The Simple Chess Blog (Reborn)

Hello fellow chess players!

Holy bananas! My last blog post on here was done in 2014!!! Yikes. Where did the time go? Where did the commitment to providing excellent chess improvement ideas go? Well, just like most things it went by the wayside. Now is the time that I truly get back to helping the chess community by providing my successes and failures as a chess player.

There have been a lot of changes since 2014. First of all, I am back in Charlotte, NC. My wife and I are in the middle of building a new home. Our daughter is 4 years old as she likes to make sure everyone is fully aware of. Plus, I am committed 100% to learning web development this year as well as providing valuable insights into improving your chess.

With all of that out of the way, I would like to highlight that I have been asked to contribute to the Charlotte Chess Center's blog every Thursday so make sure you check out that blog. While I would love for you to read my blog post there, you will also find some other valuable posts as well. I have also been contributing to my Chess.com blog. The blog on chess.com will eventually go by the wayside as this is the blog that I will be taking on full-time, however, it is a great resource for many of my previous games and will continue to provide great content until it is retired.

I look forward to posting more and more content on here. If there are any specific areas that you would like for me to focus on in my upcoming blogs please let me know in the comments.

Until next time,
David

I Play The French Defense Against 1. e4.

This is a game that I played on the Internet Chess Club earlier tonight. I then took it and put it into my Houdini 3 engine to be analyzed and you are viewing the results of that. I still have to annotate it and hopefully I will do that someday but right now I am trying to get back to learning how to code.

Please leave comments on what you liked about this game or what you didn't like. I really do appreciate the feedback.

branzanti (1339) - dblackw2 (1759)

Result: 0-1

Site: Internet Chess Club

Date: 2014.01.21

[...] 1.e4 0:45:39 1...e6 0:44:54 2.d4 0:46:19 2...d5 0:45:37 3.e5 0:47:02 3...c5 0:46:21 4.a3 0:47:45 4...♘c6 -0.175.♗e3N -0.74

5.dxc5 ♗xc5 6.♘f3 a6 7.♘c3 ♘ge7 8.♗g5 b5 9.♘e4 ♗a7 ...0-1, Sage Laura - Constantinou Constance, Canberra 1995 Ch Australia (juniors) (under 20) (g)

5.♗b5 ♕a5+ 6.♘c3 cxd4 7.♗xc6+ bxc6 8.♕xd4 c5 9.♕d2 ♘e7 ...0-1, Megou Panagoula 1295 - Kaloussis Evangelos 2273 , Fokika 9/ 4/2009 Tournament (open)

5.♘f3 ♘ge7 6.c3 a5 7.♗d3 ♘f5 8.g4 ♘h4 9.♘xh4 ♕xh4 ...1-0, Villamil Hector Orlando 2120 - Rodriguez Mayorga Julian E 2065 , Bogota 5/16/2010 Tournament (open)

5...♕b6N -0.746.♘f3 -0.866...♕xb2 -0.33*

6...cxd4 -0.86 7.♘xd4 -0.89 7...♕xb2 -0.89 8.♘xc6 -0.93 8...bxc6 -0.76

7.♘bd2 -1.24 (7.♘c3 -0.33 7...c4 -0.41) 7...cxd4 -1.268.♖b1 -1.468...♕xa3 -0.53 (8...♕c3 -1.46 9.♖b3 -1.36) 9.♘xd4 -0.619...♘xd4 -0.3310.♗xd4 -0.4810...♘e7 +2.74 (10...a6 -0.48 11.c3 -0.56) 11.♖a1 +2.7411...♕b4 +2.7412.c3 +2.8712...♕b2 +2.7413.♘f3 -0.85 (13.♗c4 +2.74 13...♘c6 +2.88) 13...♘f5 +0.32 (13...♘c6 -0.85) 14.♖b1 +0.5514...♕a2 +0.7415.♗b5+ +0.4815...♔d8 +1.78

15...♗d7 +0.48 16.♖a1 +0.72 16...♕b2 +0.72 17.♗xd7+ +0.80 17...♔xd7 +0.70 18.♖b1 +0.64

