Another Double Delusion

The Double Delusion is probably the most intriguing example of chess psychology. How can both players see the same thing when it doesn't exist? Is there some kind of telepathic communication between the players, or is it a certain feature in the position that leads both players astray? 

Me - N.N. (Open Tournament, 2024)

Black has just played the surprising Qg5, and both players were now totally convinced that this was the start of a winning attack. How can White defend? Nxf4 fails to the discovered check Bxf3+ winning the Queen, Bx4 loses a piece after Rxg4, and Qd2 allows Rbf8.

1.h4!

How could that move be so incredibly hard to find? Because it was obscured by the delusion. Once found, the move not only defuses Black's attack, it also wins a piece:

1...Qe5 2.Nxf4 Qxd4+ 3.Kg2 Rf8 4.Bxg4 Rxf4 5.Be6+

Now White is winning. I managed to trade off the Queens and Rooks, and got an easily won ending. How did go then? Embarrassingly enough, I messed up and lost the game. But, even though I failed to beat my opponent, I managed to beat the delusion, and that counts for more, at least in my book!

So, the move Qg5 (in the first diagram) was a blunder caused by a double delusion. As a side note: even if White doesn't find the best move, 1.h4!, the dismissed 1.Qd2 Rbf8 2.Qe3 is perfectly playable, leading to a sharp position with equal chances.

Instead of Qg5, Black could have played Bxf3 with a slightly better position.

Takeaway

The next time you think your position is won (or lost), take a moment to consider whether your assessment is for real, or just a delusion. You might think that every piece on the board is fully visible, and that you can imagine every possible move, but that's not entirely true. Your mind is constantly hiding information from you, and takes a lot of effort to find the moves obscured by fear or greed.

Fear and Greed

 Fear and greed are probably the most common causes for making bad decisions in chess. Both emotions prevent us from thinking logically and systematically, and make us do stupid things. Below is an example on what greed can do to you (I'm at the move as White, and I'm the greedy one in this game).

I have been building up for a Kingside attack, and now it's time to leap into action. I started off with 1. Bh6, seeing that the Bishop cannot be captured due to 2. Rxf6, but now greed kicked in:

1...Qe6 2. Bxg7?? Kxg7 3. Qg5+ Bg6

This was the move I completely ignored, blinded by the beautiful wins after 3...Kh7. Now White's completely busted. This is the hardest type of loss - you are just waiting for them to resign, but instead they play a move that not only saves the day, but also wins the game! The worst part of it is that you have only yourself to blame.

Instead of the disastrous Bxg7, White could have retreated the Bishop to e3 with a winning game. But, retreats are seldom on your mind in the middle of an attack.

However, the greediness doesn't stop there. Being obsessed by the capture on h6, I completely overlooked a much better continuation from the diagram:

1. e5! dxe5 2. Bxe5 Nh7 3. Bxa8 Rxa8 (or 1...Ne8 2.Rae1 Ne6 3.Bxh6) and White is winning.

Takeaway

The next time you're overcome with fear or greed, try to take a moment to calm down. It's not easy to be objective is the heat of the battle, but if you succeed, it could save you the game.

Don't Procrastinate!

Procrastination is when we postpone things that need to be done for no good reason. That's very different from delaying, which is to postpone something with a purpose. In chess, we often delay a move to increase to effect of it (a threat is always grater than it's execution and all that), but procrastination only leads to misery and missed opportunities. This game shows several examples on why procrastination is bad.

Me - N.N (Casual correspondence game, 2024)
English Opening

1. c4 b6 

An unusual response to the English. I played 2.g3 in a previous game (same opponent), but this time I wanted to try something else.

2. d4 Bb7 3. Nc3 e6 4. e4 Bb4 5. Bd3

5... Ne7?

Black is clearly thinking about f5, but there's no need for preparing. After the immediate 5... f5, White cannot capture on f5 because of 6... Bxg2 and Black is winning. Best is 5... f5 6. Nge2 fxe4 7. Bc2 Nf6, and Black has an easy game. Now, White can take the initiative.

