G

To take is a mistake - tension in the chess position

I've heard this a lot recently -- is it true? (SPOILER: often but not always)

Clarity and anxiety in junior chess

I see this played quite a lot in the Scotch Game at the junior club: 
[Event "Coaching"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.10.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NN"]
[Black "NN"]
[Result "*"]


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 5.Qxd4+=
*
White's Queen occupies a fine central square and cannot be bothered by Black's minor pieces.

Opening Workshop 2015

A bit of perspective

Your opening choices are determined by:

Your style: are you a Steady Eddie or a Bonkers Billie?

Your memory: can you commit the key traps and variations to memory?

Your study time: can you find and absorb what you need to play this system well?

Your aims: are you trying to get a playable position? are you trying to set your opponent problems, so they make a mistake? are you inviting your opponent to waltz with you blindfold on the edge of a cliff? are you trying to lure them into unfamiliar territory, or a trap?

Trouble with b6

Exeter 2-6 Tiverton, Peter Rooke Final 25th April 2015

Submitted by DrDave on

Exeter 2-6 Tiverton, Peter Rooke Final

1 Simon WATERS (165) [B] - Mike Richardt (184) [W]
2 Andy FRANGLETON (151) [W] - Brian HEWSON (174) [B]
3 Sean POPE (144) 1/2-1/2 Ivor ANNETTS (162)
4 Piet DOBBER (138) 0-1 Keith ATKINS (157)
5 Jonathan WALEY (135) 0-1 Jon DUCKHAM (152)
6 Will MARJORAM (132) 0-1 Stephen THORPE-TRACEY (104)
7 Eddy PALMER (131) 1/2-1/2 Joe FLANAGAN (99)
8 Reece WHITTINGTON (124) 0-1 Gregor FOTHERINGHAM (70E)
Exeter 2-6 Tiverton

The most important mistake in chess

Submitted by DrDave on

I have been writing about the games from the U14 county team events for many years now (12) and often end up saying the same things. This year we had a couple of particularly clear examples of "the most important mistake in chess" ... which is:

ignoring your opponent's threats!

Here's a simple example:

Exeter 4.5-3.5 Newton Abbot Peter Rooke Cup Sat 10th Jan 2015

Submitted by DrDave on

1 Waters, Simon (B) 1/2-1/2 Brooks, Paul (W)
2 Frangleton, Andy (W) 0-1 Hui, M (B)
3 Pope, Sean 1/2-1/2 Kinder, Andrew
4 Dobber, Piet 1-0 Taylor, Wiilf
5 Waley, Jonathan 1/2-1/2 Ramesh, Vignesh
6 Marjoram, Will 1/2-1/2 Allen, John
7 Palmer, Eddy 1/2-1/2 Barber-Lafon, Jacquie
8 Whittington, Reece 1-0 Narayanan, Nandaja
EXETER 4.5-3.5 NEWTON ABBOT

In a close and well-fought contest, Exeter held on to an early lead to eliminate Newton Abbot from this year's Peter Rooke knockout Cup competition.

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