Well, blaah. I haven't posted a single post here in 1,5 years, and still nobody missed me. Nobody called me and asked if I was okay. Or have I died in horrifid jet crash (someday, someday...). Maybe I didn't share my phone number. That has to be it. Anyway, due the general misty (not E-M-fucking-O!!) attitude towards life I feel abused and neglected at the same time. But all is forgiven.
So due to the general incompetence what comes to my ability to remember passwords, I have had a little break. Now I am back, at least for couple posts.
Back to the basics: what has changed while I was gone?
Nothing in chess. Everything in life. Due the obligatory chess-related nature of this blog, I will just explain how nothing has changed why chess career.
My rating has changed but not very much. It was about 2000 when I last wrote here, and now it is about 2090. Actually it was 2030 just a month ago, but two weeks ago I semi-destroyed rest of the field in a national weekend tournament, and my rating rose about 60 points. Apart from that, my tournaments results have been decent but not anything worth of mentioning.
Blitz rating has changed too. I have played two rated blitz tournaments during the past 1,5 years, finishing second and "only-god-knows-what-but-not-in-top-ten". My blitz rating is little over 2100 now.
I restarted CTS and now I rethink of quitting it. Logical. My CTS rating is about 1740, most of the time hovering between 1700-1750. I thought getting it back to +1800 (like in good ol' days) in dead-easy, but apparently my wireless mouse is bit too inaccurate and slow for that. And excuses never hurt anyone.
Apart from chess, I have moved away from Helsinki. Living in middle-finland, dont wanna share exact details (and please refrain from using a word "paranoid" in comments-section). I study economics in university, and sometimes play other board games and tennis and badminton.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Friday, July 20, 2007
Blaah...
I dropped my CTS rating from +1800 to ~1700. Yippii.
More importantly tho, I regained my confidence in blitz chess. I achieved 85% score against fairly strong opposition (1800-2200 players) in recent tournament and ended up finishing 2nd. Having pretty nice performance after three disaster-tournaments was really important.
I dropped my CTS rating from +1800 to ~1700. Yippii.
More importantly tho, I regained my confidence in blitz chess. I achieved 85% score against fairly strong opposition (1800-2200 players) in recent tournament and ended up finishing 2nd. Having pretty nice performance after three disaster-tournaments was really important.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Eeeeew
Good news: I broke 1800 CTS.
Bad news: My blitz sucks. After excellent (what comes to blitz) first half of the year 2007, I am at the moment experiencing pretty deep downswing.
June started pretty well. In first club blitz tournament I managed to achieve solid 87% score against opponents averaging ~1950 strenght. The next tournament was little worse, I scored 75%, which may seem like a good performance, but this time the average opposition was just ~1700.
Then the next tournament was about the same, I scored 67%. But now the latest result, 47%, is just horrible by all standards. I think that was the first time, since year 2003, I scored under 50% in any OTB tournament (incl. all time controls). Suddenly I was playing very slowly and I lost most of the games on time. In good old days I could have 30 seconds time against opponent's 60 seconds in an even position, and still I felt confident. But now I feel shaky, and way too often I "freeze" trying to find that famous "better move" after I've found a good one. And when I finally find it, I have 10 seconds left...
Well, I think I am at the absolute bottom right now. I know I can't get any worse from here. But still for sheer fun I calculated what my rating would be in end of the year if I keep dropping my level at this pace. It'll be...wait...negative.
Bad news: My blitz sucks. After excellent (what comes to blitz) first half of the year 2007, I am at the moment experiencing pretty deep downswing.
June started pretty well. In first club blitz tournament I managed to achieve solid 87% score against opponents averaging ~1950 strenght. The next tournament was little worse, I scored 75%, which may seem like a good performance, but this time the average opposition was just ~1700.
Then the next tournament was about the same, I scored 67%. But now the latest result, 47%, is just horrible by all standards. I think that was the first time, since year 2003, I scored under 50% in any OTB tournament (incl. all time controls). Suddenly I was playing very slowly and I lost most of the games on time. In good old days I could have 30 seconds time against opponent's 60 seconds in an even position, and still I felt confident. But now I feel shaky, and way too often I "freeze" trying to find that famous "better move" after I've found a good one. And when I finally find it, I have 10 seconds left...
