Chess Loss Review - September 10th
To start a new series, I plan on posting and reviewing losses on chess.com here. I'm doing this to:
- Encourage myself to more closely review games
- Writing long form should help me learn more deeply
- Create flash cards of mistaken thinking patterns for infrequent review
https://www.chess.com/game/live/174252237978?move=1
Opening: Classical Caro
Opening Mistake:
I played 9. ..Ne4 because I didn't want to trade my light square bishop nor be taken, but it is mistaken because I self-pin and the knight doesn't really belong there.
Blunders
- He blunders an entire piece with 10. Nh4 and I am absolutely winning.
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- I have a visualization error and miss that e5 dxe5 Bxe5 Bxe5 Qxd7 hangs the knight, making the game even.
- After picking up a pair of pawns, I am winning again until 26. ..Rb8.
This loses on the spot after Nc3 as I have a weak back rank and my R and Q are forked. I needed to see Rd8 instead and give up the pawn.
This game was very frustrating as I was ahead twice and yet lost the advantage because of a long range piece visualization error and then moving my rook of the back rank with a weak king. h6 attacking the Queen a few move ago would have absolutely resolved this.
Lessons:
- When ahead, make sure your king has Luft
- Practice deeper calculations and double check during the capture chain
https://www.chess.com/game/live/174266392838?move=0
Opening: Budapest Gambit
I did not play this opening accurately but it was even, I forgot my prep.
Blunders:
- I had a completely winning endgame after capturing the passed pawn on move 38.
However, I was so focused on getting the bishop in front of the pawn I let h4 get taken by the king unnecessarily (Ke2) and the game is now even.
Keeping the bishop on f2 was the obvious solution.
- I still had a winning position, but I kept the bishop and pawn next to each other and Kc3 just left it en prise.
Bc1 was a better place to leave it. So this was another visualization error, I did not "see" that the bishop was undefended
Lessons:
- When you are ahead, be careful to not let pawns fall unnecessarily
- A bishop in front of a pawn protects each other, not so when the bishop is behind.
https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/174267301036/analysis?move=1
Opening: Englund Gambit
I hate this opening. I had a cramped position but was able to untangle and even up.
Blunder
On move 26. My Knight got pinned and I completely lost it.
I did not consider Qxf4, Qxf4, Nxf4 because in my mind the knight would have been pinned still. This is another visualization error.
Lessons:
- Do not self absolute pin
- Work more on visualization