs advice

I actually didn't want to move the C-pawn so early. I decided to change my mind since, my opponent started to move his pawns aggresively. so I decided to pull back my knight and start doing the same thing.

I could still have done as you mentioned in your statement. but, I didn't think about it.

In the opening bishops are often considered better than knights. Which means you usually do not want to trade your bishop for a knight

Which means unless you have a legitimate reason to pin a knight. Than you do not want to make those kind of moves.

When you pin a knight usually you do so with the intension of taking the knight to weaken its influence over the center and/or threating to take the knight to cause some sort of long term damage to the pawn structure.

I also want you to read what you wrote after you played the move from your annotation.

"I've seen lots of matches where opponents do this move. this prevents the opponents knight's movement."

You are doing the move become other people are doing it. Yet they may be doing it for a logical reason part of a grand plan or idea. You are just simply copying which is not what you want to do. Unless you are doing the same plan or idea they are doing.

@X_PLAYER_J_X

I had the same intent when I did the move. though, I can't seem to find the difference between the examle you provided and the situation on when I had made the move.

also, the only reason I did the move was to prevent the opponent knights movements. I did not have any other grand plan. it looks simple to me (or) is there any complicated reasons for this move ?

OK excellent question you give.

OK notice the position again.

Notice when you do the bishop pin you are fighting for 2 squares you see them highlighted in green.

See what you wrote "I did not have any other grand plan."

It is bad not to have a plan when you make a move. If you would of had a plan than I would of not said anything at all. However, You didn't have a plan. Which means your move is a bad move becuase it is a move played with no purpose at all. Now if I would of seen you do the below idea. Than I would of thought. Ok his bishop move to b4 makes perfect sense.

He is taking out the knight with the bishop to increase his control of the center squares.

This did not happen though your Light square bishop went to d7 not b7.

Do you see the difference?

Now I will show you the other line I posted.

Do you see the pressure being added to the e4 pawn?

I pin the knight because the knight is defending the e4 pawn. Which means If I can pin/take the knight the e4 pawn will fall. I will take it with my pawn. An since white knight is pinn by my bishop I will be up a pawn. his knight can not retake becuase it pinned.

Lets show an example if white play a stupid move.

His knight is pinned its illegal for him to take the pawn now. How will he get it?

okay, Thanks. I get the concept of using it now. so basically I should only do the pin when I want to use that as an advantage, right ?

Well No. By taking the knight with your bishop does not mean you will have an advantage.

You are pinning the knight with the idea of taking the knight to try and gain influence on key squares which may be part of a grand plan. 

For example look at my picture again.

In this situation what you are doing is. You are fighting for 2 squares. The 2 light squares e4 and d5.

Knights have the ability to change color. you can move a knight around to hit a dark square or a light square. Bishops on the other hand can not do that. A bishop can stay only on 1 color all game.

So what you are doing is. You are trying to get rid of a bishop that can not help and try to take out one of your opponents piece that can help.

Count how many of your pieces can fight for d5 square.

Can your queen help fight for d5?

Yes, Notice the green arrow in the picture

Can your 2 rooks help fight for d5?

Yes, Later on you can put both your rooks on d7 and d8 fighting for d5

Can your 2 knights help fight for d5?

Yes, they can move in such a way to help fight for d5

Can your 2 bishop help fight for d5?

No, WHY? Becuase the d5 square is a Light Square which means 1 of your bishops can not help fight for d5. Do you see?

So what you can do is get rid of that bishop that can not help and try and take one of your opponents pieces that can fight for d5.

In this game the bishop that can not help is the Dark bishop.

However, this is just an idea some players do. Their are alot of other idea's that can be played in chess. As you get better you will learn more.

These same idea's have been played in alot of openings.

Nimzo Indian, Sicilian Najdorf from white side most times, French Winawer which is the line I showed you a while ago. It takes time and more understanding.

There are other reasons. However, I do not feel like writing a book lol about all the reasons. So I will give you some simple ones.

Some of these idea's can be complex. I hope you are not confused by what I just told you. The reasoning behind why they do it makes sense. However, sometimes the idea's can be to complex for some players to understand them.

Its better to worry about the complex stuff when your skill has become stronger.

OMG! You have become 1500. After playing for 5 months. I am jealous.

LOL

I just wanted to say that you play very well for a beginner. I think you'll become very good in a short time if you keep learning at this rate. :))

@aman_makhija

Thanks for the compliment. though, I really don't care about the rating.

@Under-The-Tide

Yes, that's my plan. I really want to learn atleast 2-4 openings well and get started with tons of tactics. I'm really lacking at the tactics department.

@X_PLAYER_J_X

you're Informative as always, I get the key idea of using the pin to my plans. Thanks for the information

earlier, playdane had invited me for a series of match. though, I only had time for about three matches and continued with my breakfast afterwards. To be honest, I was really impressed on how he thought of tactics very well at such a short amount of time. I didn't do much at the blitz match, the 3 minute time control forced myself to make blunders. I managed to play a little decent on standard 15|10 time controls.

Here are the matches,

I made a big blunder by moving my bishop to a enclosed place and further it resulted in it's capture by the pawn. I didn't even have time to cross check my moves before placing them. I really am impressed on how the 3 minute and bullet player's are playing so brilliantly on ches.com. unfortuantely, I still have a lot of works to do before attempting to play at lower time control matches.

I think I  played the other two 15|10 matches a little okay. reviews are gladly accepted.

also, it was my first time playing the fianchetto opening at the third match. I had no clue how to play it but, I was glad that it turned out well.

