Crib Sheet for the 2+1 Lichess Marathon

Hello there! as you know, in a few hours the Lichess Marathon will begin, which this time will use a bullet time control generally less popular than 1+0 but also as interesting : 2+1.

Let's quickly see the differences between the two:

1+0

- No increment, allows you to keep a fast pace of play from start to finish, high possibility of flagging*

*(flagging=playing faster than your opponent to make him lose the game at time)

- The speed of 1+0 allows you to master and try several types of "dirty traps" (because obviously aesthetically ugly for anything that is not bullet)

[ like the lefong which can allow you to win a bishop, a rook or even a Queen depending on where and when you perform it. ]

- easy to berserk if you are used to play hyper

2+1

- 2 minutes on the clock plus 1 second increment, can significantly slow down the pace of the game, making it closer to blitz

- Difficult to berserk because you lose the increment and will have to play much faster, which will expose you to blunders, which, unlike 1+0 cannot be repaired or forgiven by your speed.

- Generally impossible to succeed in a dirty trap. the slowness of 2+1 encourages more real chess thinking and skills rather than being focused on speed. Don't just rely on your speed to just flag your opponents, be as precise as you can in the game.

Advice to improve or play 2+1 correctly

- use the increment to your advantage: premove the opening.

If you know your lines of your favorite openings by heart, you can save a lot of time with virtually no risk of experiencing a lefong given the duration of the time control. 5 premoved moves can add 5 seconds to you thanks to the increment, 5 seconds that you can use later to quickly calculate an option or find a tactic.

However, there is no point in playing quickly beyond the opening if you are not under time pressure, you risk making a mistake which your opponent will take advantage of.

- have a very offensive style of play

It's no secret that if you want to have a chance at a good result in a marathon, winning games quickly is important. but this may at first glance seem risky in 2+1. But 2+1 is much more suited to this than 1+0 because you can take much more time to build your attack and maximize your chances of winning.

when berserk ?

there are three options to increase your chances of reaching the top500:

- berserk a lot to get the extra point for each victory but in exchange, take risks and quickly expose yourself to a tilt (streak of defeats) and tire yourself mentally if you are not used to such a thing.

- or in this case do not berserk or berserk back and try to win as many games as possible in a row to have 4 points from the 3rd victory. but the risk is to play the games too passively and expose yourself to the hasard of pairing to reduce the chances of having at least 3 victories in a row.

- And finally compromise between the two and only use berserk against opponents you are sure you can beat and also berserk back. therefore favor using berserk at both extremes - against lower rated opponents and against higher rated opponents than you. this will save you time and move on to the next game quickly.

take as much time as you need to make your next move, 2+1 is literally a blitz so don't rush in the middle of the game.

- avoid as much as possible complex endgame like pawn structures or attempts to reach a Philidor position.

if you are in a losing position, don't wait for a miracle with time like flagging, give up and move on to the next game to try to reach the top500

This will take too much time and you will risk a fatal error for your position. give all your offensive potential in the midgame and avoid Queen exchanges, be mobile and if your opponent attacks, find a good defense. also avoid non-offensive sacrifices, if a sacrifice does not help you demolish the opposing castling, don't do it, keep as many pieces as possible.

About Marathon

Of course, take regular breaks, especially if you are in a losing streak, always be motivated and tell yourself that even if you have just lost 7 or 10 games, know that you will inevitably have a victory a few games later.

Eat a healthy for such an event, if you plan to play for a long time, hydrate regularly, drink plenty of water. If you feel like you need a break, take it. and above all have fun because you are going to participate in a wonderful event where the most important thing is to participate and, take care of yourself and I wish you to win lots of great games !!!

Do you have any question about this blog, or want another advice ? Leave a comment and I will respond !!