Any Chess players in our Emporium?

[Kaners Bald Spot]

I've been playing on and off since I was a kid.

I view chess as a social thing and the pandemic has killed my enthusiasm.
I will pick up again when things get back to normal.

 

[PK Cronin]

Does anyone play the Pirc Defense as black? Looking for some good material on how to adjust when the main line isn't played.

 

[Hadoop]

Finally passed 1800 on chess.com a couple weeks ago and now I'm in the 1850s. Some parts of my game are still not particularly strong but I've found ways to steer games to my strengths and away from my weaknesses. Don't think I'll improve much more if any without proper study, but it's been a lot of fun both playing and watching online chess the last 10 months and counting.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Does anyone play the Pirc Defense as black? Looking for some good material on how to adjust when the main line isn't played.

I used to play the Pirc/Kings Indian because you can pretty much play it against anything. What exactly are you having trouble with?

 

[x Tame Impala]

Finally passed 1800 on chess.com a couple weeks ago and now I'm in the 1850s. Some parts of my game are still not particularly strong but I've found ways to steer games to my strengths and away from my weaknesses. Don't think I'll improve much more if any without proper study, but it's been a lot of fun both playing and watching online chess the last 10 months and counting.

Just got excited that I’m finally almost back to 800

 

[PK Cronin]

I used to play the Pirc/Kings Indian because you can pretty much play it against anything. What exactly are you having trouble with?

So many of the videos show the main lines only because that's what good players do since they know most other things stink, but at 1000-1100 people do weird moves that don't make sense. That meant I was having to do things that I had never seen discussed in videos before and would cause me trouble because the only way to learn was to learn from mistakes. I've figured a bunch of stuff out though since that post and I'm much more comfortable with the Pirc than I am the London with white (I just think it's so damn boring).

One of things I was struggling with was knowing when to move the Bishop to g4 and what not to. Also the pawn to c6 followed by pawn to b5 and then b4 when white tries to bring pressure with their bishop on c4. A series of videos from Robert Ramirez helped me understand the different positions a lot.

I'm still toiling away at just under 1100 but I think I'm losing because I'm not really focusing as much as I should when playing.

 

[Hammettf2b]

So many of the videos show the main lines only because that's what good players do since they know most other things stink, but at 1000-1100 people do weird moves that don't make sense. That meant I was having to do things that I had never seen discussed in videos before and would cause me trouble because the only way to learn was to learn from mistakes. I've figured a bunch of stuff out though since that post and I'm much more comfortable with the Pirc than I am the London with white (I just think it's so damn boring).

One of things I was struggling with was knowing when to move the Bishop to g4 and what not to. Also the pawn to c6 followed by pawn to b5 and then b4 when white tries to bring pressure with their bishop on c4. A series of videos from Robert Ramirez helped me understand the different positions a lot.

I'm still toiling away at just under 1100 but I think I'm losing because I'm not really focusing as much as I should when playing.

haha, this is the exact reason I started playing the Vienna and sometimes the Jobava London (you can end games quickly in the Jobava against low rated players if ur looking for a cheap win lol). Whenever stuff gets "out of theory" for me, I just chalk it up as "now we play chess" and play what makes sense. You seem to be better rated than me though so who knows lol.

I'll have to give these videos a look. am always looking for good opening vids

 

[X66]

Used to play chess a lot as a kid casually, but never took it too seriously until maybe 2 years ago and even that was just learning openings better etc.

I'm around 1350 on chess.com, which I would consider a competent player lol.

I think what will hold me back from higher ratings are the following:

1)I am terrible at pawn/king endgames
2)I only play 10 minute games, and I don't think at my level that's good enough to analyze my moves while playing
3)I don't practice tactics enough(the biggest thing)

Trying to get to a level where I can comfortably teach my son(which I can), but also apply what his teachers will show him if he ever goes to chess classes.

My fav openings are as follow...

London
Caro-Kann
Magnus' Sicilian(Knight to c6)
King's Indian

 

[x Tame Impala]

10 minute games are my sweet spot too. Losing to the clock isn’t fun.

 

[Hadoop]

FINALLY cracked 1900 in Rapid on chess.com last night.

My peak rating with my chess federation (CFC) during my competitive days was only 1555, so pretty happy with my improvement over the last 11 months

 

[x Tame Impala]

FINALLY cracked 1900 in Rapid on chess.com last night.

My peak rating with my chess federation (CFC) during my competitive days was only 1555, so pretty happy with my improvement over the last 11 months

Congrats man!

 

[SuperScript29]

About two months ago I was going through a major losing slump. I went down from like 1300 to 1120-1150 in a matter of like two weeks. I went from competing and beating players between 1250-1350 to losing to players that had less than 1100 rankings.

I think I finally figured out my issue, I'm now back to 1275 and doing well lately but the biggest thing that improved my game was quitting blitz. That shit made me make moves based on impulse.

 

[Hammettf2b]

About two months ago I was going through a major losing slump. I went down from like 1300 to 1120-1150 in a matter of like two weeks. I went from competing and beating players between 1250-1350 to losing to players that had less than 1100 rankings.

