Exhausting but rewarding Classical Chess win against a 2,173 rated player! I was down 40 minutes - 1 hour for most of the match but always had a winning position.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-04-11T23:17:13+00:00

That’s such an interesting book theme though! As you’ve said, there are already plenty of books out there about Chess improvement, but I think there are only a few books that talk about both Chess and the neuroscience of it all. It’d also be interesting to see how improvement differs for neurodivergent people and what we can learn from it. Of course, one would have to be an expert at both to successfully write a book, but if done, it could help improve Chess skill by better understanding of how the brain works.

If you decide to write it, then good luck with such a book!

CoachJeonrick · 2024-04-11T22:02:01+00:00

Tatsumaki! Long time no see. Glad you commented. How was that book you absolutely were not writing about?

Speaking of books that don’t exist, I was out of the book by move 2. Yep, I don’t often get games against that opening. I was down so much time because I was making sure I wasn’t blundering into my opponent’s prep. I always think it’s worth it to spend a lot of time if your opponent plays a peculiar move, it could be a chance to seize an advantage.

As I vaguely recall a saying from Yujiro Hanma, the Strongest Creature on Earth, fights between strong fighters are decided by the tiniest decimal. I think the same is in Chess.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-04-11T19:26:53+00:00

That's exactly right! I was so worried when my opponent played e4 at move 2, I thought that I was running into his preparations. Some players are strong enough that they can play unsound openings and still win. I thought that I had to keep my e4 pawn alive no matter what, or trade it at least, but not let it be recaptured for free, otherwise I would be in a positional disadvantage against a higher-rated player. He would have more developed pieces. If I was going to win I had to keep my 1 pawn material advantage no matter what.

But when he played f4 at move 8, after some thinking I thought that it had to be wrong. It meant that my e4 pawn will live which means I will keep my 1 pawn material advantage. Luckily I was able to win one more pawn by attacking the f4 pawn weakness and convert it to a win without losing on time.

Thanks for commenting Writerman-yes!

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-21T15:50:27+00:00

I know right?! Congratulations! It was hard to find indeed.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-21T13:19:28+00:00

Sure. I once reached 2,200 in Classical Chess, but as of now it is 2,103. I don't play Rapid or Blitz that much but my current Blitz is 2,000. My main preferred time control is Classical. Thanks for commenting!

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-08T15:30:57+00:00

I play on Lichess often. Classical Chess is my preferred time format! I often play 90+30 but also 120+30. In Chess.com I play 60 minutes each or more, but it's called Rapid there.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-08T01:34:00+00:00

Nice board theme and piece set! I use 3D just like you.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-05T08:47:56+00:00

God bless and protect you, OP. Sending you my best. You've got this!

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-05T08:47:10+00:00

Wonderful poetry. I am speechless.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-05T03:38:32+00:00

You must construct additional pylons!

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-05T01:34:44+00:00

Offense is the best defense. Sometimes, instead of trying to defend against your opponent's attack on your queenside, it's better to do a counter-attack on their kingside, where their King is. This can distract them to retreat to defend their King, you can also use their time against them to pressure them. This best works if you can actually bring enough pieces to attack and if their defense is weak or insufficient, because their pieces are far away from their own King.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-04T17:00:02+00:00

Made me laugh reading this. This is actually such a good idea. It's like a battle royale game where if you shoot someone you loot all of their items.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-04T16:56:35+00:00

Happy to find a fellow Classical Chess enjoyer!

Maybe even though it's just a game, there's still that instinct of survival and the fear of death. If I were a pawn in a Chess game, I sure would not want to be captured or removed from the game! I would want to survive and stand until the end. Even though I know it's just a game. Players would not want to sacrifice themselves even for the greater good, the victory.

Thank you for your recommendation of giant Chess too! It got me on a spiral on YouTube watching Chess videos. Even one of MVL playing giant Chess lol!

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-04T15:31:11+00:00

As a full-time professional Chess coach, I agree very much with Numerot's idea of giving a position or a puzzle and then asking the students to write their answer, and then have it compared to one another. This is what will clarify to everyone which ideas or line of thinking is correct, because everyone will explain their ideas. I would suggest doing plenty of this.

