I don’t know if this warrants a separate thread, but do a lot of people still play on FICS? I got a FICS client on my blackberry, but the BB isn’t exactly the best place to play 5/0 blitz games…
I want an interface that’s very clean and intuitive - any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
And Hamlet beatsedwardthehead. Black should have got his King moving sooner, from about move 21 onwards. When there’s not much danger of an immediate mate, the King’s a powerful piece - slightly better on average than a Bishop or Knight.
Can’t help you there, and you may get more attention in a thread of your own.
And I win against garynyu.
Re: Post #339. Yes Malacandra, I missed that, in my on spot analysis I was worried that that was going to make me lose a rook so I continued with my original plan. More comments later.
To be fair, if you have a plan and you see that you are clearly winning, there’s everything to be said for bashing on with it and not trying to come up with something even better. 
And now maserschmidt and I have finished this 67-move monster. In the final position my winning line is 67. … h5; 68. Nf2, h4 and White is in zugzwang!
That was the most amazing Knight ending I’ve ever played and it was insanely difficult. I’ll let my opponent have first go at an end-of-game statement - it’s a quarter to one here and I’m bushed.
Oredigger’s a piece up against ivan astikov and fubbleskag beat peekercpa, so this round’s nearly done.
That was great fun, Malacandra, well played! You offered a draw early, and even though I lost I’m glad I didn’t accept it…I like the kind of game that stretches my brain out, and that was a good one!
So how strong are you chess dopers, ELO wise? I’d love to play some of you, but I get the feeling I’d be blown out of the water in about eight moves, lol.
It certainly was, in the end - it was slow getting going, and 36. …f4 wasn’t as good as I thought at the time. I thought I was winning a pawn and completely missed 41. Nb4. After that it looked like I was in trouble, but I just had enough piece activity to keep fighting and your King crucially took a move or two to be useful. Your pawns looked better than mine at that point, but the balance of power shifted once we were down to a Knight ending.
Even so it was a tight finish. If you’d played 62. Kf2 I’m still not sure how I could have won, although the draw was there for the taking. And at the very end, the note I gave earlier is wrong - 67. … h5? 68. Ng5! rounds up the f-pawn or lets you Queen, and while I get the piece back (68. … g2; 69. Nxe6, f1=Q; 70. d8=Q, Qe1+) I then have a long hard Queen ending to try to win. But I have better: 67. …Nd8 and I can get back to business with the h-pawn. I think. After all the variations I’ve been analysing in the last week, I’m not entirely sure what’s Black’s best move after 1. f3, e5; 2. g4. 
Unsure. I used to be about ECF 125 (ELO1875, apparently) when I played regularly enough to be graded. But there’s a fair spectrum in this thread and none of us are masters.
gah. It’s too hot for this.
I’ve just resigned after playing a really poor move. 
I’m USCF 1650 but I’ve been beating some 1800s recently. I’d say I’m definitely at least 1750, maybe higher. When I came back to chess a few years back, I was still 720 from when I was a kid! I’ve been trying to get my rating caught up to my skill level for years, and I envy those with accurate ratings. I wish someone could tell me mine.
Oops. Leaving your Rook to be forked certainly counts as poor…
ETA: That’s everyone now, isn’t it?
OK, here are the possibilities. The only unscored game I have is board 4’s Hamlet v. Edward, so…
If Edward wins:
Malacandra 4______GIGOBuster 3
Chessic Sense 3____Maserschmidt 2.5 due b
fubbleskag 2 due w_Edward the Head 2.5
Autolycus 2 due w__Garygnu 2
Ivan Astikov 1 _____Hamlet 1 due b
peekercpa 0_______Oredigger77 2 due b
If Hamlet wins:
Malacandra 4______GIGOBuster 3
Chessic Sense 3____Maserschmidt 2.5 due b
fubbleskag 2 due w_Hamlet 2 due b
Autolycus 2 due w__Garygnu 2
Ivan Astikov 1 _____Edward the Head 1.5
peekercpa 0_______Oredigger77 2 due b
Yes, I do realize that peeker is playing a 2-pointer in both of these. It has to be that way, since peeker’s played gary, ivan, and fubbleskag already, and ivan has played oredigger. Compound that with the due colors for this round, and you get some wonky pairings.
So barring a draw, the following games can get started:
Malacandra 4______GIGOBuster 3
Chessic Sense 3____Maserschmidt 2.5 due b
Autolycus 2 due w__Garygnu 2
peekercpa 0_______Oredigger77 2 due b
Fubbleskag will play either Edward the Head or Hamletwith the white pieces. ivan will play as White against the other one.
I’m preeeeeeetty sure Hamlet won. I think this is the game.
Where would you like to play, GIGObuster?
Why do I feel like a lamb going to the slaughter?..
I would prefer Chess.com please.
I don’t know, why do you? You’re equal second in this tournament with three points, and you drew with Maserschmidt which for a while there I was by no means certain I was going to. Challenge sent, anyway.
Well, you seem to know even better ways to beat opponents, and knowing is half the battle. 
So, [del]Go Joe[/del] Game is on: