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DancingWithYourself
IM(https://www.chess.com/members/titled_players)Silman

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Apr7,2016,3:24AM|1,266Reads|9Comments|Other

WhenIlookatgamesplayedby1500ratedplayersandbelow,Iseemanyweaknesses,butoneis
almostubiquitous:bothplayersare,moreorless,dancingwiththemselves.Whatthismeansis
thataplayerdecidestodothisorthat,hemightcalculateamoveortwo,andwhenhemakeshis
movehelloftenfindthattheopponentsreplyhasnothingtodowithhisexpectations.
Thereasonforthisisthathiscalculations/expectationsarebasedonafantasy,andhisinternal
dialoguemightsoundsomethinglikethis:IllgothereandthenhelldothatandIllwipehimout
withthat!Ohyeah!AmIgoodorwhat?
Itcertainlysoundsnice.Butwhenthedancerismakinghiscalculations,heisnttryingtofindthe
opponentsbestmove.Instead,heslookingatenemymovesthathighlighthisowndream.When
thishappens,allhellcanbreakloose.

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Itcouldleadtothelossofmaterial.Itcouldleadtoasimplelossoftime.Itcouldleadtoatactical
oversight.Oritcouldleadtoacompletepositionalmeltdown.

Heresapositionthatcommonlyoccursinamateurgames:
BB(1400)vs.RaphaelMonahan(1546)
PasadenaClub|2016
1

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8
h

Thispositionisalmostalwaysreachedbymistake.WhatImeanisthatBlackusuallydoesntknow
theopeningandjustfindshimselfhere.Ifyoulookatadatabaseyoullnoticethatgoodplayers
avoidit.Infact,Iveonlyfoundoneplayerwitha2300rating(2350tobeprecise)thatsgivenita
try.
IfyoutakeagoodlookatityoumightbegintofeelBlackspain:Whitesaheadindevelopment,
Blacksd6pawnisweak,andthed5square(ahole)issomethingWhiteintendstouseasahome
forhisknight.Indeed,theorydoesntwantyoutogoanywherenearthisparticularposition,and
thoughIvelookedatthispositionalotandfeelBlackisokay(perhapssomethingforavery
advancedarticle),itreallyshouldbeavoidedbynonmasters.
Anunfortunatemove
8

10...Rc8?

1
a

J # , . @

Inanycase,inthegameBlackplayed10...Rc8.Hisreasoningprobablywentsomethinglikethis:
Immovingmyrookontoahalfopenfileand,atthesametime,takingaimatWhitesking.
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NoticehowhedidntaskhimselfwhatWhitewouldplayhejustsawareasonablelookingmove,
enjoyedthe(usuallygood)ideaofplacingarookonanopenfile,andthatwasthat.Alsonoticethat

hedidntstudyWhitesplans,tactics,orreply.Thegamecontinued:
BB(1400)vs.RaphaelMonahan(1546)
PasadenaClub|2016
8

11.Bxf6andsuddenlyBlackfacedtwo
choices:11...gxf6themovehechose,which

allowsthepawnstructuretobefractured.
(11...Bxf612.Qxd6whenWhitehaswona

pawn.Neither11...gxf6or11...Bxf6look
attractiveandBlack's"problem"couldhave

beenavoidedifhesaidtohimself(while
ponderingwhetherornot10...Rc8shouldbe

playedorjettisoned),"IfIplay10...Rc8,what
wouldWhitedo?WhatisWhite'sbestchoiceif
Idoplay10...Rc8?")

1
a

J # , . @

Anhonestlookattheintended10...Rc8wouldtellBlackthatitscertainlynotwhathewants.But,
unfortunately,beinghonestwithyourselfturnsouttobefarfromeasy!
ContinuationofBBR.Monahangame
8

11...gxf612.Nh4!Whiteimmediately
claimedtheholeonf5forhisownand,adding
tothefactthatWhite'sotherknightcanleap
intod5,thepositioncanalreadybethoughtof
aslostforBlack.Blackplayed12...Rg8and
nowitwasWhite'sturntograspbothsidesof
theposition'ssecrets.Instead,Whitetossed
out13.Nb5??takingimmediateaimatthe

weakpawnsona7andd6.

