Two blind men playing chess

[Volker Pittlik]

Sorry me for boring you with one of my latest masterpieces. Although I didn't make any significant progress in chess in the last 40 years I enjoy to play from time to time. My question is if there is any possibility to improve my ability to see what is on the board?

I tried a lot to improve my game. I read a number of chess books, replayed master games, tried to use the programs as training partners. However, I'm still amongst the weakest players. I analyse my own games often and I believe I found out I'm afflicted with some kind of blindness. In the following game my opponent seems to have the same problem. If someone knows a method to solve that problem please let me know (no, I don't want to join a chess club).

Here is one of my blitz games.

[Event "ICC 5 12"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2004.10.19"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Me"]
[Black "Opponent"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C15"]
[Opening "French"]
[Variation "Winawer, fingerslip variation"]
[Analysing_Engine "Yace 0.99.87. Score margin: 0.75 pawns. Time: 60 seconds per move."]

1.e4 {0.11/12} 1...e6 {-0.23/11} 2.d4 {0.21/11} 2...d5 {-0.21/11}
3.Nc3 {0.01/10} 3...Bb4 {-0.01/10} 4.Bd2 {-0.34/9} 4...c5 {-0.39/10}
5.Nf3 {0.20/9} 5...Nf6 {-0.22/9} 6.e5 {0.02/9} 6...Nfd7 {-0.25/10}
7.Bb5 {0.02/11} 7...O-O {-0.18/10} 8.Bxd7 {-0.03/11} 8...Bxd7 {-
0.07/11} 9.O-O {-0.12/11} 9...Nc6 {-0.05/11} 10.Be3 {-0.46/10} 10...c4
{-0.05/11} 11.Ne2 {-0.09/11} 11...Be7 {-0.05/11} 12.c3 {-0.01/10}
12...b5 {-0.03/11} 13.a3 {-0.06/10} 13...a5 {-0.02/11} 14.Nf4 {-
0.14/11} 14...g6 {-0.24/10} 15.Nh3 {0.20/12} 15...f6 {-0.20/13} 16.Bh6
{0.20/13} 16...Rf7 {-0.20/12} 17.Re1 {0.13/11} 17...f5 {-1.22/11} (
17...fxe5 18.dxe5 b4 19.axb4 axb4 20.Qe2 Rb8 21.Bg5 bxc3 22.bxc3 Qb6
23.Bxe7 {-0.11/11} ) 18.Nfg5 {1.22/14} 18...Bxg5 {-1.22/13} 19.Nxg5
{1.15/12} 19...Re7 {-1.21/14} 20.Qf3 {0.85/13} 20...Rb8 {-1.19/11}
21.Re3 {0.54/12} 21...b4 {-0.54/13} 22.axb4 {0.54/12} 22...axb4 {-
0.63/12} 23.Ree1 {0.44/11} 23...bxc3 {-0.44/12} 24.bxc3 {0.44/12}
24...Na5 {-0.94/11} 25.Reb1?

{-1.26/12. A bad move. Even worse up to
move 28 all moves are more or less not so good. However, no one can
take advantage. The stage of pure idiocy will be reached later.}
(
25.Nh3 Nb3 26.Ra2 Ra8 27.Rxa8 Qxa8 28.Bg5 Re8 29.Bf6 Qa2 30.Nf4 Ra8
31.Qe3 {0.94/12} )