15...♔e7 +1.45 16.O-O +1.45 16...♗d7 +1.65 17.♗xd7 +1.45 17...♔xd7 +1.65

16.♘g5 +0.25 (16.O-O +1.78 16...a6 +2.13) 16...♘xd4 +0.2917.cxd4 +0.2517...♔e7 +10.32 (17...♕a5+ +0.25 18.♔f1 +0.29) 18.O-O +3.5418...f6 +30.84 (18...a6 +3.54 19.♘xf7 +4.50) 19.exf6+ +25.7919...gxf6 +26.6920.♘h3 +0.63 (20.♕h5 +26.69 20...fxg5 +156.50) 20...♗g7 +6.36 (20...a6 +0.63 21.♗d3 +0.64) 21.♖e1 +1.39 (21.♕c1 +6.36) 21...♔f7 +9.70 (21...♕a3 +1.39) 22.♘f4 +2.94 (22.♕h5+ +9.70 22...♔e7 +9.00) 22...♗h6 +18.38 (22...♖f8 +2.94 23.♗d3 +2.63) 23.♕h5+ +19.9723...♔g7 +18.0924.♘xe6+ +3.95*

24.♖bc1 +18.09 24...♗xf4 +156.50 25.♕g4+ +25.74 25...♔f7 +156.50

24...♗xe6 +3.4725.♖xe6 -3.78 (25.♗c4 +3.47) 25...♕xb1+ -3.6326.♗f1 -3.6326...♖ae8 +0.12 (26...♕b4 -3.63) 27.♕g4+ -6.38

27.♖xe8 +0.12 27...♖xe8 +0.22 28.♕xe8 +0.18 28...♕e4 +0.15

27...♗g5 -6.1128.♖xf6 -14.6128...♔xf6 0:57:17

Some more Nyquil please.

So I arrived at the hotel for my military training early the night before because I was sick and wanted to be able to take some Nyquil and still be able to wake up in the morning. So as I'm waiting for the Nyquil to take effect I decided to play a game of chess. Now, I want to be clear that I am not proud of my win but I show it because it shows that sometimes even in lost positions you can still fight your way out. I was playing the black pieces in this game.

Pacito (1410) - dblackw2 (1283)

Result: 0-1

Site: Internet Chess Club

Date: 2013.12.06

[...] 1.d4 0:45:41 1...♘f6 0:44:57 2.c4 0:46:21 2...e6 0:45:31 3.♘c3 0:46:56 3...♗b4 0:46:08 4.♘f3 0:47:31 4...O-O 0:46:09 5.a3 0:48:11 5...♗xc3+ 0:46:42 6.bxc3 0:48:56 6...b6 0:47:19 7.♗g5 0:48:56 7...♗b7 0:47:30 8.e3 0:48:39 8...h6 0:47:42 9.♗h4 +0.129...♘a6N +0.36

9...♘c6 +0.12 10.♗d3 +0.07 10...♘a5 +0.18

10...♕e7 11.O-O e5 12.e4 ♖fe8 13.d5 ♘a5 14.♘d2 ...1-0, Kroder Johannes 1288 - Schoebel-Kroehn Lucas 1946 , Bad Homburg 4/??/2005 Ch Hessen (juniors) (under 14)

11.O-O +0.26 11...g5 +0.11

9...♖e8 10.♗e2 d6 11.O-O ♘bd7 12.♗d3 e5 13.♗c2 e4 14.♘d2 ...1-0, Pribylova Sofie - Kocourkova Klara, Kouty nad Desnou 3/16/2012 Ch Czech Republic (juniors) (under 10) (g)

9...g5 10.♘xg5 hxg5 11.♗xg5 ♖e8 12.d5 exd5 13.cxd5 ♖e5 14.c4 ...0-1, Carabetta Gaetan 1634 - Bou Georges 1386 , Saint Chely d'Aubrac 7/23/2004 It (open)

9...d6 10.♗d3 ♘bd7 11.♕c2 ♖e8 12.O-O c5 13.a4 e5 14.♗f5 ...0-1, Silveira Leonardo Eleuterio Da 2200 - Souza Rafael Cabral De 2122 , Fortaleza 11/ 2/2012 Ch Brazil (1/2 final)

9...d5 10.cxd5 exd5 11.♗d3 ♖e8 12.♘e5 ♕e7 13.♘g4 ♘bd7 14.O-O ...1-0, Drogovoz Irina 1965 - Mastrakouli Evagelia, Halkidiki 5/ 4/2008 Ch Europe (schools) (team)

