John Bartholomew

In this continuation of the "Climbing the Rating Ladder" series I take on players of various ratings levels while pointing out typical mistakes and spots for improvement along the way (possibly my own!? :)). Here I commentate a 10+0 game against a player rated 1819 on Chess.com. As explained extensively in previous CTRL videos ("Why the Alapin Sicilian is an Ideal Weapon" … [Read more...] about The Alapin Sicilian (2.c3) is Simple and Effective | Climbing the Rating Ladder vs. 1819

As much fun as it is to win glamorously via a spectacular, sacrificial attack, most chess games are won by fundamental play grounded in strong underlying understanding. Review this game on lichess.org: https://lichess.org/xjEVj8Psb6a5 Support the channel: https://streamlabs.com/johnbartholomew or via PayPal: https://t.co/VBFOLJHt2m Follow me on Twitch: … [Read more...] about Fundamentals Win Chess Games

Blundering is inevitable in chess, but keeping a level head and fighting back is a choice! Many players rage or panic after a mistake, which compounds their problems. We ought to be patient and look to selectively complicate the game (you can even ask yourself, "If I were my opponent, would would be the most uncomfortable move to face in trying to win?"). In this game, which I … [Read more...] about You Just Blundered. Now What?

In this continuation of the "Climbing the Rating Ladder" series I take on players of various ratings levels while pointing out typical mistakes and spots for improvement along the way (possibly my own!? :)). Here I commentate a 10+0 game against a player rated 1827 on Chess.com. The Queen's Gambit Declined (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6) is a venerable defense that has featured in many World … [Read more...] about Crash Course in the Queen’s Gambit Declined | Climbing the Rating Ladder vs. 1827

On May 27, 2023, I participated in my first serious tournament in 3.5 years: the Charlotte Memorial Day Weekend Rapid & Blitz in Charlotte, North Carolina! This is an analysis of my Round 4 G/45+5 game against GM Oleksandr Bortnyk (FIDE: 2605). Review this game on lichess.org: https://lichess.org/xqwTygZm Chapters: 00:00 Game 15:21 Analysis/post-game 21:20 Puzzle vs. FM … [Read more...] about Grandmaster in the Last Round for all the Marbles | Round 4 Charlotte Rapid vs. 2605 GM