Shine on You Rusty Piece of Coal

So, I made another blunder! But I somehow think that this position has more challenges than I first thought. My first alternative was to throw a knight into e5 but my shallow calculation didn't promise any future in that line. How I finally decided to push the pawn to fe is a mystery to me.

Playing small tournaments against Chessmaster profiles is my bread and butter these days. You have to see a lot of silly engine-trying-to-play-bad-moves but on the other hand you cet which is absolutely necessary for my to get close to the chess board.

The b6-repertoire is still tempting but I have decided to give the Fort Knox/Weird Indian stuff-combo another chance to win my heart. Here are a few articles which I have enjoyed reading:

Stonewall Attack

Weird Indian Stuff (part I)

Weird Indian Stuff (part II)

Improve Your Chess Game

Guess-the-Master-Move, part 2 (Lasker)

You can read about the achievements of the second world champion Emanual Lasker many times and be surprised everytime about his results. There are so many legend making results. It is possible to ignore 90% of what he did and Lasker would still be one of the Greatest chess players ever!

I strongly recommend a look at his chess biography at www.chessgames.com.

1. Pillsbury - Lasker, 1895 (score: 24 par = 40)

Another fine game. I think I was punished a bit hard in the Opening and lost quite a few points. In the end, the score was probably fair. There are a hanful of moves which I cannot tell if they are blunders or pure magic.

2. Marshall - Lasker, 1907 (score: 94 par = 99)

3. Tarrasch - Lasker, 1908 (score: 46 par = 51)

A game worth a second look and then another glance. Lasker sneaks in a bishop in the enemy camp and the Tarrasch just runs out of oxygen without any obvious errors. Amazing.

Start Up Goals

A few days ago, I posted the following question to my two closest chess buddies:

"In the next two months I will..."

"My goal will be evaluated by......"

"Should I fail to reach My goal, I then promise to...."

Here are the responses:

ScotchYeti

Goals:

- 10 "Guess-the-move", analysis shared on my blog (selected positions) or with AndreaCoda/Farbror

- no Blitz nor 5min games from next Monday onwards, Sunday rating will be sent by email and must not change

Penalty:

- one item from the Amazon wishlist (com, uk) for my buddies AndreaCoda and Farbror

AndreaCoda

Goals:

Complete at least 50% (16/33) of "Logical Chess Move by Move", both in GTM mode on chessgames and through thorough analysis

My goal will be evaluated by......

Farbror, through snapshot of chessgames window which I will send

Should I fail to reach My goal, I then promise to....

Get to both Farbror and ScotchYeta a book of their choice from Amazon.com

Farbror

Chess Goals for August, September and October:

Goals:

8 slow games and analysis (some to be posted at my blog)

8 “Guess-the-Move” (to be commented on my blog)

(Re-)Read a Chess Book I have not yet reviewed (Review to be posted)

Penalty:

Should I fail to reach the goals, I will then pay for the next six months of membership at ICC/Playchess etc for my Chess Training Buddies