2014-07-19
Chess Game
[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 19, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Aaron Case"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Be7 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O
Kh8 9. Re1 Ng8 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. e4 dxe4 12. Nxe4 f5 13. Nc3 Ndf6 14. Bxf5 Qb4
15. Bd3 Qxb2 16. Qb3 Qxb3 17. axb3 a6 18. Ne5 Ne7 19. Ra2 Nd7 20. Rae2 Nxe5 21.
Rxe5 Bd7 22. Na4 Rad8 23. Nc5 Ng6 24. Bxg6 hxg6 25. Nxe6 Bxe6 26. Rxe6 Rxd4 27.
Rxg6 Rd3 28. Rg3 Rfd8 29. Rge3 Rd2 30. g3 R8d3
1-0
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 19, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Aaron Case"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Be7 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O
Kh8 9. Re1 Ng8 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. e4 dxe4 12. Nxe4 f5 13. Nc3 Ndf6 14. Bxf5 Qb4
15. Bd3 Qxb2 16. Qb3 Qxb3 17. axb3 a6 18. Ne5 Ne7 19. Ra2 Nd7 20. Rae2 Nxe5 21.
Rxe5 Bd7 22. Na4 Rad8 23. Nc5 Ng6 24. Bxg6 hxg6 25. Nxe6 Bxe6 26. Rxe6 Rxd4 27.
Rxg6 Rd3 28. Rg3 Rfd8 29. Rge3 Rd2 30. g3 R8d3
1-0
Chess Game
[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 19, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "David Vasquez"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 b6 4. d4 Bb4 5. e3 Bb7 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 Ne4 8.
Bd3 d6 9. O-O Nd7 10. Nd2 Nxc3 11. bxc3 O-O 12. e4 e5 13. f4 Qf6 14. Qg4 Qe6
15. Qh4 Qf6 16. Qh3 Qe6 17. Qh4 Qf6 18. Qh3
1/2-1/2
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 19, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "David Vasquez"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 b6 4. d4 Bb4 5. e3 Bb7 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 Ne4 8.
Bd3 d6 9. O-O Nd7 10. Nd2 Nxc3 11. bxc3 O-O 12. e4 e5 13. f4 Qf6 14. Qg4 Qe6
15. Qh4 Qf6 16. Qh3 Qe6 17. Qh4 Qf6 18. Qh3
1/2-1/2
2014-07-16
Re: chess motivation and taking it seriously
Follow up email to the email I sent yesterday below...
Jordan,
You say you lost your motivation because chess is a hard game. You
say that you don't want to become a strong player, but deep down you
do.
Chess is a hard game. It is also a fun game. It is also a rewarding
game. And it is a game that is not as hard as you think if you know
the right things to study. This is why I created my website.
I enjoy studying tactics, memorizing openings, studying endgames,
looking at Grandmaster games, playing in tournaments, playing speed
chess, memorizing my best games and using those games to teach other
people. I love it all with a passion.
You have to find whatever it is that makes chess fun. If the book you
are studying is dull, find a different book. Figure out what you
enjoy and do that. It is better if what you enjoy involves other
people. If you have a true passion for chess as I do, then you will
want to share what you learned with other people. It helps you to
teach other people.
A friend and I will practice the same opening against each other for a
month or two at a time. (We play other people as well otherwise this
would get dull.) This is a good way to learn the openings.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
On Jul 15, 2014, at 10:15 PM, John Coffey <john2001plus@gmail.com> wrote:
Someone was asking me how he should get motivated to get better at chess ...
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John Coffey
Date: Tue, Jul 15, 2014 at 6:46 PM
Subject: Re: chess motivation and taking it seriously
To: "fearlessj07@.com"
Jordan,
I think that you have the impression that becoming a class A player is
some great burden, extremely difficult and requires that you be
brilliant. Although there is some hard work involved, I don't think
that it is any of these things. I don't actually think that it is
that hard to get to 1800.
