As I said in the game thread, it was an instructive game - and Dead Cat did well.
Here are brief comments (you can replay the entire game, plus a typical finish here. )
Bd3 is just slightly weaker than the ‘book’ moves of Nd2 / Nc3 / e5 / exd5.
White should retreat the bishop when attacked, losing a move.
Qd3? allows Black to get the two bishops, which is a clear advantage in an open position (even in an ending.)
… Qd5 is a move that suits my style. I like to have small advantages and to give my opponents little to do. Here the exchange of Queens will emphasise my bishop pair (and avoid any future mating attacks.)
Playing through the rest of the game, I don’t see any other real mistakes by Dead Cat.
Black first equalised, then got a slight advantage and kept it for the rest of the game.
It’s interesting that the advantage went through changes:
two bishops in open position
advanced king in ending
outside passed pawn
As an experienced player, I’ve seen this sort of thing before. This helps not only in finding the right moves, but also playing a little quicker than opponents who have to work everything out from scratch.
Thank you very much - this is encouraging for me, especially as it was not an opening I’m familiar with (because I’m not familiar with many openings). I did get the sense that I was ‘playing catch-up’ from a very early stage, thanks to the inaccuracies at moves 3 and 5. So although it seems I was fairly accurate from then on, it still proved enough to cost me the game.
Thank you once again for all your time. I really enjoyed the experience and it has already helped me to improve my play. I’ll now return to more equal matches against work colleagues. Maybe in future I’ll actually be able to rejoin a chess club, when the kids are older. And teach them, if they’re interested.
I will take the White pieces (as I had Black last time.)
I can offer NAF1138 a choice between me playing a ‘tactical’ game (attacking stuff, perhaps with a gambit :eek:) or a ‘positional game’ (similar to the style I used against Dead Cat.)
NAF1138, just post your preference in this thread.
I will then set up two new threads:
one for the game moves only (and thanks to apronus.com for providing a board to follow the game on )
one for comments / analysis / questions (both by me and kibitzers* too if they like)
Oh man, I gotta make choices already! Let’s go tactical. I mostly play only against one opponent and I’m pretty familiar with his way of thinking about things. It will be good so see someone else’s ideas.
(similar to the style I used against Dead Cat.)
)