25...Nb3 {1.26/12} 26.Ra2 {-1.57/12} 26...Bc6 {-
0.66/13} ( 26...Nd2 27.Rxd2 Rxb1+ 28.Rd1 Qb6 29.h3 Ba4 30.Rxb1 Qxb1+
31.Kh2 Qd3 32.Qg3 Bc2 33.f4 Qxg3+ 34.Kxg3 {1.57/13} ) 27.h3 {-1.39/11}
( 27.Rd1 Ra8 28.Rxa8 Qxa8 29.Nh3 Rb7 30.Nf4 Qc8 31.Bg5 Kf8 32.Bf6 Ke8
{0.65/11} ) 27...Rb5 {-0.47/13} ( 27...Nd2 28.Rxd2 Rxb1+ 29.Rd1 Qb8
30.Kh2 Qb2 31.Rxb1 Qxb1 32.Qe2 Qd3 33.Qb2 Rb7 34.Qa2 Kh8 {1.39/13} )
28.Qd1 {-0.37/12} ( 28.Rbb2 Qb6 29.Qe3 Re8 30.Ra3 Bd7 31.Rba2 Nc1
32.Ra1 Nb3 {0.47/12} ) 28...Ra5 {-0.54/12} ( 28...Qb8 29.Ra6 Qc8
30.Ra2 Reb7 31.Qe1 Nxd4 32.Rd1 Nb3 33.Qe3 Kh8 34.Ra7 Rxa7 35.Qxa7
{0.37/12} ) 29.Rxa5 {0.48/12} 29...Nxa5 {-0.67/13} 30.Ra1 {0.57/13}
30...Nb3 {-0.57/13} 31.Rb1 {0.49/12} 31...Ba4 {-0.57/12} 32.Qe1
{0.52/11} 32...Qa5 {-0.56/12} 33.Qe3 {0.56/13} 33...Qa6 {-0.62/12}
34.Qf3 {0.21/12} 34...Qa5 {-0.62/14} 35.Qe3 {0.54/12} 35...Qb5 {-
0.64/12} 36.Rb2 {0.63/12} 36...Qa5 {-0.72/12} 37.Rb1 {0.00/12}
37...Qb6 38.Rb2 {0.48/11} 38...Qa6 {-1.00/11} 39.Ra2 {1.02/14}
39...Qb5 {-1.02/12} 40.Nf3 {1.02/13} 40...Na5?

{-3.07/12. Now the phase of the blind men begins.}
( 40...Qe8 41.h4 Bc6 42.Bg5 Rd7 43.Bf6
Qb8 44.Ra6 Qb5 45.Ra3 Rb7 46.Ra8+ Rb8 {-1.02/12} )

41.Qg5 {3.05/14} 41...Rd7?

{-8.81/13. White is already superior. But of course I didn't
realized during the game. I only had the feeling I was better.}

( 41...Kf7 42.Qf6+ Ke8 43.Qf8+ Kd7 44.Bg5 Nc6 45.Bxe7 Qb1+ 46.Kh2 Qxa2
47.Bc5 Qxf2 48.Qd6+ Kc8 49.Qxe6+ Kb8 50.Qxd5 Nd8 51.Qxd8+ Kb7 {-
3.05/13 })

42.Nh4?! {6.22/14. I already had the plan to take the g-pawn with
the knight. Yace's variation is better of course.}

( 42.Rxa4 Qb1+ 43.Kh2 Qb6 44.Qf6 Rf7 45.Ng5 Rxf6 46.exf6 Kh8 47.f7 Qc7+ 48.Kg1
Qb8 49.f8=Q+ Qxf8 50.Bxf8 Nb3 51.Nxe6 Nc1 52.Bg7+ Kg8 {8.81/14} )


42...Bb3

{-M07/11. I didn't see the mate...}

( 42...f4 43.Rxa4 Qb6 44.Nxg6 Qb1+ 45.Kh2 Qxg6 46.Qxf4 Rf7 47.Qh4 Kh8
48.f3 Rd7 49.Rxa5 Rb7 {-5.65/11} )

43.Rb2 {4.25/15}

( 43.Nxg6 hxg6 44.Qxg6+ Kh8 45.Bg5 Rg7 46.Bf6 Qd7 47.Rxa5 Kg8
48.Ra8+ Qd8 49.Rxd8# {+M07/16} )

43...Qc6 {-4.65/13} 44.Nxg6

{4.65/14. Finally...}

44...hxg6 {-4.65/14} 45.Qxg6+ {4.33/14}

[diag]6k1/3r4/2q1p1QB/n2pPp2/2pP4/1bP4P/1R3PP1/6K1[/diag]

Black to move
6k1/3r4/2q1p1QB/n2pPp2/2pP4/1bP4P/1R3PP1/6K1 b - - 0 45

45...Rg7??

{-M01/8. How is that possible? The "counter attack" is suicide in fact.
And I can play at the same level...}

( 45...Kh8 46.Bg5 Qc7 47.Bf6+ Rg7 48.Bxg7+ Qxg7 49.Qxe6 Qc7 50.Qxd5 Nc6 51.e6 Ne7
52.Qd7 Qa5 53.Rxb3 Qa1+ {-3.93/13} )

46.Bxg7?? {18.09/7. The goal of the game is to checkmate the king.
This is a typical situation in my games. I simply don't see what I can
do. Of course also not what the opponent can do. In this position I was
sure the black queen was on c7 and therefore I took the rook instead
of checkmating the king. Is there any possibility to learn how to see
correctly ? Or am I just missing a basic skill to play chess? }

( 46.Qxg7# {+M01/7} )

46...Qc7? {-M05/13 Still a mate...}
( 46...Qe8 47.Qxe8+ Kxg7 48.Qe7+
Kh8 49.Qxe6 {-18.09/13} )

47.Bf6+?

