Every Loss Is A Lesson

Game Of The Week

This week's game comes from the beginning of my chess career.  The time was 1998, and I had been playing tournament chess for 2 months with 11 games under my belt.  I traveled to Pueblo for my first out-of-town event, run by Ken Schwartz and Roy Heath.

I had 6 wins and 5 losses going into this game and a provisional rating of 1618.  I had beaten a 1900 player twice already.  So, it wasn't like I couldn't play.  I just couldn't play consistently.  I had very little practical experience, and I was about to get a lesson in the Greek Gift Sacrifice.

I didn't know the Greek Gift Sacrifice then.  But I learned it that day.  I learned it the hard way:  losing over the board to get knocked out of 1st place.  And I haven't forgotten it.

If you haven't heard of it, then see if you can find the best move in this position.

White to move

You may learn much more from a game you lose than from a game you win.  You will have to lose hundreds of games before becoming a good player.

Jose Raul Capablanca, 3rd World Chess Champion

Well, it has been almost 20 years since that loss, and now I am teaching chess.  I was reminded of this game during a lesson recently.  I was preaching about the most important aspect of chess:  the bigger army wins!

Unfortunately, during one of the games with my student, I get a similar positon to that fateful loss.  Now I am faced with the choice of driving home the point about not being careless with your pieces or prematurely delving into the advanced concept that for every rule there is an exception.

Even in a lesson I want to win.  So, it was time to teach about Sacrifice and Compensation.

Here I have ignored the simple recapture of Black's Bishop and offered the gift of my Bishop.  Black's King has opended the walls of the city and unknowingly allowed my army easy access to plunder the town, much like the Greek's sack of Troy using the wooden horse.  However, getting in the door is just half the battle.  One still has to go in for the kill.

White to move

Every Loss Is A Lesson

[Event "Pueblo April"]
[Site "https://cschessnews.blogspot.com/"]
[Date "1998.04.25"]
[Round "3.2"]
[White "Christie, Kyle"]
[Black "Anderson, Paul"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B15"]
[WhiteElo "1763"]
[BlackElo "1718"]
[PlyCount "23"]
[EventDate "1998.04.25"]
[TimeControl "1800"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 e6 4. e5 Bb4 5. Nf3 Ne7 6. Bd3 Nd7 7. O-O O-O 8. Bxh7+ Kxh7 9. Ng5+ Kg6 10. Qg4 Rh8 11. Nxe6+ Kh7 12. Qxg7# 1-0

https://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game-replayer.php?id=110055

This Week In Chess

On March 28th, the Colorado Springs Chess Club concluded its March Swiss 90 (4SS, G90+30).

Standings. March Swiss 90: MS90

# Name Rtng Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Tot Prize

1 Aleksand Bozhenov 1923 W9 W3 W7 L2 3.0 $20.00 1st
2 Paul D Anderson 2041 L7 W5 W11 W1 3.0 $20.00 1st
3 Mark McGough 1848 W4 L1 W8 D5 2.5
4 Michael Smith II 1332 L3 W9 D5 W11 2.5 $5.00 GOW
5 Brian Jo Rountree 1802 W10 L2 D4 D3 2.0
6 Peter Barlay 1949 W8 U--- U--- W10 2.0
7 Calvin P Dejong 1754 W2 H--- L1 U--- 1.5
8 Alemayeh Mekonnen 1528 L6 W10 L3 L9 1.0 $5.00 GOW
9 Dean W Brown 1467 L1 L4 L10 W8 1.0
10 Scott Ch Williams 1231 L5 L8 W9 L6 1.0 $5.00 GOW
11 Sam Bridle 1800 H--- H--- L2 L4 1.0