Category Archives: TACTICS

OPENINGS, TACTICS, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING, Uncategorized

ENERGY, FOCUS & CALCULATION SKILLS

February 7, 2025 NigelD

It was good to see that Arjun Erigaisi recovered somewhat in the Tata Steel Masters, in the process inflicting the first defeat on Gukesh Dommaraju in a classical game, since he became World Champion. I'm quite sure that this will be just a blip on a great career for Erigaisi, that might well include becoming World Champion himself.

I have been looking at some Erigaisi games of late, partially in an attempt to understand the young generation players who almost effortlessly storm the ranks. From what I can tell they bring together a potent combination of energy, focus and calculating skills. If you play against a good calculator you are under tremendous pressure to avoid mistakes, one slip can be the end of you.

One of Erigaisi's interesting choices on the opening has been the ZOOM Scandinavian, and a couple of his games appeared in the webinar devoted to the Tigerchess.com Themed Training Tournaments. I think he sees it as a line that gets White thinking early on, with the pawn structure offering him chances to outplay his opponent. This series is on special offer this week and it also features in the training tournamets.

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments feature the French Defence, and the basic positions in the Classical and Tarrasch Variations:

Sunday February 9th at 5pm UK Time: ZOOM Scandinavian with 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6

Sunday February 9th at 5pm UK Time: ZOOM Scandinavian with 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.d4 Nc6

My Upcoming Events

Here's my schedule over the coming months, though it is subject to change. I often don't know until fairly late in the day:

February 16-27, 2025: World Senior Team Championship
I've accepted a place in the 50+ second team which means I'll play a much stronger field than on bottom board of the first team. Although this diminishes my chances of winning a medal I'm looking forward to the challenge.

April 4-14 2025: European Senior Team Championship

I finally got confirmation that I'll be in the 50+ 1st team, apparently on board 3 of a team that includes Michael Adams, John Emms, myself, Steve Dishman and Graeme Buckley.

July 31st - 10th August 2025: British Championships
These have now been confirmed for Liverpool on these dates, you can find details here. If I get invited to play in the main Championships, I'll probably accept. Otherwise I'm eligible for both the 50+ and 65+ sections, and should have a chance of doing well in either.

There will probably be at least one or two events between April and the end of July, it's important to keep playing in order to maintain good form.

Twitch Channel

My new Twitch channel has new shows every Monday ('Chess Questions Answered), the Webinar on training tournaments and games is up on Fridays and another weekly coming soon. Please follow it if you'd like to get updates etc, all the shows will be available to Premium members in the Tiger Chess members area, even when they are no longer available on Twitch.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

ENDGAMES, OPENINGS, TACTICS, TRAINING

KNOWING YOUR STRENGTHS

January 17, 2025 NigelD

One of the most useful bits of information a chess player can have is to know their strengths. These may not always be what you think they are, for example I used to think that the Modern Defence (1...g6 against either 1.e4 or 1.d4) was my friend until I checked my results with it. They were good against opponents who were lower rated than me but horrible against stronger opposition.

A different breakdown was apparent with more classical openings such as the Nimzo-Indian Defence and meeting 1.e4 with 1...e5. This in turn suggested that using the Modern more sparingly, and choosing to play it against particular opponents, would yield better results.

More recently I have been doing tactics and endgame puzzles with a couple of apps from ChessOK and my discovered that my results with the endgame app are markedly better. There are unanswered questions here, for example in how these apps have been calibrated and whether they compare like with like. Assuming they have been, for example by testing them on different users, then my endgame knowledge appears to be a relative strength.

It is important to get an objective measure such as the two I have outlined. It's tempting, for example, for us to imagine being a great attacking players because of a fond memory of a successful attack or deriving pleasure from aggressive play. An objective measure of having a skill for this kind of play might be far more difficult and should probably start with having superior tactical ability and outperforming in openings which lead to the possession of the initiative, even at the cost of material.

