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10 Losses, 4 Draws, Zero Wins

I've been known to rage quit, uninstall apps and even throw my books and chess set into the trash. This has happened many times.
I'll reinstall the apps and replace my books and chess set but I've never had 10 losses without a win. I wonder how I would react...

Thanks for the helpful advice to never play up a division.

I've been known to rage quit, uninstall apps and even throw my books and chess set into the trash. This has happened many times. I'll reinstall the apps and replace my books and chess set but I've never had 10 losses without a win. I wonder how I would react... Thanks for the helpful advice to never play up a division.

As White, if 1. e4 openings are too challenging, there's always 1. d4. King pawn openings can be tough since there are many ways to exchange pieces and pawns, so there is a need to evaluate whether exchanges are good or bad (from a middlegame perspective, and from an endgame perspective).

Game 1 vs. Portugal:

So far this is all preparation. Black fights for the center while opening lines for development. ENGINE: Completely equal.

A more important question: after 7... d4, is this really the position you want to play? I wouldn't be comfortable with this position regardless of whatever engines say. Instead I might play 2... Nc6 (if White plays 3. Nf3 respond with Nf6, otherwise play Bb4/Bc5, d6, etc. developing quickly and controlling d4 to keep equality).

As White, if 1. e4 openings are too challenging, there's always 1. d4. King pawn openings can be tough since there are many ways to exchange pieces and pawns, so there is a need to evaluate whether exchanges are good or bad (from a middlegame perspective, and from an endgame perspective). Game 1 vs. Portugal: > So far this is all preparation. Black fights for the center while opening lines for development. ENGINE: Completely equal. A more important question: after 7... d4, is this really the position you want to play? I wouldn't be comfortable with this position regardless of whatever engines say. Instead I might play 2... Nc6 (if White plays 3. Nf3 respond with Nf6, otherwise play Bb4/Bc5, d6, etc. developing quickly and controlling d4 to keep equality).

@noahlz said in #1:

Comments on https://lichess.org/@/noahlz/blog/10-losses-4-draws-zero-wins/XS2CGgXx

this is an awsome blog 10/10

yesss that's one of the problems that the new age of chess has... it's almost completely based on memorisation and principles.. while chess is a game of the mind.. you should be using brute force calculations and psychology to win games "its way more effective"
and yes openings do matter alottt.. check out this blog.. i wrote on both openings and psychology

https://lichess.org/@/UbiquitousUser/blog/opening-psychology-choosing-openings-based-on-your-opponents/vHFApba6

@noahlz said in #1: > Comments on https://lichess.org/@/noahlz/blog/10-losses-4-draws-zero-wins/XS2CGgXx this is an awsome blog 10/10 yesss that's one of the problems that the new age of chess has... it's almost completely based on memorisation and principles.. while chess is a game of the mind.. you should be using brute force calculations and psychology to win games "its way more effective" and yes openings do matter alottt.. check out this blog.. i wrote on both openings and psychology https://lichess.org/@/UbiquitousUser/blog/opening-psychology-choosing-openings-based-on-your-opponents/vHFApba6

@overthephil said in #2:

I've been known to rage quit, uninstall apps and even throw my books and chess set into the trash. This has happened many times.
I'll reinstall the apps and replace my books and chess set but I've never had 10 losses without a win. I wonder how I would react...

Thanks for the helpful advice to never play up a division.

Well, I didn't lose 10 in a row... There were draws sprinkled in there.

Also, I didn't write "never" to play up. Just that it's ok to occasionally play within your division. See my other blog about how Ratings Do Matter

@overthephil said in #2: > I've been known to rage quit, uninstall apps and even throw my books and chess set into the trash. This has happened many times. > I'll reinstall the apps and replace my books and chess set but I've never had 10 losses without a win. I wonder how I would react... > > Thanks for the helpful advice to never play up a division. Well, I didn't lose 10 in a row... There were draws sprinkled in there. Also, I didn't write "never" to play up. Just that it's ok to occasionally play within your division. See my other blog about how Ratings Do Matter

First evaluating lines seems to be a bit of a issue

Firstly, when you played Kd8?? instead of hxg6 you asked the reader why hxg6 is best without engine. Well, its quite simple actually. 2 Minor Pieces are considered more valuable than a rook and pawn, leading most masters to evaluate their worth as Rook + 1.5 pawns, when traded. Also, it is quite debatable as to whether R + 2 pawns vs B+N are better. At best your opponent gets a slight plus, however, the position looks more comfortable for black in this case.

Also, Kd8 makes no real sense, because you give up a pawn - by not taking back, and weaken your king - As such if your going to lose a pawn anyways it is better do so in B+N vs R + 2 pawns, as this advantage is quite tricky to convert.

