I was once an FM

Main

Date: 02 Mar 2005 20:59:09
From: gnohmon
Subject: I was once an FM

Technically, I will always be an FM, because it is a lifetime title.

But, I have not studied an opening since 1985. And I am so rusty, It's
really embarassing, I'm so weak, I ceartainly do not advertize ny FM
status online.

The kids are grown up now, and maybe I have more time to devote to
chess.

For a formerly-strong player, what would be a good starting=point?

For information, my fics rating now is around 1700, varying from 2000
to 1600.

Date: 11 Mar 2005 09:23:41
From: gnohmon
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

Ciao, Luigi! I had heard of your success
and was pleased by the news.

I thank everybody for all the kind and useful
thoughts.Perhaps I should try looking for somewhat
slower games against stronger players for awhile,
although I was always so much better at blitz,
and still enjoy it more.

The problem with that is that one must wait so much
longer to get a game. I suppose I can find something
else to do while waiting....

And the openings, ah, well, I never spent that much
time on them, and accumulated quite a ratty repertoire
in order to know openings that never changed much.
But indeed, the theory may have changed even for them!

Google doesn't show the reference to some of my old
games that was earlier in the thread.

Date: 12 Mar 2005 14:49:58
From: Jerzy
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"gnohmon" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The problem with that is that one must wait so much
> longer to get a game. I suppose I can find something
> else to do while waiting....

You can take part for free in the series of Dos Hermanas eliminations :

www.doshermanas.net

The time limit is this year 5min per game plus 1 sec per move.

Although if you want to play further in ICC then you should pay unless you
are IM or GM ;-)

Jerzy

Date: 04 Mar 2005 20:54:59
From: Antonio Torrecillas
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

En/na gnohmon ha escrit:

> Technically, I will always be an FM, because it is a lifetime title.
>
> But, I have not studied an opening since 1985. And I am so rusty, It's
> really embarassing, I'm so weak, I ceartainly do not advertize ny FM
> status online.
>
> The kids are grown up now, and maybe I have more time to devote to
> chess.
>
> For a formerly-strong player, what would be a good starting=point?
>
> For information, my fics rating now is around 1700, varying from 2000
> to 1600.

It's an strange situation. I can not imagine me stop playing chess. And
no for 20 years. ... But all people has his personal circunstances.

I know players who are playing chess at FM level (maybe higher) with no
much time to study openings. In this case it's a hard task to play
Sicilian Najdorf but there are no big problems with Caro Kan novelties.
Curiously one of them is a very tactical player and obtains the type of
position he likes (sharp play) no matter the opening played.

Maybe if you post here your last game (no matter if it's a blitz one) we
can help you more acurately.

AT

Date: 06 Mar 2005 16:15:37
From: Ray Gordon
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

> much time to study openings. In this case it's a hard task to play
> Sicilian Najdorf but there are no big problems with Caro Kan novelties.

Other than the one that Kramnik used to save his title with a win against
Leko in the final game of their match?

--
Ray Gordon, Author
http://www.cybersheet.com/easy.html
Seduction Made Easy. Get this book FREE when you buy participating
affiliated books!

http://www.cybersheet.com/library.html
The Seduction Library. Four free books to get you started on your quest to
get laid.

Don't buy anything from experts who won't debate on a free speech forum.

Date: 04 Mar 2005 19:37:07
From: Jerzy
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"gnohmon" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Technically, I will always be an FM, because it is a lifetime title.

Yes but only unless FIDE collapses ;-)

> But, I have not studied an opening since 1985. And I am so rusty, It's
> really embarassing, I'm so weak, I ceartainly do not advertize ny FM
> status online.

That`s the point here : go and analyze more openings, you`ll be surprised
how much chess theory has changed since you played for the last time in an
OTB tournament
;-)

> The kids are grown up now, and maybe I have more time to devote to
> chess.
>
> For a formerly-strong player, what would be a good starting=point?
>
> For information, my fics rating now is around 1700, varying from 2000
> to 1600.