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments return to the King's Indian Petrosian, which is a great line for learning more about pawn structures with a closed centre:

Sunday January 19th at 5pm UK Time: Queen's Gambit Accepted, Furman Variation

Sunday January 19th at 6.15pm UK Time: Queen's Gambit Accepted, 4...Bg4

My Upcoming Events

Here's my schedule over the coming months, though it is subject to change. I often don't know until fairly late in the day:

January 17-19: Huddersfield 4NCL Congress
I really enjoy the 4NCL Congresses as they're played under excellent conditions in nice hotels. This is the first one in Huddersfield, you can find details here.

January 27th: Stockport Rapidplay
I've played in this event with some regularity, so probably I'll go for it again. You can find details here.

July/August 2025: British Championships
Will these be held in Liverpool next year or maybe Torquay? I've heard rumours about both venues, if they're held in Liverpool I'd probably go for the 50+ event.

I'm still waiting to hear about the selections for the European Senior Team Championships (Poland, April 4-14) in which I've said I'll play in any team and on any board. I've been holding these dates open since July last year and have been hoping to hear something definite. Perhaps I will get an offer soon or maybe some other tournaments will come my way.

Meanwhile I missed out on these two events:

January 24-31, 2025: HIT Open in Nova Gorica: Details can be found here.

February 5-10, 2025: Senta, Hotel Fantastico: Details can be found here.

Twitch Channel

My new Twitch channel has new shows every Monday ('Chess Questions Answered) and other weekly coming soon. Please follow it if you'd like to get updates etc, all the shows will be available to Premium members in the Tiger Chess members area, even when they are no longer available on Twitch.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

BUILDING AN OPENING REPERTOIRE, CHESS SOFTWARE, ENDGAMES, EXERCISE, TACTICS, TIGER CHESS THEMED TRAINING TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING

MY NEW TRAINING REGIME

January 3, 2025 NigelD

Over the last few weeks I decided upon a new training regime to improve my chess. It's been a long time since I did anything that was organized and had to put some thought into it. It would need to have a relatively small footprint with regards to time, have a degree of flexibility and also have more general benefits.

Since my return to chess, a few years ago, I came to understand that my main issue has been a lack of willingness to concentrate and calculate. This probably has something to do with me being in my 60s and there's not much to do about that. On the other hand I figure I can try to make the most of what I've got.

The first essential item had to be calculation training, and getting used to calculating on a daily basis. In my teenage years I did the Alexander Kotov analysis exercise whereby you set up a key position and write down what you see. This may be the ideal approach and I created the Tiger Chess Analysis Course for this purpose; unfortunately I know the positions and would struggle to find time, a chess set and a suitable table and chair. Given these limitations I've decided to take a short cut and purchased a couple of apps on my phone; CT-Art 4.0 and Total Chess Endgames. I'm trying to do at least 30 minutes a day on these apps, which should get me more used to calculating again.

A willingness to sit down and concentrate is more of a non chess matter that relates to overall fitness. I've long felt that the standard Western approach to being fit is too one dimensional because it fails to engage the mind and the breath. After reading Wim Hof's Becoming the Iceman and experimenting with his approach, I realized that I have underestimated the importance of fresh air and deep breathing, so after 30 minutes on the exercise bike (or fast walking if a bike is unavailable) I'm using his recommendation of cold showers combined with deep breathing. This in turn has led me to incorporate better breathing into my qigong practice and I have to say that it's making quite a difference.

I've been doing a couple of other things too, mainly playing some online games with particular openings and doing a bit of research into them. I would say this is a minor part of my overall regime and rightly so, opening preparation has its limits because sooner or later you are on your own.

Overall it looks like this, with 60 minutes of chess and 90 minutes of mind/body exercise:

Calculation training (30 minutes per day).
Qigong with enhanced breathing (60 minutes per day).
Exercise bike/fast walking (30 minutes per day) and cold shower (5 minutes).
Training games and opening study (30 minutes per day).

Wish me luck, I think it should help but the proof of any pudding is when you eat it!