6. Nge2 O-O 7.O-O Bxc3?!

This only helps White setting up a strong centre. The best move was 7. Nbc6 to develop the Q-side. It was still possible to play f5, but now White has d5 with a clear advantage.

8. bxc3

8... f5

Finally, but too late. A safer option was 8... d6.

9. exf5 Nxf5 10. Ng3 Nxg3?

It was understandably tempting to give me two doubled pawns, but now it becomes painfully apparent just how much Black lags in development. 10... Nc6 was necessary here.

11. hxg3

White now has two doubled pawns, but also two Bishops and a Queen gazing on the black King. Black has an almost undefended King, and three sleeping pieces on the other side of the board. The Night has been procrastinating for too long, and now Nc6 is too risky because of 12. Qh5 and White wins.

11... Qf6 12. Qh5 g6 13. Qg4 c5 14. Bh6 Rf7

Here White missed the last call for Nc6. Now the Knight only has Nb1 - a6 - c7, and that's too slow. The game ended with:

15. f4 Kh8 16. Rae1 Na6 17. d5 Nc7 18. dxe6 dxe6 19. Re5 Re8 20. Rfe1 Bc8 21. Qh3 Bd7 22. Bg5 Qg7 23. Bc2 Kg8 24. Rd1 Bc6 25. g4 Bd7 26. Rde1 a6 27. Qh4 a5 28. Bh6 Qf6 29. Qh3 Qh8 30. Rg5 Qf6 31. Ree5 Kh8 32. Rxg6 Qe7 33. Bg5 Qf8 34. Bf6+ Rxf6 35. Rxf6 Qg8 36. Rh6 Re7 37. Reh5 1-0

There were quicker ways to win, but I just couldn't resist setting up Alekhine's Gun!

Takeaway

If you have a move that must be played, do it now unless you have a good reason to delay it. "I can always do it later" is not a good reason, as this game shows.

SWOT Analysis in Chess

Last time, in the Kodak post, we saw that business and chess have things i common. There are competitors to defeat, but most importantly they both need plans. Business managers need business plans, and chess players need game plans. So, perhaps we can use some business planning tools is chess?

One of the most popular business planning tools is the SWOT Analysis, where SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. The idea is to take an inventory of all your business strengths and so on, and write them down in the respective quadrants. From there, you answer questions like "What business opportunities build on your strengths?", "What threats are caused by our weaknesses?", "How can we improve our strengths to create more opportunities?", and "How can we reduce our weaknesses to reduce the threats?"

That sounds a lot like chess, doesn't it? We deal with strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats all the time. So what can SWOT analysis bring to chess?

When we spot an opportunity in chess (or business), we tend to focus on that, and forget to consider our weaknesses and threats. Similarly, when we face a threat, we tend to forget our strengths and opportunities, and concentrate on defending against that threat, thereby missing eventual counter-attacking possibilities.

That's when SWOT analysis comes in handy. Properly performed, it forces us to assess the position from several angles (four of them) instead of just one. This can help us see possibilities that we'd otherwise could had missed.

Takeaway

Next time you feel the need to make a plan, visualise the SWOT chart, take a proper inventory, place each asset in the right quadrant, and see how they connect

When to make a Change of Plans

 

Do you remember the Kodak Company? They were once the world leaders i photographic film, with strong brands like Kodachrome and Ektachrome. So what happened to them? They got completely overrun by digital photography, and eventually went bankrupt in 1983. You might think that the new technology took them by surprise, giving them no time to reform their business, but that's not the case. In fact, Kodak made the very first digital camera in 1975 (as shown above). They also hade some success in providing sensors to digital camera manufacturers, so why did they fail?

Even though Kodak knew perfectly well that digital photography would soon make film obsolete, and they were well advanced in digital technology, they could not bring themselves to abandoning film. It had always been at the core of their business, and they felt that they had invested too much in it to just let it go.