I don`t know if it`s a good or bad rating. Maybe you are just weaker at
speed chess ?
If so then my advice is : play more games at standard time limits e.g. 5
minutes with an incrementation e.g. 5 sec per move.

ex-FM Jerzy

Date: 04 Mar 2005 23:10:11
From: CeeBee
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"Jerzy" <[email protected] > wrote in rec.games.chess.analysis:

> If so then my advice is : play more games at standard time
> limits e.g. 5 minutes with an incrementation e.g. 5 sec per
> move.

So this is today's definition of "standard" time limits.

--
CeeBee

"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."

Date: 05 Mar 2005 15:11:35
From: Jerzy
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"CeeBee" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Jerzy" <[email protected]> wrote in rec.games.chess.analysis:
>
>
> > If so then my advice is : play more games at standard time
> > limits e.g. 5 minutes with an incrementation e.g. 5 sec per
> > move.
>
> So this is today's definition of "standard" time limits.

Such time limits are used in 'serious' chess torunaments over the internet.
For example I played once in Dos Hermanas qualifiers on ICC and the time
limit was 8 minutes per game plus 2 seconds per move.

I`ve checked today ratings at FICS (and refreshed my old account there - I
haven`t been there for 5 years ;-) and below 2000-ratings are really weak
(sorry folks) no matter speed or standard games.
I really doubt that 'gnohmon' was/is an FM ;-)

ex-FM Jerzy

Date: 05 Mar 2005 16:52:38
From: Luigi Caselli
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"Jerzy" <[email protected] > ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email protected]...
>
> I`ve checked today ratings at FICS (and refreshed my old account there - I
> haven`t been there for 5 years ;-) and below 2000-ratings are really weak
> (sorry folks) no matter speed or standard games.
> I really doubt that 'gnohmon' was/is an FM ;-)

He was... I played with him about 28 years ago and I know that...
He was in Italy in those days and he was a strong master.
I'm a FM too so I can judge his playing force of those years.

Luigi Caselli

Date: 06 Mar 2005 20:08:59
From: Jerzy
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"Luigi Caselli" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > I really doubt that 'gnohmon' was/is an FM ;-)
>
> He was... I played with him about 28 years ago and I know that...
> He was in Italy in those days and he was a strong master.
> I'm a FM too so I can judge his playing force of those years.

Luigi, in fact 'gnohmon' answered why he is so rusty today. He hasn`t
studied chess since 1985 so he shouldn`t be surprised that he is so weak
today but still I wonder how is that possible.

ex-FM Jerzy

Date: 07 Mar 2005 22:00:15
From: Luigi Caselli
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"Jerzy" <[email protected] > ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email protected]...
> "Luigi Caselli" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > > I really doubt that 'gnohmon' was/is an FM ;-)
> >
> > He was... I played with him about 28 years ago and I know that...
> > He was in Italy in those days and he was a strong master.
> > I'm a FM too so I can judge his playing force of those years.
>
> Luigi, in fact 'gnohmon' answered why he is so rusty today. He hasn`t
> studied chess since 1985 so he shouldn`t be surprised that he is so weak
> today but still I wonder how is that possible.

Searching my old database I've found two games played with him
The first one is in a tournament game with long time control and it was a
difficult draw for me.
The second one is rapid and I played a good game...

[Event "Coppa Autunno, Milano"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1976.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "BETZA"]
[Black "CASELLI"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A03"]
[Annotator "Caselli,Luigi"]
[PlyCount "116"]
[EventDate "1976.??.??"]