{9.26/15. If there are two squares for the bishop why take the better one?}

( 47.Bh6+
Kh8 48.Bg5 Qg7 49.Bf6 Qxf6 50.exf6 Nc6 51.Qg7# {+M05/15} )

47...Qg7?? {-M01/8 Usually humans are learning from errors...}

( 47...Kf8 48.Rb1
Qf7 49.Qh6+ Ke8 50.Ra1 Kd7 51.Rxa5 Ba4 {-8.74/14} )

48.Bxg7??

{+M03/7. but _this_ exemplar obviously doesn't.}

48...Nc6 {-M02/10} 49.Bh6+
{+M02/9 Black resigns} 1-0

[Uri Blass]

Hi Volker,

I believe that you can do it.

You probably need to train on seeing.

You may take positions and simply ask yourself often about squares what are the pieces that attack it of both sides.

I do not know if there is a chess program that have inside it these exercises but I guess that training about something like that can help you.

The software should ask you about many positions and give you
limited time per position and repeat asking you about positions that you fail and it also can reduce the limited time when you become better.

Uri

[Anthony Cozzie]

Go to the library and get some tactics books. Qxg7 should be an instant move. Q-search, even

anthony

Chess is 99% tactics - Teichmann.

[fierz]

Sorry me for boring you with one of my latest masterpieces. Although I didn't make any significant progress in chess in the last 40 years I enjoy to play from time to time. My question is if there is any possibility to improve my ability to see what is on the board?

I tried a lot to improve my game. I read a number of chess books, replayed master games, tried to use the programs as training partners. However, I'm still amongst the weakest players. I analyse my own games often and I believe I found out I'm afflicted with some kind of blindness. In the following game my opponent seems to have the same problem. If someone knows a method to solve that problem please let me know (no, I don't want to join a chess club).

OMG, volker, that is truly a horrible game

but: there is hope. only you are looking in the wrong place. forget about most chess books and replaying master games! forget about analyzing your games with YACE. there is no point to all of this if you don't see a mate in one. it's like trying to calculate deep mathematical formulas if you don't know your 1x1.
what you need to do is get yourself a tactics book for beginners. and then you have to work through it. whenever you feel like chess, don't play on the net, don't look at the latest world championship game, don't play with your computer, no, take your tactics book and solve some simple problems.

i have seen this time and again: most weak players are weak simply because they cannot calculate at all. they often have sensible ideas about positional chess, but they blunder pieces left and right. there are many other things i would want to tell you about this game, but this is the single most important fact. one can train one's tactical ability, in fact it is very simple and cheap to do it, but not many people have the patience to do it.

if you are ever in z?rich, drop me a line and i'll give you a chess lesson

cheers
martin

[Olivier Deville]

Very good advices by Martin.

IMO, you may also forget about blitz games : fun, but useless if your goal is to improve your chess. If you switch to longer time control games, you'll play less games, but they will be more interesting.

You will be able to go back to blitz when your tactical skills are improved.

Good luck

Olivier

[Volker Pittlik]

....
OMG, volker, that is truly a horrible game

Ouch and I thought it was one of my better ones (no "forced queen sacrify", no back-rank mate, no <insert_whatever_stupidity_here>).

...what you need to do is get yourself a tactics book for beginners. and then you have to work through it. whenever you feel like chess, don't play on the net, don't look at the latest world championship game, don't play with your computer, no, take your tactics book and solve some simple problems.

About tactics training: I play a lot against the trainingbot at ICC at the moment. Books ordered: "Play winning chess" and "Winning chess tactics" by Yasser Seirawan, both highly recommended in the de.alt.games.schach newsgroup.

i have seen this time and again: most weak players are weak simply because they cannot calculate at all. they often have sensible ideas about positional chess, but they blunder pieces left and right.

I'm afraid I have to confirm that.

...
if you are ever in z?rich, drop me a line and i'll give you a chess lesson

cheers
martin

Thanks, may be I'm over there soon! I'll let you know.

...IMO, you may also forget about blitz games : fun, but useless if your goal is to improve your chess. If you switch to longer time control games, you'll play less games, but they will be more interesting....

I usually play the slowest blitz games possible (increment=12 seconds) but I'll try slower games too.

Thanks also to Anthony and Uri.

