I see deflection combinations a lot better than I see double attacks. Some of these Reinfeld problems are really difficult.

Tuesday's Training [T-63]
Walk: None
Reinfeld: #470-#524
Worrying: There are too many Anti-Sicilians!

I'm back

It's been 18 days since my last post. I've had a huge deadline at work to contend with, plus I bought the WoW expansion pack.

Monday's Training [T-64]
Walk: None
Reinfeld: #470-#524
Worrying: There are too many Anti-Sicilians!

It's what I do

Recently, someone asked me why I played chess. I thought about it for a moment, and I didn't have an answer.

It's just what I do.

Thursday's Training [T-72]
Walk: None
Reinfeld: #442-#492
Worrying:

I keep skipping problems.

I don't know if its because they are too hard to see the answer, or I don't want to work hard to see the answer. It's probably both.

Wednesday's Training [T-73]
Walk: None
Reinfeld: #391-#441
Worrying:

Tuesday's Training [T-74]
Walk: None
Reinfeld: #330-#391
Worrying: None

Monday's Training [T-75]
Walk: None
Reinfeld: #279-#330
Worrying: I can't see double attacks today

The London System--An Old Friend

Center Game, anyone?

An e4 player has real problems if he doesn't know what to do after 1. ...e5.

There are Anti-Sicilian systems, Anti-Caro-Kann systems, Anti-French systems, Anti-Pirc systems... God bless them all. But there are no Anti-e5 systems.

2. f4: Too weird
2. Nf3: Too much work
2. Nc3: Why am I playing chess?
2. Bc4: Nope

Center Game, anyone?

Saturday's Training [T-77]
Jog: 20m/1.8mil
Reinfeld: #218-#278
Worrying: Why am I playing e4 again?

T-78

I'm Off to Lafayette to visit some friends tonight, but I made sure to do my 50 problems from Reinfeld. I may have hurt my hamstring, so will see how it feels in the morning and decide if I'll walk that day.

78 days until the Louisiana Pro-Am, and I can't see double attack one-movers yet. Reinfeld can really humble you.

Friday's Training
Walk: none
Reinfeld: #168-#218
Worrying: none

LSU wins 41-14; T-79

I didn't get to study yesterday due to the Sugar Bowl, which LSU won handily. I had to work tonight and I got home late, so I hit the books to knock out my 50 problems. I don't like studying past 10:00pm because I have trouble falling asleep, so I'll have to save the opening work for this weekend.

A friend showed me a cool way to do push-ups without bending my wrists, which have been giving me problems, probably due to typing all day long. I've been doing a few of them to get started again.

Unfortunately, it's been raining like crazy all day long, so walking has been out of the question.

Thursday's Training
Walk: rained out
Reinfeld: #110-#167
Worrying: None

Louisiana Pro-Am: T-81

I want to play 1.e4, yet not allow the Sicilian. I want to play 1.d4, yet sidestep 1...Nf6. I want to play the Tarrasch Defense, yet not allow Bg5 and g3. My problem isn't having confidence while in my own openings, it's having confidence amidst my opponent's openings. Sure, given enough time, I can prepare anything, but can I remember it all?

I'm also lazy.

So I made a deal with myself: If I do 50 problems from Fred Reinfeld's 1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations, and walk 30 minutes, then I can study chess openings as much as I want that day.

I went over my games from when I was a teenager and knew next to nothing about openings and strategy. I really believe I played better chess back then, because the only thing I could depend on was concrete analysis. "I go here, he goes there, I go here, he goes there..."

Besides, nobody has ever "out-positioned" me "like the grandmasters do." Every game has come down to who makes the last blunder. I've got no business worrying about grand strategy until I can just see what happens when he takes the pawn.

The Louisiana Pro-Am is March 24-25, 2007, in Baton Rouge, 81 days away. My blog will track my training in anticipation of this tournament.

My goal is to prepare a defense to 1.d4, a defense to 1.e4, and a white opening repertoire with 1.e4. My success criteria for this tournament's opening preparation is not based on completeness, but on confidence; if I wake up one day and ask myself, "Am I confident to play today?" and my answer is "no," then I'm not ready.

My other goal is to lose 10 pounds by the tournament.

Tuesday's Training
Walk: 30 minutes, 2 miles
Reinfeld: #50-#110
Worrying: None