Chess forum by Grandmasters

Chess improving 1400-1800

Hi Chess Moods!

My rating (5 minute blitz) has been 1300-1500 all year, despite me trying hard to improve my chess play. Why? Well I have thought about this today and think I have the answer & sharing it might help others at my level here to improve, hopefully it will! Here goes...

At the start of this year, I remember watching GM Hikaru Nakamura playing on his Twitch chess stream and someone in chat asked how to improve to 1800 rating and he replied to do this by getting better at openings & tactics!  What fine advice!

However, the point of this post, is to state that at my low level, I have many other chess playing weaknesses and in general, openings and tactics, are not my main specific chess playing problems.

I also firmly believe it is possible to get to 1800 with a good basic understanding and application of basic opening, mid and end game principles.

In fact, most of my games show my opening play is reasonable and that my main specific problems are that I am weak in mid and endgame play, generally and specifically! There is so much general chess advice available online these days, it is impossible to learn from it all and trying to do so can bog & slow you down, when you would be better learning specific knowledge that applies to the strengths & weaknesses of your own game.

So, from now on, I intend to concentrate on understanding, studying and playing a narrower opening repertoire for both colours, with special emphasis on improving the mid and end games that arise from this more refined, narrower opening repertoire! That is my plan to smash my chess improving for next year! If this applies at all or partly with your chess studying and improving, then I hope my post will help you to think about and find your specific strengths & weaknesses and that you can work on improving too (& with me if you want!).

Happy chess play, study and chess improving all!

Replies

Hey Richard! Thank you for your post and for providing help to others.
I believe the easiest way is to install in our mind new information. New useful information! 
Openings (not going very-very deep before 2200 level) and learning chess classics. 
I hope you are watching our Commented Classical games course and soon you will feel the difference how easier chess became :) 
(https://chessmood.com/course/chess-classical-games) 

Thanks for this secret.

https://chessmood.com/blog/why-you-should-reject-draw-offers

I am glad I know this. I most of the time decline draw offers but I never thought why strong players do draw offers. Now I know the point.

Thanks for wonderful points.

Replies

Super! 

Loses in chess.

How to handle loses?

In past when I had time and I prepared my basics so well with chess puzzles, Kasparov predessors, openings ideas, pawn structures and lot more then I played so well beyond 1600 elo players but yeah at some point idk why I lost a completly dominating positions. But okay I lost then issue is how to prepare your mind to play well in very next round after a lose in a winning and dominating positions. I had always nice time management and I always had an hour left in my clock in a time control of an hr + 30 sec. increment because most of the time I think in my opponent's time and I found quickly all his ideas and plans but still I lost.

Any tip how to handle loses and blunders.

What are the most effective ways to do blunder check practice so one day it will be in my subconscious mind for forever.

Replies

This is my check which worked for a long time, my coach suggested it:

First decide on your move. Then look at the ceiling for a few seconds (assuming you have time). Look back to the board and consider your move with a fresh mind, and you'll find out if you're missing something obvious (mostly forcing moves i.e. checks, captures, threats). If you are, check if it's really that bad. If it is, look for another move and do this process again. If you don't find anything wrong, make your move.

It might be uncomfortable first but when you habitualize it, the result will speak for itself. Remember that one bad move can nullify all your good moves, the main thing is not to blunder. It may be enough to find the second, third or fourth best move in a position, just don't blunder.

Mistakes tend to come in bunches so if you find yourself blundering away the game, refocus, the position is worse than it was, but it could easily be within drawing distances (even winning), fight on! Don't think about 'what if's during the game(what if you made another move, you could've already won and you would be analyzing the game afterwards :) ), then you'll make a bigger mistake and wonder why you lost the game. AFTER the game, you should really find the reason for your mistake (maybe create a list of mistakes), but not DURING the game!!!

Hope this helps, and remember nothing works unless you DO it during your games.

Hello Abhi,

Loosing games and blundering is a part of profession. Usually analyzing and fixing mistakes is a great way for improvement. But, during the tournament it is not the priority and good time of improvement is after the tournament. 

