Chess improvement can be a slow and grinding process. It has been a rollercoaster-like ride full of ups and downs (mostly downs) over the last few years. I am excited to be approaching the 1300 rating threshold after several setbacks over the past few months. Some of the losses this year have been brutal and some of the wins have been incredible, but learning to live with win and losses is one of the biggest challenges when learning the game.
This is a game I played last night that placed me within 2 points of the 1300 threshold. I have been too busy today to put my mind to another game, so I figured I would annotate this game and show some of the things I continue to learn on the long to road to chess mastery.
[pgn]
[Event “Rated Classical game”]
[Site “https://lichess.org/MNMxfAi2”]
[Date “2017.07.29”]
[Round “-“]
[White “Internet Opponent”]
[Black “Wesley Surber”]
[Result “0-1”]
[TimeControl “900+10”]
[WhiteRatingDiff “-9”]
[BlackRatingDiff “+16”]
[BlackElo “1282”]
[WhiteElo “1226”]
[Termination “Time forfeit”]
[Variant “Standard”]
[UTCDate “2017.07.29”]
[Opening “Italian Game”]
[Annotator “lichess.org”]
[ECO “C50”]
[UTCTime “03:10:46”]
{This was a decent game that offered me some unique learning opportunities. My opponent lost on time, but was on track to lose by checkmate prior to the flag falling.} 1. e4 {[%clk 0:15:00] } e5 {[%clk 0:15:00] } 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:15:07] } Nc6 {[%clk 0:15:06] } 3. Bc4 {[%clk 0:15:14] } Qe7 {[%clk 0:15:08] Nothing quite exciting happening here. White attempted to make quick end to my options for castling, but I was not having it.} 4. a3 {[%clk 0:14:43] } d6 {[%clk 0:15:16] } 5. O-O {[%clk 0:14:36] } Be6 {[%clk 0:15:23] } 6. d3 {[%clk 0:14:20] } O-O-O {[%clk 0:15:30] } 7. Ng5 {[%clk 0:14:12] } Bxc4 {[%clk 0:15:34] An attempt to keep White from building a complete blockade in the center.} 8. dxc4 {[%clk 0:14:14] } h6 {[%clk 0:15:37] } 9. Nf3 {[%clk 0:13:56] } Nf6 {[%clk 0:15:38] } 10. b4 {[%clk 0:13:55] } Qe6 {[%clk 0:15:05] } 11. Qd3 {[%clk 0:13:48] } a5 {[%clk 0:14:32] } 12. b5 {[%clk 0:13:52] } Ne7 {[%clk 0:14:29] } 13. Be3 {[%clk 0:13:32] } b6 {[%clk 0:13:17] } 14. Nc3 {[%clk 0:12:16] } c5 {[%clk 0:13:12] Solidifying my own blockade and preventing White from advancing his pawns without sacrificing material to break through.} 15. h3 {[%clk 0:10:19] } g5 {[%clk 0:13:13] } 16. a4 {[%clk 0:09:30] } g4 {[%clk 0:13:20] } 17. hxg4 {[%clk 0:09:34] } Nxg4 {[%clk 0:13:23] My original plan was to sneak my Queen into the h-file, but my opponent had other plans. My counter-attack ultimately blocked that path and forced other alternatives.} 18. Nh4 {[%clk 0:08:51] } Nxe3 {[%clk 0:12:56] } 19. Qxe3 {[%clk 0:08:42] } Qxc4 {[%clk 0:13:03] White abandoned his pawn and was down material for the first time in the game.} 20. Nf5 {[%clk 0:08:34] } Qe6 {[%clk 0:12:40] } 21. Rad1 {[%clk 0:07:52] } Nxf5 {[%clk 0:12:35] } 22. exf5 {[%clk 0:05:13] } Qxf5 {[%clk 0:12:42] } 23. Rc1 {[%clk 0:05:06] } Rg8 {[%clk 0:12:49] Attempting to neutralize the f-pawn.} 24. Qf3 $4 {[%clk 0:04:31] } Qg6 $4 {[%clk 0:12:41] A terrible move because I missed that my Rook had already immobilized the f-pawn. White’s Queen was dead but I failed to see the safe capture opportunity. This changed the dynamic of the entire game and could have possibly ended it earlier than it did.} (24…Qxf3) 25. Nd5 {[%clk 0:04:28] } e4 {[%clk 0:12:41] } 26. Qh3+ {[%clk 0:04:12] } Kb8 {[%clk 0:12:44] } 27. Nxb6 {[%clk 0:03:52] } Be7 {[%clk 0:11:46] } 28. Nd5 {[%clk 0:03:37] } Qg5 {[%clk 0:11:35] } 29. Nxe7 {[%clk 0:03:34] } Qxe7 {[%clk 0:11:42] } 30. b6 {[%clk 0:03:32] } Qe5 {[%clk 0:11:37] } 31. Rb1 {[%clk 0:01:52] } Rg5 {[%clk 0:11:43] } 32. b7 {[%clk 0:01:35] Not sure about this move. No significant threat at this point as I had no desire to move my King.} Rdg8 {[%clk 0:11:50] } 33. f4 $6 {[%clk 0:01:20] A nice fork, but the exposed King nullifies its effect.} Qd4+ {[%clk 0:11:51] } 34. Rf2 {[%clk 0:01:24] } Rg4 {[%clk 0:11:26] White’s King is in some serious trouble.} 35. c3 {[%clk 0:01:29] } Qxa4 {[%clk 0:10:42] } 36. Qxh6 {[%clk 0:01:16] } Qd7 {[%clk 0:10:33] } 37. c4 {[%clk 0:01:15] } Qe7 {[%clk 0:09:36] } 38. Ra1 {[%clk 0:00:27] } Rh4 {[%clk 0:09:42] White’s Queen is history.} 39. Rxa5 $2 {[%clk 0:00:22] My opponent would have been better off taking the material exchange instead of going for the lone pawn.} Rxh6 {[%clk 0:09:48] } 40. Ra8+ {[%clk 0:00:29] } Kxb7 {[%clk 0:09:54] } 41. Rf8 $4 {[%clk 0:00:37] I believe that White clicked the wrong square because he was running low on time. I am sure he intended to capture the Rook. Although the game was still lost, White’s flag fell immediately following my next move.} Qxf8 {[%clk 0:10:02] } 0-1
[/pgn]
100 ELO points might not seem like much, but for someone who spends an inordinate amount of time studying, playing, and writing about chess…it *is* a big deal. Looking back, it is ironic that this month’s edition of [Chess Life](www.uschess.org) Magazine features an exceptional story of what its like to work incredibly hard at chess and only see minor to moderate (if you are lucky) returns. My guess is that if chess were some form of stock market investing that it would not last long. And no, that is not me on the cover of this month’s *Chess Life*, but it certainly could be. At least, it represents exactly how I feel at the moment.
