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Tom C posted an update
Hi Nelson, I would like to improve my rapid (10+0) game, and eventually have a go at 5+0 matches. I often find I am spending a lot more time then my opponent. However, I am a 550elo rated player, so as much as I would like to be thinking as clearly and critically as you do during rapid games, considering multiple lines several levels deep, I feel like I am scrambling to understand the threat of my opponents previous move and identify a simple good move of my own (that doesn’t blunder my queen (again)) Do you have any advice for low rated players to help them approach rapid games in general? Ways to practice without needlessly trashing elo lower still!! I understand there are critical moments in games when it is good to stop and think about what you are doing, but at the moment I seem to take far long to do anything!! – Thanks, Tom ((TJC644431 on chess.com)
Rene F and Keith S4 Comments-
Just to illustrate the point I have added a game here that I played yesterday… https://www.chess.com/game/live/120359074404
I played ok, I think. Although I am lucky that my opponent blundered their rook and rage quit! You can see I am well down on time.
Couple of moments in the game I would appreciate peoples view on;
11 …Bc5 –> I played this to support the pawn.. I was worried that if 11…Qxb5 after I lose the pawn and Knights are traded my opponents queen lands in the middle of the board, which didn’t feel like a good idea for me to allow?
23…Re1+ –> I was really down on time at this point, but a piece up, so I was trying to figure out how to trade rooks. I am sure there was a better way to proceed? In the end it worked out but looking back I wasn’t thinking very clearly at that point in the game.
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@clevelyhotmail-co-uk My thoughts, but keep in mind that I am thinking of changing my display name to “Blunders-R-Us”.
Don’t worry about taking longer than your opponent. At our level an opponent that is moving quickly is likely either A) cheating, or B) about to blunder hard. And it’s likely B. Just keep making solid moves like you did.
11. I would have taken the bishop, but that is because I like to make hay when the sun is shining (I.e. do it while I can). Check for tactics and in between moves, but that was a free bishop. If you had gone for the knight trade then after Qxd4 white’s queen would have been lined up for a nice skewer with the rook. Of course, I only saw that after playing through in analysis mode so no fault if you didn’t see it either.
23. I struggle with the end game, and even more so if I am running out of time. I know Nelson says to simplify things when you have a material advantage, but Albert Einstein (supposedly) also said, “Make things as simple as possible, but no simpler.” I can struggle with a ladder-mate with two rooks so I personally wouldn’t be so eager to trade away my last rook as now you have to think about how you are get a checkmate with some pawns and a bishop. I would love to hear Nelson’s thoughts though; is there such a thing as too simple?-
Many thank, Keith, for your time and thoughts, very insightful. I agree with you that making hay while the sun shines is a good principle to follow, and I absolutely missed the queen skewer!
I also agree with you regarding the end game. I hadn’t thought about it in those terms before, but I think you are right, perhaps the better approach was to think about using my small advantage more effectively (I think my plan was to get their pieces off the board and back myself to push kingside pawns up and queen one of them, with bishop support) Hoping Nelson might add his thoughts about a good way to have handled the ending.
Thanks again.
T
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If Nelson does not follow up here be sure to ask this for the next group call. I would also love to hear his thoughts on this.
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