The Winning Academy 15: How to avoid blunders (part 1)

by Jan Markos
11/11/2022 – Every chess player blunders. Even the brains of the very best in the world sometime take a day off. We are humans, and errors are an inherent part of human nature. And yet, few things in chess are as discouraging as losing a good game after a silly mistake. Sometimes, one blunder spoils an entire tournament: a week’s amount of work is gone in a minute or two. But Jan Markos has good news for you. Huge portion of blunders can be avoided by a little discipline and a few simple tricks.

Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

Pilots and doctors have checklists, safety policies and other tools to minimize the amount of errors. In this and the following part of The Winning Academy, I would like to show you several tricks tested in the praxis of my pupils, how to minimize the amount of errors at the chessboard.

My first trick is truly basic: Before calculating any lines or contemplating any candidate moves, check how many unprotected pieces are in the position. Unprotected pieces are potential tactical weaknesses. Therefore, more unprotected pieces mean more tactical motifs. As a rule of thumb, two and more unprotected pieces might signalize a tactical motif.

Sometimes even a World Champion forgets about this rule. This is what happened to Karpov in 1993:

Christiansen-Karpov, Wijk aan Zee 1993, Black to move:

 

Black’s h5-knight is unprotected. Therefore, Black should be careful not to create another tactical weaknesses. However, Karpov was focusing more on strategy than on tactics. He played 11...Bd6??, trying to establish control over the important h2-b8 diagonal. (The theoretical continuation is 11…Qb8 with a similar idea.)

Christiansen was alert. He saw two targets: Bd6 and Nh5, and played a move that attacked them both. After 12.Qd1! Karpov resigned.

Here's the comple - and very short - game:

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Ba6 5.Qc2 Bb7 6.Nc3 c5 7.e4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nc6 9.Nxc6 Bxc6 10.Bf4 Nh5 11.Be3 Bd6 12.Qd1 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Christiansen,L2620Karpov,A27251–01993E12Hoogovens2

 

It takes only seconds to scan the position for unprotected pieces. Please, don’t forget to do it after every move.

After you have found all potential tactical weaknesses, you should make a mental list of all  forcing moves. But wait! All means all: the logical, aesthetical, but also the ugly and the seemingly illogical.

In the following example Carlsen forgot to check one hidden, apparently absurd forcing move and had to resign immediately.

Dubov-Carlsen, Opera Euro Rapid 2021, Black to move:

 

The World Champion played 22...Qc3?? (22…Qa3 was necessary, with a difficult position, as White has a nice trick 22.Ng4!.)

I am sure that Carlsen calculated all the logical moves: 23.Qxf8+, 23.Nf5 and 23.Nd5. However, White played 23.Nd1!. Now the queen is hanging and when it retreats, White delivers a mate in three (Qxf8, Rd8+, Rexe8 mate).

Here's the complete game:

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 c5 7.Bxb4 cxb4 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nbd2 a5?! Black usually starts with d6 in order not to allow White to push his e-pawn to e5: 9...d6 10.Re1 Nbd7 11.e4 e5 10.Re1 d6 11.e4 Nfd7 11...Nbd7 12.e5 12.Qe2!? A natural move, and also the engine's sugestion. Several other games went 12.Qc2. 12.a3 Na6 doesn't bring White anything and justifies Black having kept the knight on b8. 12...e5 12...Na6 13.e5 dxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Nxe5 16.Qxe5 ½-½ (17) Lemos,D (2538)-Shirov,A (2698) Buenos Aires ARG 2012 13.Rad1 Nc6 14.Nf1! White won a precious tempo in the complications and is already clearly better. Qf6 14...Qc7 15.Ne3± 1-0 (26) Karavade,E (2386) -Zherebukh,Y (2541) Coubertin 2009 15.Ne3 15.dxe5!? Ndxe5 16.Nh4 with an overwhelming advantage. 15...Nxd4 16.Nxd4 exd4 17.e5 17.Nf5 was very good as well, but the games move is a safe path to a clear advantage. 17...Qxe5 18.Bxb7 Ra7 19.Qg4 Nf6 20.Qxd4 Rxb7 21.Qxd6 Qxb2 21...Qxd6 22.Rxd6 would lead to a very bad and passive endgame that Magnus didn't seem to want, for good reason! 22.Rd2 Qc3? And a serious blunder that loses the game, but Black was in huge trouble anyway. 22...Qa3 23.Ng4! and it becmes difficult to find moves for Black! Look at the queen on a3! 23.Nd1! The double threat Nxc3 and Qxf8+ wins the game. Re8 24.Rxe8+ Nxe8 25.Nxc3 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Dubov,D2710Carlsen,M28621–02021E16Opera Euro Rapid KO1.23