9...c5 10.♗d3 d6 11.O-O ♘bd7 12.e4 e5 13.d5 ♖e8 14.♗c2 ...0-1, Zeltner Tobias - Kuprat Thomas 2012 , Guben 2002 It (open)

10.♗d3 +0.3610...♖c8 +0.48

10...d6 +0.36 11.O-O +0.29 11...♖e8 +0.33 12.e4 +0.44 12...e5 +0.47

11.♕e2 +0.4811...c5 +0.81

11...♖e8 +0.48 12.c5 +0.44 12...♗xf3 +0.48 13.♕xf3 +0.59 13...♘b8 +0.48

12.e4 +0.8112...♕c7 +0.8113.♗xf6 +0.7913...gxf6 +0.7814.e5 +0.17 (14.♕e3 +0.78 14...♔g7 +0.89) 14...fxe5 +0.54 (14...cxd4 +0.17 15.cxd4 +0.04 15...♗xf3 +0.00) 15.♘xe5 +0.88 (15.dxe5 +0.54 15...♘b8 +0.52) 15...d6 +3.08 (15...f5 +0.88 16.O-O +0.26) 16.♘g4 +0.51 (16.♕g4+ +3.08 16...♔h8 +2.63) 16...f5 +2.57 (16...♕d8 +0.51 17.h4 +0.56 17...♔g7 +0.44) 17.♕xe6+ +2.5717...♔h8 +2.5718.♕xh6+ +2.5718...♔g8 +5.71 (18...♕h7 +2.57 19.♕xh7+ +2.63) 19.♘f6+ +4.8919...♔f7 +5.6620.♘h5 +5.6620...♔g8 +7.7221.♕g5+ +7.5321...♔h8 +7.5322.♔d1 +5.7122...♗e4 +7.3023.♔d2 +3.9223...♗xd3 +5.1424.♔xd3 +1.94 (24.♘f6 +5.14 24...♖xf6 +5.50) 24...cxd4 +1.9425.♕h6+ +1.9425...♔g8 +1.9426.♕g6+ +1.9426...♔h8 +2.0127.♔c2 +0.49*

27.♔d2 +0.00 27...♘c5 +0.00 28.♖ae1 +0.00 28...dxc3+ +0.00 29.♔xc3 +0.00

27...♖g8 +5.33* (27...d3+ +0.49 28.♔b2 +0.98)

27...♕f7 +0.68 28.♕xf7 +0.89 28...♖xf7 +0.72 29.cxd4 +0.60 29...♖xc4+ +0.60

28.♕h6+ +4.6528...♕h7 +4.4629.♕xh7+ +4.2829...♔xh7 +3.9230.♘f6+ +3.9230...♔g7 +4.1431.♘xg8 +3.9231...♔xg8 +4.0632.♖he1 +2.8332...♖xc4 +2.8333.♔b2 +1.35 (33.♔d3 +2.83) 33...dxc3+ +1.7434.♔c2 +1.7634...♘c5 +2.4235.♖e8+ +1.13*

35.♖ad1 +2.42 35...♖g4 +2.38 36.g3 +2.39 36...♔f7 +2.38 37.♔xc3 +2.49 37...♘e4+ +2.63

35...♔f7 +1.1336.♖ae1 +0.84

36.♖e3 +1.13 36...d5 +1.12 37.♖xc3 +0.99 37...♖e4 +1.07

36...♘e4 +1.70*

36...♖a4 +0.84 37.♖1e7+ +0.85 37...♔f6 +0.89 38.♔xc3 +0.85

37.f3 -2.59 (37.♖d8 +1.70) 37...♔xe8 -2.7938.fxe4 -2.9238...fxe4 -2.7039.h4 -3.2339...d5 -3.3140.h5 -3.2340...d4 -0.79

40...♔f7 -3.23 41.♔c1 -3.75 41...♔g7 -3.75 42.g4 -3.25

41.♖xe4+ -0.7241...♔f7 -0.8542.♔b3 -6.87* (42.♖e1 -0.85 42...♖c6 -0.68) 42...c2 0:49:49

Miniature Game

I don't even feel right posting this one but I want to post every game that I play so that I keep a track of my progress with this new training program. My opponent just played some really sloppy moves and allowed me to take advantage of some tactics. I don't feel that I won this one as much as he or she lost it. As always I appreciate any feedback you have.

dblackw2 (1209) - tilletio (1260)

