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Chess Resolutions
Ben Finegold had an excellent column about New Year’s chess resolutions at the end of 2014:
http://www.uschess.org/content/view/12900/793
He elaborates on the main resolves, which are these:
1. I won’t get into time trouble.
2. I won’t move quickly when I think my opponent has just blundered.
3. I will play the same regardless of my opponent’s rating.
4. I will stop taking draws against better players when I have a good position.
5. I will try a new opening and not play the same stale stuff I have played for 25 years.
and ends saying, “I hope you can use these resolutions and improve your game. And, maybe one day, I will start using them myself.”
No. 3 has reference to the Canadian Open:
Almost everyone I know plays quickly and expects to win against lower rated opposition, but plays a different game against higher rated opponents. One of my favorite players, GM Vladimir Tukmakov, was playing in the Canadian Open the same year as me (1994?) (we played, but I ‘forgot' the result) and he played and looked the same against 1600s as he did vs. 2600s. I remember in round 1, all the GMs were playing wild tactical melees against weaker opposition, winning quickly, and Vladimir was squeezing his opponent, with black, in a boring QGD Exchange. Tukmakov was clear first that event, as he took all his opponents seriously, and played the same strength regardless.
_______
Naturally, a list like this stirs the consciences of other players, who added these resolves:
1. I will not resign in a winning position.
2. I will not let my flag fall due to forgetting that I have a clock.
3. I will not butcher king and pawn endgames.
4. I will not watch other games even though the one I am playing is boring.
5. I will write down my and my opponent’s time every move, or at least every five moves, or at least at the end of the game.
6. I will not be distracted by tiny noises, especially when I do not like my position.
7. I will stop playing the same stupid variation that I have been playing for years and keep winning with because it is ugly, totally busted and bad.
8. I will study chess openings more and stop watching the NHL, NFL, NBA, NCAA football and basketball, old movies and movies with Charlize Theron in them, Tomb Raider movies, Dr. Who, Sharknado, etc.
9. I will put all my chess books and magazines away.
10. I will bring a pen to tournaments, but I still don’t have my own scoresheets.
_________
Canadian Open
Winnipeg 1994
Finegold, Benjamin – Tukmakov, Vladimir
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.e3 b6 8.Bd3 h6 9.Bh4 Bb7 10.O-O-O Bxc3 11.Qxc3 Rc8 12.Kb1 c5 13.d5 b5 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.cxb5 Qb6 16.Bc2 Be4 17.Bxe4 Nxe4 18.Qc4 d5 19.Rxd5 exd5 20.Qxd5+ Rf7 21.Qxe4 Qxb5 22.Rd1 c4 23.Rd5 Nc5 24.Qd4 Rb7 25.Nd2 Qa4 26.Qxc4 Qd1+ 27.Qc1 0-1
Anybody got their game against Tukmakov from that Open?
Ben Finegold had an excellent column about New Year’s chess resolutions at the end of 2014:
http://www.uschess.org/content/view/12900/793
He elaborates on the main resolves, which are these:
1. I won’t get into time trouble.
2. I won’t move quickly when I think my opponent has just blundered.
3. I will play the same regardless of my opponent’s rating.
4. I will stop taking draws against better players when I have a good position.
5. I will try a new opening and not play the same stale stuff I have played for 25 years.
and ends saying, “I hope you can use these resolutions and improve your game. And, maybe one day, I will start using them myself.”
No. 3 has reference to the Canadian Open:
Almost everyone I know plays quickly and expects to win against lower rated opposition, but plays a different game against higher rated opponents. One of my favorite players, GM Vladimir Tukmakov, was playing in the Canadian Open the same year as me (1994?) (we played, but I ‘forgot' the result) and he played and looked the same against 1600s as he did vs. 2600s. I remember in round 1, all the GMs were playing wild tactical melees against weaker opposition, winning quickly, and Vladimir was squeezing his opponent, with black, in a boring QGD Exchange. Tukmakov was clear first that event, as he took all his opponents seriously, and played the same strength regardless.
_______
Naturally, a list like this stirs the consciences of other players, who added these resolves:
1. I will not resign in a winning position.
2. I will not let my flag fall due to forgetting that I have a clock.
3. I will not butcher king and pawn endgames.
4. I will not watch other games even though the one I am playing is boring.
5. I will write down my and my opponent’s time every move, or at least every five moves, or at least at the end of the game.
6. I will not be distracted by tiny noises, especially when I do not like my position.
7. I will stop playing the same stupid variation that I have been playing for years and keep winning with because it is ugly, totally busted and bad.
8. I will study chess openings more and stop watching the NHL, NFL, NBA, NCAA football and basketball, old movies and movies with Charlize Theron in them, Tomb Raider movies, Dr. Who, Sharknado, etc.
9. I will put all my chess books and magazines away.
10. I will bring a pen to tournaments, but I still don’t have my own scoresheets.
_________
Canadian Open
Winnipeg 1994
Finegold, Benjamin – Tukmakov, Vladimir
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.e3 b6 8.Bd3 h6 9.Bh4 Bb7 10.O-O-O Bxc3 11.Qxc3 Rc8 12.Kb1 c5 13.d5 b5 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.cxb5 Qb6 16.Bc2 Be4 17.Bxe4 Nxe4 18.Qc4 d5 19.Rxd5 exd5 20.Qxd5+ Rf7 21.Qxe4 Qxb5 22.Rd1 c4 23.Rd5 Nc5 24.Qd4 Rb7 25.Nd2 Qa4 26.Qxc4 Qd1+ 27.Qc1 0-1
Anybody got their game against Tukmakov from that Open?
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