 

In the following position, Grischuk failed to consider one ugly yet incredibly effective move:

Grischuk-Topalov, Norway Chess 2015, White to move:

 

The Russian GM played 16.Nb5?? and was prepared to answer 16…Qb6 with 17.Kh1. Now the b5-knight is taboo because of the unprotected a8-rook. However, the surprising and unesthetic 17…g5! changes everything. After 18.Nh3 Bxh3 Black has succeeded to cover his rook with a tempo and therefore emerges from the skirmish with an extra piece.

Here's the complete game:

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 c5 5.d5 0-0 6.e4 d6 7.Nge2 In CBM 161 I did a survey of this variation. The current game adds to my conclusion that Black is doing fine in this line. b5 The most aggressive. 8.Nf4 This move strengthens White's centre, but the knight on f4 might be misplaced in some cases. 8.Ng3 is another option. 8...exd5 Topalov deviates from his own game, where he also achieved a good position. 8...a6 9.Bd2 exd5 10.cxd5 Ba5 11.Be2 Nbd7 12.0-0 Ne5 13.Kh1 c4 14.b3 b4 15.Na4 c3 16.Be3 Bc7 0-1 (41) Timofeev,A (2631)-Topalov,V (2751) Eilat 2012 8...e5 has appeared in practice as well with good results for White. Closing the centre gives White some time to regroup his pieces. 9.cxd5 9.Nfxd5 Nxd5 10.Qxd5 Qb6 11.Bf4 Be6! has never appeared so far, but might be an improvement that Topalov had in mind. 11...Rd8? 12.Bg5! Re8 13.Rd1± 1-0 (19) Khairullin,I (2602)-Karthikeyan,P (1983) Vlissingen 2009 11...bxc4?! 12.Bxc4 Nc6 13.0-0 Be6 14.Qd3 1/2-1/2 (40) Volkov,S (2636) -Maletin,P (2545) Novokuznetsk 2008 12.Qxd6 12.Qxa8?! Nc6 13.Qxf8+ Kxf8 12...Qa5 13.Kf2 Rd8 14.Qc7 Rd2+ 15.Kg3 Qxc7 16.Bxc7 Bxc3 17.bxc3 bxc4∞ 9...a6 We have here a Benoni type structure with, somewhat unusually, Black's bishop on b4 and a slight lag in development for White. It's important for Black that he has already managed to expand his play on the queenside. 9...c4?! 10.a4 Nbd7 11.axb5 Ne5 12.Be3 0-1 (34) Moranda, W (2533)-Dziuba,M (2556) Lublin 2008 10.Be2 10.a4 is worth checking. Black should reply with Ba5! tactically protecting the Pb5. 11.Be3 11.axb5 axb5 12.Bd2 Qb6 11...c4 12.axb5 axb5 13.b4! cxb3 13...Bxb4?! 14.Rxa8 Bxc3+ 15.Kf2 14.Qxb3 Ba6∞ 10...Nbd7 11.0-0 c4N More flexible than the previously played 11...Ne5. It's not clear yet, where Black's knight should go. 11...Ne5 12.Kh1 12.a4!? 12...Bd7 13.Nd3 Nxd3 14.Qxd3∞ 1/2-1/2 (30) Richter,M (2470)-Babula,V (2583) Pardubice 2013 12.Be3?! This allows the exchange of dark-squared bishops, which, to my mind, White should avoid, at least at this stage of the game. 12.Kh1 looks more in the spirit of the position. Bc5! 12...Ne5 13.a3 Bc5 14.b4 Bb6 15.g4 h6 16.Ng2 a5 17.Bf4 This is the kind of position that White should strive for in this line - to stabilise the queenside and try to create chances on the kingside. 13.g4 Ne5 14.Ng2 h6 15.a3 trying to push b2-b4 even in a slightly inferior version. 12...Bc5 13.Bxc5 Nxc5 14.b4 14.Qd4 g5! 15.b4 cxb3 16.Nd3 Nfd7 14...cxb3 15.axb3 b4 16.Nb5? This is, actually, a blunder. It would be good for White, if the knight reached the d4 square, but not in this game... 16.Na4 Nxa4 17.Rxa4 Qb6+ 18.Kh1 a5 19.Nd3 Ba6 20.Nb2 Rfc8 21.Bxa6 Qxa6 22.Nc4? Rxc4! 23.bxc4 Nd7 16.Nb1 Nfd7 17.Nd2 a5 18.Nh5!? would be acceptable for White, though I already slightly prefer Black's position. 16...Qb6 17.Kh1
How can Black win material?
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Grischuk,A2781Topalov,V27980–12015E20Norway Chess 3rd6

