my dilemma...

[Henri Hughes]

I am curious in regards to how many hours, on average, a day (or week) you spend on chess, and how you spend it...
eg playing online games (bullet? Blitz? 15+15?), studying openings, endings, tactics? watch online Gm tournaments? playing at chess club? etc
.

I play at the Guelph club every Wednesday night from about 7-11 then I study about 10 hours week generally doing opening studying but recently working on my middle game as I feel that is my weakest part of my game I finish off every session with half an hour of tactics

[Toy Chack Kwan]

I am curious in regards to how many hours, on average, a day (or week) you spend on chess, and how you spend it...
eg playing online games (bullet? Blitz? 15+15?), studying openings, endings, tactics? watch online Gm tournaments? playing at chess club? etc
.

[Henri Hughes]

Actually, I was wrong when I wrote there was only one winning move. There are others, for example 11.Bc6 and 11.Nfd2, but 11.Nbd2 still seems to me the most natural and crushing.

other problem ive had sometimes is even something simple as converting a winning position when theres so many options

[Sid Belzberg]

Actually, I was wrong when I wrote there was only one winning move. There are others, for example 11.Bc6 and 11.Nfd2, but 11.Nbd2 still seems to me the most natural and crushing.

Yes...the line I found was Bc6 and was very sure that was the winning move you were referring to.

[Louis Morin]

I dunno, it looks pretty good to me. I doubt I would have found it - the line is more than one move deep - but it looks as though Black is in a lot of trouble. My computer gives an eval of something like +5

Actually, I was wrong when I wrote there was only one winning move. There are others, for example 11.Bc6 and 11.Nfd2, but 11.Nbd2 still seems to me the most natural and crushing.

[John Coleman]

11. Nbd2 is not the move

I dunno, it looks pretty good to me. I doubt I would have found it - the line is more than one move deep - but it looks as though Black is in a lot of trouble. My computer gives an eval of something like +5

[Sid Belzberg]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 c5 3. Nf3 b6 4. Bf4 Bb7 5. d5 exd5 6. exd5 d6 7. Bb5+ Nd7 8. O-O Qf6 9. Re1+ Ne7 10. Bg5 Qxb2 11. Nbd2 Qxb5 12. Ne4 Kd8 13. Nxd6 Qa4 14. Nxb7+ Kc7 15. Nxc5 Nxc5 16. d6+ Kb7 17. dxe7 Re8 18. exf8=Q Rhxf8
dam found it I spent a few hours today looking at it

11. Nbd2 is not the move

[Hans Jung]

Mr. Seedhouse, its a different Vlad D. although also master strength not legendary (yet)

[Henri Hughes]

Congratulations Henri, You have 4 masters and 5 experts giving you advice. Now you just have to sort out what works for you and continue to apply.

yup thats the idea at this point

[Hans Jung]

Congratulations Henri, You have 4 masters and 5 experts giving you advice. Now you just have to sort out what works for you and continue to apply.

[Henri Hughes]

Did you analyse your games? Here you played the opening quite well and are completely winning after only 10 moves. The only problem is that there is only a single winning move... a fantastic continuation to be sure! All other moves allow Black to slip away, and you played one of these weaker moves (11.Bxe7?). Look for the winning continuation, Black is completely crushed if you find it.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 c5 3. Nf3 b6 4. Bf4 Bb7 5. d5 exd5 6. exd5 d6 7. Bb5+ Nd7 8. O-O Qf6 9. Re1+ Ne7 10. Bg5 Qxb2 11. Nbd2 Qxb5 12. Ne4 Kd8 13. Nxd6 Qa4 14. Nxb7+ Kc7 15. Nxc5 Nxc5 16. d6+ Kb7 17. dxe7 Re8 18. exf8=Q Rhxf8
dam found it I spent a few hours today looking at it

[Louis Morin]

im struggling to find explanations for my poor results

Henry hughes (1590) - stefan szpular (1403)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 c5 3. Nf3 b6 4. Bf4 Bb7 5. d5 exd5 6. exd5 d6 7. Bb5+ Nd7 8. O-O Qf6 9. Re1+ Ne7 10. Bg5 Qxb2

Did you analyse your games? Here you played the opening quite well and are completely winning after only 10 moves. The only problem is that there is only a single winning move... a fantastic continuation to be sure! All other moves allow Black to slip away, and you played one of these weaker moves (11.Bxe7?). Look for the winning continuation, Black is completely crushed if you find it.

[Alex Ferreira]

thats something Ive wanted for awhile but I can't for financial purposes, so self studying is all I have

Hi Henry,

I've seen many players at UT improve without coaching, simply by playing and studying with similar level friends. Even though often they had different styles. And they grew together.
If you're open-minded to study with players around your rating, who also want to improve, but have different styles, I think you would learn a fair bit. At worst, you'd become a well-rounded player in other areas and your strength / rating would go up a bit. I imagine coaching would be better, but studying with driven peers can also go a long way.

Alex F.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Erik: I don't play at your level........but we do have similar styles!!

Bob A

[Erik Malmsten]

When I started chess I was very successful with the four-move checkmate, and ever since have been looking for the magical forced win for White variation. Today, I just try to survive against the opening-memorizing beasts, complicate and unbalance the position to give them an analysis workload, look for cheapos and tactical breakthroughs, and recognize winning pawn structures as the moment to exchange pieces. I've met so many 1600 to 1900 Book players confused by their loss as I didn't play the GM line. A plus 1 or 2 line still requires a middlegame/endgame plan to win.