There are different ways to get to 1800. The younger you are the
easier it is to get there by playing a great deal, especially speed
chess like several hours per week. The more the better.
It helps to play in tournaments not only for the practice, but also so
that you can study your games. The most useful part of your games to
study is the opening because there is a reasonably good chance that
you will face the same opening again. Usually after a long
tournament where I have thought really hard, I will find that I have a
temporary boost in ability that might last a week, or 10 days or maybe
2 weeks. If you study your games from the tournament then the boost
can last longer. The real fun of this, and the part that I find the
most beneficial, is when I play a "brilliant" game, or one that I
played particularly well, then I memorize the game and show or "teach"
the game to others. Here is an example (actually from a speed game)
...
[Event "Casual Speed Game"]
[Site "Wingers"]
[Date "Jul 13, 2014"]
[Round "6"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Shawn Wester"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. d4 d6 2. e4 c5 3. dxc5 Qa5+ 4. Nc3 dxc5 5. Bd2 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Bc4 Bxf3 8.
Qxf3 Ne5 9. Bb5+ Kd8 10. Qf5 f6 11. O-O-O Nd3+ 12. cxd3 Qc7 13. Nd5 Qd6 14.
Ba5+ b6 15. Nxb6 Qc7 16. Nc4
1-0
My website http://www.entertainmentjourney.com/index1.htm is full of
interesting and instructive games like this. I seriously think that
if people slowly commit these to memory (and maybe show them to
others) that they could use this to get to class A or even Expert.
The games on my website also serve to teach about openings.
I think that one of the easiest ways to improve is to study about 30
minutes of tactics per day, especially at night.
I know that your question is about motivation so I have been saving my
response for last. The important part is to find that which is most
entertaining, whether it be playing, studying tactics or games or
whatever. I found myself not as motivated to study tactics as I
would like, but then I found a tactics app on my iPad that was "more
fun" and consequently I have been more motivated to use it. In short,
find what entertains you about chess and explore that. If you don't
find some aspect of chess entertaining then maybe chess is not your
game.
It can help a great deal to either have some sort of chess mentor and/or
people who are strong friends because you regularly play
chess together. Chess is a social game and the social aspect
motivates us to play it.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
Jordan,
You say you lost your motivation because chess is a hard game. You
say that you don't want to become a strong player, but deep down you
do.
Chess is a hard game. It is also a fun game. It is also a rewarding
game. And it is a game that is not as hard as you think if you know
the right things to study. This is why I created my website.
I enjoy studying tactics, memorizing openings, studying endgames,
looking at Grandmaster games, playing in tournaments, playing speed
chess, memorizing my best games and using those games to teach other
people. I love it all with a passion.
You have to find whatever it is that makes chess fun. If the book you
are studying is dull, find a different book. Figure out what you
enjoy and do that. It is better if what you enjoy involves other
people. If you have a true passion for chess as I do, then you will
want to share what you learned with other people. It helps you to
teach other people.
A friend and I will practice the same opening against each other for a
month or two at a time. (We play other people as well otherwise this
would get dull.) This is a good way to learn the openings.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
On Jul 15, 2014, at 10:15 PM, John Coffey <john2001plus@gmail.com> wrote:
Someone was asking me how he should get motivated to get better at chess ...
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John Coffey
Date: Tue, Jul 15, 2014 at 6:46 PM
Subject: Re: chess motivation and taking it seriously
To: "fearlessj07@.com"
Jordan,
I think that you have the impression that becoming a class A player is
some great burden, extremely difficult and requires that you be
brilliant. Although there is some hard work involved, I don't think
that it is any of these things. I don't actually think that it is
that hard to get to 1800.
There are different ways to get to 1800. The younger you are the
easier it is to get there by playing a great deal, especially speed
chess like several hours per week. The more the better.