Well, I think I am at the absolute bottom right now. I know I can't get any worse from here. But still for sheer fun I calculated what my rating would be in end of the year if I keep dropping my level at this pace. It'll be...wait...negative.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Weeee...(part II)
Three days ago was my city's open championship tournament being held. As a reigning champ I felt obligated to participate. This year tournament was pretty poor in every ways (only 4 participants and average rating well under 1800).
Well I won the tournament pretty easily (with "mind-blowing" 2.5/3 score lol). My games are not worth of detailed analysis, but here is an interesting position from my second round game against 1500-rated player:
I was black here and its my move. White just played g6. I have 52 minutes time left, white has about 9 minutes. Now you might ask; what is that special in this position? You are right, there is nothing special here. After black plays Rb1 (or Ke7 or Ke8 or Rb6 or even Rh3+) its over. Of course I knew they all win. And I knew I cant play anything else, like a4 or Rb2 because after g7 white promotes.
Yet I played a4 (explanation: I was not paying attention coz I was kibitzing other game at the same time + total mental blackout). The thing is that immediately after I touched a-pawn I knew its over. Huge deja vu feeling went through me; just seconds earlier I was thinking that I can't play a4, and seconds later I forgot it totally and played it.
Okay, after g7 its whites win. But amazingly he didnt win, because I defended well (=well enough to force position where 1500-player in time trouble couldn't find a way to finish me off).
Other results from past weeks: won round-4 and round-5 games in 1h+30sec-tournament.
Won May's open blitz tournament with 9/9 score. So I think right now I am in good upswing. I hope that next downswing does not start before autumn.
Well I won the tournament pretty easily (with "mind-blowing" 2.5/3 score lol). My games are not worth of detailed analysis, but here is an interesting position from my second round game against 1500-rated player:
I was black here and its my move. White just played g6. I have 52 minutes time left, white has about 9 minutes. Now you might ask; what is that special in this position? You are right, there is nothing special here. After black plays Rb1 (or Ke7 or Ke8 or Rb6 or even Rh3+) its over. Of course I knew they all win. And I knew I cant play anything else, like a4 or Rb2 because after g7 white promotes.
Yet I played a4 (explanation: I was not paying attention coz I was kibitzing other game at the same time + total mental blackout). The thing is that immediately after I touched a-pawn I knew its over. Huge deja vu feeling went through me; just seconds earlier I was thinking that I can't play a4, and seconds later I forgot it totally and played it.
Okay, after g7 its whites win. But amazingly he didnt win, because I defended well (=well enough to force position where 1500-player in time trouble couldn't find a way to finish me off).
Other results from past weeks: won round-4 and round-5 games in 1h+30sec-tournament.
Won May's open blitz tournament with 9/9 score. So I think right now I am in good upswing. I hope that next downswing does not start before autumn.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Weee...2004
My new national rating is 2004. So first time I have +2000 rating.
I also visited CTS and solved some puzzles. Due my high RD my rating sank under 1750. I dont even remember what it is now, and I dont care. I think that way too many 1600-1800 rated problems are not real "problems"; they are more like positions where there are no real tactical shot to be found but instead you just have to find a way make best defensive/offensive move or simply recapture a piece. I hate that, because I am there only to keep my tactical eye sharpened, not to think about positional factors and stuff. It really bugs when you are searching to find cool combination and the solution is something like simply recapturing opponents piece.
I also visited CTS and solved some puzzles. Due my high RD my rating sank under 1750. I dont even remember what it is now, and I dont care. I think that way too many 1600-1800 rated problems are not real "problems"; they are more like positions where there are no real tactical shot to be found but instead you just have to find a way make best defensive/offensive move or simply recapture a piece. I hate that, because I am there only to keep my tactical eye sharpened, not to think about positional factors and stuff. It really bugs when you are searching to find cool combination and the solution is something like simply recapturing opponents piece.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
3/5
Today I lost and won. First, in fourth round I was paired against top-rated guy. Well, I had white pieces but once again that didn't help me at all. After 15 moves I was already defending and hoping for a miracle. I defended brilliantly, and eventually my strong opponent couldn't find a way to mate me although almost all his pieces were pointing towards my poor king. In the end I managed to "bounce back", and my counter-attack ended up being decisive. 1-0 for me.