When you lose a game during tournament, most important is to forget it before the next round. So just forgive yourself and accept it. Play the next round like a new tournament , like something completely independent from previous round. Just leave those emotions in yesterday and go ahead!

Hi Abhi

Losing at any game is a test of character! It is the same for chess play, where handling your chess game losses well, by remaining in control of yourself and staying cool,calm and collected will help build your character and as you start a new game can make you a stronger player!

However,if you react badly to your loss and get out of self control (rage and rant), then you weaken yourself as a chess player and a person. You need to take responsibility for your blunder and try your best to understand why it happened, learn from it and try your best not to repeat it. Accept it and get in the right mood to learn from it so you can make the right move next time! Do not take no responsibility and blame everything else for causing the loss or another unhelpful approach is too be hypercritical of yourself.

Losses happen to everyone, even our GM Avetik, has his "hoody blunders". Watch how he deals with them, he steps back for a moment to calm down and regain his composure and then he accepts it, learns from it and gets back to playing his next game with more strength and determination! Right Mood- Right Move!

Goodluck champion, have fun dealing with wins,losses and draws. Enjoy chess and life!

Plans for future

What are the planned courses in the future

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Against 1.e4 Philidor, Alekhine, Petroff and all kinds of gambits like 2...f5 or d5.  
Lots of courses about middlegame and endgame. 

Test pgn viewer PgnViewerJS

Hi

I have tried getting a pgn viewer to work in these forum posts with no success yet. I have even asked how to do this in one post but no reply and some forum members seem to get this to work, so I am doing my own tests!

Let me try & see here: This is some example code from PgnViewerJS online documentation

var pgn = "1. f4 e6 2. g4 Qh4#";
var board = pgnView('board', {pgn: pgn});

<div id="board" style="width: 400px"></div>

I am not hopeful this will work, but if I do not try I will never know!

NB

If it doesn't work can someone here explain how to post pgn with the pgn viewer please? Many thanks!

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Hey Richard! 
You just click "add new file" and add a pgn file.  

The Best Game in Chess History

Hey, champions! What do you think, what is the best game in chess history? 

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Hi Coach.  Interesting question.  Answer: none.  Reasons: 1. really high level games now have so many nuances that they take a lot to study.  2.  Best is subjective to players likes and dislikes.  3.  Kasparov once said that in a World Championship match  (and I paraphrase greatly) 85% of the moves can and should be found by a "competent "  Master.  5 percent of the further moves or 90% of the game can be played by "good" GM's .  Yet another 5 % of the moves can be found by Super GMS and just the remaining 5% or so are World Championship quality moves.  

Also in Which opening??  I think personally idea wise:  Kasparov Playing the Dragon vs Anand after Anand won the Schevenigen game in 1995 was genius!!!

The worst idea:  Also by Kasparov, but in 2000.  Keep playing 1.e4 and PROVE the Berlin is "Bad".  He payed dearly for it!!  

Though I have to find it....  Their is a game by Mihail Tal where he sacs all his pieces for mate.  Or maybe an Alekine game or Kasparov Game are great.  But Fischer!!!  What to say, he was 1.a factory of chess ideas.  2. a genius 3. psychologically above most every player I can think of.  imagine......  you are playing vs an entire country of chess superstars, practicing to beat you.  Studying to beat you and you triumph!!!  That is a celebrity and a great chessmood.com player!!!!  plus I am Bipolar.  Fischer was either Schitzo personality disorder or possibly full blown, so to speak schitzophrenic.  I am not a DR.  I just play one on TV.  LOL

Just a thought not a sermon!!!!  LOL

The Immortal Game was a chess game played by Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky on 21 June 1851 in London.

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1018910

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067846

When I think about the best games in chess history, I think of the ones that have the most impact on chess, not necessarily the highest quality. 

Here are a few that come to my mind:

1. Steinitz vs Zukertort game 1 - First official world championship game - before this match anyone could claim to be the world champion

2. Fischer vs Spassky game 6 World Championship match - Fischer uncorks 1.d4 ruining all of Spassky's preperation for the match, as Fischer had never played 1.d4 in a serious game before (1.e4 is best by test - Fischer) 

3. Deep Blue vs Kasparov game 6 - Deep Blue beats Kasparov and wins the match becoming the first computer to beat a top GM in a match. This is the turning point of computers dominating humans in chess.