1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 g6 4. c4 Bg7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. d4 e6 7. Ne5 b6 8. Be2
Bb7
9. Bf3 Qc8 10. Bd2 dxc4 11. Nxc4 Nbd7 12. e4 Rb8 13. Be3 Ba6 14. b3 b5 15.
Ne5
c5 16. Rc1 Nxe5 17. dxe5 Rd8 18. Qc2 Nd7 19. Nd1 Bf8 20. h4 Qc7 21. Nb2 Rbc8
22. Be2 Bb7 23. Kf2 a6 24. Bf3 Nb6 25. Kg3 Ba8 26. Qf2 Nd7 27. Rc2 Qa5 28.
Ra1
Rc6 29. a4 Qc7 30. Bd2 Rc8 31. axb5 axb5 32. Ba5 Qb8 33. Rd1 Nb6 34. Qe2 c4
35.
Bxb6 Qxb6 36. bxc4 bxc4 37. Rxc4 Rxc4 38. Nxc4 Qb5 39. Nd6 Qxe2 40. Bxe2
Bxd6
41. exd6 Bxe4 42. Bb5 Rd8 43. Kf2 Bd5 44. d7 Kf8 45. g4 Ke7 46. Rc1 f5 47.
g5
47... e5 $1 48. Rc5 Be6 49. Rxe5 Kd6 50. h5 (50. Re1 Bxd7 51. Rd1+ Ke7 52.
Bxd7
Rxd7 53. Rxd7+ Kxd7 54. Ke3 Ke7 55. Kd4 55... Kd6 $11) 50... Bxd7 51. hxg6
hxg6
52. Bc4 Re8 53. Rxe8 Bxe8 54. Ke3 Kc5 55. Bg8 Kd6 56. Kd4 Ke7 57. Ke5 Kf8
58. Bb3 Kg7 1/2-1/2

[Event "1a Coppa Filologico, semilampo"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1978.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "CASELLI"]
[Black "BETZA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D02"]
[Annotator "Caselli,Luigi"]
[PlyCount "59"]
[EventDate "1978.??.??"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e6 6. O-O Nf6 7. c4 Bc5 8.
Nxc6 bxc6 9. Qc2 Qb6 10. Nc3 Be7 11. Rd1 O-O 12. Be3 Qa6 13. cxd5 cxd5 14.
h3
Bd7 15. Rac1 Rfc8 16. Qd2 Rc4 17. b3 Rc6 18. Bd4 Rac8 19. e4 $1 dxe4 $2 20.
Bxf6 $1 gxf6 (20... Bxf6 21. Qxd7 Rxc3 22. Rxc3 Bxc3 23. Qd8+ Rxd8 24.
Rxd8#)
21. Qxd7 Ba3 22. Rc2 Rxc3 23. Rxc3 Rxc3 24. Qe8+ Kg7 25. Rd7 Rc1+ 26. Kh2
Kg6
27. Qxf7+ Kg5 28. Qg7+ Kf5 29. Qxh7+ Ke5 30. Qxe4# 1-0

Luigi Caselli

Date: 08 Mar 2005 16:12:20
From: Jerzy
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"Luigi Caselli" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > Luigi, in fact 'gnohmon' answered why he is so rusty today. He hasn`t
> > studied chess since 1985 so he shouldn`t be surprised that he is so weak
> > today but still I wonder how is that possible.
>
> Searching my old database I've found two games played with him
> The first one is in a tournament game with long time control and it was a
> difficult draw for me.
> The second one is rapid and I played a good game...
>

Nice games and they support my first suspicion that 'gnohmon' is better at
long games. Thus if he wants to improve his on-line performance surely he
should play longer games and not just clicking at =< 3-minutes games ;-)

Jerzy

Date: 09 Mar 2005 14:10:05
From: Luigi Caselli
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"Jerzy" <[email protected] > ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email protected]...
> "Luigi Caselli" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > > Luigi, in fact 'gnohmon' answered why he is so rusty today. He hasn`t
> > > studied chess since 1985 so he shouldn`t be surprised that he is so
weak
> > > today but still I wonder how is that possible.
> >
> > Searching my old database I've found two games played with him
> > The first one is in a tournament game with long time control and it was
a
> > difficult draw for me.
> > The second one is rapid and I played a good game...
> >
>
> Nice games and they support my first suspicion that 'gnohmon' is better at
> long games. Thus if he wants to improve his on-line performance surely he
> should play longer games and not just clicking at =< 3-minutes games ;-)

Some years ago I also stopped to play chess (when I was Candidate Master)
for many years, when I returned to play I have two big problems:
1. I was very slow (so I played very bad blitz and rapid and had always
zeitnot in long games)
2. I had lots of problem about even simple tactics
I didn't have many problems in strategical play

So I decided to follow this cure...
1. Playing lots of blitz to be forced to think faster as in good times...
2. Studying very carefully all the Alechin's games (and his incredible
tactics) in the Kotov book about Alechin...

