Forums

Playing against me is better than a one-point bye

Sort:
Paul1e4

I played ineptly in this game and lost in 22 moves. I have a horrible record when playing up, and this is an example.


I got out of the opening OK, but played so weakly in the middlegame that I never had a chance. I would like to know how I should have defended better, and whether there was a way to take advantage of the fact that my opponent's king was uncastled. This was an OTB game, 60 minutes with a 5 second delay. Because I lost so fast, time pressure wasn't a factor. I have not done the computer analysis.

TibsClark

h3 was not the best move because it lets your pawn become a target, & you played Nh7 which I think is a bad move because it doesn’t harm your position much, but it doesn’t do anything either. A better move would’ve been Qe7, connecting the rooks. Also Nh4 wasn’t the best move because that knight is one of the defenders of the king. In case the g or h file opens the knight will still manage to apply some protection, it is also one of your active pieces on the kingside which you are trading. Also although it probably wouldn’t make much difference anymore, you would have a much higher chance of surviving if you didn’t take the pawn on move 20 as after hxg5 hxg5 Qg6 the h file is completely open. If instead of hxg5 you played Qd7, after gxh6 g6 your king is not too open, you may be down 1 pawns but you will probably get it back in the endgame

TibsClark

why does it say you’re 1400?

Paul1e4
TibsClark wrote:

why does it say you’re 1400?

It's my USCF rating. Or was. After a bad tournament it is now 1482. It would have been worse, but I was lucky to win a game against an 1100.