A Great Chess Event on 29 July 2018 (part 2)

A continuation of my earlier post on yesterday's Nanyang Racial Harmony Team Chess Challenge 2018! 

In this post, I shall talk about the 2 games I should not have won.

Games I should not have won



Learning Points / Reflections on this Game:

• Apparently, more often than not in 3.Bb5 (after 2...Nc6) lines of the Sicilian, it is more effective for White to try and build up the pawn centre with c3 and then d4 instead of d4 directly.
• In a position whereby you are (slightly) better or equal, NEVER try to beat the opponent struggling on the clock if there is at least 10 seconds increment.  At the very least, do not compromise the quality of your own moves in trying to do so! I actually feel sorry for my opponent going for the wrong approach of the game. Of course, for his own good and development, I hope he learns this lesson as he plays more tournaments (this was his maiden tournament, I believe).
  

Another game whereby another opponent made the exact same mistake in trying to win on time while compromising the quality of his moves:

Learning Points / Reflections on this Game:

• Never make a move that even the player himself feel suspicious about!
• A plan that does not fall to immediate tactical refutation is a good-enough plan. Even though not recorded, I love my slow approach to play Rec1 followed by mass exchanges on the c-file and slowly push back Black's aggression while keeping the pawn centre adequately defended (I also introduced f3 later to keep the defence compact.)
• While the experience playing against the Sicilian Defence was fun, it is very evidently not my true cup of tea.
• Can't say this enough: do not compromise the quality of your own moves in trying to beat the opponent on time (when there is time increment of at least 10 seconds per move). I am surprised this opponent with vast tournament experience did not apply this in the game. Maybe "common sense" in chess is not so common after all.

In my subsequent post on this event, I will be talking about the more painful games -- Games that I should not have lost. I am still not sure if I will stop at part 3 and spare myself the humiliation to publish games that 'didn't matter'.

Anyway, thanks again for reading!


Yours sincerely
Ong Yujing
(a.k.a. newbie_learner)