Second game... I messed up the opening, got worse position, defended and defended, but this time my opponent also attacked accurately and I had to resign.
3/5 score, shared third place in group A, rating performance being decent 2100.
Second game... I messed up the opening, got worse position, defended and defended, but this time my opponent also attacked accurately and I had to resign.
3/5 score, shared third place in group A, rating performance being decent 2100.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Phew...2/3 so far.
Mikkeli's open five-round weekend tournament started today. After three rounds (G/90mins) I have 2 wins and 1 loss, average rating of opponents being 1976. So not that bad, although my goal (5/5 score) can not be achieved anymore, I am still very pleased I have 2 points.
What to comes to the games, well...they were terrible. Get this: In all three games I was either in lot worse position or in dead lost position after 10-15 moves. In first game I played too creatively (out of book) . My opponent had an wonderful idea, double fianchetto, which worked pretty well. The two bishops made my position almost to collapse right after the opening. Had he offered draw, I would have took it immediately. Then something odd happened, despite his great position he couldnt find a good plan and started to drift. I took full advantage of couple inaccurate moves he made, and soon it was drawish endgame. Luckily we both were in serious time trouble. Althought I had actually less time (~2 mins to his 4mins), I knew I could handle the situation better than he would (here we see how playing bullet improves your long chess too). I did, he blundered...and I won.
Second game, perhaps the worst I've ever played OTB, I played with white. After 15 moves I was already dead meat. I think I'll never understand how I can lose so fast without making any visible blunders. Well, the game still lasted another 20 moves. Then I resigned.
Third game. I was frustrated, and wanted to finish my opponent off quickly. Bad idea. Opening wasnt really a success for me, in fact I just barely survived. Then he gave me time to finish my development. After 20 moves I had decent position, which again looked like a draw. Well, he tried bit too hard and I defended well, and eventually we moved to an endgame where material was even but his only knight was trapped in the h-file. So...being practically knight up in material, I managed to "bust in " with my rook and when he finally got his knight out of h-file, it was already too late.
So...phew. I could very well have 0/3 score right now, but luckily I am lucky man, who knows how to deal with inferior positions.
What to comes to the games, well...they were terrible. Get this: In all three games I was either in lot worse position or in dead lost position after 10-15 moves. In first game I played too creatively (out of book) . My opponent had an wonderful idea, double fianchetto, which worked pretty well. The two bishops made my position almost to collapse right after the opening. Had he offered draw, I would have took it immediately. Then something odd happened, despite his great position he couldnt find a good plan and started to drift. I took full advantage of couple inaccurate moves he made, and soon it was drawish endgame. Luckily we both were in serious time trouble. Althought I had actually less time (~2 mins to his 4mins), I knew I could handle the situation better than he would (here we see how playing bullet improves your long chess too). I did, he blundered...and I won.
Second game, perhaps the worst I've ever played OTB, I played with white. After 15 moves I was already dead meat. I think I'll never understand how I can lose so fast without making any visible blunders. Well, the game still lasted another 20 moves. Then I resigned.
Third game. I was frustrated, and wanted to finish my opponent off quickly. Bad idea. Opening wasnt really a success for me, in fact I just barely survived. Then he gave me time to finish my development. After 20 moves I had decent position, which again looked like a draw. Well, he tried bit too hard and I defended well, and eventually we moved to an endgame where material was even but his only knight was trapped in the h-file. So...being practically knight up in material, I managed to "bust in " with my rook and when he finally got his knight out of h-file, it was already too late.
So...phew. I could very well have 0/3 score right now, but luckily I am lucky man, who knows how to deal with inferior positions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
