Chess is a CRUEL game !

Albert Einstein once said, he never liked Chess because it is a Cruel Game. You play good-better-best moves for 3 hours, outplay your opponent and then make one error; just one error and you lose. There is no credit that the 30-40 moves before the error, you played so well.
Compare that with say Football. You play better 3 quarters and scored a lot of points. Nobody can take back those points from you. Alas, Chess is a different sport.

I still love it. Love it and Hate it. That it does not pay back for all the hard work before and during the game, so often. Following are some of my recent games where I was winning clearly and then came the villain move and I had to go back empty handed, with a lot of emotional pain along with.



This is against Erik Santarious (2220) in Midwest team championship. I had a fotress and with draw secured. Bu I saced a piece as I wanted to win. And was winning as well. Simple Ne3+ followed by cxb4 and then Bxd5 (if needed) wins clearly. I saw that, thought for 10 mins and do not know why, played fxg6. Now my pawns on kingside are broken and lost their mobility. Erik blocked them and then in my time trouble won.




Against William Williams (2200) from a closed position, I outplayed him and got a winning position. g5 traps the Rook.. Ne5 will be answered by de when his Queen is attacked. After Rh3, Bg4 wins the exchange with the threat of mate. I saw it when I played earlier Bf3+ but when the moment came, I just played Rg5 and then lost due to in time trouble. I would have crossed 2000 if I would have won this game.



Again from Midwest team championship. Frist round against Yeng (1800). My team lost as I lost. If I would have won, we would have won (Sorry Parker, Paul, Cardenas). I outplayed my opponent in Nimzo India defense. Wanted to play Ra8 to exchange and simplify. But suddenly the flash buld (wrong one) was fired and I played c4 to avoid any check on light squared only to see Nf5 with Rg7 threat wins a Rook. Still I was very much on the game as his Bishop was bad, I have a pawn for exchange and all prospects to get through the closed queenside. But there followed the aftershock and lost as I opened the kingside to get back teh exchange.



Latest one. Against Paul Fricano (1968) in ongoing SWCC club championship. I have a clear winning position. I planned to play Bc5 pinning the Knight, ensuring exchange of one (or more) pieces and then safely getting home with 2 connected, unobstructed pawns on queenside. But suddenly my hand went for Rook and I played Rxc3 to allow his Queen back to game. It was still okay and I got the following position



Just needed to play Qc8 and black still wins. But It was not to be this way. Played exf and some more errors in time toruble cost me the game which I felt I played better 98 mins but the last 2 mins shadowed the same. One consolation is Paul didn't lose the pawn, he saced it. So in one way, he deserved the same.



Recent loss from Waukesh tournament against Ivan Wijetunga (1830). I do not think I will lose another game again with 2 pawns up and exchange up position ! Have you ever done anything similar ? Black is winning and it does not need any expert analysis. When I went for this position, i planned c5 to free the Bishop. In case of dxc Rc8 or Qa3 gets the pawn back. When the position came, I felt Rc8 is even better. Bxc4 is met by Na3 when one pair of pieces exchanged leaving white not much stuff to justify an attacke for still pawn down and exchange down position. I saw castle allows Ng5 etc for a kingiside attack. White had nothing at this position and giving him something was meaningless, especially when black had some many options. But I still castle and do not still know why.



But an exchange and pawn is a lot of material. So I still had teh chance. I could still have played c5 or even the dumb Bc8 to avoid the Nxe6 sac. But I played Nd6 - Second Blunder .He took on g6 and saced on e6. It was still an equal position but I managed to lose.



Finally this one also from the nightmareish team tournament where I lost 3 game in 5 round, all from winning position. His queen is overloaded, defending both d5 Rook and G4 Bishop. Simple g6 followed by Rxd5 gets the piece. This way I get an escape route for my King. I thought for a while but again for unknown reasons, play Rxd5 directly. Won the piece but he had mate threats and eventually in time trouble I managed to lose.


Whom, if not me or God, shall I blame for this ? May be nobody. This is the name of the game. Chess is indeed a Cruel game.

I know it must have happended to all of you. Do share your thoughts....