It helps to play in tournaments not only for the practice, but also so
that you can study your games. The most useful part of your games to
study is the opening because there is a reasonably good chance that
you will face the same opening again. Usually after a long
tournament where I have thought really hard, I will find that I have a
temporary boost in ability that might last a week, or 10 days or maybe
2 weeks. If you study your games from the tournament then the boost
can last longer. The real fun of this, and the part that I find the
most beneficial, is when I play a "brilliant" game, or one that I
played particularly well, then I memorize the game and show or "teach"
the game to others. Here is an example (actually from a speed game)
...
[Event "Casual Speed Game"]
[Site "Wingers"]
[Date "Jul 13, 2014"]
[Round "6"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Shawn Wester"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. d4 d6 2. e4 c5 3. dxc5 Qa5+ 4. Nc3 dxc5 5. Bd2 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Bc4 Bxf3 8.
Qxf3 Ne5 9. Bb5+ Kd8 10. Qf5 f6 11. O-O-O Nd3+ 12. cxd3 Qc7 13. Nd5 Qd6 14.
Ba5+ b6 15. Nxb6 Qc7 16. Nc4
1-0
My website http://www.entertainmentjourney.com/index1.htm is full of
interesting and instructive games like this. I seriously think that
if people slowly commit these to memory (and maybe show them to
others) that they could use this to get to class A or even Expert.
The games on my website also serve to teach about openings.
I think that one of the easiest ways to improve is to study about 30
minutes of tactics per day, especially at night.
I know that your question is about motivation so I have been saving my
response for last. The important part is to find that which is most
entertaining, whether it be playing, studying tactics or games or
whatever. I found myself not as motivated to study tactics as I
would like, but then I found a tactics app on my iPad that was "more
fun" and consequently I have been more motivated to use it. In short,
find what entertains you about chess and explore that. If you don't
find some aspect of chess entertaining then maybe chess is not your
game.
It can help a great deal to either have some sort of chess mentor and/or
people who are strong friends because you regularly play
chess together. Chess is a social game and the social aspect
motivates us to play it.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
2014-07-14
2014-07-12
Chess Game
[Event "Casual Speed Game"]
[Site "CB"]
[Date "Jul 12, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Ben Balter"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 b5 5. dxe6 fxe6 6. cxb5 d5 7. Nc3 a6 8. bxa6
Bxa6 9. e4 Bxf1 10. Kxf1 Nc6 11. exd5 exd5 12. Bg5 d4 13. Qe2+ Kf7 14. Qc4+ Kg6
15. Ne4 Qd5 16. Nh4+ Kh5 17. Qe2+ Ng4 18. Qxg4+ Kxg4 19. h3+ Kh5 20. g4#
1-0
[Site "CB"]
[Date "Jul 12, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Ben Balter"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 b5 5. dxe6 fxe6 6. cxb5 d5 7. Nc3 a6 8. bxa6
Bxa6 9. e4 Bxf1 10. Kxf1 Nc6 11. exd5 exd5 12. Bg5 d4 13. Qe2+ Kf7 14. Qc4+ Kg6
15. Ne4 Qd5 16. Nh4+ Kh5 17. Qe2+ Ng4 18. Qxg4+ Kxg4 19. h3+ Kh5 20. g4#
1-0
2014-07-05
Chess Game
[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 5, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Issac Balter"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 h6 7. Qh5 g6 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. Qe2 O-O 10. O-O-O c5 11. f4 cxd4 12. Rxd4 Nc6 13. Rd3 b6 14. h5 g5 15.
Qg4 Ndxe5 16. fxe5 Nxe5 17. Qg3 Nxd3+ 18. Bxd3 d4 19. Ne4 f5 20. Nf2 e5 21.