I think I finally figured out my issue, I'm now back to 1275 and doing well lately but the biggest thing that improved my game was quitting blitz. That shit made me make moves based on impulse.

I've began doing the same thing. I find it more enjoyable when I need to think about what I'm trying to do.

 

[SuperScript29]

I've began doing the same thing. I find it more enjoyable when I need to think about what I'm trying to do.

Another thing I would say is I became too obsessed with chess openings and I completely stopped thinking about my opponent's potential moves, so that plus playing blitz really did a number. Today I only do 10-min rapid games and take my time before making any significant moves.

I only lost 3 out of my last 15 games and one of those I lost because my daughter spilled juice on the couch and I ran out of time, so all in all I hope I'm back on a rhythm here lol.

 

[PK Cronin]

About two months ago I was going through a major losing slump. I went down from like 1300 to 1120-1150 in a matter of like two weeks. I went from competing and beating players between 1250-1350 to losing to players that had less than 1100 rankings.

I think I finally figured out my issue, I'm now back to 1275 and doing well lately but the biggest thing that improved my game was quitting blitz. That shit made me make moves based on impulse.

I found blitz and bullet games to be helpful for me to recognize patterns and get reps in for my own openings, but I end up doing the same thing in longer games where I'd make moves based off impulse. I'm trying to find the balance between the two because sometimes that's all I have time for.

 

[SuperScript29]

I found blitz and bullet games to be helpful for me to recognize patterns and get reps in for my own openings, but I end up doing the same thing in longer games where I'd make moves based off impulse. I'm trying to find the balance between the two because sometimes that's all I have time for.

The only patterns you recognize are those that everyone and their mother plays. I don't know, it doesn't make sense to me, a few weeks ago I was struggling against 1050-1100 players and today I'm beating 1250-1300 players with ease, something seems very odd and it only seems to happen on Chess.com. Around the same time I was struggling I started playing on Lichess and I've noticed that my play there has been more consistent.

 

[PK Cronin]

The only patterns you recognize are those that everyone and their mother plays. I don't know, it doesn't make sense to me, a few weeks ago I was struggling against 1050-1100 players and today I'm beating 1250-1300 players with ease, something seems very odd and it only seems to happen on Chess.com. Around the same time I was struggling I started playing on Lichess and I've noticed that my play there has been more consistent.

For a novice like me that has been helpful a little bit. How do the rankings compare to Lichess?

 

[SuperScript29]

For a novice like me that has been helpful a little bit. How do the rankings compare to Lichess?

Lichess rating is a little higher than Chess.com, for example for rapid if you're a 1300 on Chess.com on Lichess it would be close to 1600 I think. I definitely find Chess.com players to be more competitive, but the on/off slumps that I go through on Chess.com doesn't happen on Lichess, which is why I feel like something is fishy at times.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Lichess rating is a little higher than Chess.com, for example for rapid if you're a 1300 on Chess.com on Lichess it would be close to 1600 I think. I definitely find Chess.com players to be more competitive, but the on/off slumps that I go through on Chess.com doesn't happen on Lichess, which is why I feel like something is fishy at times.

My ranking has been flipping between 650 and 850 for the last two months. Very frustrating. Sometimes I have no problem beating 900+ players and sometimes I lose to 500 players. It’s driving me crazy.

 

[SuperScript29]

My ranking has been flipping between 650 and 850 for the last two months. Very frustrating. Sometimes I have no problem beating 900+ players and sometimes I lose to 500 players. It’s driving me crazy.

Really weird, I just hit 1322 on Chess.com and I'm beating players at the 1300+ no problem. Two months ago I was getting my ass handed to me by players less than 1100 lol.

I really think quitting blitz has improved my rapid game significantly, but I also feel these higher ranked players are more predictable.

 

[RyCanadian]

I play chess. Not that great at it but its fun. I usually play on chess friends.

 

[SuperScript29]

Finally hit 1400+ (1406 at the moment) in rapid on chess.com. Thank goodness for King's Indian, I've been playing that opening ever since I went down to 1200 and haven't looked back.

Anyways, I'm noticing that the higher ranked players are easier to beat than the players I was facing in the 1200s, what gives?

 

[Hammettf2b]

Finally hit 1400+ (1406 at the moment) in rapid on chess.com. Thank goodness for King's Indian, I've been playing that opening ever since I went down to 1200 and haven't looked back.

Anyways, I'm noticing that the higher ranked players are easier to beat than the players I was facing in the 1200s, what gives?

If you ever see any of Gothamchess vids of guess the elo, you will soon find out that 1400-1500 players aren't much different that 1200. blunders galore haha.

 

[SuperScript29]

If you ever see any of Gothamchess vids of guess the elo, you will soon find out that 1400-1500 players aren't much different that 1200. blunders galore haha.

Haven't seen any of those, just watched this video, the reactions are hilarious on some of the matches lol.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Haven't seen any of those, just watched this video, the reactions are hilarious on some of the matches lol.

ya, that series is great for a laugh haha.