Also -1.5 is objectively winning/losing, not just slightly better. Granted, it is tough to win but still with perfect play it is winning,

To help with this Ramesh: Logical Chess Decision Making is a great book and you can probably find a pdf online if you want.

Then Tactics

You made quite a few tactical misses - to help solve puzzles from Wookpecker method daily until you can get them right quite quickly.

Hope this helped

First evaluating lines seems to be a bit of a issue Firstly, when you played Kd8?? instead of hxg6 you asked the reader why hxg6 is best without engine. Well, its quite simple actually. 2 Minor Pieces are considered more valuable than a rook and pawn, leading most masters to evaluate their worth as Rook + 1.5 pawns, when traded. Also, it is quite debatable as to whether R + 2 pawns vs B+N are better. At best your opponent gets a slight plus, however, the position looks more comfortable for black in this case. Also, Kd8 makes no real sense, because you give up a pawn - by not taking back, and weaken your king - As such if your going to lose a pawn anyways it is better do so in B+N vs R + 2 pawns, as this advantage is quite tricky to convert. Also -1.5 is objectively winning/losing, not just slightly better. Granted, it is tough to win but still with perfect play it is winning, To help with this Ramesh: Logical Chess Decision Making is a great book and you can probably find a pdf online if you want. Then Tactics You made quite a few tactical misses - to help solve puzzles from Wookpecker method daily until you can get them right quite quickly. Hope this helped

@Fastankle said in #7:

Then Tactics

You made quite a few tactical misses - to help solve puzzles from Wookpecker method daily until you can get them right quite quickly.

Thank you - yes, I own Woodpecker Method on chessable and have started it back up again. I was over training simple tactics for several months, as I was missing those, but my more advanced (4-5 moves + assess resulting position) calculation definitely atrophied.

Thanks!

@Fastankle said in #7: > Then Tactics > > You made quite a few tactical misses - to help solve puzzles from Wookpecker method daily until you can get them right quite quickly. Thank you - yes, I own Woodpecker Method on chessable and have started it back up again. I was over training simple tactics for several months, as I was missing those, but my more advanced (4-5 moves + assess resulting position) calculation definitely atrophied. Thanks!

That's rough.

I do want to point out that a common thread in the critical positions, is that you are sometimes not materialistic enough (or don't spot the threat?) and are dropping pawns that unwind your position. The "knight sacrifice" is a pin you only saw after the knight took. The "bishop sacrifice" is actually an unbalanced sacrifice, but you didn't take it and went for a worse position. (down a pawn vs R+p for B+N). Qxg7 is a hanging, undefended pawn.
You can be a lot more defensive about your material :)

The other one is that these games have single threat moves that allow your opponent to gain tempo. Don't give away tempo. For instance Be4 in the London game is a waste. And then you unnecessarily give away the pawn on g6 a few moves later.

Tactics and analyzing blitz games is what fixed these aspects for me.

That's rough. I do want to point out that a common thread in the critical positions, is that you are sometimes not materialistic enough (or don't spot the threat?) and are dropping pawns that unwind your position. The "knight sacrifice" is a pin you only saw after the knight took. The "bishop sacrifice" is actually an unbalanced sacrifice, but you didn't take it and went for a worse position. (down a pawn vs R+p for B+N). Qxg7 is a hanging, undefended pawn. You can be a lot more defensive about your material :) The other one is that these games have single threat moves that allow your opponent to gain tempo. Don't give away tempo. For instance Be4 in the London game is a waste. And then you unnecessarily give away the pawn on g6 a few moves later. Tactics and analyzing blitz games is what fixed these aspects for me.

@overthephil said in #2:

I've been known to rage quit, uninstall apps and even throw my books and chess set into the trash. This has happened many times.
I'll reinstall the apps and replace my books and chess set but I've never had 10 losses without a win. I wonder how I would react...

Thanks for the helpful advice to never play up a division.

I enjoy it. It means I'm underrated and then get to feast on some players and win again. In the long run, your Elo is your Elo. You'll always be winning/losing 50%. So the more losses in a row just means more wins in a row in the future.

@overthephil said in #2: > I've been known to rage quit, uninstall apps and even throw my books and chess set into the trash. This has happened many times. > I'll reinstall the apps and replace my books and chess set but I've never had 10 losses without a win. I wonder how I would react... > > Thanks for the helpful advice to never play up a division. I enjoy it. It means I'm underrated and then get to feast on some players and win again. In the long run, your Elo is your Elo. You'll always be winning/losing 50%. So the more losses in a row just means more wins in a row in the future.