 

Why is it easy to ignore the …g7-g5 move? Well, normally Black does not want to weaken his kingside position like that. However, a player with a habit of checking all forcing moves should have a look even at this one, at least for five or ten seconds.

Here is the trick number three: When checking all the forcing moves, please do not forget to check all the exchanges as well. We distinguish three different types of forcing moves: checks, threats, and exchanges. From these three, exchanges seem to be the most invisible. We subconsciously assume that they are not that dangerous. However, in some cases this assumption is simply wrong:

Harikrishna-Bacrot, Biel 2017, White to move:

 

After the natural 21.Rad1, the position would be approximately equal. However, Harikrishna wanted to play more dynamically. He played 21.Bc5??, attacking the rook on f8. Instead of moving the rook to e8, Bacrot answered with the forcing 22…Bxf5! and the Indian GM understood at once that he is going to lose this game. He played 23.Nxf5 (23.Qxf5 Rd5 drops the c5-bishop), but after 23…Qh2+ 24.Kf1 Rd2 his king could not escape a mating net.

Here's the complete game:

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 a6 6.0-0 d6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 Ne7 10.Nbd2 Ng6 11.Nf1 Two months ago Anand played 11.Bb3 , Be6 12.d4 Bxb3 13.Qxb3 Qd7 14.Nf1 exd4 15.cxd4 d5 16.e5 Ne4 17.N1d2 c5 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Rxe4 cxd4 20.e6 fxe6 21.Rxe6 Kh8 Anand-Nakamura, Stavanger 2017, with a complicated position. 11...c6 12.Bb3 d5 13.Ng3 Be6 14.exd5 Nxd5N A logical novelty by Bacrot. 14...Bxd5 15.Be3 15.Bxd5 Qxd5 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 Rad8= is also heading for an equal position. 15...Bxe3 16.Rxe3 Qb6 17.Ra3 Qc7= Howell-Svidler, Hockenheim 2016, with a balanced position. 15.d4 White immediately opens the centre and he is hoping that his knight will be strong on d4. 15.a5!? was also an interesting option. 15...exd4 16.Nxd4 Qc7! A very nice tactical solution for the protection of the e6-bishop. 17.Bxd5 Now 17.Nxe6? could have been met by Bxf2+! This intermediate check is the point! 18.Kxf2 fxe6+ 19.Kg1 Qxg3 and suddenly Black is much better. 17.Ngf5!? was an alternative choice, Rae8 18.Bg5 Ndf4 and Black looks nicely placed. 17...Bxd5 18.Ndf5 White activates his knight and prepares for neutralising the a7-bishop with Be3. Rad8 19.Qg4 Be6 20.Be3 The tempting 20.Nh5? could have been met by Bxf5 21.Qxf5 Rd5! 22.Qf3 Bb8 23.g3 23.Ng3 Ne5! 23...Qd7 and suddenly Black becomes very active. 20...Bb8! An ambitious move! Black keeps his bishop pair and he hopes the queen and bishop battery can be dangerous on the b8-h2 diagonal. 21.Bc5?? A decisive mistake, which loses immediately. White blunders, missing Black's reply! 21.Rad1 was the natural move, Rfe8 22.Bc5∞ and Black has the bishop pair, but White's pieces are active, so this is still a double-edged fight. 21...Bxf5!-+ Black immediately finds the tactical motif. 22.Nxf5 The point is that, 22.Qxf5 could have been met by Rd5-+ and White loses his bishop. 22...Qh2+ 23.Kf1 Rd2 White can't avoid the mating attack. 24.f4 h5 25.Qf3 Qh1+ 26.Bg1 Ba7 27.Re3 Bxe3 28.Nxe3 Re8 29.Nc4 Rc2 0–1
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Harikrishna,P2737Bacrot,E27150–12017C54Biel GM 50th9

 

Please, don’t forget about the power of exchanges!

