Tips and dangerous moments

Thursday, May 20, 2010
Print EmailCommentShareThisSubscribe


By Frank 'Boy' Pestaño



IT’S never too late to improve your game. Even if you are in your 40s or 50s, you can still learn a few tactics and strategies. There is so much to know that you can never learn it all in a lifetime.

Here are a few tips that you may look into:

Click here for Election 2010 updates

1. Always unpin.

2. Always make a blunder check.

3. Check each possible move of your opponent’s pieces and pawns while it is the opponent’s turn to move.

4. Try to find ways to ignore your opponent’s threats and look for stronger counter-threats.

5. Prefer to move an attacked piece rather than defend it.

6. Never play the Queen to the b-file early in the opening unless it goes there with a threat.

7. Handle rooks aggressively.

8. Never vacate an open file to avoid exchanges.

9. Look for ways of using your King as an active piece.

10. Do not postpone a must move.

11. Never risk for additional material when winning.

12. Plan a few moves at a time and revise as often as you can.

Watch out for these situations. They could be the start of your defeat:

1. pieces that can be easily attacked by enemy pieces of less value;

2. one or more pieces that can be attacked via discovered check;

3. weak back rank;

4. pinned pieces along the same rank, file and diagonal;

5. pieces vulnerable to Knight forks;

6. opponent’s pawn nearing promotion;

7. open enemy lines for Queen, Rooks and Bishops to your King;

8. uncastled King;

9. pieces that have less mobility;

10. a “desperado” piece that is lost anyway and can cause maximum destruction;

Here are 10 dangerous moments that can happen during a game (humor):

1. There has been a change in pawn structure. Your opponent has eight and you don’t have any.

2. Your opponent begins to throw pieces at your eyes.

3. You have a won position but your opponent has a gun.

4. The arbiter tells you not to turn in your score sheet after the game.

5. Before the games begin, you notice that your opponent’s initials start with GM.

6. Just as you start your opening move, your opponent announces mate in two.

7. You don’t control any squares at all.

8. After making your opening, your opponent is already playing the endgame.

9. Your draw offer sends all the people watching your game into uncontrollable laughter.

10. Your opponent has three bishops.

LOCAL. The SK Youth Chessfest was held last May 18 and the champion was Jan Maravilla. He was followed by Firce May Labajo, Jhon Deipharine, Lorrainne Powao and Kryztelle Ouano.

Also last May 15, Joshua Guinto won the San Roque Tournament Was Joshua Guinto. The runners-up were Justice Sousa, Francis Kyle Entera, Kent Pardillo and Dasvid Musa.

CAMPOMANES. The late Fide president and chess legend will be honored with a tournament in mid-June by his close friend Boojie Lim of the Cebu Chess Federation.

(boypestano@gmail.com,www.chessmoso.blogspot.com)


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 21, 2010.