The English Rat Defense (1.d4 d6 2.c4 e5) often produces a queenless middlegame (3.dxe5 dxe5 4.Qxd8+ Kxd8) where Black has comfortable play. My 2120 rated opponent plays some solid albeit unspectacular moves, and though I gain the bishop pair, I lag in development. An ill-timed move then forces me to surrender my biggest asset, the bishop pair, after which I must adjust to the … [Read more...] about Recovering from Shaky Calculation | Standard Chess #290 (English Rat Defense)
John Bartholomew
Caging the Bishop Pair | Twin Ports Open 2019
From Aug. 16-18, 2019, I participated in the eighth-annual Twin Ports Open in Superior, Wisconsin. I played (and subsequently won) the main tournament (final standings here: http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?201908187092.1-12718516), and on Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, I played a fun exhibition blitz event that was open to the public. Here I face the president of the Twin Ports … [Read more...] about Caging the Bishop Pair | Twin Ports Open 2019
Balancing Instinct & Calculation | Using the Clock as a Weapon #30
For the first time since March 2020, I record a #ClockAsAWeapon installment! In this video, I play five blitz games (3+0) on Chess.com. My goals in this series are to 1) stay even or ahead of my opponents on the clock, and 2) trust my decision-making. Follow along as I try to avoid perfectionist tendencies and apply pressure with the ultimate equalizer in competitive chess: the … [Read more...] about Balancing Instinct & Calculation | Using the Clock as a Weapon #30
Under Pressure vs. Newcomer | 2019 Twin Ports Open
From Aug. 16-18, 2019, I participated in the eighth-annual Twin Ports Open in Superior, Wisconsin. I played (and subsequently won) the main tournament (final standings here: http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?201908187092.1-12718516), and on Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, I played a fun exhibition blitz event that was open to the public. Here I face a tough challenger in Joseph … [Read more...] about Under Pressure vs. Newcomer | 2019 Twin Ports Open
Missing Smothered Mate | Grünfeld Defense Bullet Arena
This is a 27-minute, 1+0 thematic bullet arena I played on lichess.org on my Twitch stream on Oct. 26, 2020. Each game in the tournament began from the Grünfeld Defense after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4. I wore a puffer coat, I missed a gorgeous smothered mate, and great fun was had by the chat! 😁 Final standings: https://lichess.org/tournament/UoDvMbxm Support … [Read more...] about Missing Smothered Mate | Grünfeld Defense Bullet Arena