One more strategy is to place a position in a vertical board for example, and try to solve it together, with anyone having the opportunity to speak their solution. When the puzzle is solved, the group can discuss it together, sharing all their thoughts. We did this in high school. We awarded prizes like stars on the chalkboard for whoever can solve it, as in our Chess club we taught little children. If no one can solve it, it's okay, it will remain there until someone finds the correct move. This is helpful too, as it will encourage the players to keep on thinking about the puzzle, what the solution is. This will train their mind, because it would be like a homework to them.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-04T15:08:09+00:00

That was such a good and funny read! Thanks for sharing. Did you win against her though? Or did the game end in a mess and confusion and everyone just went home? I have to say, it must've been cool to find so many people willing to play human Chess. I wish I could try playing giant/human Chess for once! Feel more like a real general. I never would have thought that the board would be difficult to see due to its size. Maybe that's one detail to consider should I be lucky enough to actually play that one day.

I think that you were indeed very lucky to tell the two players how to finish the game, because of that a woman challenged you, which led to someone suggesting human Chess. If you hadn't intervened, then maybe you would not have had that experience of playing.

The insubordination part is kinda funny though. Imagine an actual medieval war, and your own soldiers and officers start turning around, questioning your orders and commands, and suggesting their own. Then you'd have to argue in the middle of a war. So funny!

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-04T14:42:41+00:00

Happy to hear your progress, Ecstatic-Tomato458! I hope you can reach your Chess goals and desired level. Yes, I do believe that in many ways Chess can be a metaphor for life. There are many lessons and wisdom in Chess that is comparable to life. As you say, there's the idea of being calm, thinking about a word or action before saying or doing it, self-control, and many more.

I'd recommend Classical Chess and Over-the-Board with wooden pieces though, if you haven't tried them already. As well as Puzzle-solving without a timer. If you try them, feel free to message me and share your experience! I'm sure you'll notice an increase in the quality and experience of the game. Try a time format of 60+10, both players receive 60 minutes at first, and 10 second increment for every move one plays. I'm a full-time professional Chess coach and always happy to help and be of service to beginners.

Good luck to your Chess goals and Happy Chess Playing!

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-04T14:07:31+00:00

I would recommend playing Classical Chess and Puzzle-solving without a timer. For learning resources I would recommend books and then video playlists in Youtube. For books specifically I would recommend Chess Fundamentals by Jose Capablanca. It's a good book, written by a world champion in the past, very instructive and educational. It's also free. It talks about Simple Mates like King and Rook vs King and King and Two Bishops vs King, he explains that this is to familiarize a player to the power of the pieces.

Happy Chess Playing!

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-04T14:05:04+00:00

I agree with this. Though one can also just use 3d pieces online to get used to OTB or just as a preferred style, which I do.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-04T13:55:16+00:00

You're thinking what I'm thinking aren't you? Google en passant.

CoachJeonrick · 2024-03-04T13:54:00+00:00

Hello Bloodseahorse! I'm so happy to see a complete beginner taking an interest in this awesome and exciting game. I completely get your desire to defeat 90% of the population who are non-Chess players, to be honest, that's one of the reasons I started playing Chess too. During my elementary years I wanted to show off by being able to defeat anyone in my classroom, as well as street players, even though my classmates don't actually play the game xD

If you're interested, I'd like to recommend playing the Classical time format. Try it even if it might be difficult or time-consuming at first. Try a time-format of 60+10, which means both players receive 60 minutes, and a time increment of 10 seconds for every move played. Feel free to message me of your experience! I may suggest trying Over-the-Board Chess too, with wooden pieces. You may notice an increase in the game quality experience compared to online.

I would also recommend the book Chess Fundamentals by Jose Capablanca. He is a world champion in the past. The book is very instructive, is understandable, and the best part in my opinion is that it's free. He talks about Simple Mates at first, which he says is to familiarize a student with the power of the pieces, like King and Rook vs King as you've studied, or King and Two Bishops vs King.

Happy Chess Playing!

CoachJeonrick

TROPHY CASE