These are but a few of the most important chess games in history. I didnt want to make this post into a book (Though maybe I should!) I am sure there are dozens more I didnt ad here.

One game that comes to mind is kasparov - topalov with famous Rxd4. Some consider this to be Kasparov's immortal game and considering that Kasparov himself is thought to be one of the greatest ever, then it must be something :)

One of the best attacking games can also be Polugavesky - Nehzmetdinov.

Mikhayil Tal Vs Hans-Joachim Hecht 1962

With a sacrifice queen and very beautiful move 19.ef!!

Fischer vs Sparsky

HI master I love two games the most. I analysed only few games but these games are amazing.

One is common but amazing  ( Game of the century)

I love these games.

What!? Really?

No mention of Paul Morphy vs the Duke of Brunswick (aka the Night at the Opera game)?!

A masterclass of a chess game, from an undoubted chess master and chess genius  -Paul Morphy.

Come on Chess Mood champions, surely you know and like this game!? If not, why not?! LOL (do not answer that...). I thought this has been called the most famous, well known game of chess ever played and if you have never seen it, you must see it as soon as possible!

Mind you, there are so many great games of chess to choose and like (seen the Gold coin game ie Levitsky vs Marshall 0-1?..Carlsen vs Sipke Caro Kann 1-0 and many, many, many more great chess games!).

Kings Indian defence , Black Knights, strange observation

this is a position from middlegame videos .

https://chessmood.com/course/daily-commented-games/episode/603

if you see the position in attached screenshot you will see Black knights are placed on e7 and d7 . Strangely enough the b8 knight came to c6 then e7 and f8 knight went to f6 and then d7 . I can save 2 tempi if I move f8 knight to d7 and c8 knight to e7 . is there any way I can reach similar position with saving tempi , or white will do something else ?

Replies

Hey Bhabatosh)

Really nice question, as I am also playing kings indian time to time and had a very similar question.

So, according to my research, this is being partially possible if white is starting game with c4 move, as after c4 you gan play g6 followed by bg7 , d6 , e5 trying to play ne7 and later on nd7. What can be problem here, white may keep pawn on d4 , and in that case pawn on e4 is restricting Knight on e7, put still its quite playable. 

Simple this set up is not possbile after 1D4 move as after G6 white can play e4, and later not necessarily  c4 which will be completely different opening.

Whats your goal in chess?

Hello ChessMood family)

Today I was thinking about different goals of chess players, so please tell me which one is yours and next also mention your elo rating.

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I will be the first player over the age of 45 to go from amateur (1600 range) to Grand Master. I wake every morning knowing this is what I was meant to do, to show the world it can be done. 

I am currently rated about 1800

My first goal is to learn sound principles in strategy tactics and attack. Fundamentals in good positional play and to improve my rating to 1500. My rating on lichess is about 1430. But on ICC my rating is 950ish. So I guess I’m rated around 1100 or 1200? My long term goal is to reach 2000 and reassess my goals :).

My Goal is to improve my chess. I dont want to put a  target rating and draw box on my ability . Somehow I feel and tell myself  I can do better today than yesterday , not necessarily that happens . But chess is not drinking cup of tea , will need lot of hard work to improve.  My current rating is 2045 , bear in mind , in my entire life I only played less than 50 games in rated tournaments , learnt the game myself , learnt notation when i was kid myself with absolutely no help . One day in coffee shop someone said after 40 our chess declines , that drove me nuts and wanted to prove it is wrong , I forgot who actually said it , but it is something I taken as a challenge for myself . last 2 years I have put lots of effort in learning chess than being a collector of chess articles , software in past . Although father of 3 small kids I dont get time to play in chess tournaments but will continue to train as best as I could and whenever possible will play strong events at least 2 tournaments per year next few years . Chessmood have changed everything in my life , and I am serious about this statement. I am blessed that I could talk to fine person like you and rest of your colleagues. not sure I answered correctly to the question or not.