Training Tournaments

The training tournaments this week are in two lines of the French, the Fort Knox and the Rubinstein.

Sunday January 5th at 5pm UK Time: The Fort Knox French with 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc4 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7

Sunday January 5th at 6.15pm UK Time: The French Rubinstein with 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc4 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7

My Upcoming Events

Here's my schedule over the coming months, though it is subject to change. I often don't know until fairly late in the day:

January 27th: Stockport Rapidplay
I've played in this event with some regularity, so probably I'll go for it again. You can find details here.

I am still hoping to play in the European Senior Team Championships (Poland, April 4-14) in which I've said I'll play in any team and on any board. The details have now been confirmed and I understand that selections are to be made shortly.

Regretfully I've recently had to pass on two events in Slovenia and Serbia:

January 24-31, 2025: HIT Open in Nova Gorica: Details can be found here.

February 5-10, 2025: Senta, Hotel Fantastico: Details can be found here.

Twitch Channel

I'm setting up a new Twitch channel to answer viewers' questions and post recordings in the Tiger Chess members areas. Please follow it if you'd like to get updates etc, I'm looking at running the first one on Monday January 6th at 8pm UK time.

Have a good weekend!

Nigel

CLINIC, NEWS, TACTICS

JANUARY 2021 CLINIC

February 5, 2021 NigelD

The January 2021 clinic is now up and can be accessed by members here. Internet games are still the ones being reviewed though with some over the board events taking place I hope we will have some real games soon.

There were a few nice moments in the games sent in, for example this one that arose after Black had just played 20...Qf6xf5 (see diagram):

White had prepared a stunning reply in 21.Nxd6! after which 21...Qxd3 (21...Qd7 meets with the crushing 22.Nxf7! Qxf7 23.Bc4) 22.Qxf7+ Kh8 23.Nf5 left Black with no other move than 23...Ne6. After 24.Qxe6 White was left with a winning position which he duly converted.

Nigel Davies

BUILDING AN OPENING REPERTOIRE, CLINIC, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TACTICS

OCTOBER 2020 CLINIC: STILL INTERNET GAMES

November 13, 2020 NigelD

The October clinic is now online with another selection of internet games. The signs are that we will have a Covid vaccine before long after which terrestrial tournaments will return.

The following position arose in a game in which R. A. played Black in a Queen's Gambit Declined Exchange Variation and managed to build up a strong attack (see diagram). What should he play here?

Black uncorked the brilliant 21…Bxh3!! after which 22.gxh3 Rg6 23.Ne2 Ne4 was a killer. The game ended 24.f4 Qd8 0-1, though Black could win with 24…Qh4 25.f5 Rg5 26.Qc2 Qf2 etc..

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, TACTICS

JULY 2020 CLINIC: MAINLY INTERNET GAMES

August 10, 2020 NigelD

With lock down continuing for many of us, internet chess remains the only game in town. The July Clinic featured another three internet games but also two from those distant days when we would sit opposite people to play, chess and breathe on each other for up to 7 hours.

The following position arose in a game by L. J. in which he allowed Black to give him a potentially weak b5 pawn but one which gave White space and an outpost on c6. Black has just played 17...Nb8 in an attempt to exchange White's well placed knight, but in doing so he has missed something (see diagram):

With the rook on a8 having been unprotected White played 18.Ne7+ Bxe7 19.Qxa8 and went on to win in an endgame. Members can see the complete game here.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, TACTICS

APRIL 2019 CLINIC: BEST GAMES

May 10, 2019 NigelD

The April clinic is now online here and features members 'best games'. There were quite a few submissions this time round so the May clinic will also be on the 'best games' theme.