The cure was successful and I became Master after few times.
To became FM I've had to improve a lot my opening lines but this is another
story...

Luigi Caselli

Date: 09 Mar 2005 15:25:48
From: Jerzy
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"Luigi Caselli" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > Nice games and they support my first suspicion that 'gnohmon' is better
at
> > long games. Thus if he wants to improve his on-line performance surely
he
> > should play longer games and not just clicking at =< 3-minutes games ;-)
>
> Some years ago I also stopped to play chess (when I was Candidate Master)
> for many years, when I returned to play I have two big problems:
> 1. I was very slow (so I played very bad blitz and rapid and had always
> zeitnot in long games)
> 2. I had lots of problem about even simple tactics
> I didn't have many problems in strategical play
>
> So I decided to follow this cure...
> 1. Playing lots of blitz to be forced to think faster as in good times...
> 2. Studying very carefully all the Alechin's games (and his incredible
> tactics) in the Kotov book about Alechin...
>
> The cure was successful and I became Master after few times.
> To became FM I've had to improve a lot my opening lines but this is
another
> story...

I think your method is good and what`s more important : successful ;-)

The main problem with me is the lack of time. I can afford to spend my time
on playing chess on-line but my holidays are very limited so I don`t have
much chance to play in OTB tournaments. And when I happen to play in an OTB
tournament I treat it more as a holidays and less as a serious event.

IMHO it`s important to play in OTB tournaments as often as possible. The
results in the internet are not very objective.

Jerzy

Date: 04 Mar 2005 22:26:19
From: David Richerby
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

Jerzy <[email protected] > wrote:
> gnohmon <[email protected]> wrote:
>> For information, my fics rating now is around 1700, varying from 2000
>> to 1600.
>
> I don`t know if it`s a good or bad rating. Maybe you are just weaker at
> speed chess ?
> If so then my advice is : play more games at standard time limits e.g. 5
> minutes with an incrementation e.g. 5 sec per move.

Five minutes with an increment of five seconds per move still only gives
you eight and a bit minutes for a 40-move game, which is still pretty
quick. Something like twenty minutes plus twelve seconds per move would
be more sensible (28 minutes for a 40-move game).

Dave.

--
David Richerby Mentholated Pants (TM): it's like a
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ well-tailored pair of trousers but
it's invigorating!

Date: 04 Mar 2005 19:34:00
From: Jerzy
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"gnohmon" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Technically, I will always be an FM, because it is a lifetime title.

Yes unless FIDE collapses ;-)

> But, I have not studied an opening since 1985. And I am so rusty, It's
> really embarassing, I'm so weak, I ceartainly do not advertize ny FM
> status online.

That`s the point here : go and analyze more openings, you`ll be surprised
how much it changed since you played for the last time in a OTB tournament
;-)

> The kids are grown up now, and maybe I have more time to devote to
> chess.
>
> For a formerly-strong player, what would be a good starting=point?
>
> For information, my fics rating now is around 1700, varying from 2000
> to 1600.

I don`t know if it`s a good or bad rating. Maybe you are just weaker at
speed chess ?
If so then my advice is : play more games at standard time limits e.g. 5
minutes with incrementation 5 sec per move.

ex-FM Jerzy

Date: 06 Mar 2005 16:13:14
From: Ray Gordon
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

>> But, I have not studied an opening since 1985. And I am so rusty, It's
>> really embarassing, I'm so weak, I ceartainly do not advertize ny FM
>> status online.
>
> That`s the point here : go and analyze more openings, you`ll be surprised
> how much it changed since you played for the last time in a OTB tournament
> ;-)

Yeah, you can now move pawns three squares on the first move.