I am a correspondence chess player. I turned 53 this year my current cc e.l.o rating is 2254. I am one game (by the way I am completely winning) away from achieving my second title in cc. I am currently holding the correspondence chess expert title. The second title is the correspondence chess master title. It therefor makes sense to prepare for the cc international master title.

Correspondence chess is extremely time consuming. Proving Stock-fish 10 wrong is time consuming. In cc the opening line you choose is very important. I play mostly positional chess where I can guide the engine.Weakening the castled king theme is also a very nice way to choose ones opening lines against strong engines.

For this reason I enjoy 1. isolated pawn positions 2. opposite castling 3. playing for advantageous pawn structures.

I am great full to the chessmood family as I am also a coach of mostly young children the content is fresh and original. 

Craziest Opening Line

Hello ChessMood Pro members,

Today I was thinking which one is the craziest opening line in chess, I have many ideas, which are your offers?

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Najdorf Bg5 line, when Black accepts b2 pawn? 
Moscow line? 
French Mac-Ketchon 
Semi Slav Morozevich line with g5 
Nimzo with f3

And of course our Scotch with h4! :) 

One of the craziest game of the year :)

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4289827147 
Of course with our Grand Prix attack! :) 

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Accelerated Dragon vs Najdorf

Hey Coach! Sorry, forgot to post here.  How would you decide between playing the Najdorf vs the Dragon? For those of us that only have time to consistently play one opening :) Is one better suited for play styles vs the other? Or is one better at higher levels? 

Thanks!

Matt

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A lot depends on how you feel about the sidelines after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 as opposed to the ones after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6. The Najdorf is also more topical at high levels which means the theory advances and changes much more quickly than in the Accelerated Dragon, requiring a lot of study and maintenance time. That said, I think that objectively there are more winning chances for Black with The Najdorf but the theoretical workload is much heavier. A lot also depends on what level opponents you face as to whether The Acc Dragon or Najdorf will be more effective.

Lastly which side of the board you enjoy playing in the following position will go a long way to determining whether the Najdorf is for you:

Hey Matt! 
Thank you for good questions, and thank you, Kevin, for the answer. 
Matt, we try to not overcomplicate your life offering a big choice of openings.
Najdorf course is absolutely an exception.
The main reason is that Gabuzyan is absolutely one of the best experts in Najdorf in the world. His knowledge there is very deep. 

Well, Acc Dragon or Najdorf it depends on your test, on your style. 
Acc Dragon is very tricky and works fantastic well until 2400 level. (you see it during streams)
Najdorf is more complex, you should remember minimum 10x more lines, but the same time it is 10x more fighting opening and is very good for playing for win for Black.  

If you have time to learn so many lines and love complex game - than go Najdorf.
If no, keep for now Acc. Dragon, especially if you have already learned it. Work on all other openings. When everything you will master, then you can spend time on learning smth new - like Najdorf. 

We have PRO Members, who were Najdorf players before, or they love so much complex game, or they have unlimited time to learn. For them - it's will be very good to learn Najdorf.

For anyone who has not much time to learn, I would recommend just to watch the course, without trying to remember the lines. Just watch it, as Gabuzyan explains not just theory, but many strategical ideas, so it will help you to overall develop your chess skills. 

Why You Should Not Trust Chess Engines Blindly

Replies

Great blog article.Nice analysis with explanation & I plan to re-read it so I can try & understand it all more deeply.

Chess engines are good, but even they do not play perfectly (in my opinion).

This though definitely is the age and style of digital engine chess play and we now are far away from the romantic style of chess played in the 1800's and earlier! AlphaZero & Leela engines are game changers (see the book by Sadler & Regan).

Finally congratulations with this new blog feature!

The Webinar with ChessMood PRO Members

Hey Champions! 
Here is the link of study -> https://lichess.org/study/hKITH7kS 
Also, if you missed the webinar, you can watch the recording in the events section.

P.S Don't forget to be here, after tomorrow, we have a Simul game with GM Melkumyan! 