This scenario is common in chess too - you have built a great plan only to discover later that it doesn't work. Theoretically, the solution is simple: just ditch that failing plan and make a new one. However, in reality, it's not that simple. Having invested precious time and energy, it's tempting to try to save at least some parts of your plant. Don't to that, just remember Kodak, and make a brand now plan.

It might help to see a plan as a vehicle to take you a bit further down the road. Once you get there (even if the position isn't what you hoped for), it's time to make a new plan and forget about the old one.

Ten Mistakes

 

"What are the ten most common mistakes in chess (or life, fishing, dating or whatever)?"

That's one of the most frequently asked question on Internet forums. The thinking behind that question is "If I can master the ten most common mistakes, then I'll be a much better chess player". There's a lot of truth in that, but also some caveats:

• Mistakes are personal. My top ten might not be on your list at all.
• Most top ten lists focus on technical mistakes, simply because they are easier to describe.
• You learn nothing from watching other people's mistakes. You have to make your own, over and over again until you decide to do something about it.

 Having sad that, the top ten lists are popular. I can't resist looking at them, even though I find most of them rather useless. One list that caught my attention is from the Innovation Corridor (an unusual name for a Chess Shop). This list is compiled by a grandmaster, and therefore has a high degree of psychological mistakes (grandmasters have already mastered the technical mistakes).

 Here's the list from ten to one. One might argue that the explanations are somewhat lacking in detail, but perhaps it's enough for a grandmaster.

10. Overreacting under Pressure: Players often panic when they find themselves in a worse position, leading to hasty moves that worsen their situation. Staying calm and looking for the best defensive resources can sometimes save a game.

9. Fumbling Winning Positions: Having a winning position doesn't guarantee victory. Many players lack the necessary technique to convert their advantage, either missing the best moves or underestimating the opponent's defensive resources.

8. Making Assumptions Without Verification: Assuming a move or plan is good without proper calculation can lead to severe blunders. It's crucial to verify every move instead of relying on assumptions, as these can lead to disastrous errors.

7. Misjudging Exchanges: Evaluating exchanges accurately is vital. Misjudging the value of a piece or a pawn exchange can lead to a significant loss of material or a weakened position, altering the balance of the game.

6. Lacking Essential Position Knowledge: Certain positions require specific knowledge, such as endgame techniques or particular opening lines. A lack of understanding can lead to poor moves and missed opportunities, highlighting the importance of continuous learning.

5. Ignoring Psychological Factors: Psychological factors like overconfidence, anxiety, or frustration can significantly impact performance. Addressing these mental game issues off the board is essential to maintain focus and make rational decisions during play.

4. Overlooking Opponent's Moves: Failing to consider the opponent's potential moves and resources can result in overlooking threats and missing counterplays. Always consider the opponent's perspective to anticipate and counter their plans effectively.

3. Miscalculating Variations: Incorrect visualization of variations can lead to executing faulty plans. Accurate calculation and visualization are critical for ensuring that the planned sequence of moves works as intended.

2. Playing Without Strategic Direction: A lack of strategic planning often leads to aimless moves and poor piece coordination. Establishing a clear plan and ensuring that all pieces work together harmoniously is key to executing effective strategies.

1. Neglecting Alternative Moves: Not considering alternative moves can result in missing better options or falling into traps. Continuously questioning and exploring different possibilities helps in finding the best moves and avoiding blunders.

What's next?

Working on ten different mistakes simultaneously is of course overwhelming, so I suggest that you pick one. There's surely one mistake that gets you into trouble most frequently, so start with that. Look it up in your games, and try to figure out why you made that particular mistake. Be honest about it, we're not looking for excuses, but explanations. Once you understand why you make this mistake, think about what you can do to prevent it.

Missed opportunities

I had resolved to not include correspondence chess games in this blog, but no rule without exceptions. This is a casual correspondence game played under OTB rules, so no books, databases or chess engines were allowed. The plan was to play a game resembling OTB, but without the errors coming from fatigue, impatience, or real-life interferences.