Result: 1-0

Site: Internet Chess Club

Date: 2013.11.24

[...] 1.e4 0:29:56 1...e5 0:29:57 2.♘f3 0:29:53 2...♘c6 0:29:58 3.d4 0:29:53 3...exd4 0:28:37 4.♗c4 0:29:47 4...♗c5 0:27:20 5.c3 0:29:45 5...dxc3 0:26:58 6.♗xf7+ 0:27:26 6...♔xf7 0:26:31 7.♕d5+ 0:27:25 7...♔e8 0:25:50 8.♕xc5 0:27:23 8...d6 0:25:26 9.♕xc3 0:26:46 9...♗g4 +5.00* 10.♕xg7 0:26:09 10......

10...♕f6 11.♕xg4 ♖d8 12.♘c3 ♘ge7 13.♗g5 ♕f7 14.O-O d5 15.exd5 ...1-0, Ocon Galilea Francisco 1970 - Jimenez Daniel 2000 , Logrono 2001 Ch Rioja

Best Chess Game I Have Ever Played?! Possibly.

I feel that this is the best chess game that I have ever played in my life. In fact, since I have started this new chess training course I have notice increased levels of play in just the past few days. I have really focused on being able to visualize all the squares on the chessboard without any pieces. I have focused on knowing the colors of all the squares and the diagonals on the board. Where diagonals intersect, etc. This has helped in not missing simple things in my play. Granted, I do still make some simple mistakes but they have decreased quite a bit. But enough of my ramblings, play over my game (again analyzed by Houdini 3) and please provide your insight and thoughts into my play. In this I was black playing the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon.

Chess-ster (1346) - dblackw2 (1186)

Result: 0-1

Site: Internet Chess Club

Date: 2013.11.22

[...] 1.e4 0:30:00 1...c5 0:29:56 2.♘f3 0:29:54 2...g6 0:29:58 3.♗c4 0:29:54 3...♗g7 0:28:37 4.d4 0:29:49 4...cxd4 0:27:56 5.♘xd4 0:29:48 5...♘c6 0:27:32 6.♘xc6 0:29:47 6...bxc6 0:27:22 7.c3 0:29:48 7...a5 +0.058.♕d3N -0.40

8.O-O +0.05 8...♘f6 +0.04 9.e5 -0.04 9...♘d5 +0.00 10.♗xd5 +0.00

8.♘d2 ♘f6 9.O-O ♗a6 10.♗xa6 ♖xa6 11.♖e1 O-O 12.♘f3 ♕c7 ...1-0, Babikov Vladimir - Gudkov Vladimir 1732 , Verkhnya Salda 11/22/2009 Ch VSMPO (open)

8...♕b6 +0.00 (8...♘f6 -0.40 9.e5 -0.41) 9.O-O +0.009...♗a6 +0.1710.♘a3 +0.1710...♘f6 +0.1011.♖b1 +0.0211...O-O +0.1012.♗e3 +0.1012...♕b7 +0.0813.e5 -0.0613...♘d5 +0.0814.♗xa6 +0.0814...♖xa6 +0.0515.♗d4 -0.32

15.♘c4 +0.05 15...♘xe3 +0.04 16.fxe3 +0.00 16...♖a7 +0.00

15...♘f4 +0.00*

15...c5 -0.32 16.♗xc5 -0.22 16...♖c8 -0.31 17.♗d4 -0.29

16.♕f3 -0.1216...♘e6 -0.1217.♖fe1 -0.1217...♘xd4 -0.1218.cxd4 -0.1218...♖b6 -0.1219.♘c4 -0.1219...♖b4 -0.1420.b3 -0.38 (20.♖bc1 -0.14 20...♕b5 -0.15) 20...a4 -0.4021.♘a5 -0.83 (21.h3 -0.40 21...♖b8 -0.33) 21...♕b5 -0.8322.♘c4 -0.8322...♖b8 -0.20 (22...axb3 -0.83 23.axb3 -0.80) 23.♖e3 -6.26 (23.♘a3 -0.20 23...♕b7 -0.22) 23...♖xc4 -5.5924.h3 -6.9824...♖xd4 -6.7425.♖e4 -8.0225...♖xe4 -7.3626.♕xe4 -7.3326...♗xe5 -7.3327.f4 -8.1827...♕b6+ -7.9528.♔h1 -8.4328...♗d6 -8.4329.♕xa4 -8.9629...♕f2 -9.3430.a3 -16.9730...♗xf4 -18.4431.b4 -22.6331...♕g3 -24.1732.♔g1 -22.0732...♖b5 -20.4533.♕b3 -299.8833...♗e3+ -299.8934.♔h1 -299.8934...♖f5 -16.5735.♕d3 -22.4235...♖f3 -9.4236.♖f1 -299.97* 36...♗f4 0:13:07

