Phobetor's Blog
Welcome to my blog! This blog mostly contains the more interesting games I played, either over the board in competitions or tournaments, or online on sites like the Internet Chess Club. Usually the game comes with a story about why the game was interesting or what we can learn from that game, and I always add annotations and analysis to the games.
Although I try to check my annotations and analysis of the games with an engine, sometimes an error slips in, so if you think I made a mistake or you don't understand something, just say it! Just reply to the blog post in question, and I'll usually answer the question the same day or within a few days. And of course other feedback is welcome as well!
I also have a series called "Magnificent Puzzles" where I post beautiful chess compositions. These are usually "miniatures" (compositions with only few pieces on the board) with unexpected beautiful solutions. These can be as old as from 1920, and stalemates and underpromotions are not uncommon in these puzzles.
I hope you'll enjoy reading the blog posts, since, well, that's why I write them :)
Submitted by
on Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:04am.
There are many places where you can find simple tactical puzzles (for example Chess.com's Tactics Trainer or Daily Puzzle) or more complicated puzzles with highly unlikely positions, where the key move is a totally unexpected move. There are only ... Read more »
Submitted by
on Sat Jan 24, 2009 5:06am.
There are many places where you can find simple tactical puzzles (for example Chess.com's Tactics Trainer or Daily Puzzle) or more complicated puzzles with highly unlikely positions, where the key move is a totally unexpected move. There are only ... Read more »
Submitted by
on Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:45pm.
There are many places where you can find simple tactical puzzles (for example Chess.com's Tactics Trainer or Daily Puzzle) or more complicated puzzles with highly unlikely positions, where the key move is a totally unexpected move. There are only ... Read more »
Submitted by
on Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:21pm.
As you could have read in my previous two posts on the Najdorf, Beating the Najdorf (1) and Beating the Najdorf (2), I play the 6. Bg5 variation as white against the Najdorf. It usually leads to big tactical complications early on, when it's impor... Read more »
Submitted by
on Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:16pm.
Good bishops and bad bishops are a common theme in chess. Middlegames or endgames with equal material, but with one side having a good bishop and the other side having a bad bishop, can often be won by the side with the good bishop. He can attack ... Read more »
Submitted by
on Tue Jan 20, 2009 6:50pm.
Usually, when you're playing a game, you make moves with a certain plan. When you've passed the opening phase, you'll have to make up a plan like "Starting a kingside attack with pawns/pieces" or "Preparing the c7-c5 pawn break". You then make up ... Read more »
Submitted by
on Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:37pm.
In poker, there's no doubt psychology plays a big role. Bluffing with bad cards or slowplaying a strong hand are just some examples where it's all about psychology. In chess however, it's not so obvious how psychology plays a role. Don't we all ju... Read more »
Submitted by
on Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:48pm.
In some variations of the Sicilian, the weak light squares are a common theme. For example in the Sveshnikov Variation (1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5), besides 1... c5, black also plays e7-e5 early on, leaving big holes on d... Read more »
Submitted by
on Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:09am.
Below is another interesting, sharp game in the 6. Bg5 Najdorf. My opponent was a strong player (5-minute highest rating of 2500+, which would have placed him in the top 40 of ICC at that time) but even he got lost in the tactical complications ar... Read more »
Submitted by
on Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:10pm.
Some of you may wonder "What is the Berlin Wall?", so let me explain briefly. The Berlin Wall is a variation in the Ruy Lopez starting with 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8.
The opening g... Read more »