My opponent's style is a somewhat different from mine - aggressive like me, a bit more attacking, less positional, more calculating, and less intuitive. So, slow manoeuvring was not to be expected here!

Me - N.N (Casual correspondence game, 2024)
English Opening

1. c4 b6 2. g3 Bb7 3. Nf3 g6 Black goes for an immediate double fianchetto. Other alternatives are:

3... Bxf3 4. exf3 c5, giving up the Bishop pair for a doubled pawn, or
3... Nf6, heading for a standard English Opening position.

4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nc3 e6 6. d4 Ne7 7. e4

 7 ... c5 Probably not the best,  as White now can claim the centre and cut off the Bishop on b7. O-O would have been better.

8. d5 exd5 This leads to trouble. A better plan was O-O followed by e5 and d6, and possibly a kingside attack in the King's Indian style.

9. exd5 O-O 10. O-O Nf5 11. Ne4 d6 12. Bf4 Bxb2 13. Rb1 

 Black has gained a pawn,but at a price. There are three sleeping pieces on the queenside, and the d6 pawn is vulnerable and under attack. White must now play resolutely not to give Black time to develop.

13 ... Bg7 14. g4 Re8 15. Nfg5? This is the first missed opportunity. The right move is 15. Re1, when Black must give up the exchange with 15 ... Rxe5 to save the pawn on d6.

15 ...h6? Overlooking some tactics.

16. Nxf7 Kxf7 17. gxf5 

 White has an overwhelming position, but it's very sharp, so things can still go wrong. And they will.

17 ... Be5?? Black had to play 17 ... Rxe4. This was a mistake that would cost the game, if only I've seen the crushing 18 ... Qg4!, but...

18. Bxh6?? Apart from missing the winning Qg4, this move puts the Bishop on a vulnerable square. Just look at Rh8 and Qh4, with a lot of firepower bearing down on h2. The plan was to prepare for Ng5+, but that turns out to bad too.

Rh8 19. Ng5+? Inviting Black back into the game. fxg6+ was the move to play.   19 ... Kg8 

20. Ne6? Gives away the last shred of advantage. 20 ... Qe7?? 

Evades the immediate threat, but nothing more. But, there's a multi-purpose move here - 20 ... Qh4, threatening both mate and the Bishop on h6. After 21. f4 Rxh6 22. fxe5 Qxh2+ 23. Kf2 Qh4+, Black has time to develop the queenside starting with Nd7.

21. Bf4 Keeps the pressure up, but f4 was even better.  Bxf4 22. Nxf4 Qh4 

 23. Nh3?? Black threatens to mate on h2, and also to capture on f4, but this is not the right way to solve those problems. Instead, 23. Re1 avoids the mate, and also threatens Re8+. It's very complicated, but White should win.

23 ... gxf5?? Another missed opportunity. Bc8 followed by Bxf5 would solve all Black's problems.

24. Qd3 Qe2 is better, allowing Rb3. 

24 ... f4?? This is the decisive mistake. I don't know what Black was planning, but I do know it wouldn't work. After 24 ... Nd7, White is better, but there are at least some survival chances.  25. Qg6+ 

Now the mate is on the horizon, all White needs to do is bringing out a Rook or two. The finish is not perfect, but at least the job gets done. Can you find any improvements from this point? There are several!

25. Kf8 26. Qxd6+ Kg7 27. Rbe1 Rf8 28. Re7+ Rf7 29. Rfe1 Bc8 30. Rxf7+ Kxf7 31. Nxf4 Na6 32. Qg6+ 1-0

Takeaway

There were some technical mistakes in the opening, but starting from move 15, the mistakes were all psychological. Most of the missed chances were caused by blinded by your own plan. This means that when you find a move that fits your plan, you look no further. A useful tool for looking for a better move is the multi-purpose move.

The methods I use to study my mistakes are found in how to analyse your games.