3
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S F

1
a

J # , . @

Incredibly,thismoveturnsawinningpositionforWhiteintoavastlysuperiorpositionforBlack!
Onceagain,letstakealookintoWhitesthinkingprocess:Mykingsideknightcanleapintof5at
anymomentandBlackskingisstuckinthecenter.So,nowitstimetokillhim!With13.Nb5I
threatentwopawnsandifhetakesmyknightItakebackwithmyqueenandendupwitha
winningendgameduetothesuperiorknightandtheholesond5andf5.Ithink13.Nb5isastone
coldwinner!
Sadly,Whitesmoveisindeedastonecoldwinner(orclosetoit)forBlack!Whitescrime:hewas
dancingwithhimself!
Whitegetspunished
Nf5),anddominationoverthed5andf5

squares,easilywentontowin.)
14.Nf5

(14.Qh3Rxh415.Qxh4
3

(15.Nxd6+Bxd616.Rxd6
(16.Qxh4f5)

16...Rxh317.Rxd8+Kxd818.gxh3
Bxe4)

15...Bxb516.Qxh7Qc7andWhite'sin
serioustrouble.)

14...Bxe415.Nbxd6+Bxd616.Nxd6+
Qxd617.Qxd6Rxc2+18.Kb1Rc6+

19.Ka1Rxd620.Rxd6Ke721.Rd2
Rxg222.b3Rxf223.Rxf2Bxh1and

Blackshouldwin.
h

J # , . @

So,whatwaswrongwithWhitesthinkingprocess?

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WhydidthishappentoWhite?
8

1
a

WhitedidwhatBlackdid,heenteredfantasylandandonlylookedatideasandmovesthatmade
himhappy.Whatheforgotwasthattheb5knightwasinadequatelydefended(thequeenwasthe
b5knightsonlylifeline),theotherknight(onh4)wascompletelyundefended,andbymovingthe
c3knighttob5thee4pawnwasalsoinadequatelydefended.Allthesethingsshouldhavesetoff
alarmbells,butthosebellswerenotheardduetoWhitespotentiallyfataldoseofmyopia.
Bytheway,after12...Rg8Whitehadaseveralwinningmoves:
WhatWhiteshouldhavedone
8

13.Nf5!Asharpwaytoplay,butother
moveswinintotalsafety:
(13.g3protectstheh4knightandmakes

...Rg4uselessduetof2f3.Afterthat,Black
coulddonothingbutwaitforhisdemise.)
(13.f3keepstheg8rookoffofg4andalso
solidifiesthee4pawn.)

13...Rxg2actuallyhelpsWhitebyopening
thegfile(aroadintotheBlack

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position):14.Qh3Rg615.Qxh7Qc7

16.Rhg1Bf817.Rxg6fxg618.Qxg6+
Qf719.Qg3andBlackisdeadmeatnot

onlyduetoBlack'sweakkingposition,but
alsoduetoWhite'spassedhpawn,which

1
a

willbepushedtotheotherendoftheboard.

J # , . @

Heresanother(albeitmorecomplex)exampleoffantasychess:
BB(1400)vs.OscarArias(1105)
ArcadiaClub|2016
8

1
a

Whiteisobviouslymuchbetter,mostlyduetohisenormousspaceadvantageinthecenterandon
thekingside.Whitesanswertoincreasinghisadvantagewastotakeonf5(15.gxf5),theideabeing
toopenthegfileandpenetrateonitwithhisrooks.
Thereareseveralproblemswiththiskindofbasic,Illdothis,whichwillleadtothismentality.
Herearetwoobviousmissteps:
Hedidntaskifhecouldcreatenewimbalancesintheposition.
HeDIDrealizethathewasdoingsomethingniceforBlack(bringingBlacksdeadkingside
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knighttof5),buthefeltthat(afterhetooktheknightwithhislightsquaredbishop)theopen
filewouldbeworthit.
Letslookateachofthesebulletpoints:
Hehadplentyoftimebutitneveroccurredtohimthatnewimbalanceswerescreamingtobe
created.And,tobehonest,ifyoudontlook,youwontfindifthereareopportunitieswaitingfor
youtograb.
Asitturnsout,Whitecouldhavecompletelytakenoverthegame.Seeifyoucanfindit:
Whitecreatesaslamdunkwinningposition
8

