Learning from Masters

Playing too fast is an obvious weakness:



A 10+0 time control game with 8 minutes left on the clock when it is over, i.e. played as if it were 2+0 bullet.
Apart from the blunder, there is also a strategic error Bb5xd7. Your Bf1 is your good bishop, not on the colour of your pawns, Bc1 is your bad bishop on the colour of your pawns. Likewise Bf8 is his good bishop and Bc8 is his bad bishop. You trade your good bishop for his bad bishop. Moreover you give him a tempo. Bf1 and Bc8 disappear from the board and he gets the developing move ...Nxd7 for free.

Try reading some Tarrasch books, he was classically considered as a very dogmatic player. He speaks with simplicity and goes for a solid positional style trying to make sense with all the moves in the position without going for an extensive analysis of different variations. If you're looking for a coach I would advise you to find some local master from your city with whom you get well along with and who likes teaching chess.

Hi

@tpr: Excellent observations. I remember this game and thinking that i was playing too fast. I had improved a lot in this respect in recent months. I played blitz extensively and considered 5 minute chess a bit slow sometimes. I now play exclusively 10 minute chess. Only some bad cheating experiences have stopped me from going on to 15 minute with 2 seconds increment as I consider this would be quite close to ideal for practice games.

@kenzaburo: I play the Tarrasch variation of the French Defence, and that is all I really know about Tarrasch. While I believe calculation is a key skill in chess I think understanding is of vital importance. I am currently working through Dvoretsky's endgame tome and forcing moves on the chessable site but have to concede that working like an idiot savant on tactics and endgames is not enough for me. I like to understand, and at least feel as though I have not descended into playing opportunistic hope chess.

Thanks for these high quality suggestions.

Here is another example of mistakes caused by playing too fast

Hi

@tpr: Today's games haven't gone too well. To be fair I have been slightly distracted by the Singapore Grand Prix and Liverpool's game. This game was frustrating because I managed to get what I felt was a typical smith morra advantage, was outplayed and then conned my way back in only to play the unfortunate Ke4.

Nice to know you are looking at my games. Playing too fast is definitely an issue. Wow, get in Lewis Hamilton. What a lap!

All that matters on the chessboard is good moves.

@Oxytocinblb You can find tutors right here in the lichess by going to the tutor's room. lichess.org/coach