You have a lot of potential and clearly have natural intuition for the game. Don't blow it by playing blitz and bullet. I see you saying that you have a lot of work to do before becoming more proficient in the slower time controls but the fact is that your goal shouldn't be to improve at blitz it should be to improve at long time control games. Even 15/10 is too fast. You need to be playing games like 60/5, 45/45, 90/30 now and then, etc. Review those games, annotate them, and post them for discussion. Playing fast chess is crippling your calculation and strategic planning. 

I could write a novel on the subject but the information is abound all over the internet. Players looking to improve seriously are to avoid blitz and rapid and play as many long games as possible...along with extensive review and study. 

what IS it about people like this ?   I have met a few; nobody as impressive as this, but a few that just HAVE the gift.  and its usually that- they play slowly and confidently blundering NOTHING and giving their opponents practically no weakness to target.

those that argue that chess strength is entirely a matter of training; should think again on how a 5month beginner is Class C already and playing an expert level player to a couple draws...

@Warbringer33

most of the great chess players are also good on lower time control matches. I think, they are somehow doing all their plan in a shorter time and managing the tactics very well. (or) do you think that I should avoid lower time control matches ?

I started playing chess last year in June.

On another chess website named Lichess. I am ranked 2008 there.

I play there more often. I like the fact they have more chess variants to play. I am also ranked 1800 in chess960 there.

So about 11 months for me.

I do not believe I have done anything special in improving either. I honestly will admit I don't even do alot of tactics.

I know alot of people harp on tactics but I do not believe they was my greatest help.

I believe reading the board/ middle game planning coupled with opening study/theory helped me so much more.

Its funny but there was a quote by a strong chess player long time ago. The Grand Master was watching the world champion at the time who was Alexander Alekhine. An the GM told some of his fellow chess player friends he was like. You know I see the tactical shots Alexander Alekhine is doing. An the same GM kept pointing them out to his chess friends. An his chess friends got impressed and was like man you see all the tactics he does. You are going to be a World Champion some day.

The GM than told them no. His friends said why not. The GM said Even though I see all of Alexander Alekhine calcuations and amazing tacticals shots. The difference between us is I can never reach a position in my own games were I could get the chance to do those combinations.

Which made me believe studying tactics is more of a hit or miss kind of a thing. You can study all the tactics you want to but if you can't make those tactical puzzles happen in your own game. What is the point really.

Which is why I believe middle game planning and opening study helped me slightly more since they are more concrete.

However, that seems to have gotten me to 2k so far. However, If I plan to go higher I think I am going to have to do endgames next.

There is just so much a person has to do to improve on in chess. It can be overwhelming.

Of course that is if you want to get better. Some people are content with just having fun.

The thing is, X_Player ...there's a massive difference between a ~2000 blitz rating on lichess and a ~2000 regular rating in the USCF or FIDE OTB. Massive. I see you posting games on here all the time and they're almost entirely blitz or rapid games. Again, the difference between playing fast chess against people online and playing classical time control OTB tournament games is just absolutely massive. 

Hey simplechess007, i recommend this as white

@Under-The-Tide

how should I counter if the opponent makes c4 ? that would lessen Bishop's range and the opponent would have had a fair control of centre.

Though, I have done something similar to this before by opening with Nf3. I wanted to prevent the king pawn from occupying the centre and used Nf3 for the idea though, I know that Nc3 will fail thanks to the opponents queen backing it up.

also, I learned En passant today at the chess mentor lessons. I never had a clue about that before. I wondered why no one mentioned about that peculiar move.

 Your goal is to play e4 anyways. I feel that c4 just makes it easier for white.

I like Classical games. I use to play only Classical games until chess.com banned me. Ever since than I have gotten upset with them. I don't even like playing here alot any more. The only thing useful I find them for is having forums and the ability to chat with people. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't even be here.

I was unsober one day and I decided for what ever reason to make a forum to show people how bullet chess wasn't chess and you could play any retarded line and get away with it. As long as your net was fast enough. So I did that than started playing moves like 1.h4, 1. f3 and running my king around. I told them I would test the chaos theory and unsound openings. I also said that my ranking would drop since unsound openings do lose alot. I believe I said the word lowered.

After I said that half the trolls misinterpreted my comments as if I was lowering my ranking on purpose for what ever reason. An they saw there chance to get rid of me. Next day I came online my account was disabled.

I had over 30-40 forums on that account. With over 100+-200 games half of them annotated with commentary which took hours creating. Which all got banned. I didn't save them any where. I didn't think chess.com could simply just delete them and not give them back to you. I also lost all my blogs didn't get any of those back either. I didn't receive anything back and I didn't even receive a message to why my account was disabled. It was all false and if they would of talked to me. I could of explained the situation.

I than began sending messages to help support for about 3 weeks. I got 1 message back. The message I got back said. I'm sorry to tell you this. Your account was banned for ranking manipulation.

After that I got upset with chess.com. It isn't right that they can just listen to a bunch of trolls with out talking to you. Than banned you and not give you any of your games you play. They can not say it was right in any case. 

Which is why I only play blitz games here sometimes. I don't take blitz as serious. However, When I do play blitz I always choose the maximum amount of time I am allowed.Which I believe is 10-0 on chess.com

Above the 10-0 time control it seems like it turns into Standard ranking. Instead of Blitz ranking.

On Lichess I am 2008 in Classical chess there.

I am 1702 in blitz there but I only played 7 games in blitz over there.

As far as Bullet ranking I don't even believe thats chess. Don't care about it to be honest.

The only difference between Over The Board chess and online chess that would bother me would probably be the Game pieces. Since viewing online its like 2D and OTB its 3D.

I am not that familar with having the normal sized pieces. It might take me a while to adjust or might effect my game play I don't know.

The good thing is you have longer time controls maybe that would help me. Try and negative through 3D view better.

cool, I see the continuation now. Thanks for the opening