@olu1994 #1
In this game you started with the London system, but you didn't quite follow up with its ideas imho. Also, your pieces were not working well together and you made several pawn moves that created weaknesses. Your opponent got the bishop pair and eventually profited from your weaknesses.
Try to avoid creating weaknesses, and try to make every move as part of a plan.
Remember that one weakness is kind of okay (If I remember correctly this is either from Nimzovich or Boleslavsky).
You can see that in e.g. the Sicilian Svesnikov where white accepts weakening square d5.
In GM games you can also see that with one weakness they usually try to create a second weakness.
For your opening play I suggest to study annotated games and watch chess videos and then try to grasp what opening and following middlegame is about.
Also, study pawn structures. Openings are basically always in relation to pawn structures. And with certain pawn structures there's logic for plans to play for.
For example in the French defense in several lines, white likes to play f2f4 and f4f5 and then trade on e6 (or play f5f6 if applicable).
Some generic web links,
GM Seirawan :
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVWaFpMwtaGiVZ77NhhvGGGzvF7oFSWcA
GM Akobian :
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVWaFpMwtaGguNTCmp2fAFJxhKi0JEpp6
In this game you started with the London system, but you didn't quite follow up with its ideas imho. Also, your pieces were not working well together and you made several pawn moves that created weaknesses. Your opponent got the bishop pair and eventually profited from your weaknesses.
Try to avoid creating weaknesses, and try to make every move as part of a plan.
Remember that one weakness is kind of okay (If I remember correctly this is either from Nimzovich or Boleslavsky).
You can see that in e.g. the Sicilian Svesnikov where white accepts weakening square d5.
In GM games you can also see that with one weakness they usually try to create a second weakness.
For your opening play I suggest to study annotated games and watch chess videos and then try to grasp what opening and following middlegame is about.
Also, study pawn structures. Openings are basically always in relation to pawn structures. And with certain pawn structures there's logic for plans to play for.
For example in the French defense in several lines, white likes to play f2f4 and f4f5 and then trade on e6 (or play f5f6 if applicable).
Some generic web links,
GM Seirawan :
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVWaFpMwtaGiVZ77NhhvGGGzvF7oFSWcA
GM Akobian :
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVWaFpMwtaGguNTCmp2fAFJxhKi0JEpp6
I appreciate this achja,
I will subscribe and study.
I will subscribe and study.
Wow I think I know how to play a bishop and king endgame properly now.
@olu1994 the first mistake you made was playing 2. Nf3 , a move that should typically be played later.
also, 5. b5 was a terrible move for the London System, as it forces white to start defending it and not concentrating on developing his position.
I learned the London System through this video by GM Simon Williams:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDU83nDqCUc
also, 5. b5 was a terrible move for the London System, as it forces white to start defending it and not concentrating on developing his position.
I learned the London System through this video by GM Simon Williams:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDU83nDqCUc
@TMcSquared #6
Thanks for sharing this video. Nice! :)
As a side note, GM Williams is saying a few times : "You can play the London against everything". This is not true. For example after 1.d4 e5 (Englund gambit) and 1.d4 c5 and 1.d4 f5 white might want to play something else. And after 1.d4 b6 the move 2.Bf4 leaves some room for improvement.
Thanks for sharing this video. Nice! :)
As a side note, GM Williams is saying a few times : "You can play the London against everything". This is not true. For example after 1.d4 e5 (Englund gambit) and 1.d4 c5 and 1.d4 f5 white might want to play something else. And after 1.d4 b6 the move 2.Bf4 leaves some room for improvement.
@achja well, he says you can play it against ALMOST anything, but I get your point.
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