The 4NCL Easter Congress did not go well for me, basically because I lost two bad games against young players who played 1.e4. In one game I stood worse out of the opening and in the other I was pretty much lost. What had happened? As I discuss in this week's Chess Questions Answered video I did not know the openings I used in sufficient depth, whereas my opponents were very thoroughly prepared. I have been trying to learn some new things but I lack the time needed to compensate for my ailing memory.

Another issue is that particular openings can require greater precision because their risky nature may mean that you have to play a series of only moves. Obviously this will be the case with lines like the Sicilian Dragon, but in this age of high powered engine preparation even tamer lines can need great precision.

This is less the case in club and amateur chess, for example with players below 2000. Having said that,  another of my young opponents was clearly ready for something I had played before and disappointed when I avoided what he had in mind. Today's chess is certainly very different from what it was in the 1990s and I need to have another rethink.

Training Tournaments

Here are the latest scheduled events:

Sunday April 12th, 5pm UK Colle Zukertort

Sunday April 12th, 6.15pm UK King's Indian Simagin

Sunday April 19th, 5pm UK Catalan

Sunday April 19th, 6.15pm UK French Rubinstein

Sunday April 26th, 5pm UK Colle Dutch Stonewall

Sunday April 26th, 6.15pm UK French Fort Knox

Video Discounts

This week's offer is 40% off buying Crafting Your Own Opening Repertoire using the code 'apr10to18'. Developing an opening repertoire is a key aspect of any player's development, and the most effective way to do this is to craft your own. This video series demonstrates how to go about this, covering opening selection, choosing sources and assembling your lines.

Last week's discount is 40% off buying Understanding Strategy and Planning, using the code 'april3to11'. This series presents a systematic way of approaching these areas by learning how to play different pawn structures and the plans and ideas they contain.

Upcoming Events

This is how things look right now. I'm hoping to get invites to the British Championships (August), European Senior Team Championships (late August) and English Senior Championships (October), but there's nothing definite as yet.

April 18 - 29: World Senior Team Championships, Durres, Albania
I've had confirmation that I'll be in the 50+ first team for this one.

July 7-12: South Wales International, Bridgend, Wales

I've been invited to this event and will be accepting. 

Have a good weekend.

Nigel