Date: 04 Mar 2005 18:47:42
From: Mike Ogush
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

On 2 2005 20:59:09 -0800, "gnohmon" <[email protected] > wrote:

>Technically, I will always be an FM, because it is a lifetime title.
>
>But, I have not studied an opening since 1985. And I am so rusty, It's
>really embarassing, I'm so weak, I ceartainly do not advertize ny FM
>status online.
>
>The kids are grown up now, and maybe I have more time to devote to
>chess.
>
>For a formerly-strong player, what would be a good starting=point?
>
>For information, my fics rating now is around 1700, varying from 2000
>to 1600.
>

I am having a similar experience although not quite at your level.
Around 1984 I reached a rating level of 2100 USCF. Then for a variety
of reasons I didn't play tournament games for about 20 years. In 2003
I started playing games again at slow time control and saw how rusty I
had become.

My advice:

Start playing games against people who are approximately your rating
with slow (fastest being G/60) time control.

This serves two purposes:
1. Calibrates what level you are actually playing at. Your rating
will probably drop at first (mine dropped almost 200 points) continue
playing against people around your rating.
2. You will have a sample of recent games that will let you know what
aspects of chess you need to work on.

Look through the games to find points where the evaluation of the
position shifts (e.g. you have a slight advantage and then make a move
that gives your opponent equality or even some advantage). You may
want to get help from a paracticing master (a player stronger than you
are) to help with this assessment of your games. [For purely
tactical mistakes a chess program, such as Fritz, can show you what
you missed during the game, but I wouldn't rely on a program to show
you strategic mistakes.]

Some Posiibilities:
* your play in the opening may have deteriorated somewhat and you
may get inferior positions because you don't know the latest lines.
Action: As you identify mistakes in a particluar line learn the theory
around that line.
* more importantly you may reach playable middlegames, but no
longer remember the plans for that type of middlegame. Action:
Relearn the patterns in the middlegame that you once knew.
* you find that you are making mistakes in endgames that might cost
you a win or a draw.
Action: relearn those endings where you make mistakes.
* you find your time management skills are weak.
Action: Use technique recommended by Kotov and others to find complex
positions from annotated GM games and analyze them with a set time
limit then compare your analysis to the GM's.
* you find that your thinking process is flawed. [I think that this
is less likely since you did achieve a master ranking.]
Action: Read through Dan Heisman's Novice Nook articles at the
www.chesscafe.com archives on the thinking process for chess and
adjust your own process so you make fewere and fewer mistakes.

Good Luck,

Mike Ogush

Date: 03 Mar 2005 16:09:58
From: Benjamin Maloney
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

How about a good refresher course with the book "Reassess Your Chess"? That
might help. It's by Jeremy Silman.

>>>>>>>>>>
"gnohmon" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Technically, I will always be an FM, because it is a lifetime title.

But, I have not studied an opening since 1985. And I am so rusty, It's
really embarassing, I'm so weak, I ceartainly do not advertize ny FM
status online.

The kids are grown up now, and maybe I have more time to devote to
chess.

For a formerly-strong player, what would be a good starting=point?

For information, my fics rating now is around 1700, varying from 2000
to 1600.
<<<<<<<<<<

Date: 03 Mar 2005 13:58:59
From: CeeBee
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"gnohmon" <[email protected] > wrote in rec.games.chess.analysis:

> I ceartainly do not
> advertize ny FM status online.

I see.

--
CeeBee

"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."

Date: 03 Mar 2005 11:19:00
From: LSD
Subject: Re: I was once an FM

"CeeBee" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "gnohmon" <[email protected]> wrote in rec.games.chess.analysis:
>
>> I ceartainly do not
>> advertize ny FM status online.
>
> I see.

LOL

While funny that may be, nobody likes a stass. :-)

LSD

> --
> CeeBee
>
>
> "I don't know half of you
> half as well as I should like;
> and I like less than half of you
> half as well as you deserve."