Thursday, January 18, 2024

Silman Article Archive Part 10 - Random Lessons


 Treasury of  FREE Chess Articles By IM Jeremy Silman

501 Chess Articles from 2009 - 2023

So many of these Articles are Lessons, Games and Positions to Test and Teach the Reader.

Random Lessons  

Most of the Titles Explain the Lessons



Tales Of Bishops And Knights - Lesson Comparing The strength and Weaknesses of Both.

The Time-Trouble Blues - Lesson About Time Troubles and Reasons

The Joy Of Reviewing Chess Games - Great lesson, 4 games , 2 Puzzles , History

Fixing Your Weaknesses - Couple games , Lesson

Knowing When to Pull the Trigger - 3 Puzzles, 6 Master Games -  analyzing a student's game in a Closed Sicilian opening. The importance of properly assessing winning and losing positions psychologically. He stresses tactics, imbalances, threat awareness, and cultivating the right mindset to find knockout blows in dynamic positions. The game serves as an example of seizing winning chances versus passivity.

If The Board Says ATTACK, Then ATTACK! - One game , (Lots of lessons from Opening to Endgame)

The Man Who Wouldn't Castle -   3 Master Games - Analyzes an exciting Najdorf Sicilian, Instructive game demonstrating critical lessons like choosing suitable openings, the vital need to castle, and avoiding unfocused attacks. Also highlights some common strategic errors and the importance of understanding your opponent's ideas.

Emotions vs. Cold Reason - 2 Master Games - Instructive game highlighting key skills like managing emotions, recovering from errors, deeply understanding opening structures, and converting winning positions. The game emphasizes the importance of objectivity, resilience, opening knowledge, and keeping things simple when ahead.


What Is The Initiative? - Lesson w/ positions

The Eye Of The Beholder - Lesson w/3 Games (seeking a way to come up with a creative move or idea that your opponent didn’t even imagine)

How To Play Multi-Purpose Moves - Lessons w/ 6 positions

Recognizing The Big Moment In A Game - game starts with a Center Counter opening but transposes into various other openings, creating an interesting and complex position. The author emphasizes the importance of recognizing key moments in a game where your opponent may be vulnerable or where you can seize the initiative.

Protecting Overprotection - Lesson w/ 3 example Games

The Difficult Opponent  - 3 games, 4 Puzzles (Players with equal ratings sometimes aren’t equal at all in battles against each other due to a players style)

Greed and Two King Hunts - 2 Puzzles - Lesson on Greed

Pawns, Greed, Pins, and the Center - 3 Puzzles - w/ 4 lessons (Strong Center, Pins, Greed, Pawn moves)

Rules, Homes, and a Big Decision - 2 Puzzles - w/ 3 lessons 

Space, Negativity, and Dreams  - Short Article on Space Advantage

Checks and Threats, Should You or Shouldn’t You - 6 Puzzles - Lesson on Checks and Threats


Material Imbalances, Opening Ideas, and Hanging Stuff - Lessons from 2 Amateur Games

Countdown to Mate - 3 Master Games -  analyzes a student's game, emphasizing the dangers of unnecessary checks and inactive pieces, while advising playing actively over reacting to threats.

Threats, Real & Imagined - 3 Puzzles , 3 Master games - analyzes a student's game, advising him to avoid over-responding to threats and instead play with confidence in his own position.

Cruise Control - 2 Puzzles, 1 Master Game -  analyzes a Sicilian game, advising the reader to avoid opening setup autopilot and overreaction to threats.

When Both Sides Try to Lose - Analysis of Amateur Game

Death by Dark Squares - 6 Puzzles - Analysis of Amateur Game

A Key Tactical Theme - 2 Puzzles - Deep Analysis of Amateur game

Fighting For Your Chessboard Rights! - 1 Puzzle - Analysis of Amateur Game.

Threats, Agendas, Demands, and Safety - 4 Positions from Reader games with a lesson from each.

Don't Play a Move If You Can't Back it Up! -  Detailed Analysis of reader game  (Long Article)

The Classic Bishop Sacrifice - 2 Puzzles, So in summary, while an Alapin Sicilian, the critical lessons are more general about seizing opportunities, handling defenses, and the importance of determination and resilience.

Know Your Position's Agenda - 3 Puzzles -  Analyzes a Caro-Kann game that turns into a Panov-Botvinnik, emphasizing knowing your position's needs and not reacting to superficial threats. Counterattack in the center when facing a wing attack.

Cruise Control - 2 Puzzles, 1 Master Game -  analyzes a Sicilian game, advising the reader to avoid opening setup autopilot and overreaction to threats.


Two Players, Two Different Fantasies - 3 Puzzles, (Amateur Game) The key overall messages are to adhere to opening principles, calculate responses diligently, castle early, coordinate your forces, and maintain a purpose behind each move. Rash attacks before development lead to disaster.

Cultivating a Positive Attitude  -  4 Puzzles , 3 games - Analyzes a game between two amateurs, highlighting the importance of confidence, calmness and avoiding unnecessary defenses.

Blundering

Blunders That Give Us Hidden Gold  - Great overall lesson covering all the mistakes (From opening to Endgame) of one game.

Having Fun With Blunders -  22 Puzzles,  Famous Players Blundering, Lesson on Blunders

The Rocky Horror Picture Blunder - Lesson on the use of symbols like "!", "!!", "?", and "??" , 10 Puzzles on assigning Symbols

Everyone, of Every Rating, Blunders - 5 Puzzles, 1 Game -  Lesson on Fighting from Inferior position, and Nice Endgame Lesson 

Return of the Blunder Gland, Part One -  2 Master Games - The opening was a Queen's Gambit Declined transitioning from a Caro-Kann Defense. Analyzes a beginner's game, emphasizing basic tactics like ensuring your pieces are safe and not hanging them.

The Blunder Gland: Playing Blind -  3 Puzzles -  Bunch of Lessons from an Amateur game.

Blunder Gland Redux: First Baby Steps, and Then The World - 2 Puzzles - Analysis and Lessons from Amateur game

Endgame Theory

The Two Faces Of Opposite-Colored Bishops -  Lesson w/ 4 Positions



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