15.Na4!Qc716.Bxa6DestroyingBlack's
pawnstructure.16...bxa617.Nc1!and

Black'scompletelylostsinceWhitewill
movethec1knighttob3whereithitsboth

a5andc5.ThenWhitewouldhave:More
centralandkingsideandqueensidespace,

controloverthea5andc5squares,more
activepieces,andaneventualattackagainst

Black'sking.Asyoucansee,it'snotjust
aboutmakinguseofsomethingyoualready

have.It'salsoimportanttoconstantlylook
fornewwaystogetevenmore!BTW,most

grandmasterswould,iftheyhadtheBlack
piecesafter17.Nc1,resigninthisposition

Solved!
a

J # , . @

Intheactualgamehewentallinwiththeideaofopeningthegfile.Letsseehowthatworkedfor
him:
BB(1400)vs.OscarArias(1105)
ArcadiaClub|2016|10
8

6
https://www.chess.com/article/view/dancingwithyourself

f5.Also,it'sclearthatWhite'slightsquared
bishopisfarbetterthanthattrappedh6
knight,yetWhite'splanistoswapthose
twopiecesoff.Ifhehadthoughtaboutthese
ramificationshemighthaverealizedthat
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ramificationshemighthaverealizedthat
15.gxf5,thoughitdoesn'thangmaterial,

deservesadoublequestionmark.And,asa
result,hemighthavelookedelsewhereand

foundsomethingbetter.15...Nxf5
16.Bxf5Followinghisgfile

plan.16...gxf517.Rhg1Whitethoughthe
waswinningbecausehewasonlythinking

ofhisownplansandideas.Somehowit
neveroccurredtohimthatBlackmighthave

thingstodotoo.17...h5?!Blackis
a

mesmerizedbyWhite'splayandisn'tdoing

J # , . @

Asonemovesuptheratingladder,itsextremelyimportanttotrulyexploretheideas,plans,tactical
nuances,andstructuresofbothsides.Thoughgrandmastersseemostofthosethingsataglance,
thatdoesntmeanyoushouldntstarttotrainyourselftoseeasmanypossibilitiesforbothsidesas
youcan.
Evenifyourscanisallwrong,youllstillfindthatyourresultsgetbetterandthemutualpositions
getclearer.But,thistakestime,dedication,andlotsofpracticetosucceed.Fortunately,theresno
bettertimetostartthannow!

MorefromIMSilman(https://www.chess.com/article/member/Silman)
(https://www.chess.com/article/view/opening
failuresandhowtoavoidthem)

OpeningFailuresAndHowtoAvoidThem
(https://www.chess.com/article/view/openingfailuresandhowtoavoid
them)
(https://www.chess.com/article/view/overextending
https://www.chess.com/article/view/dancingwithyourself

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yourpawns)

OverextendingYourPawns
(https://www.chess.com/article/view/overextendingyourpawns)

Comments (9)

Follow

2minsago

EPICARTICLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!VERYHELPFUL!
pstalwalkar7(https://www.chess.com/member/pstalwalkar7)

2minsago

youguysareright1500doesntmakepositinalblundersbuttheysimplyhangpieces
deathstroke2611(https://www.chess.com/member/deathstroke2611)

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27minsago

Nicearticlefortheamateurmind.Youaregracefullyendowedwiththeabilitytopushthe
petersfresh(https://www.chess.com/member/petersfresh)
pointshome.thanks

53minsago

That'soneofthebesteverarticleI'vereadsofar.Thanksforsharingsuchniceideas.
mirzaghalamdon(https://www.chess.com/member/mirzaghalamdon)

1hrago

Veryinstructiveasalways!
Samad1(https://www.chess.com/member/samad1)

(https://www.chess.com/membership?c=icon)
1hrago

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Naifmandoisright...A1500makeserrors,butnotsoheavyones.Betteryouare,morelittles
areyourmistakes.Butyoualwayscommitssome.
HourraPapa(https://www.chess.com/member/hourrapapa)
1hrago

Insultingusfornoreason.Wearemuchbetterthanthat.Mostofusatleast.GMsshould
Naifmando56(https://www.chess.com/member/naifmando56)
knowthedifferencebetween1500and1000.

2hrsago

Heythisisveryusefulforlowerratedplayers
Sumant2013(https://www.chess.com/member/sumant2013)

2hrsago

HiMisterSilman,
Wtr55(https://www.chess.com/member/wtr55)
Thankyouforthisarticle.Itismoveslike'17.NC1',asprovidedinthepuzzle,thatseemto
eludemeallthetime.Isawthefirsttwomoveseasilyenough,butthefollowupbecameonly
clearafterIreadyourexplanation(andItriedoutmanyothermoves).
Doyouhavetipsonhowtobetterspotthosetypeofinbetweenmoves,asIcallthem?
Thankyou!

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