mary875
♡ 27 ( +1 | -1 ) How to play against a *much* stronger playerThursday I will play an OTB game against a player rated around FIDE 2300, which is somewhat 1000 points above me. As he will play 10 games in parallel, is there any strategy to adopte so to give him a 'good' fight?
soikins
♡ 84 ( +1 | -1 ) Simultaneous play.Testerday I played in a blitz simul against a very strong player (ELO - 2283). We were 3 against him time controll was 5 min for a game. Our strategy was -- two players play on a defence, the third muds the water. As teh two were sitting quietly in the French or Caro-Kan, the third went for a ultra sharp Sicilian lines, he knows quite well. For a simul giver it causes extra problems to paly against differnet openings and styles. Plus it is important to hold on untill the end, cause the simul giver has more problems if he has to play against more players. So, you ten people should decide what to paly in advance, depending on your styles and then stick to it. Just play your game untill the end. If everybody does that someone will win, it might be you. Good luck in your game!
fmgaijin
♡ 52 ( +1 | -1 ) From the Other SideAs one who has given many simuls, what gives me the most trouble is when the opponents just play their own game and not silly, speculative moves--the more tough, close games there are, the more likely the performer will slip up in one. That doesn't mean you shouldn't play tactically if that's your style, but don't initiate unsound complications. If you know a complex opening extremely well, you might also be able to catch the performer in an unfamiliar line. Good luck!
soikins
♡ 98 ( +1 | -1 ) I agree with fmgaijinPlay your own game, don't try to change your style for this game. But try to talk with other players on the site, ask them what their style of play is. I thing it would be good to seat tactical and strategic players alternately. For the one who gives a simul it would be hard to adjust to stylishly different positions on adjacent boards. Or may be not... I have noticed that simul givers try to diiverse their openings. For example they play e4 on board one, d4 on board 2, c4 on board 3 and so on. If they meet 1. ... e6 on board 1 and 2, they won't play french on both boards, in order not to mix up the calculated variations from both boards.
I guess I'm not quite shure what you should do. Just play your game, hold on even in lost position, cause in simul it is not considered to be rude -- you play for the team, not for yourself. And take your time. Don't hurry. Your opponent will play 10 times faster than you, you don't have to match his pace.
bonsai
♡ 119 ( +1 | -1 ) I think it depends on what you want to achieve, but I suspect the best expected number of average points would come from playing agressively, but not unsoundly.
I've won a simul game against GM Ftacnik recently and that's how it went: As black he played a dodgy gambit in the Grünfeld, I had prepared for that line and got a much better position (keeping the pawn and having a slight positional plus). However it turned out that positionally he was just much better than me and eventually he equalised and won the pawn back. I then created a couple of vague threats on the kingside and he reacted incorrectly (29...Kg7??). If that hadn't happend he probably would have outplayed me eventually...
I don't think you'll manage to outplay your opponent positionally, if you want to win it has to be with tactics. Going for unclear and complicated situations will be your best chance for *a win* (but not for a draw). He'll only have limited time to calculate everything in each of those games, but he'll still be very likely to win, I suppse.
jstack
♡ 48 ( +1 | -1 ) If you know an obscure line...in something, it might work. A friend of mine played who is class A player played a misc. queen pawn opening he knew well. He was playing a 2300+ player in a simul and achieved a draw. Other, than that I simply reccomend to play what you know. Don't play a tactical opening if you are a positional player. Another friend of mine(class C player) achieved a draw against a FM in a G30 tournament by playing positional chess. Good luck! :)
spurtus
♡ 116 ( +1 | -1 ) - Fundamentally you have got to use the clock if its in your advantage. - Get out of opening book as early as possible even if marginally unsound. - Dont allow sharp attacking openings to get played eg. dont play 1. e4 since ...d5 leads to sharpness and quick play! - Watch out for tranpositions! a master player will try to use coherent strategy based on knowledge and study, so although you might play a move that looks out of opening book, the master player will either quickly destroy you because it was unsound OR find a way to transpose into an opening know to him. - In your thinking time, look for surprising moves, and give them added value in such a game. - Never be afraid to defend, an attack that runs out of energy is probably more dangerous, a solid defense buys you more time. - For a white defensive game try 1. e3 followed by careful pawn structure play, you will regain your lost tempo later. - For a black game try flank attacks ( once it is clear where the enemy king is going )
I might not be qualified to make these comments but thats what I would do.
Spurtus.
anaxagoras
♡ 43 ( +1 | -1 ) Come on now... is any of the above advice really based on human chess-psychology or practical tryouts? Does it really matter to grandmaster Joe whether you play one opening or another? No! (Joe probably didn't become a grandmaster by memorizing MCO). Just play your game and don't be so sophisticated about it like a lot of the people here would have you be. Oh yeah, keep a positive, fighting attitude in your game and you should do allright.
baseline
♡ 28 ( +1 | -1 ) A friend of mineand team member here at GK has beaten a couple of GM's in simul's You gotta love this game.
Fischer,R - Hucks,L [B42] Fischer tour simul Washington, 08.03.1964
soikins
♡ 19 ( +1 | -1 ) It's friday hereThe Simul is probably over, so, mary875 ,maybe you can tell as how it went? We would be glad to hear and maybe we can see the game?
mary875
♡ 68 ( +1 | -1 ) Hi,Yes the simul is over...
We didn't write down the move, so I cannot show it to you. However, I played an open game, which is what I like to play... it was maybe not the best idea, since the guy was really strong tactically, and while I was trying to keep up tactically I got somewhat lost strategically. Which leads to a point where he was fully developped with all his pieces aiming at my castled king, and I was behind in development (my queen bishop still in the eight row, and no way out). From this point, I could just fight to have the latest possible mate...
On the ten games, he lost one, draw another and win the others...