Saturday 28 March 2009

OTB GAME

I played this game 2 days ago against a real person sitting oppersite me using a real board.
It was not a tournament game.

I have not played real chess in years.
It felt some how strange not to be playing on a computer.
I found i was doubting my move choice nearly all the time.
It was 15 minutes each on the clock.
I made many mistakes like not playing 28.Rxg6.

Still it is the first of many OTB games i hope.

I am White in this game.




6 comments:

linuxguyonfics said...

yeah, it's weird when you haven't played OTB in a while. First time back (in years) it freaked me out to look at a 3-D chessboard - I may have worn contact lenses for the occasion also, which was not smart, not my normal thing.

This game, there is not much point in saying what you could have improved on; maybe d4 was playable, instead of d3, sacrifice it up there, perhaps the e-pawn as well. But you were okay the way you played.

You did a superb job of capitalizing on his mistakes. Again, total mismatch.

f4 looked weird, since he has g5 in reply. I would have played h4 instead f4. Really, you don't need to have your pawns on the same color as his bishop there, but you are so far ahead just about anything wins. ;-) hehe.

Your biggest hurdle will probably be in finding stronger opponents to play. The worst thing I've seen at tournaments is someone reaches the top of their section, but not quite enough to break out, then they play the same opponents all the time and start "playing down" to the level of their opponents. Really, only the worst player of the bunch stands much chance improving under that scenario.

I see you improving a lot, very strong play, but you don't find strong players to play against, or they have a ways to go on their game.

chessx said...

Thanks linuxguy, but as i said this was a off hand game.
But it has made me want to play more OTB.
If i was not so busy i might join a club.

Linuxguy said...

ChessX, being in-between jobs for me, it's a nice reason to get out of the house for a social activity. I see players there, some that I've know for over a 16 or 17 year span.

Sometimes they are still playing some of the same opening variations and I just think "Wow!" But I can also analyze with a couple of them and gain their perspectives.

From the patzer said...

I always found otb more fun because of the interaction you can have with your opponent, even during the game the huff and puffing of the opponent can tell you much.

But like our linuxguy i would advise you to join a chess club or find somebody a little bit stronger as you to be your sparringpartner so that all your hard study work doesn't go thru the drain.

Good luck and have fun!

chessx said...

Linuxguy and chesstiger

I will take on board what you say about joining a club.

Yes i did enjoy playing otb after all these years.

Rolling Pawns said...

If you join the club, maybe you don't have to come, let's say, every Saturday/Sunday or whatever. In my club I can take a bye when I can't come. The thing is you will be playing.