white to move.

[Event "Chessmaster 10th Edition Rated Game"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2009.12.28"]
[Round ""]
[White "julian"]
[Black "Short"]
[TimeControl "300"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "oft "]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Ngf3 c5 6.c3 b6 7.Bd3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.O-O Be7 11.Nb3 O-O 12.Be3 Rc8 13.Qe2
Nb4 14.Rfc1 Rxc1+ 15.Bxc1 Qc7 16.a3 Qc2 17.Qxc2 Nxc2 18.Rb1 f6 19.Bd2 fxe5 20.Nxe5 Nxd4 21.Nxd7 Nxb3 22.Nxf8 Nxd2 23.Rd1 Nf3+
24.gxf3 Kxf8 25.Kg2 Bd6 26.Rc1 Ke7 27.h3 Kf6 28.Rc8 a5 29.Rh8 h6 30.Rd8 Be5 31.b4 axb4 32.axb4 b5 33.Rd7 Bc3 34.Rb7 Bxb4 35.Rxb5
Bc3 36.Rc5 Bd4 37.Rc7 Be5 38.Rc2 Bf4 39.Re2 d4 40.Re4 e5 41.Re1 d3 42.Rb1 d2 43.Kf1 Kg5 44.Ke2 Kh4 45.Rh1 h5 46.Kd1 Bg5 47.Rh2
Bh6 48.Rh1 Bf4 49.Rg1 Bg5 50.Rh1 g6 51.Rg1 Bf4 52.Rh1 Bh6 53.Rh2 Bg5 54.Rh1 Bf4 55.Rg1 Kxh3 56.Rxg6 Kh2 57.Rg8 h4 58.Rh8 Kg2
59.Rxh4 Kxf2 60.Rh3 Ke3 61.Rh1 Kxf3 62.Rf1+ Ke3 63.Rh1 Kf2 64.Rh2+ Bxh2 0-1

I am playing lots of 5min chess online at the moment in the hope of improving my OTB game. I believe that 5min chess is good for improving tactics and experimenting with openings, and it is long enough to require a level of skill, where as before I was playing 1min chess non-stop and in the end I was playing sloppy, cheap chess and wins were  down to mouse racing.

My best blitz grade previously was 2036, but back then I was not playing that much 5min only 1min chess - now I only play 5min chess. As you can see already my highest grade is 2088 and I stay above 2000 much more, where before I only scraped in, so I must have improved...?

I have looked at some top players blitz grades and it seems that most of their 5min blitz ratings are between 100/200 points above their real rating.

So logic would dictate that if I can get to say 2200 in blitz I must be getting considerably better? But its amazing how hard it is to improve the closer you get to the top.

It was good to see some GM*s and IM*s in action. It was a really good turn out with over 50 players in the Open.

On round one I took a draw as white against a 1867, my opponent only had 3mins left on clock I had 28 but we were playing 1.5hr games with 30 second increments which means its very hard to grind people down on clock.

Round 2 against a 1840 as black was looking drawish but did not make sure of my defence in end game and lost to my opponents nice rook sacrifice. The game lasted 4hrs and I was mentally drained.

Round 3 starting only 45mins after my last 4hr game against a 2087. I felt like a zombie I could barely look at the board and felt I had a shocking position as white and promptly binned it after about 23 moves, which anaylsis showed was a bit over the top and I should have just carried on.

Round 4 against a 1860 was a good game, was drawish but blew it in end game flapping.

Round 5 against a 2144 as white was a very difficult game I lasted about 35 moves but y opponent was s quick on clock and his postion was much better and he ground me down beatifully.

So 0.5 from 5 is not goign to do my FIDE rating much good.. :(

In the Minor I came joint third with 2 wins and 2 draws.

I explained the situation and had to play the first game out in the Minor then would I would enter the Open in the second round. I started round 1 in the Minor ok as black but after my mobile went off (which I had to leave on incase of emergency call) about 16 moves in I conseqently gave a piece away for nothing and promptly resigned as I could not face playing on.

In round two in the afternoon I got a decent game as white with a 2097. I had a reasonable position after about 25 moves but in true patzer style pushed it and ended up being crushed.

Round 4 on Sunday moring I felt much better and less stressed and had a good win in a rather stodgey game as black against a 1920, and in the afternoon I had a reasonalbe effort against a 2197 as white lasting about 33 moves where I swaped off queens to try and simplfy but was a big mistake.

I still enjoyed the event and learnt lots.

The problem was I got obsessed with one minute games and became very addicted. In fact I became so addicted my girlfriend nearly dumped me, I ignored my family and friends, stayed up till 3,4,5am most nights, I nearly failed my degree, my work suffered.

I would play probably 4/6 hours a day - I was in a constant state of mental exhaustion, a walking vessel of self perpetuating barely contained rage, sometimes I could not even focus on the board but yet I still kept playing and losing, getting more and more angry.

(below - I played well over 30 thousand 1min games in two years - this was just one username)

 (I gave up 1min chess a few years ago and have not played since as it was destroying my life)

Before I go any further i should point out and apologise for the shocking grammar, spelling and erratic punctuation mainly brought on by my dyslexia and poor typing - so please forgive me...