***Official Chess Time Thread*** (1 Viewer)

[Aerial Assault]

Bump for anyone looking for a game and to discuss chess outside of Tim's tourney thread. I'm McGarnicle on Chess Time, rated around 1300 and always looking for games.

Very enjoyable player, too. We're on our fourth straight game, all of them fun.

Thanks man, ditto and your games drive me nuts. I've just learned some new tactics and look forward to unleashing them for future games. I'm now slamming the #### out of most 1200's opponents and just generally having a blast playing. Words with Friends seems so dumb now that I deleted it from my iPad.

I only play WWF against my SO and my mom.

Ooh, new tactics. Bring it!!! Have no doubt that you've been slamming other 1200 players; I've noticed that your rating has been jumping up, and it still has no bearing on how good you actually are IMO.

 

[McGarnicle]

Bump for anyone looking for a game and to discuss chess outside of Tim's tourney thread. I'm McGarnicle on Chess Time, rated around 1300 and always looking for games.

Very enjoyable player, too. We're on our fourth straight game, all of them fun.

Thanks man, ditto and your games drive me nuts. I've just learned some new tactics and look forward to unleashing them for future games. I'm now slamming the #### out of most 1200's opponents and just generally having a blast playing. Words with Friends seems so dumb now that I deleted it from my iPad.

I only play WWF against my SO and my mom.

Ooh, new tactics. Bring it!!! Have no doubt that you've been slamming other 1200 players; I've noticed that your rating has been jumping up, and it still has no bearing on how good you actually are IMO.

I'll probably top out in the high 1300's this week if these games I'm playing keep going this way. But I'm not beating many players in that 1400 range yet.

 

[McGarnicle]

I'm addicted to fianchettoing the #### out of my bishops in every game, because I just learned what the hell that is. I'm fianchettoing when it's not appropriate to do so, but loving every minute of it.

 

[McGarnicle]

Same guy who did the picket fence opening with his pawns and hasn't beaten me yet but keeps rematching.

 

[shuke]

Same guy who did the picket fence opening with his pawns and hasn't beaten me yet but keeps rematching.

I wish I knew what was funny about this.

Can someone recommend a good chess book. Definitely need figures that would good for Kindle. I can't just read through all those rank/file moves.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Same guy who did the picket fence opening with his pawns and hasn't beaten me yet but keeps rematching.

I wish I knew what was funny about this.

Can someone recommend a good chess book. Definitely need figures that would good for Kindle. I can't just read through all those rank/file moves.

Black has developed all of his minor pieces and is in position to castle immediately. White has weakly developed his light-square bishop and has developed no other pieces. He is miles away from castling and his king is stuck in the center for the time being. The two best squares for his knights are taken with meaningless pawn moves, with the pawns sitting on c3 and f3. His knight on b8 has nowhere to go at all with the pawns on d2 and a3. a3 looks like a particularly useless move as black has fianchettoed his dark-squared bishop and has no threat of Bb4; simply a tempo waste for white. White's opening here is an utter disaster. The only redeeming quality is that it's a pretty defensive setup and black will have to work to crack it.

 

[John Bender]

Same guy who did the picket fence opening with his pawns and hasn't beaten me yet but keeps rematching.

I wish I knew what was funny about this.

Can someone recommend a good chess book. Definitely need figures that would good for Kindle. I can't just read through all those rank/file moves.

I think (as do many others) the most essential starting book is My System by Nimzowitsch

I actually might have a copy that works on an Kindle if you want me to check.

ETA: it's in PDF version. Will work on an iPad or computer. If you want it, shoot me your email.

 

[John Bender]

I'm addicted to fianchettoing the #### out of my bishops in every game, because I just learned what the hell that is. I'm fianchettoing when it's not appropriate to do so, but loving every minute of it.

For GB McGarnicle

Game I just played showing the power of the fianchettoed bishop pair.

(just quick tip: if you are going this route, be sure to try and open the position as best you can to get them on nice long diagonals. Trade off pawns if you can)

 

[McGarnicle]

Same guy who did the picket fence opening with his pawns and hasn't beaten me yet but keeps rematching.

I wish I knew what was funny about this.

Can someone recommend a good chess book. Definitely need figures that would good for Kindle. I can't just read through all those rank/file moves.

I think (as do many others) the most essential starting book is My System by NimzowitschI actually might have a copy that works on an Kindle if you want me to check.

ETA: it's in PDF version. Will work on an iPad or computer. If you want it, shoot me your email.

I'd love a copy. I think you have the address right? TIA

 

[John Bender]

Same guy who did the picket fence opening with his pawns and hasn't beaten me yet but keeps rematching.

I wish I knew what was funny about this.

Can someone recommend a good chess book. Definitely need figures that would good for Kindle. I can't just read through all those rank/file moves.

I think (as do many others) the most essential starting book is My System by NimzowitschI actually might have a copy that works on an Kindle if you want me to check.

ETA: it's in PDF version. Will work on an iPad or computer. If you want it, shoot me your email.

I'd love a copy. I think you have the address right? TIA

Ya mon. Will shoot it over now.

It's just PDF, hope it works for you.