When I was a child, coaches in Slovakia sometimes advised their pupils to literally sit on their hands. At the tender age of 8 or 10, it is easy to play a move before you double-check all the possible drawbacks. When you are sitting on your hands, you need an extra second or two to   touch the piece and play the move. When you are a young boy or girl, these two extra seconds of thinking might be crucial.

Of course, these methods are not used anymore. But the principle remains the same: You should never play moves instantly; however natural they seem to be. Please take several seconds to double-check the most basic characteristics of the position. Is your king safe? Are all pieces protected? Is there a forcing move of your opponent you forgot to take a look at?

In the following position, Inarkiev’s hand was too quick:

Mamedyarov-Inarkiev, FIDE Grand Prix 2017, Black to move:

 

Black played the most natural move: he castled. However, after 19...0-0?? 20.Nh4 he had to resign. The queen – somewhat surprisingly – trapped on an open chessboard.

This is the complete game:

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.Bg5 Bb4+ 5.Nbd2 Shak specialises in obscure and risky gambit lines of the Queen's Gambit Declined. dxc4 6.e3 The main line runs 6.Qc2 b5 7.a4 c6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.g3 6...b5 7.a4 c6 8.Be2 8.Qc2 Bb7 9.Be2 Nbd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.b3 c3 12.Ne4 h6 13.Bh4!? 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.Nxc3= 13...g5 14.Nxf6+ Nxf6 15.Bg3 c5 Nakamura-Morozevich, 2013. 8...Nbd7 9.0-0 Qb6 10.Qc2 Bb7 11.b3 c3 12.Nb1 c5 13.Nxc3 cxd4 14.Nxb5 Rc8 14...0-0 seems more natural. 15.Qb2 a6 16.a5! Qc5 17.exd4 Inarkiev played the opening reasonably well and stood to equalise until he chose an unfortunate square for his queen. Qf5? 17...Qe7 18.Ne5!? h6 18...axb5 19.Bxb5 19.Rfc1 0-0 17...Qc2 18.Qxc2 Rxc2 19.Bd1 Rc8 20.Bd2! Be7 18.Bd2 Be7 19.Nc3 0-0?? One move isn't a relaible indication of bad form, but how does a Super-GM blunder his queen like that? 19...h6 20.b4 0-0 21.b5± 19...e5!? 20.Nh4 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Mamedyarov,S2800Inarkiev,E27071–02017D30Geneva FIDE GP2

 

Here is the list of four tricks we have covered in this part of The Winning Academy.

  1. Make sure you are aware of all unprotected pieces on the board.
  2. Make a list of all forcing moves and don’t forget to check every one of them, at least briefly.
  3. Don’t forget to calculate all the exchanges as well.
  4. Don’t play natural moves instantly. Take ten extra seconds to double-check everything.

Please note that all these tricks are not extremely time-consuming. Using them will add at most 30 seconds per move to your thinking time once you get used to them. In fact, you might even save some time on your clock, because your calculation will become more disciplined.

In the next part, we will add another four tricks that will make your play (almost) blunderproof.

Links

 


Jan Markos is a Slovakian chess author, trainer, and grandmaster. His book Under the Surface was the English Chess Federation´s 2018 Book of the Year. His last book, The Secret Ingredient, co-authored with David Navara, focuses on the practical aspects of play, e.g. time-management over the board, how to prepare against a specific opponent, or how to use chess engines during the training process. Markos was the U16 European Champion twenty years ago. At present he helps his pupils from several countries to achieve similar successes. Apart from focusing on the royal game, he is also the author of several non-chess books, focused on critical thinking, moral dilemmas, and phenomenology.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.