I've read the AA book before, and just like the few chess books I've read back then, I finished it and promptly forgot what I just read. I think the problem may have been, I got lost in all the shiny combinations that I didn't bother to get the point of the story.

Anyway, In an effort to better study this time the next few succeeding posts will be all about my thoughts regarding what I'm "learning" from the book.

Part I. Attack on the uncastled king from the open E-file

- At the start of the game, the uncastled king is potentially vulnerable to two weaknesses. The square F7(or F2) and the E-file.

Funny how I never paid attention to this rather important detail before. The point is, this fact neatly suggests a plan on how to set the tactics up.

- The pre-requisite for the attack is
1. The king, due to one reason or another is unable to move or castle away from the attack.
2. The attacker should be able to open the e-file
3. The attacker should be able to control the e-file. Preferably with a rook or a queen.

Just three simple things. Without which would mean undertaking a frontal assault to be the height of foolishness.

...

Note: hmm.. I forgot where the online chess database is, otherwise I would link the games given in the book.

Ill go and seek for it later. Maybe I can understand more of this by adding diagrams and discussing the position with myself ..

To be continued..

Played my first two games last night.

Won against a 1200 and lost against a 1400 player. Its interesting to note that
reading my old posts, there would be very few games in which I lost to sub-1500 players.
Clearly there is a very noticeable difference in strength between now and then.

Anyway, mostly played Italian-type games as I've forgotten opening theory. Just went
by whatever general principle I still remember. What I like about my game is
that I seem to be thinking on each move. Checking for obvious blunders, etc. I actually
almost used up all my time on the two games.

On the first game when he castled king side I still remembered to close the center,
open a file (because he took my knight with his bishop and rather than taking back with my queen,
I elected to shatter my pawn formation in favor of an open file against the king), and then later
on when he 'captured' my rook with his knight - I allowed him the gain as I judged that
the removal of his lone defending piece on the king-side would be enough compensation.
Oh, and btw castling are for wimps.. :p

On the second game, lost a piece from a two-move combination. Duh. Played to the bitter end,
but the position was hopeless and the opponent, rather than attack himself, mostly played it
safe and repeatedly tried to simplify. On hindsight, I could have avoided problems by castling
early but real men don't castle. The king stays in the center and explode in a hail of checks.

I didn't think it will be this hard..

I'm down to 1200 on the CTS (-300pts) and the tactics I miss are of the garden variety 1-ply simple fork kind. Good grief, hope I don't have to go through that seven circles again to regain my mojo.

Anyway

Ive exhumed my old chess books and I'm perusing my collection in order to determine what to use this time. I'm of a mind to use the 'Art of Attack'. I have this weird idea that came to me while walking around on the mall. Wanna know what it is? Here, let me tell you - the whole purpose of the middle-game should be to place the pieces on certain squares or to achieve a certain piece alignment. For example, in order to lunch a kingside attack a knight, a bishop and a queen should be placed on so and so square first, and then lunch the attack.

I know, I know.. a revolutionary new idea huh.

I figured the aforementioned book has the collection of piece placement and so.. what the heck, read it again and see if I understand it better that when I read it 4 years ago.

But I shall not touch that book yet. I want to get my rating up on CTS to at least 1400 first.

Well, its been a long time. Missed me?

Thought so..

Anyway, I wont bore you with stories about what happened to my life while I'm gone. Maybe later. But suffice to say that certain problems have (nearly)passed allowing me to resume a semi-normal chess life again.

Problem is, its been what? two years since I last picked up a pawn. I went to CTS and did some problems but gosh - I'm so slow. I need to stare at the position before the fork, or pin, or whatever pops up.

Anyway, before I go and play a game, Ill make sure to do some thousand problems first. It would not do to play horribly on my first game back.

Oh, and Ive been reading all the Knights blog recently. Don't think I know what you guys are doing.. hehe.. :)