1 minute ago, Boogua said:

I disagree with this. Pretty much goes against how I got good, so I might be biased.

I don't mean in terms of dropping pieces for nothing , making speculative sacrifices or anything like that.  I mean going for solid vs sharp positions. In my mind, I'd rather lose on tactics or win on tactics than duke it out over 50+ moves. In my mind, you aren't actually good until you can start ending up in even/winning endgames from sharp openings. 

3 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

I don't mean in terms of dropping pieces for nothing , making speculative sacrifices or anything like that.  I mean going for solid vs sharp positions. In my mind, I'd rather lose on tactics or win on tactics than duke it out over 50+ moves. In my mind, you aren't actually good until you can start ending up in even/winning endgames from sharp openings. 

I think it's easier to get to that point in sharp openings. I started out with the french and semi slav as black and got super used to those positions. Now I play the Benko against d4 and can pretty much play different sicilians or my french because I'm so used to any closed positions that arise and I 'm used to open sicilian because I play it as white.

I've known so many good tactical players in my life that were somehow lower rated than me. I think it's because they're just not used to playing positionally.

If you're better tactically maybe practice positionally for a while so you know both. I could definitely help you with that too.

5 minutes ago, Boogua said:

I think it's easier to get to that point in sharp openings. I started out with the french and semi slav as black and got super used to those positions. Now I play the Benko against d4 and can pretty much play different sicilians or my french because I'm so used to any closed positions that arise and I 'm used to open sicilian because I play it as white.

I've known so many good tactical players in my life that were somehow lower rated than me. I think it's because they're just not used to playing positionally.

If you're better tactically maybe practice positionally for a while so you know both. I could definitely help you with that too.

I'm not as comfortable going to the city anymore tbh. Is there somewhere in the Burbs with a parking lot that we could meet at?  IIT is a looong way for me to go. I already have one chess buddy I drive 50 miles to meet, I don't want to make it two. 

The biggest issue in chess, I know is just hanging pieces. I hung a piece in my last game because there was a square that my knight looked good on, while forgetting that the Knight was protecting another piece. Moved the Knight to go to that square, ended up hanging the piece. I'm at the point in my revival where I can't get away with blundering a piece and being able to win it back anymore. 

Edited January 21, 20197 yr by Jack Parkman

1 minute ago, Jack Parkman said:

I'm not as comfortable going to the city anymore tbh. Is there somewhere in the Burbs with a parking lot that we could meet at?  IIT is a looong way for me to go. I already have one chess buddy I drive 50 miles to meet, I don't want to make it two. 

I could meet in the north suburbs every once in a while if you want, but I was more so talking about playing online every now and then and I could give you a few pointers. We could play standard games every now and then online and I could just comment as we play. Different ideas to look for in certain positions and stuff.

1 minute ago, Boogua said:

I could meet in the north suburbs every once in a while if you want, but I was more so talking about playing online every now and then and I could give you a few pointers. We could play standard games every now and then online and I could just comment as we play. Different ideas to look for in certain positions and stuff.

You up for one now? Let me send you a PM. 

Just now, Jack Parkman said:

You up for one now? Let me send you a PM. 

Yeah, I've been drinking a bit, but I'll play