Regards

Volker

[Dan Honeycutt]

Hi Volker:

I wouldn't listen to these strong players like Martin and Olivier. Listen to me, I play chess like you do. Books on tactics are a waste, anybody can find tactics when you know there is something to be found. Finding them in a game is a whole different matter.

The key is to find your opponent's weak spots. If he is annoyed by cigarette smoke, light up even if you don't have the habit. If he has a penchant for alcohol have plenty on hand and ply him good. If he's a jealous type mention that you saw his wife someplace with another guy. Derogatory remarks about his favorite sports team, political party, movie star etc. all work wonders.

I guarantee this approach will work. Well, unless your opponent is a computer.

Dan H.

[fierz]

Ouch and I thought it was one of my better ones (no "forced queen sacrify", no back-rank mate, no <insert_whatever_stupidity_here>).

i was indeed referring mostly to the missed mate-in-one. but also there are some other moments, tactical and positional. going over games with a compter will not alert you to your positional weaknesses, or give you a feel for plans. looking at games with a strong player shows you what ideas you have missed. keep in mind that it is quite irrelevant whether the idea the strong player has will actually work or not - it is only relevant whether you had the idea too or not. i have an IM coach, and often he sighs deeply when i show him a game at some point, and says "but you should play on the queenside here, not in the center" and then he explains why. this is something computers can't do at all for you!

About tactics training: I play a lot against the trainingbot at ICC at the moment. Books ordered: "Play winning chess" and "Winning chess tactics" by Yasser Seirawan, both highly recommended in the de.alt.games.schach newsgroup.

i don't know them, but yasser in general should be fine. just one thing: make sure the combinations are not too difficult. the kids in my training group are somewhere between 2000 and 2150, and i'm having them work through the 1000 excercises of "winning chess sacrifices and combinations" by reinfeld. it's not too difficult for them, but it just excercises their "tactics muscle".
also, on the subject of easy tactics: there is this book by papa polgar, who made his daughters work through it at very early age. it's very thick, about 5000 excercises or so, and they start out with mate-in-one and end with mate-in-three, all quite easy. but because the girls worked through 5000 of these, they never would miss Qxg7#

best regards
martin

[Volker Pittlik]

...
The key is to find your opponent's weak spots. If he is annoyed by cigarette smoke, light up even if you don't have the habit. ...

I guarantee this approach will work. ....

It would work if my goal was to increase my rating. I can also use a computer for that, but I want to increase my playing strength. Also I dislike that kind of behaviour and usually use "silent play" when playing online and don't hear what my opponent tells me.

What I do (and I think this is within the limit of fairness): I nearly never resign except only my king and the opponent's king and queen are left on the board. At my level there is a really good chance the opponent has no idea how to checkmate with (for example) two bishops, not to speak about knight and bishop. Stalemate is better than to be checkmated. They even sometimes blunder one of their remaining pieces!

Regards

Volker

[Dan Honeycutt]

Hi Volker:

I know you are too nice a person to employ underhanded and devious means. Hope you didn't take my comments too seriously.

Dan H.

[José Carlos]

Hi Volker,
chess magazines usually have easy problems to solve. These are also good for you. You can start by moving pieces on the board to look for the solution, but once you solve them easily with that method, forget it forever. Then, try to solve easy problems looking at the quiet board. At some point, it will help you to look at the board, remember it, and close your eyes, trying to find the solution without looking at the board. That's a pretty good exercise for your tactical skills.
Some advice: switch off the tv (and wife if possible ), create a quite environment, get concentrated in the task, don't think about anything else at all. When you train chess, there's nothing else in the world.

[Uri Blass]

It is important to remember that tactics is not only about sacrifices or mates so I do not think that some tactics book that has only sacrifices or mates is the best book.

Tactics can be for example finding the only move that defend some pawn that the opponent threat.

If you do not see the threat of the opponent you may lose the pawn and the same if you do not see that you have a defending move.

Tactics is also not to forget about other threats of the opponent.

Weak players may see that their opponent threats a pawn and defend it but do not see that the opponent also threats to capture a rook and not defend against the more important threat.

Uri

[José Carlos]

Right, but the goal is to train your mind to be able to see tactics. If you can see basic mates and sacrifices blindfolded, you can think tactics. It's the same as if you are a marathon runner, you don't need to run 42 km everytime you go out to train. Running less distance also helps.

[Olivier Deville]

A brand new site about improving your chess :

http://prof-hemzo.sites.uol.com.br/chess.htm

All the tips and bibliography are well-know, but useful material, still.

Olivier