Darlington Chess Club: 2017

Wednesday, 27 September 2017

Kill the monster

Imagine you are a weaker player facing a much higher rated oppenent. First round of a knockout tournament. You have White, there is a chance right?

Play through the game to see if the all seeing calculation monster was defeated

Click here for the game

Monday, 1 May 2017

I was browsing the internet at work the other day and came across an article called "How to read a chess book". The author advised taking notes after each chapter, playing through every annotation and ensuring you understand each point that is been made. I don't disagree with this approach and it may even be the best way to absorb knowledge.

Its just a little on the dull side for my taste.

I work, have a family and a healthy running obsession, so time to 'study' is limited. I do, however really enjoy playing through really well anotated games. Not too many variations, just enough explanation so that I can understand the game. I have just finished reading "The most exciting games of 2016" by Balogh, Maze & Naiditsch, published by Chess evolution.

In that book my favourite game was between Topalov and Carlsen. Carlsen plays a beautiful strategic master piece and wins a nice game. Balogh does a good job explaining the key ideas.

Below you can play through the game with my notes, I can't claim I understood all the points on my own and I have quoted the GM where he did most of the work, but I didn't want to just copy out what he had written, so I have tried to incorporate my own understanding.

Click the link below, for the chessbase viewer, or play through the Gameknott app.

Enjoy

Play through the game

GCT Rapid, ?
Topalov, V. (2761) vs. Carlsen, M. (2855)


8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

(black to move)

1.	e4	e5
2.	Nf3	Nc6
3.	Bb5	a6
4.	Ba4	Nf6
5.	O-O	Be7
6.	d3	b5
7.	Bb3	d6
8.	a3	O-O
9.	Nc3	Na5
10.	Ba2	Be6
11.	d4	Bxa2
12.	Rxa2	Nc6
13.	d5	Nb8
14.	Qe2	Nbd7
15.	Rd1	Qc8
16.	Nh4	g6
17.	g3	Ne8
18.	Ng2	Ng7
19.	Bh6	Nf6
20.	Ne3	Qh3
21.	Bxg7	Kxg7
22.	b4	h5
23.	a4	a5
24.	Rb1	axb4
25.	Rxb4	bxa4
26.	Raxa4	Ng4
27.	Nf1	h4
28.	f3	hxg3
29.	hxg3	Nf6
30.	Qg2	Qh6
31.	Qh2	Qg5
32.	Qd2	Qh5
33.	g4	Qh8
34.	Nb5	Nh7
35.	Qh2	Rfb8
36.	c4	Qd8
37.	Ne3	Bg5
38.	Qe2	Bf4
39.	Ng2	Bg3
40.	Qe3	Ng5
41.	Kf1	Qh8

Friday, 14 April 2017

A Recent Game

Here is a recent game that I played at Wakefield. I lost a piece very early, which my opponent kindly returned a few moves later. There then followed some 'normal' chess before my opponent found a nice idea swapping knight, bishop and rook for 3 pawns and my queen. Leaving an interesting unbalanced postilion.

13th 4NCL Congress, Wakefield
Bloggs, Fred (1598) vs. Wilson, Kevin J (1810)


8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

(black to move)

1.	d4	d5
2.	e4	c6
3.	Nc3	dxe4
4.	Bc4	Nf6
5.	f3	e6
6.	fxe4	Nxe4
7.	Nxe4	Qh4+
8.	Ng3	Bd6
9.	Nf3	Bxg3+
10.	Kd2	Bf4+
11.	Ke2	Qh6
12.	Bxf4	Qxf4
13.	Qd3	Nd7
14.	Rae1	b5
15.	Bb3	a5
16.	c3	Ba6
17.	Kf2	Nf6
18.	g3	Qd6
19.	Ne5	c5
20.	Nxf7	Kxf7
21.	Rxe6	Qxe6
22.	Bxe6+	Kxe6
23.	Re1+	Kf7
24.	dxc5	Rhd8
25.	Qf5	Rd2+
26.	Kg1	Bc8
27.	Qe5	Bh3
28.	c6	Rg2+
29.	Kh1	Rxb2
30.	c7	Re8

Options:
	- allow legal moves only;
	- use short algebraic notation;
movement/animation speed: (slow) (fast)
	- show legal moves;

Pawn promotion:
	- Queen
	- Rook
	- Bishop
	- Knight

Options:
	- allow legal moves only;
	- use short algebraic notation;
movement/animation speed: (slow) (fast)
	- show legal moves;

Pawn promotion:
	- Queen
	- Rook
	- Bishop
	- Knight