Replies

Is there a way to schedule these webinar's in the evening as it clashes with the morning hours of school day?

Our Champion!

Dear ChessMood Family! 
I am super excited! Today, ChessMood Family PRO Member Gong Qianyun won SEA games! 

Ole, ole, ole, Campeones, Campeones! 

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Congratulations WGM Qianyun Gong and best wishes for times ahead.

Daily puzzle query

Did anyone do yesterday's puzzle successfully? I couldn't do it & think it wasn't possible or correct!? Of course, that is very unlikely. I did manage today's puzzle, but only after 2/3 tries.

Might the puzzles have a hints feature?Or a place or way to get feedback to solve them (provide the answer? Hidden and only revealed by clicking or other?).

I have to admit I am not a big chess puzzle fan (so far, I have never attempted the puzzle rush featured on many sites), but I generally like to do one or two a day and I do plan to do more, as I think they will help me improve.

Part of my relative reluctance with puzzles, is that I have always regarded them as relatively artificial and I would much rather do puzzles from openings. mid and endgames that actually happen in my own games or even have a link to the complete game they are taken from, so I can see the big picture. Again I know some are just made up ones that have never occurred in a real game (and sometimes the puzzle ends with me having more questions than the puzzle asked for, which I find mildly irritating!).

I am grateful for any help with this. I even respect answers I do not like and do not want to get!? Many thanks

Replies

I thought I completed yesterday’s puzzle it took me many tries as I remember.

1.f7 a2

2.Be1+ Kd3 I believe 

3.Bc3 Kxc3

4.fxg1=Q A1=Q

5.Qg7+ winning blacks queen

As far as posting games people post links to chess.com or lichess to the game. I think you could also upload pgn file where you uploaded fen. You could also make an animated Gif in chessbase and post it I guess I never tried that. Maybe I’ll try that and see how it works.

I didn’t get it on the first try it was very difficult. ;)

Greetings

Greetings all.

I joined yesterday (Pro) and am enjoying looking around the site and look forward to improving with this fine chess resource. So far, it appears I am the lowest rated player on site (1400 at chess.com at 5 minute blitz) with everyone I have seen so far, much higher rated, but watch out when I beat you! Just joking. So, hello and best wishes to everyone for good chess and good times here!

Replies

Hey Richard! 
Welcome to PRO team :)
No, you are not the lowest rated :) 
Add me in FB please, if you have, I'll introduce you to other members. 
https://www.facebook.com/Avetik.Grigoryan 

I saw you reserved a 1-1 call tomorrow, so talk to you soon :) 

Regards,
GM Avetik 

Welcome to the ChessMood family Richard! You will love it here, the people are amazing, and as a bonus, your chess will improve :)! 

How to recover during a tough tournament

Hello ChessMoood family)

If you are having a tough tournament and results are not exciting , how to recover and save the tournament?

Feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions!

Replies

Nice topic! 
Many chess players, even Grandmasters have problems. Me too. 
It would be interesting to hear other's opinions and your GM Gabuzyan. I know you are very good at it. 

My first Scotch Game

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4255586582

Played fine but full of mistakes from my side too.

But I will do my best in attacking 

It's a new skill I am learning 

Replies

Abhi are you not a Pro Member? Come join us! Your missing out!

Hey Abhi!

Just checked out your game. I didn't see any big mistakes as you are mentioning) Especially for a beginner very nice game! Keep going!

Very nice game & win. I usually play Scotch Classical variation as White but I will try this variation also. I have just joined the site and think there is a course on the Scotch opening, so I will search for that to start.Goodluck with your chess :-)

Best Games of November and the Prizes

ChessMood Family! 
Under this post, we invite you to post your best games that you will play in November.
At the end of the month, we will vote to find the Winner who will join our PRO Members team for 1 month for FREE!

Let's go! 

Replies

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/4206809881

This is a bullet game but the tactics makes it look so good!

