tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731383362544628080.post4584375661975719181..comments2024-01-29T11:56:08.613-08:00Comments on Soapstone's Studio: QuagmireSoapstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09615415471957675272noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731383362544628080.post-25209605413082973812009-03-19T12:18:00.000-07:002009-03-19T12:18:00.000-07:00During the game, while he was still holding his he...During the game, while he was still holding his head as I was contemplating whether there wasn't some trick, he said, "I just moved too fast." I have done some amateur psychology in the days following the game and thought perhaps he hallucinated that his king was still in contact with c4 and that my rook which had been running like a scaredy cat on the previous moves, would just run away again. Somehow an illusion of invulnerability coupled with fingerfehler added up to luck for me. Who says there's no luck in chess?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731383362544628080.post-14681112562290518252009-03-19T12:03:00.000-07:002009-03-19T12:03:00.000-07:00did your opponent say what he was thinking when he...did your opponent say what he was thinking when he traded rooks and just lost that pawn?frenezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09252413506194439087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731383362544628080.post-21746145327359984512009-03-17T20:24:00.000-07:002009-03-17T20:24:00.000-07:00Hi Ernie, that line looks good also, confirming my...Hi Ernie, that line looks good also, confirming my need to worry about your position. Like the Heffalump analogy! I hope I never underestimate that groping trunk! <BR/><BR/>My tactical friend Mark Brooks uses that book and yes, it is rather simple, but it has the effect of calling to mind some of the psychology around chess, which is nice as sometimes we get too caught up in our analysis at the board to realize just who we are facing at the board. <BR/><BR/>It's probably best to play the board, but knowing who your opponent is can't be that bad.Eric Shoemakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16618752684695965275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731383362544628080.post-81874444724134017642009-03-17T09:07:00.000-07:002009-03-17T09:07:00.000-07:00Well, now 53.Kd1 d3 54.Rf2 Ra3 seems crushing with...Well, now 53.Kd1 d3 54.Rf2 Ra3 seems crushing without too much rook finesse. White has to worry about being mated and ends up losing the a-pawn.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731383362544628080.post-63411012455224372072009-03-17T09:02:00.000-07:002009-03-17T09:02:00.000-07:00I WAS lost until the Rc4 blunder. I suppose I sho...I WAS lost until the Rc4 blunder. I suppose I should have given the alternative to the blunder from the last diagram. The endgame is more complicated than it looks and it does require technique to avoid a draw. I thought that 45...d5 46.exd5 exd5 47.Rf2 Kc5 48.Rc2+ Rc4 49.Rb2 b4 50.Rb3 d4 51.Rb2 Rc3+ 52.Kd2 Kc4 was simple enough with play similar to the line given in my playable board after move 38, but the open f-file creates complications that seem to require the Black rook to reposition back to the second rank (Ra7) as in your line.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731383362544628080.post-75923278500063176512009-03-16T17:23:00.000-07:002009-03-16T17:23:00.000-07:00Hi Ernie, I thought you were almost lost when I ca...Hi Ernie, I thought you were almost lost when I came by. In the last diagram, a better plan for Black was too use Capablanca's theory of two weaknesses. Black could in the last diagram play a move such as ...Ra7 with the idea of moving it to f7. And if White's Rook prevents that with a move such as Rf2, then and only then should the Black King advance toward the a-pawn. If the White King then moves to defend, the Black Rook should be able to more effectively enter the Queenside. The idea is to have both White's endgame pieces discoordinated or to have one in the way of the other so that either the a-pawn falls or the e-pawn falls, the latter also being weak in the position. Of course, Black's b-pawn may need defense as White will be doing something. This type of ending really does call for technique. It might even drawn with best play.Eric Shoemakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16618752684695965275noreply@blogger.com