How to Play Worse?

[@rojavida]

I think number 23 was an excellent example of not recognising a winning position when you have it. 1. You already had a material advantage and 2. You already know if you are up material you need to exchange down. 3. You didn’t even count the pawns!

[@niravapurv4578]

16:56 winning one pawn is very good when you already is a couple of pawns up. Some of your pawns are connected, although oppent king is on that side, I think that endgame is just winning.. you also have the a pawn. You can call the tactics in that puzzle for simplification i guess.

[@rojavida]

For 34, I do understand that that’s tricky for anyone below about 1600, but to me it was obvious without calculating variations. Maybe just an experience thing, but at least the piece shield technique is a good one to learn.

[@ChessBootCamp]

Yeah.

[@rojavida]

Number 31 was another one that frustrated me, you got most of it but then missed an interim check to pick up a Rook. You even suggested the right move and rejected it. But well done getting it in the end!

[@ChessBootCamp]

Thanks.

[@thorsthunder2670]

Rome wasn't built in a day! I imagine your opponent checked your profile and then disconnected out of fear after seeing your puzzle rush score.

[@ChessBootCamp]

Who even knows!

[@rojavida]

Oh, and puzzles do a whole lot to improve your chess if you do it properly and consistently. You were doing great with the easy puzzles, but there seemed to be some ideas just missing from your “vocabulary” towards the end. If you regularly play puzzles at your level, it will really help you. So consider regularly playing your normal puzzles after a warm up with puzzle rush if necessary.

[@ChessBootCamp]

Good point, thanks.

[@niravapurv4578]

36:28 you was a little to fast there, you had the right idea with the fork, but its better to take the bish first then atract the rook to the forking square and you win a bishop. In the line ou played they take bish and its a check... so its you that loose the rook. Not them.😊

[@niravapurv4578]

Game was good enough. That fork with bish on g7 is a bit unusual... always weakening to play g6 when not having a bish on g7, so that creates a situation where extra coution on that dark squares are needed... so a bit inaqurate play in opening mare position difficult... Dont mind the computer lines, the poisoned pawns on g2/g7 or b2/b7 is not easy to calculate, and it might not be a traped queen there but rather that you can take on g2 later and has Bxf2+ as follow up.. you did come back in the game.. strange they "disconected" they was not lost yet.. was game on.

[@ericpetersman1389]

You scared him off the board!! He sensed the tactical prowess about to unfurl and jumped ship!! Lol

[@ChessBootCamp]

It was just weird altogether, eh?

[@Mars11333]

Had a similar strange game today. For tactics I do the woodpecker method. Takes more time but rly helps. Also I like the book "the art of chess training" by GM Noel Studer.

[@ChessBootCamp]

Thanks, I did subscribe to the WM on Chessable a while back, but didn't follow it through.

[@sixtyfoursquares]

You should do several 3 min puzzle rushes a day, that way you can get many simple tactical patterns imbedded in your brain. The idea is to be able to immediately spot these tactics(many of which you miss in your games) and if not spot, at least develop your “tactic sense” for when something might be in the air Survival PR is great, and good if you want to develop pure calculation skills, but right now I think your tactical instinct is severely lacking and drilling these quick pr’s will help that imo It helped me climb several hundred rating points and now I have a 3 min record of 42 and I spot a lot more of these tactics in games than you’d expect there to be. Cheers and good video as usual

[@niravapurv4578]

36:00 I could not solve that one either. Was a harder one. But i understand the ide when i see solution Bf4 as you say, is a interference move, giving king f5 as a option for mating net. But also blocks the king from running to h7, hence keeping the king inside a matting net... and the king cant go to h6 either because Bg5 forks king and rook. So thats why they do this stupid looking rook move. White does not have any good move.

[@joseraulcapablanca8564]

The last but one puzzle was difficult. You had just won your piece back when he resigned. As for the opening. Your first idea Nc6 to threaten Nd4 was excellent. Why play d6 when you can play d5? That was fun Ben. Thanks sir.

[@ChessBootCamp]

Thank you kindly.

[@kitsunewhisker]

I am certainly no expert but I don’t think tactics is your problem at all. More like longer calculation and/or consideration of candidate moves and threats (maybe a longer time control would help that?) This game illustrated one basic principle to me well - that is not to allow opponent pieces into your half of the board. Even if it’s something mundane like moving the h pawn to prevent a pin, or an exchange, try to keep them out.

[@ChessBootCamp]

Very good point.

[@DaleHawkins]

I was inspired to play some puzzles this morning. Up to 31, but have to head into work.

[@ChessBootCamp]

31 is good going!

[@rojavida]

On 34, the problem with Be5+ is that Bxe5+ doesn’t give you time to capture his Rook. I think you have to take the Bishop with the Rook and then fork Rook and King.

[@fishnets007]

I wonder at times. I spend ages doing puzzles and practice openings and one day I play like a master, others I play like a noob. Trouble is on days I play great I only play a couple of games to maintain my clean record and on noob days I play tons of games thinking it must get better. It rarely does.

[@ChessBootCamp]

It's like playing poker.. never chase losses! I'm the same. Some days I play regularly at 2000 level and win 10/12 games.. other days, probably when I'm tired, I lose regularly to players 150 points lower rated. I need to learn to walk away on those days.

[@dashaunjefferies1168]

i was gonna tell you losing an exchange is better than losing a whole piece, but you disrespected pineapples on pizza... Now my Hawaiian pizza is crying in the corner

[@ChessBootCamp]

Ain't no disrespect, as there's no grounds for respect in the first place. A fella has to draw the line somewhere. I may bare my arse frequently on the board, but I retain some dignity.

[@Hipnote891]

Dominator!!!!!

[@ChessBootCamp]

The one and only.

[@carlysle9424]

Early 2025 and the chess is up and down....Oh well, at least the thumbnails are still top-notch!

[@ChessBootCamp]

Thanks, I am rather enjoying the thumbnails, often more than the chess to be honest :-D

[@mooh7471]

Worse and worserer

[@ChessBootCamp]

Seriously, I'm telling ya.