Mysteries of Chess

[Peter Webber]

I'm not a strong player, as anyone reading my previous postings will have noticed. I recently had the opportunity to play a friendly against a player rated BCF163 and, knowing of this game in advance, I spent more than 3 hours learning the fundamentals of the Caro-Kann, which I'd never played before. Result: I suffered the inevitable loss, but felt rather pleased with myself for holding out for at least half an hour. I wish that I could join my local club to gain more experience; I went along for a few weeks once, but all that happened was that all the players were better than myself, and nobody had any time to help me, so I left and formed "circle of chess friends" instead. I do not win against them very often, because they do not play recognisable openings, (none of them has ever heard of the Caro-Kann). I have spent years studying chess tactics and puzzles, and have more than 60 chess books in my collection, but I cannot progress any further because.....There is no such thing as a book on IRREGULAR OPENINGS...so all my efforts have gone to waste.

[IM Jack Rudd]

There are plenty of books on irregular openings. Can you give us some examples of what your opponents are playing?

[Peter Webber]

Sorry, can't remember, but I tried the CK again, and got a totally different reply response after 2...c6

[Roger de Coverly]

Sorry, can't remember, but I tried the CK again, and got a totally different reply response after 2...c6

Usually the Caro starts with 1. e4 c6 and then 2. d4 d5. It's possible for white to play 2. c4, 2. d3 2. Nc3 and 2. Nf3 as well as any other legal moves. None of them prevent 2. .. d5 although 2. c4 might discourage it.

If you want to look up opening ideas whether irregular or otherwise, try the ChessBase online database

http://database.chessbase.com/js/apps/database/

[Gordon Cadden]

At least one book on irregular openings, does exist. "Chess is Fun" by Jon Edwards.
Eric Schiller is also an authority in this field. Ray Keene is rumoured to have written a book on Gambits.
Also books on the "Orangutan Opening", "Elephant Gambit", etc.

[Kevin Thurlow]

" I wish that I could join my local club to gain more experience; I went along for a few weeks once, but all that happened was that all the players were better than myself, and nobody had any time to help me, "

Playing better opposition is the way to improve and I would hope that most people would say "you lost because ..." I hope they didn't just refuse to play! Record the games and go through them with a computer and you will learn something. Don't worry too much about opening theory now, understanding the basics of pawn structure and development are more important initially.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Eric Schiller is also an authority in this field.

There’s not exactly a consensus on that point. E.g. Tony Miles’ review of Schiller's book was not entirely favourable.


With regard to the original post ...

I do not win against them very often, because they do not play recognisable openings

This belief as to why you’re not winning is almost certainly incorrect.

[Ian Thompson]

I do not win against them very often, because they do not play recognisable openings

That should improve your chances of winning. Just ask yourself what a main line opening is. It's the moves that are thought to be the best ones in the position. So if your opponents aren't playing them, they are playing sub-optimal moves, which must increase your chances of winning. Of course, acquiring the ability to take advantage of your opponent's poor play is not easy.

[Michael Farthing]

Peter, tell is where you live. If chess clubs in your locality are as you describe we would all want to avoid living there!

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Peter,

You have 60 chess books. What are they covering? Endgames.
You must have one that lays down the basic opening priniciples with
examples of what happens if you ignore them.

All I know about you is that have studied Tactics so I have to give advice based on
the theory you will more tactically alert than these lads you are playing.

You do not need book No.61 on Irregular Openings and throw the Caro Kann in the can.
It is not an opening that will punishing slack 'irregular' opening moves.
White can mess about v 1...c6 and the Black formation is not geared up whack them tactically.
You may have a positionally won game if they mess about but you must kick them tactically.

Stats from an OTB DataBase of 5 million games looking for Black checkmates 15 moves or under.
(I chose move 15 because the opening is usually over by then.)

Black Checkmates after 1.e4 c6 = 44
Black Checkmates after 1. e4 e5 = 1281

So the numbers suggest 1...e5 kicks weak opening moves
(and there must have been some slack moves punished for the game to end in mate.)

Consider opening 1.e4 and Reply 1...e5, develop your bits and smash them tactically.
Don't smoke up yout mind with opening moves, at this level it will totally useless to you.
(you are living proof of that.)

Good luck and how about naming this chess club that ignores and does not help potential new members.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Of course, acquiring the ability to take advantage of your opponent's poor play is not easy.

And here, almost certainly, is the real reason why the OP is not winning games.


As for naming and shaming the 'offending club', well I suspect very few clubs are very good at welcoming new members. There’s no getting around it, going from casual player to club player is a rather large jump. The needs of the two groups are simply very different.

I seriously doubt the OP’s club was any worse than most others would be.

[Jon Mahony]

There are more and more books on ‘irregular openings’ coming out - I noticed on the chess direct stall at a recent congress, a book advocating the “Shuffleduck” which is apparently 1.h4 (we called it the crab in my day!). Admittedly is isn’t by a GM or IM but an “accredited ECF coach” who could very well be a 105 graded player. But from having a flick through, it was quite a thick volume and obviously intended to be taken seriously.

The only way to get better in club play Peter, is to go along, and take the beatings for about 6 months before you start winning. I first attended Leeds CC about 9 years ago during a period of unemployment (before then I had not played since school) and it took me something like 8 months to win on anything more than luck.

[Peter Webber]

My local chess club doesn't have anybody on my rating (50-60) to play against. Would I do better going on-line, to get a few more games under my belt? I don't have Facebook or webcam, but could anyone recommend a website, preferably free, where I could play games at this level, with maybe some support thrown in, (like at Chess.com) please?

[Jon Mahony]

My local chess club doesn't have anybody on my rating (50-60) to play against. Would I do better going on-line, to get a few more games under my belt? I don't have Facebook or webcam, but could anyone recommend a website, preferably free, where I could play games at this level, with maybe some support thrown in, (like at Chess.com) please?

http://www.chessfriends.com is pretty good for friendly and informal, you can pay for membership but its usable on a free account (limited to one tourney a day and I think about 15 rated games) There are also more hard core sites like http://www.chesscube.com which has a ton of strong players and you get a more realistic rating (I think I’m about 1850 on there, most other sites I tend to peak in the 2200 area).

The site I liked the best, is the now sadly defunct Plasticbishop.com - it didn’t have a lot of strong players (I know because I was quite often in the top ten on the site ) but the atmosphere was brilliant and I made a lot of friends. The owner kept premium membership strictly as a gesture of support for the site (i.e. no features were locked on free accounts) which is probably why its now defunct. There has never been a Chess site quite like it.

But my advice Peter is don’t accept your rating is 50-60 and that’s the end of it, the only way to get better is to play stronger players. I always find this attitude infuriating - certain players shake at the knees at the prospect of their club team gaining promotion into a stronger division, or playing up in a Congress (granted I don’t often do this unless I have to, but then I’m often after a prize to dilute the cost of the weekend). Surly the whole point must be to get better, and the way to do that is get taking those 100 grades out!

[Clive Blackburn]

Peter I can recommend 2 sites from personal experience:-

www.chess.com

gameknot.com

You can play up to 12 games at a time on gameknot without subscribing and on chess.com you can play as many you want.

Both sites are easy to use and you can seek opponents within any grading range that you specify.

Chess.com also has a lot of learning facilities (videos, articles, tactical training) to suit all standards of play.