IF YOU LIKE TO ATTACK READ THIS!!

Many people want to be attacking players, but don't know how to set up good attacking positions.  For the purpose of helping those types of players in the 1200 to 1500 ratings level I give the following game as an instructive tool.  This game is not perfect, there are mistakes on both sides, but white is better for most of the game.

I have been playing chess for a little over 5 years and although my game has peaks and valley's I can give a pretty good game to most people up to about 2200 (at least competitive).  I know a lot of openings and book moves, but the more I play the more I want to think outside the box of the book, and play for the experience of thinking though a position and coming up with a plan rather then just winning. 

Note: Losing is a big part of this experience!  So if you always NEED to win, this post probably isn't for you.

Over the years I have noticed something that really separates Top level players from your more average players is the use of pawns.  Whether it is sacrificing pawns or pushing pawns, or storming pawns.  Your chess will improve by leaps and bounds if you start thinking of your pawns as an playing a major role in your attack.

Now with that said: Think about the games you have played and try to remember games where you played an opponent who with almost no regard for material loss stormed is pawns up a side of the board attacking your castled king.  Perhaps his/her attack failed, and you still were able to win the game, but for a moment think about how you had to start thinking of ways to defend with your own pawns and pieces.  The point is there was a real threat to your position.

I talk about in some of my training videos the barrage position which looks like

this: signified by the "V" setup of the white pieces.  This type of position can be reached in the Kings pawn, Bird, English openings. 

In your games as white strive to get a position like this with the plan to 1. get your opponent to  castle kingside, 2. Keep the center of the board closed, 3. Castle queenside if you need to, but only if you need to!, 4. Begin a pawn storm up the side of the board with the intention of sacrificing a bishop or a rook. 

Whatever you can to to pry open those pawns protecting your opponents castled king do it and see how exciting your games become.  Start by attacking with wild abandon, and as you learn to give yourself valid defense while keeping up the attack, you will find much joy in your games.  I promise. 

Some people play chess to become Masters of the game, but most of us play chess for the thrill and beauty of it.  And who says you can't have both!  Here is a recent game for you to study before you try it yourself!  Please post your wins to this thread using this technique.

Enjoy and Employ:

interesting

hmm

White was not better for most of the game, white was worse for most of it, you allowed your opponent easy equality with your unambitious opening, by move 9 he was already better, on move 11 you blundered a piece. Black should come out better after the rook sacrifice with correct defence you only won because your opponent blundered horribly with 18..Bc3.

Doesn't matter as long as you win the game.  Personally, I was feeling burnt out on chess in August, but then I started playing the Muzio Gambit and was winning in the teens 8 times out of 10.  I even beat a 2200!  It was fun to play and I NEVER LOST with it.  But now I have gone back to a mature understanding of the game rather than a fun one.

I disagree with your assessment. Rook sac was not the best move in the position, but white was still better after than black.  I do agree that I played the opening not by any book, but it was the definition of ambitious.  You might want to look that word up.  Maybe the opening was unsound or unsightly, but it was without doubt ambitious.

Also note the opening of this post and I quote: This game is not perfect, there are mistakes on both sides..."

I totally agree with you that I dropped a piece and that would have made a different game for sure, but the point is it wasn't a different game...it was that game. 

Also I would like to have seen you defend that position after the rook exchange.  Not an easy position to defend.

Thanks for the comment though.

Here is another example for you attackers with better opening consideration for Sconsc:  Understand I'm not submitting a game for analysis or for showcase.  I'm trying to illustrate a strategy

Not the best defenses on either occasion. Nonetheless, good work capitalizing on your opponent's errors, but by no means an ideal instructive tool when your opponent's missed chances to take a decisive lead in both games.

Cool game! If you liked that then watch this game “Kasparov vs. Mephisto Computer - Hamburg, 1985”. The game show how fun thing can get and how important it is to remove the pawns protecting the opposing King.

doesnt the v formation leave you a backwards d pawn and how do you defend against this?

11th move is blunder Ne8??? as i look at it bc3 your apiece down.

bc3(if... gf6, , , cd7+.. Qd7.....ef6)( if Bc3.... Nh6). .your lucky my friend   

The advice for how to play a game like the one shown is simple: Pick an opponent 300-400 points lower rated than you. Enjoy as they fail to take your hanging pieces and make repeated mistakes that allow you an easy attack.

for me the 11g5 i response the pawn takes knight if bxpanw then n-e8  if white plays the pxn then bishop takes pawn and the pawn in c3 will takes some pressure before it dies he kill some one first 

Okay I agree with you types who can't see the Forrest for the trees.  The games I listed where blitz games, so perhaps not the best teaching example, though I prefaced saying they were flawed.  So Loomis, here is a game with a much higher rated player than myself.  This is a recent game OTB, not blitz like the other games listed.  This strategy is valid and will work in your games.

cool game

Thanks I thought so too.  More instructive then?