 

[McGarnicle]

I'm addicted to fianchettoing the #### out of my bishops in every game, because I just learned what the hell that is. I'm fianchettoing when it's not appropriate to do so, but loving every minute of it.

For GB McGarnicleGame I just played showing the power of the fianchettoed bishop pair.

(just quick tip: if you are going this route, be sure to try and open the position as best you can to get them on nice long diagonals. Trade off pawns if you can)

That's pretty awesome. I'm trying various fianchetto openings, favorite being the Sicilian dragon at the moment. Just playing a stonewall attack against Tim now, he's smashing me of course but I really like it. I'd like to try a hybrid stonewall where I castle & fianchetto on the queen side and black castles on the kingside.

 

[McGarnicle]

Some lessons learned after 66 games:

-Can't play too many games at once. I need to have an objective for each game, stick to it, and examine all of my opponents' possible responses to each and every move to avoid stupid traps. With too many games going, I tend to rush moves and forget where I was originally planning to go in particular games.

-Cannabis impairs cognitive function. :(

-Some of these openings I'm trying have been fun, and I definitely want to keep experimenting, but I find myself getting cramped, forced into exchanges I don't necessarily want to make, and susceptible to traps. The queens gambit and resulting variations, and the Caro Kann and Slav defense lines are much more aligned to the tactics I've understood since I was a kid. I'm winning more games when I keep things simple. That said, some of these new openings like the stonewall, Sicilian, Dutch and Scandinavian are the things that get me really pumped up to keep learning. I'll keep sprinkling those in, even if it puts me at a disadvantage at first (though I think the stonewall could be my go-to attack before long).

-Just keeping my rating around 1300 is a realistic goal for right now. I was on a roll and assumed I'd advance quickly to 1400ish, but those players are much better than me at this stage. But, I'm learning things literally every day and at least keeping games close.

 

[SacramentoBob]

My System is not the essential starting book for chess. It's Bobby Fischer Teachers Chess for a beginner. Or the Idiot's Guide to Chess by Patrick Wolff.

 

[SacramentoBob]

After that I would move on to Chess Strategy for Kids by Coakley and How to Beat Your Dad at Chess by Murray.

 

[McGarnicle]

My System is not the essential starting book for chess. It's Bobby Fischer Teachers Chess for a beginner. Or the Idiot's Guide to Chess by Patrick Wolff.

Do either of them have lots of diagrams? I can't follow just notations given as examples, I need to see what the resulting board looks like.

 

[shuke]

My System is not the essential starting book for chess. It's Bobby Fischer Teachers Chess for a beginner. Or the Idiot's Guide to Chess by Patrick Wolff.

Do either of them have lots of diagrams? I can't follow just notations given as examples, I need to see what the resulting board looks like.

Neither available for Kindle.

 

[timschochet]

For me this was the best chess book ever. And available on kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0486273024/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1452195556&sr=8-5π=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=logical+chess&dpPl=1&dpID=51INcJKWv4L&ref=plSrch

 

[John Bender]

SBOB is right, I probably shouldn't have used "starting book"

It's the favorite for me of the 4 I've read.

 

[SacramentoBob]

For me this was the best chess book ever. And available on kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0486273024/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1452195556&sr=8-5π=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=logical+chess&dpPl=1&dpID=51INcJKWv4L&ref=plSrch

Great book. I love Chernev.

 

[SacramentoBob]

Set up a real chess board and follow along with the book. That's the proper, old school way of doing things. Another option would be to get a chess app for your phone like Droidfish and just use that to make the moves from the book. Setting up positions that aren't the start position require more time though.

There's also apps like Forward Chess. They are a chess book seller with a specialized app that makes the moves of the book as you follow along. The selection is limited to certain publishers though, and most of the books we talk about aren't available there but there are a lot of excellent books that are.

 

[SacramentoBob]

My System is not the essential starting book for chess. It's Bobby Fischer Teachers Chess for a beginner. Or the Idiot's Guide to Chess by Patrick Wolff.

Do either of them have lots of diagrams? I can't follow just notations given as examples, I need to see what the resulting board looks like.

Neither available for Kindle.

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess can be done without anything. It's just a position or two on each page and you have to answer a question for the best move.

 

[timschochet]

Jeremy Silman is great as well.

 

[SacramentoBob]

Not a fan of Silman.

 

[McGarnicle]

-Cannabis impairs cognitive function. :(

I've created a second account on CT so as to not destroy my rating, called: impaired mcgarnicle impaired mcgarnicle is now online

I'll be so pissed if impaired mcgarnicle ends up with a better rating.

 

[McGarnicle]

Ten most powerful openings?

http://www.chess.com/blog/monsterking/top-10-most-powerful-openings

 

[Mr. Pickles]

Everything you need is here

 

[SacramentoBob]

Ten most powerful openings?

http://www.chess.com/blog/monsterking/top-10-most-powerful-openings

#8 should be #1.

 

[Green and Gold]

Ten most powerful openings?

http://www.chess.com/blog/monsterking/top-10-most-powerful-openings

#8 should be #1.

Pretty sure Tim wrote that article.

 

[ragincajun]

I am starting this : https://www.chesscademy.com