Bc4+ Kg7 22. Qb3 Bb7 23. Nf3 g4 24. Nh4 Qg5+ 25. Kb1 Qe3 26. Qb5 Rad8 27. Nd3
f4 28. Re1 Qxe1+ 29. Nxe1 Rfe8 30. Nd3 Kf6 31. Nxf4 Kg5 32. g3 Kf6 33. Bd5 exf4
34. Be6 Rxe6 35. Qf5+ Ke7 36. Ng6+ Kd6 37. Qxf4+ Kc5 38. Qc7+ Bc6 39. b4+ Kb5
40. Qxd8 Re1+ 41. Kb2 Re2 42. Qxd4 Re4 43. Qd3+ Kxb4 44. Nf4 Ka5 45. Qa3+ Kb5
1-0
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 5, 2014"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Issac Balter"]
[Black "John Coffey"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 h6 7. Qh5 g6 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. Qe2 O-O 10. O-O-O c5 11. f4 cxd4 12. Rxd4 Nc6 13. Rd3 b6 14. h5 g5 15.
Qg4 Ndxe5 16. fxe5 Nxe5 17. Qg3 Nxd3+ 18. Bxd3 d4 19. Ne4 f5 20. Nf2 e5 21.
Bc4+ Kg7 22. Qb3 Bb7 23. Nf3 g4 24. Nh4 Qg5+ 25. Kb1 Qe3 26. Qb5 Rad8 27. Nd3
f4 28. Re1 Qxe1+ 29. Nxe1 Rfe8 30. Nd3 Kf6 31. Nxf4 Kg5 32. g3 Kf6 33. Bd5 exf4
34. Be6 Rxe6 35. Qf5+ Ke7 36. Ng6+ Kd6 37. Qxf4+ Kc5 38. Qc7+ Bc6 39. b4+ Kb5
40. Qxd8 Re1+ 41. Kb2 Re2 42. Qxd4 Re4 43. Qd3+ Kxb4 44. Nf4 Ka5 45. Qa3+ Kb5
1-0
Chess Game
[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 5, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Val Bradshaw"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bf5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Qb3 Qd7 7. Ne5 Qc7 8.
Bf4 e6 9. Ng6 Bd6 10. Bxd6 Qxd6 11. Nxh8 b6 12. Nb5 Qd7 13. Rc1 Nc6 14. Qa3
O-O-O 15. Rxc6+ Kb8 16. Rc7 Qxc7 17. Nxc7 Rxh8 18. Nb5 a5 19. Qd6+ Kb7 20. Qc7+
Ka6 21. e4 Ra8 22. Nd6+ b5 23. Bxb5#
1-0
Best wishes,
John Coffey
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 5, 2014"]
[Round "3"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Val Bradshaw"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bf5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Qb3 Qd7 7. Ne5 Qc7 8.
Bf4 e6 9. Ng6 Bd6 10. Bxd6 Qxd6 11. Nxh8 b6 12. Nb5 Qd7 13. Rc1 Nc6 14. Qa3
O-O-O 15. Rxc6+ Kb8 16. Rc7 Qxc7 17. Nxc7 Rxh8 18. Nb5 a5 19. Qd6+ Kb7 20. Qc7+
Ka6 21. e4 Ra8 22. Nd6+ b5 23. Bxb5#
1-0
Best wishes,
John Coffey
Chess Game
[Event "Quick"]
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 5, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Aaron Case"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Be2 Nbd7 8. O-O
Ne4 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Nd2 f5 12. c5 Nf6 13. b4 Nd5 14. Qb3 Bd7 15.
a4 Be8 16. b5 Rb8 17. bxc6 e5 18. Qxd5+ Bf7 19. Qxe5 Qxe5 20. dxe5 bxc6 21.
Rab1 Bd5 22. Nc4
1-0
[Site "SLCC"]
[Date "Jul 5, 2014"]
[Round "1"]
[White "John Coffey"]
[Black "Aaron Case"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Be2 Nbd7 8. O-O
Ne4 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Nd2 f5 12. c5 Nf6 13. b4 Nd5 14. Qb3 Bd7 15.
a4 Be8 16. b5 Rb8 17. bxc6 e5 18. Qxd5+ Bf7 19. Qxe5 Qxe5 20. dxe5 bxc6 21.
Rab1 Bd5 22. Nc4
1-0
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