Not a great game sigh...I completely messed up a drawn endgame, though this has made me realise the importance of learning endgames ;)
It is not only a matter of learning endgames, it is also a matter of thinking about the position.
You could have won a pawn with 33 Bxa5 bxa5 34 Nb3 and that should win the game. You stiil had 28 minutes in this 45+10 time control game. You spent 25 seconds on your mistake.
34 Kg3 even loses: you let the opposing king enter your position.
You could have won a pawn with 33 Bxa5 bxa5 34 Nb3 and that should win the game. You stiil had 28 minutes in this 45+10 time control game. You spent 25 seconds on your mistake.
34 Kg3 even loses: you let the opposing king enter your position.
@Tae7
33.g5
That was a first obvious mistake in that position it seems to me (later Kg3 made things worse). No need to hand over square f5 to black while wasting time by the g4g5 move. Bxa5 and then Nb3 is an idea, though black can play Nb6, Nxa5, Nxa4 and then the question is whether d4 or e6 will fall first or that defending the very pawn is possible.
Looking at the whole game, I'd say you played a bit passive in the opening, so for future games improvement is possible.
Then in the middle game suddenly you got helped by your opponent to get even, or maybe a slight advantage.
In general : Try to avoid putting pawns on the color of your bishop unless the move is really good. And create targets, or try to get play e.g. active piece play. In this semi closed position your bishop had no target, and the black king with the two knights got too active. In these French defense positions the d4 pawn can be an "easy" endgame target for black. So go into such an endgame as white when you have a clear advantage, or be sure to make a draw if you want that, otherwise try to avoid such endgames.
HTH
33.g5
That was a first obvious mistake in that position it seems to me (later Kg3 made things worse). No need to hand over square f5 to black while wasting time by the g4g5 move. Bxa5 and then Nb3 is an idea, though black can play Nb6, Nxa5, Nxa4 and then the question is whether d4 or e6 will fall first or that defending the very pawn is possible.
Looking at the whole game, I'd say you played a bit passive in the opening, so for future games improvement is possible.
Then in the middle game suddenly you got helped by your opponent to get even, or maybe a slight advantage.
In general : Try to avoid putting pawns on the color of your bishop unless the move is really good. And create targets, or try to get play e.g. active piece play. In this semi closed position your bishop had no target, and the black king with the two knights got too active. In these French defense positions the d4 pawn can be an "easy" endgame target for black. So go into such an endgame as white when you have a clear advantage, or be sure to make a draw if you want that, otherwise try to avoid such endgames.
HTH
Thanks, @tpr @achja for your response.
#2' It is also a matter of thinking about the position.'- That's sometimes easier said than done lol. My opponent spent ages on every move I got slightly 'bored' with staring at one position and couldn't focus that well at the end...I expect playing more classical games will help with that.
#3 I always dread playing against the French as black gets a very solid structure and it's easy to lose control over the center as white. I definitely need to practice playing against that opening. Thanks for the tips! I will keep them in mind :)
#2' It is also a matter of thinking about the position.'- That's sometimes easier said than done lol. My opponent spent ages on every move I got slightly 'bored' with staring at one position and couldn't focus that well at the end...I expect playing more classical games will help with that.
#3 I always dread playing against the French as black gets a very solid structure and it's easy to lose control over the center as white. I definitely need to practice playing against that opening. Thanks for the tips! I will keep them in mind :)
Hello, there are few things that I'd like to add:
1. I think in this endgame, (let's take the position after 23. ... Nxc8) black has slightly better winning chances. Position is closed, your bishop is blocked by your center pawns, your d4 pawn is weak and black does not have any weaknesses.
2. You waited too long for activating your king. You could have centralized your King as early as in move 23, but you waited until move 30. That is an absolute no no waiting 7 moves to activate your king.
Think this way: You play on move 24. b4. Does this worsens or improves your position? The answer is: I don't know. It is difficult to tell. But playing 24. Kf1 definitely improves your position, even if slightly. So: Play Kf1 and not b4 :)
3. In a bishop vs. knight endgame or bishop vs. bishop endgame, as a rule you should not put your pawn on to the color of your bishop. This is also very important. Especially g5 is a really bad move, that you would never ever want to play.
1. I think in this endgame, (let's take the position after 23. ... Nxc8) black has slightly better winning chances. Position is closed, your bishop is blocked by your center pawns, your d4 pawn is weak and black does not have any weaknesses.
2. You waited too long for activating your king. You could have centralized your King as early as in move 23, but you waited until move 30. That is an absolute no no waiting 7 moves to activate your king.
Think this way: You play on move 24. b4. Does this worsens or improves your position? The answer is: I don't know. It is difficult to tell. But playing 24. Kf1 definitely improves your position, even if slightly. So: Play Kf1 and not b4 :)
3. In a bishop vs. knight endgame or bishop vs. bishop endgame, as a rule you should not put your pawn on to the color of your bishop. This is also very important. Especially g5 is a really bad move, that you would never ever want to play.
@Feyzo88 Hello, thanks for your sharing your thoughts!
1. I would say the position was pretty much equal...you are right about b4 being slightly unnecessary though.
‘you should not put your pawn on to the color of your bishop’ - I see that both you and achja have mentioned this point.Perhaps its obvious but I’m not too sure why that is a bad idea lol
Yeah g5 was a shocking move sigh...
1. I would say the position was pretty much equal...you are right about b4 being slightly unnecessary though.
‘you should not put your pawn on to the color of your bishop’ - I see that both you and achja have mentioned this point.Perhaps its obvious but I’m not too sure why that is a bad idea lol
Yeah g5 was a shocking move sigh...
@Tae7 about pawns and bishops:
Many beginners (and many intermediate players as well) like to put their pawns on the same color of their bishop, because they think it is solid, because that way pawns and bishop can protect each other.
But it is wrong.
Better is, if your bishop is controlling the dark squares, and the pawns the light squares. It is simply better coordination.
Also, if your pawns are on light squares, your opponent's pawns are likely to be on dark squares. If you have a dark squared bishop, you can target and win opponents pawns. If you have a light square bishop however, you cannot do anything active.
These principals are valid for opening, middlegame and endgame.
Many beginners (and many intermediate players as well) like to put their pawns on the same color of their bishop, because they think it is solid, because that way pawns and bishop can protect each other.
But it is wrong.
Better is, if your bishop is controlling the dark squares, and the pawns the light squares. It is simply better coordination.
Also, if your pawns are on light squares, your opponent's pawns are likely to be on dark squares. If you have a dark squared bishop, you can target and win opponents pawns. If you have a light square bishop however, you cannot do anything active.
These principals are valid for opening, middlegame and endgame.
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