Well, you can tell I would have won this match...

On another note, I came across an interesting position from one of Nimzowitsch's games in CT-ART recently and I just haven't been able to find the game anywhere. Not only do I really want to see the rest of the game, but it would make a great (maybe Wednesday or Thursday?) puzzle and addition to the game collection. The position is supposedly from Nimzowitsch-Hofer, Nuremberg 1904, but I think some of that information may be wrong. Anyway, hopefully someone knows where this position comes from:

click for larger view

29 ... Kb8 30 Qa2

30a ...Qd7 31 Qa8+ Kc7 32 Ra7# )

OR

30b ... Rd7 31 Qa8+ Kc7 32 Qc6+ Kd8 33 Ra8 Rc7 34 Rxc8+ Kxc8 35 Qa8+ Kd7 36 Qxh8

OR

I suck at chess. I lose all the time online.

I've been playing for about two years now. For the first year I really did not know what i was doing at all. Then i bought a few books some of which where over my head.

My rateing on Chessbase servers goes from like 1310 - 1450. It jumps dramatically all the time, like I will lose three or four in a row then win four a five in a row. When I first started playing my record was like 1200-1250 constantly.

I think I understand more about chess now then I did two years ago but I don't understand why I cannot get my rateing to improve more swiftly.

These games are since I bought Hiarchs 10 like six months ago. 99 percent of these are 10 minutes blitz games. ---
412 games played.
Stored Results:
White: 133
Wins: 112
Draws: 26
Losses: 131
Result: 125.0/269 = 46.5 %
Opponents Elo: 1420
N Opponents: 211

Current Rateing: 1321
Best Elo: 1457
---

It's prob not totally fair though, maybe 40 of the loses I got when I was smokeing some Marry Jane, like 10-15 wins also.

I'm reading "Pawn Structure Chess" currently on page like 105. I was reading "The middle game - Book One" but I stopped after i got to page like 100 to learn more about pawns since I was not understanding the middle game pawn choices very well.

I always play 1. D4 and 1 ... c5.

Is it normal to progress so slowly in chess? I feel like i should maybe just give up on chess if i'm always going to be stuck at such a low level of play.

Should I stop reading books and just play more often? Maybe longer games? The books confuse me sometimes because i'll read a lesson in them and then try to apply it .. and find out i did it all wrong and lose.

You see, in chess, only the truth matters, and it can't be spun. You can't claim there's WMD (a queen or rook) on a square when there isn't. So straighten up and fly right.

30c ... Qb7 31 Bxb7 Kxb7 32 Qa6+ Kc7 33 Qxc4+ Kb8 (if 33 ... Kd7 34 Ra7+) or if (33 ... Kb7 34 d5 Rc8 35 Qa6+ Kc7 36 Qa7+ Kd8 37 Qe7#) 34 Qxf7 )>

Don't be discouraged. Chess is a game that can always be enjoyed at whatever level you are at. One thing to try is some different openings. You might start seeing some new things and when you go back to your "comfortable" openings, you will have some new ideas. Try e4 openings and perhaps the French, Petroff or Pirc defenses to e4. Also, play over as many master games as you can, but try to guess the next move. After awhile you will see that you are getting better and better at picking good moves. It's very important that you don't peak! Really try to see what is going on in the position and then try to pick a move.

In your own games it's very important to go over your losses. You will see how you were beaten and then you can use that stuff on someone else!

I have Hiarchs 10 analyze prob half my loses and then i go over the games.

The problem is most of the time I lose either at the very start or the very end.

Tons of times vs people 400-500 rateing points higher then me I get huge leads (at least Hiarchs will say I have like 3-4 point advantages)but then I lose to some simple blunder. Often the result of a badly moved pawn or a simple fork that I just ignored.

Its like I cannot make 1 mistake no matter how ahead I get or I instantly lose on the chessbase server.

In real life at coffee shops I can beat people with my eyes closed of course this is in USA and is the result that most people here suck at chess even more then me. But trust me I suck big time.

Why do i miss such easy moves so much?!

"I don't know what you're insinuating, Jane, but I haven't seen your husband all day-besides, surely you know I would only devour my own husband!!">

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