Here is an episode from one of them which featured my son Sam playing Black. White had just played 26.Bg2-h3 to reach the following position:

Rather than move his rook, Sam played 26...Qc6 here so that after 27.Bxf5 Nxf5 he will get the knight on f3 when White moves his queen. This puts White in serious trouble after which the game continued 27.Re4 R5f7 28.Kh2 Qb6 29.Ree1 Bxf3 30.Qxf3 Bg5! 31.Re4 Bxf4+ 32.Rxf4 Rxf4 33.Bxf4 Nd5! 34.Rg1 Nxf4 35.Qg3 Qc7 36.Qg5 Kh8 37.Qg3 Ne2 0-1. This was one of his best games of the year so far with the sharp tactical finish crowning some good play earlier in the game.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, TACTICS

MARCH 2019 CLINIC: TACTICS

April 11, 2019 NigelD

The March clinic is now online and is devoted to tactics. This is one of the most vital aspects of chess because tactics punctuate every stage of every game. Without good tactical play it is very difficult to get very far. During my teenage years I spent a lot of time on tactics using puzzle books though these days its easier because there are quite a few websites which have interactive tactical problems.

The following position is taken from the clinic with White to play:

White to play opened Black's king up with 19.Bxh7+ Kxh7 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 and then finished the game off with 22.Qg5+ Kh7 and now a rook lift with 23.Re3. Black tried the desperate 23...Bxg2 but after 24.Qh5+ Kg7 25.Rg3+ resigned (1-0) because of 25...Kf6 26.Qg5 mate.

This was a really nice finished that I'm sure White was very pleased to have pulled off. I don't recall ever having the opportunity to use this theme myself.

Nigel Davies

CHESS PARENTING, OPENINGS, TACTICS

THE IMPROVEMENT HABIT

January 1, 2019 NigelD

We are at that time of year when many people are trying New Year resolutions. Most of these will have been abandoned by January 12th, including the chess ones, which will not help too much towards getting any better. Goals and resolutions are all very well but do they help people put the time in that is required for real progress? Usually not, no matter how lofty their initial aims.

Here at Tiger Chess HQ we have a different approach. Goals are downplayed and broken down whilst the emphasis is placed on a steady work rate over a long period of time. What is doable on a daily basis which can also be monitored? With my son Sam I have found that Chessity works very well as it keeps great records as to how much you have really done. We also try to study together for 3 hours on a Sunday and also on Mondays and Tuesdays when he is not at college. Over time it adds up and helps put in place the necessary skills, as you can see below he has now solved over 40,000 positions on Chessity and is in the top 20 for the number of puzzles solved. Note also that I call him Jedi so as to turn him away from the dark side offered by his favourite Star Wars character, General Grievous:

Recently he has been going through many of the videos here at Tiger Chess, which again can be done on a regular basis. With his other commitments he certainly does not do thousands of hours every year but it could be around 500. If he keeps this up for another decade or so he will become very strong.

What about the old guy? Well I am also in the process of dusting myself off with daily tactics practice and studying some new openings. A few thousand hours on top of the 45,000 or so I have already put in should help me get back in shape for when I finish my University studies (currently in year 2).

Nigel Davies

CHESS PARENTING, ENDGAMES, OPENINGS, TACTICS

THE PRESTON CONGRESS

December 2, 2018 NigelD

The Preston Congress is traditionally the last in the year for my son Sam. This time round he got a grading prize and we think that both his rapid play and long play grades may hit new highs. Sam is pictured below with Open winner Adam Ashton in what is a very pleasant venue, the Harrington Building at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN).

Sam's play with Black against 1.d4 has been going well of late, largely due to the amount of time we have been spending on it. He still needs some work as Black against 1.e4, which we have planned in the seven weeks we have before his next event. This in itself should produce a nice improvement in his results as in general we have focussed far more on endgames and tactics than openings. Here's the finish to his last round game.

White to play had just played 38.Nd3-c1, attacking the rook on b3. Sam replied with 38...Rb1! with the point that 39.Rxa3 Rxc1 40.Rc3 is met by 40...Rh1, which would skewer White's rook after 41.Rxc2 Rh2+. In the game White played 39.Nd3 but after 39...Rd1 40.Nc1 Rxc1 threw in the towel (0-1).

Nigel Davies