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Basic Threats V. Analyze the Board
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baddeeds
12-Mar-17, 09:28

Basic Threats V. Analyze the Board
In general, I rely on Analyze the Board. And, on occasion, visualization. But, that changed after my rated game with bhidragon. But, just like with visualization, one should not get carried with analyze the board. As seeing the basic threats, including checkmate is always more important and with the most basic patterns that one could dream. I say that because it makes a difference on chess websites. But, you still have to see things carefully because of what happens in OTB chess when there is no analyze the board. Although not exact since it wasn't notated during the second game, an example happened in that moment. And, it was the second WTW game against Jack Stockel. The irony is that I was a piece up, and I don't know the position, but is an example of what happened. And, what actually happened is more important then anything else. So, the position was something like this.
It's also worth noting that in the actual game, there was a pawn hanging that Jack gave away. Because I was so spoiled with the analyze the board feature, I forgot to take is a mistake. Therefore, instead of playing the right move, which was to open up with g3 which was the best move in the real game. Instead, I played something Rxb6?? That might not have been the actual move since there are some slight differences in this position from the actual game. But, it's definitely close enough. Therefore, not surprisingly, it resulted in something ...Rc1+ with a mate right after. That's with mate in two, but in the actual game, it was mate in one but the same kind being a back rank mate. And, yes, that was the obvious threat, and being spoiled with the analyze the board, I took without giving it enough thought. In the process he delivered that same kind of checkmate. He once, again, emphasized to watch the K, and I agree with what he said that I'm too experienced to miss that kind of threat. So, what I learned is not to be completely reliant on that feature. As it only helps with GK games, but with OTB threats, one really needs to be mindful about these kinds of things and give it more thought before making that move. The idea is doing the Homework by bringing out the thinking caps and, possibly even, thinking outside the box a little.
apatzer
12-Mar-17, 09:37

To recognize all aspects of the position and organize/prioritize based on the current situation. In the above diagram Whom ever is on the move wins outright as both sides have a severe back rank weakness.


White to move 1. Rh8#

or... to be funny...

1.Rd8+ Kxd8 2.Rh8#


Black to move 1. ... Rc1+ 2. Rd1 Rxd1#
baddeeds
12-Mar-17, 10:40

In the actual game, though, white doesn't have a back rank mate, but white did. And, I was white. This is actually more accurate, come to think of it.
It was mate in two, and yes, I made a blunderous move like ...Rxb6. So, after the response like Rxe1, Rxe1# I thought that I was allright because, to my concern this was liquidation after being a piece up. But, what I overlooked is that he mated in one. So, maybe not for this diagram, as white can attack with f3 which wasn't the case with Jack, but in the actual game, white's best move was to open up with g3.



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