Knowing the ideas and themes of basic structures, like the Carlsbad (the Hedgehog/Maroczy, the Stonewall, Isolated and Hanging pawn structures, etc.), makes it much easier to make the right decision in a sharp situation. I was a bit puzzled about some decisions during the 12:th game of the last World Ch. Match, between Ding Liren and Nepomniachtchi.
The last part of the game have probably been more seriously commented elsewhere. I wanted to focus on the Carlsbad part.
It took me half the tournament to come to my senses, but when I finally did, I played decently, and I also had a bit of luck. In the final round I misplayed a position that was slightly favorable for me, and then – in mutual time trouble – my opponent and I both missed an important detail on move 29 that could have decided the game in his favour:
With this win I ended up on second place after Vitalii Sivuk, who played significantly better than the rest of us.
If I write that I was very unhappy with the start of the Swedish Championship, one might automatically presume that it was due to my loss in the third round, against Thomas Ernst, but no. I did not play good chess in that game, but the worst was during those three first rounds, when I had no ideas, and only saw dead draws everywhere. It happens sometimes, but this time around it was worse than I can remember it ever being before. But, now I am out of it. Perhaps the turning point, idea-wise, was in the post mortem (after game analysis), on move 15, against Erik Blomqvist:
Two rounds to go.
Twitch was not my usual cup of tea until i found out that there are plenty of strong Go-streamers, much stronger than I am. I watch almost everything that the European Go Federation streams, and only occasionally do I get a bit depressed that such magnificent commentators have so few viewers (relativeto other games). It seems to me to be a sign of the times, and as I am getting older and grumpier, you can probably guess where that rabbit hole leads. Don’t get me started on the times.
But, I will try out streaming now and then in the next month, some Go and some Chess. Perhaps there will be Youtube videos soon thereafter. “Baby steps”, I tell myself. Hopefully I will be able to walk.
So, check on “grumpy”, but check on “evolving” too.
The Swedish Go Team managed to take second place in the B-group of the Pandanet European Team Championship, and it gave us the chance to play a qualifying match against Austria. For the second time this year I got to meet a lower rated opponent:
It is very unlikely that I would have found the kill (move 169), unless I had help from AI-sensei to analyze the game. It is a tool that I find indispensable.