Converting advantages into wins
Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:02 pm
One of the common themes of games I play is that I get into a superior position out of the opening, but I miss a whole heap of ways to convert them into a win. I've no idea why, and thought forumites may be able to help.
Here is a game I played last night.
Clearly, I'm just a pawn up for free by move 6. I overlooked the e5 thing. But I missed many opportunities that Fritz throws up. I then got to the endgame knowing I was clearly better, but being unable to work out how to win. I even knew I had to play f4 at some point to avoid a blockade on the kingside, but I couldn't drum up the courage to play it, because I couldn't see that it'd be winning once I'd done all that.
My efforts the previous evening were in a similar vein.
I knew 18. Nf6 was the right move, but I couldn't work out a clear win, and saw phantom counterplay opportunities for my opponent. So I settled for 18. Re3, completely missing 18...f5. I even saw that 22. f4 was the right move, but again thought it risky so shied away. I then made things much worse for myself in my opponent's time trouble (at move 30). It was 1-1 in a 4-board match by the time move 32 racked up, with the guy sat next to me clearly winning. So 32. Qd4 was an attempt to grovel a draw. For some reason, he declined the draw offer and gave up the chance to take the rook, after which I was completely winning. After that I was comfortable, and knew I'd win. (I won on time because he hadn't bothered to check - or indeed, press - his clock for many of the preceding 10 moves.)
So my questions are:
1. How can I improve such that I convert the good positions I seem to get?
2. Why do I always chicken out when there are risky moves that are good, when there are so-so alternatives available? How do I get out of the mindset where I play the conservative moves, when riskier moves are more accurate?
Here is a game I played last night.
Clearly, I'm just a pawn up for free by move 6. I overlooked the e5 thing. But I missed many opportunities that Fritz throws up. I then got to the endgame knowing I was clearly better, but being unable to work out how to win. I even knew I had to play f4 at some point to avoid a blockade on the kingside, but I couldn't drum up the courage to play it, because I couldn't see that it'd be winning once I'd done all that.
My efforts the previous evening were in a similar vein.
I knew 18. Nf6 was the right move, but I couldn't work out a clear win, and saw phantom counterplay opportunities for my opponent. So I settled for 18. Re3, completely missing 18...f5. I even saw that 22. f4 was the right move, but again thought it risky so shied away. I then made things much worse for myself in my opponent's time trouble (at move 30). It was 1-1 in a 4-board match by the time move 32 racked up, with the guy sat next to me clearly winning. So 32. Qd4 was an attempt to grovel a draw. For some reason, he declined the draw offer and gave up the chance to take the rook, after which I was completely winning. After that I was comfortable, and knew I'd win. (I won on time because he hadn't bothered to check - or indeed, press - his clock for many of the preceding 10 moves.)
So my questions are:
1. How can I improve such that I convert the good positions I seem to get?
2. Why do I always chicken out when there are risky moves that are good, when there are so-so alternatives available? How do I get out of the mindset where I play the conservative moves, when riskier moves are more accurate?