Why I Lose at Chess (Oct 2023)

I've been reviewing my games and thinking about my recent losses - so I decided to capture my thoughts in writing.

Ultimately, all chess games are decided by a winning tactic. But what is happening in my games that ultimately allow my opponents to make those tactics? I'm trying to understand in this post.

I don't liquidate the pawn center at the right moment

If I'm playing e4/e5 as either white or black, I need to understand when to keep a pawn center and when to liquidate early so I can have an open game.

In this Vienna Gambit as black, I allowed my opponent to keep a pawn center instead of capturing his advanced pawn (he had no way to save it). Eventually he created a Big Center and rolled down the board.
Here I played Bf5 - and never recovered. I should have played Nf6 and then captured the pawn.

I mistakenly think that I have "no right to attack" until I've finished development

Another problem is that I have a misguided notion that I need to "finish development" before looking for tactics. This is just plain wrong. If you can win early in the opening and your calculation is sound, you should go for it.

in this game I played the Scotch as white, but allowed my opponent to hold some pawns in the center when I could have traded them off and left his King exposed and uncastled.

Instead of playing 6. exd5 cxd5 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8.Qxd5 Bxb5 9.Qxb5+ and then trading queens, I allowed black to castle, develop and mount a counter attack.

Why did I allow that? Because I heard some voice in my head saying "develop your pieces, control the center, and castle!" So I needed to check the checkbox "develop all your pieces!" Wrong wrong wrong.

As Chernev writes, analyzing Alekhine - Poindle (Vienna 1936):

Why does Alekhine violate elementary opening principles? The reason he does so is that routine development ("You get your pieces out quietly and I'll do the same with mine") would give Black time to reorganize his position. Black has committed some indiscretions (such as moving one knight five times in the opening! ), and the way to punish these lapses is to keep him occupied - face him with problems at every point and give him no time to recover. If it requires unconventional moves to force weaknesses in his position, then play these unorthodox moves ! Moves are good or bad by one standard only - their effect on the position at hand.

I play "quirky" openings instead of mainlines

In my recent OTB game, my opponent played the Tarrasch Variation in response my French Defense. The most popular main lines involve trading pawns and opening up the center.

I had not studied the Tarrasch Variation - but then, I shouldn't need to if I know my plan for the French is "open up the center if they are not playing the Advance or the Classical"

Instead, I did some "quirky" (losing) plan that involved trading off the light-squared bishops early... Fell behind in development in the process - and lost.

Here I've already moved my knight twice, and while white is developing I'm working to trade off my French bishop. To what end?

Similarly, I faced the English early this year and tried (and failed) to play a line I saw in a YouTube video. Maybe that works for blitz games, but not slow OTB classical.

Here I played Bxc3, only because that's what I remembered from an NM Lopez "ChessVibes" video.

NM Lopez, your idea is ok (and to be fair I didn't execute it correctly), but you should preface your video with "learn the English mainlines as Black first." Mainlines are the mainlines because they are the best moves, not because some GMs arbitrarily decided that's what they like to play - but I digress.

I don't understand the ideas of my chosen openings

I have decided that I want to play the Scotch Gambit:

• It's an e4-e5 opening, so it will tend lead to an open game - which I want. I don't enjoy closed, plodding games.
• Many players don't know the mainlines as black, and play inferior moves.
• It offers a lot of early tactics that can leave you in a better position out of the opening.
• Finally, it's not "dubious" and is employed by GMs in classical games.

Several recent games I've come out ahead in the opening using the Scotch - and failed to capitalize. After some early tactics that put my opponent on their backfoot, I (again!) would think to myself "time to finish development before attacking." Again, completely wrong.

The point of this opening is to put early pressure on your opponent and never let up. If you stop to "develop" your knight, you give black an opportunity to get their king to safety and use their open files to start a counter attack.

(Side note: as a fencer, I also play a "pressure" game - very contrary to the defensive, waiting game used by other epeeists. It gives my teammates heart attacks, but it's never boring!)

Here is a recent loss from a OTB classical game at Marshall where my opening went very well - until I played Qe3, hiding my queen behind a pawn where it blocks my dark-squared bishop from developing.

Similarly, I have played the French Defense without understanding that I eventually I'll need to play the f6 pawn break ("thematic"). Probably this is why some trainers recommend against the French for players at my level. It is a long, slow game and you really have to understand the long term plan as black (I don't yet).

I don't think about long-term pawn structures or endgame plans (correctly - or sometimes at all)

I place too much weight on "doubled pawns" as a "liability" - ignoring that they can give my opponent central control and ultimately a big center.

In this game, I captured such that my opponent was able to recapture into a solid pawn center - even though he had doubled pawns. A mistake from which I never recovered - and it cost me the game.

I rush to push a passed pawn without calculating

Finally, I've squandered passed pawns too early - often rushing to move them before even calculating, on the idea that the passed pawn "pressures" my opponent.

In this game (the same "quirky" English from earlier), I had a passed a-pawn. I made this move - a4 - and went on to lose (evaluation jumped to +1.5 to +5.5 on this one move).

Instead of rushing to push this pawn, I should have left it for safe-keeping and dealt with my opponent's kingside attack - maneuvering my king to safety. Instead, the pawn became a target that eventually fell - and I lost with my queenside completely open.

Recap

If I were to summarize these points:

• I play e4, so I need to open up the center and attack, not allow the center to be closed and play "lemon" moves.
• If I'm winning out the opening, I need to keep the pressure on - not "pause to finish development."
• Play the mainlines! Even if you are not sure what the mainline is, you can be damn sure what it *isn't*. If you are moving a piece twice, or avoiding a pawn trade that could open up the center to your advantage - you probably aren't playing a mainline.
• You don't need to memorize a mainline 15-moves deep, but you should at least understand the overall idea. I need to do this for the Scotch Gambit and the French.
• Think about the pawn structures and potential endgame scenarios before you trade pawns and pieces. Don't think that merely "doubling their pawns" is providing any kind of winning advantage. It's likely not.