First Long Game In Awhile

So I have taken some time off from chess by force and a little choice. I prefer to play chess over the board (OTB) and here in Savannah I do not have any clubs or people that play chess. There are no local tournaments to go to so I have not felt a purpose with my studying.

Well, the other day I decided to start studying again because it keeps my mind sharp and I felt my strategic and tactical thinking in every day life was getting a little weaker. So I started a new study program and am preparing for a tournament next year (I have not decided on which one just yet). Below you will find a game that played on the Internet Chess Club (ICC) last night. I was playing the white pieces and the time control was 90 minutes per side with a 30 second increment after each move. Analysis was provided by Houdini 3.

Please feel free to leave any feedback and insight. Thanks.

dblackw2 (1142) - KingMajor (1370)

Result: 1-0

Site: Internet Chess Club

Date: 2013.11.16

[...] 1.e4 1:29:56 1...d5 1:30:25 2.exd5 1:30:02 2...♕xd5 1:30:28 3.♘c3 1:30:08 3...♕d6 1:30:22 4.d4 1:29:59 4...e6 1:29:41 5.♘f3 1:30:05 5...♗e7 1:29:31 6.♗c4 1:25:58 6...♘f6 1:29:15 7.O-O 1:25:42 7...O-O 1:29:20 8.♖e1 +0.448...b6N +0.87

8...a6 +0.44 9.a4 +0.48 9...♘c6 +0.48 10.♘e4 +0.52 10...♘xe4 +0.41

8...h6 9.h3 ♘c6 10.♗e3 ♘a5 11.♗b3 ♘xb3 12.axb3 ♕c6 13.♘e5 ...1-0, Tran Nguyen Huyen Tran - Le Khanh Vy, Ho Chi Minh City 2008 Tournament (juniors)

9.d5 +0.769...♗b7 +3.01

9...exd5 +0.76 10.♘xd5 +0.80 10...♘xd5 +0.82 11.♕xd5 +0.68

10.dxe6 +3.0110...♕xd1 +2.7711.exf7+ +2.7011...♔h8 +2.8312.♖xd1 +2.6512...♗xf3 +2.5913.gxf3 +2.5613...♘bd7 +2.7214.♗f4 +2.7214...♖ad8 +4.6415.♗xc7 +1.05 (15.♘b5 +4.64) 15...♖c8 +1.0516.♘b5 +1.0516...a6 +1.0517.♗d6 +1.2117...♖xc4 +4.58

17...axb5 +1.21 18.♗xe7 +0.93 18...bxc4 +1.07 19.♗xf8 +0.93

18.♗xe7 +4.5118...♖xf7 +4.5119.♘d6 +4.5119...♖xe7 +4.4620.♘xc4 +4.2720...♔g8 +4.7721.♘e3 +4.0721...g6 +4.6422.♘d5 +4.3122...♘xd5 +4.1723.♖xd5 +4.2723...♔f8 +4.5124.♖ad1 +4.5124...♔e8 +4.5125.♔f1 +4.3425...♘f6 +4.6726.♖d6 +4.6726...♖d7 +6.2327.♖e1+ +6.5027...♔f7 +6.5028.♖xd7+ +4.7228...♘xd7 +4.5229.♖e3 +4.2929...♔f6 +4.5130.♔g2 +4.7130...♘e5 +5.2831.♖c3 +5.3031...♔f5 +5.2232.♔g3 +5.4432...h5 +5.3933.f4 +6.1533...h4+ +5.8934.♔xh4 +5.3934...♔xf4 +5.8935.♖b3 +6.1535...b5 +5.7336.♖a3 +6.5436...♘f3+ +11.9837.♖xf3+ +12.0637...♔xf3 +12.0838.♔g5 +13.5838...♔xf2 +15.4639.♔xg6 +19.8539...♔f3 +19.9940.h4 +19.9940...♔g4 +18.5741.h5 1:23:20