[Date "2019.11.20"]

[White "Fahad-Rahman"]

[Black "Ichatdll"]

[Result "1-0"]

[WhiteElo "2509"]

[BlackElo "2443"]

[ECO "B06"]

[Opening "Modern Defense: Standard Defense"]

[TimeControl "180+0"]

[UTCDate "2019.11.20"]

[UTCTime "07:12:32"]

[Variant "Standard"]

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.g3 a6 5.Bg2 b5 6.e5 Ra7 7.exd6 cxd6 8.Nge2 Nf6 9.O-O O-O 10.Nf4 Bb7 11.d5 Nbd7 12.Be3 Ra8 13.Bd4 Nb6 14.a3 Rc8 15.Re1 Re8 16.h4 Rc4 17.Qd3 Na4 18.Nxa4 Rxa4 19.b4 Qa8 20.h5 g5 21.h6 Bxh6 22.Bxf6 exf6 23.Nh5 Bg7 24.Qf5 Qd8 25.Rxe8+ Qxe8 26.Be4 Qe5 27.Qxh7+ Kf8 28.Qxg7+ Ke7 29.Re1 Bxd5 30.Nxf6 Be6 31.Ng8+ Kd7 32.Bc6+ 1-0

https://lichess.org/V5nXDuObQusB

Here is my best game in a while. I am starting to get my form and confidence back!

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4230083415

Open Catalan

And another fun game!

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/4230773804?tab=analysis

Caro - Kann Defense

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4246882374

Crushing the Scotch! 

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4247829416 

[Event "Rated Classical game"][Site "https://lichess.org/nDxNS3R5"][Date "2019.11.30"][Round "-"][White "mehmed_bihac"][Black "JairusJA"][Result "0-1"][UTCDate "2019.11.30"][UTCTime "08:45:18"][WhiteElo "1941"][BlackElo "1926"][WhiteRatingDiff "-7"][BlackRatingDiff "+8"][Variant "Standard"][TimeControl "900+15"][ECO "B21"][Opening "Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Scandinavian Formation"][Termination "Normal"]1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. c4 Qd8 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Nbd2 Nc6 8. Qb3 Qc7 9. Ne4 e5 10. Bd2 f5 11. Ng3 Nf6 12. Be2 f4 13. Nf1 e4 14. Ng1 Bxe2 15. Nxe2 e3 16. fxe3 dxe3 17. Bc3 Ne4 18. O-O-O Nf2 19. g3 f3 20. Nxe3 fxe2 21. Rde1 Nd3+ 22. Kb1 Nxe1 23. Rxe1 O-O-O 24. Rxe2 Nd4 25. Bxd4 Rxd4 26. Nd5 Qxc4 27. Re8+ Kd7 28. Qxb7+ Kxe8 29. Nc7+ Kd8 30. Qb8+ Kd7 0-1

I only wanna post it to show that because of chessmood's scotch I was dominating against a player of 2000 on chess.com. My rating is 1900+ but I maintain 1900 normally on chess.com but the opening material presented by chessmood made it so easy to crush a player of 2000 in openings

so I am happy.

My first ever scotch game and win.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4255586582

Hello ChessMood Family! 
Thank you for all your games.
We are very glad to see your constant growth! 

The best game of this month goes to Nicolo Pasini, for his masterpiece in French Defense Line with Bd3 (covered in ChessMood Courses). 

Below you can see the game. His Bh5, f4,f5 idea and the sacrifices that followed up were absolutely amazing!
 
https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/game-gifs/90px/blue/neo/0/cc/0/0/bUMwU2xCWkpmdEpDdEMhVEN2WUlnbTVRY3VJQm1CUUtic1dPZG05MGVjVFp2TjJVbkRLUURMU0tMVTNVQlFYUU5VMVVtQTZYaGY_OUFTOWZkZjdHUyFaOSExODdmZDlac3k,.gif

Congratulations to Nicolo for his brilliant game!  


P.S We are looking forward to finding the winner of "The Best Game of December".
You post your games in the link below. 

With best wishes ChessMood Team 

Beautiful game

Hello ChessMood family,

This morning I was lucky to play a nice game ) You can check it out and leave me your comments.

https://www.chess.com/live#a=1341221

Replies

I am not able to access this game.