TheaN Member since Mar-29-07 · Last seen Sep-11-08 My name is Arno Middelkoop and I live in the Netherlands. I'm currently twenty, and I've been playing this wonderful game from the age of seven. In that year, 1995, I joined the local chessclub here in Zoetermeer, Botwinnik. I enjoyed playing with fellow novice players, and I intended to become a better player than most of them and did that. Even so, in the six years to come I probably only reached an official rating ~1500. In 2001 the location of the club changed, which I truly disliked. I made a fatal mistake: I quitted the club for three years, only to join back again in 2004. This was a blow to my growing carreer. Now, anno 2008, I'm becoming better and better, only because of the club, once every now and then national/local tournament and by looking at the puzzles and games on CG and some other sites. As of today (08-2008) my official KNSB/FIDE rating is 'only' 1663. It was ~1750 two years ago, which I think still seems to be more accurate. I played horrible in 2006-2008 and I've learned a lot during summer 2007 and 2008: it can only improve and hope to do so in 08/09. Nonetheless, last year my rating improved from 1643 to 1663, but still bad enough. Besides chess I'm following a university course: Biomedical Sciences at the University of Leiden. Besides both chess and education I'm a Japanese RPG, Anime and Manga fan, although the latter two have been less and less occupying lately, both because of certain games and my increasing interest in chess. Also, my education is starting again, so those will both decrease as well. I've started playing chess more, aside my club experience, on FICS. My handle is TheaN, and I usually play 1 8 Blitz. However, you could challenge me to Lightning, Standard, Atomic, Wild or Crazyhouse as you'd please, as I play them all. Would be nice to introduce yourself first in that case then. Also, posting on my user forum for a match is possible as well, of course. On CG you'll find my posts at extraordinary persons/games/openings, as I'm no real fan of 'joining the club' at the popular stuff like recent tournaments, the cg challenge, etc. The only daily post (almost always) will be in the puzzle's game, usually more than two. I decided (on 08-04-2008) that I will include my opening repetoire here; come face me prepared :). OPENING REPETOIRE A line between * means it's experimentation at this moment, usually Blitz on FICS Playing as White: ================= - 1 King Pawn game <(1.e4) 90%> -- 1.1 King Pawn game, King's Knight <(1....e5 2.Nf3) 100%> --- 1.1.1 King Pawn game, Scotch Gambit variation <(2....Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4) 100%> ---- 1.1.2.1 Petroff, Main variation <(2....Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4) 75%> ---- *1.1.2.2* Petroff, Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit <(2....Nf6 3.Bc4) 25%> --- 1.1.3 Philidor with 3.Bc4 <(2....d6 3.Bc4) 100%> -- 1.2 Sicilian, closed <(1....c5 2.Nc3) 100%> --- 1.2.1 Sicilian, Grand Prix attack transposed after 2....Nc6 <(2....Nc6 3.f4 100%)> --- 1.2.2 Sicilian, Grand Prix attack transposed after 2....d6 <(2....d6 3.f4) 100%> -- 1.3 Pirc, Austrian Attack <(1....d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4) 100%> - 2 Queen Pawn game <(1.d4) 10%> -- 2.1 Queen Pawn game, delayed Queen's gambit <(1....d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4) 100%> --- 2.2.1 Indian defence, main <(1....Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4) 100%> --- 2.2.2 Grunfeld defence, exchange with 8.Rb1 <(1....Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1) 100%> Playing as Black: ================= - 1 *King Pawn game, Alekhine's defence* <(1.e4 Nf6 70%)> -- 1.1 Alekhine's defence, modern <(2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4) 100%> -- 1.2 Alekhine's defence, Nb6 (four pawn attack) <(2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6) 100%> -- 1.3 Vienna game, transposed <(2.Nc3 e5> - 2 King Pawn game <(1.e4 e5) 30%> -- 2.1 King's Knight, Philidor's defence <(2.Nf3 d6) 100%> -- 2.2 King's Gambit, Falkbeer Counter gambit <(2.f4 d5) 100%> - 3 Queen Pawn game <(1.d4 d5) 100%> -- 2.1 QGD, Albin Countergambit <(2.c4 e5) 100%> -- 2.2 Queen's Gambit delayed, Slav <(2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6) 100%> - 4 Reti Opening, with 2....d5 <(1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5) 100%> - 5 English, Symmetrical <(1.c4 c5) 100%> [Update: TheaN on 08-07-2008]

TheaN has kibitzed 548 times to chessgames   [more...]

Sep-11-08 Bannik vs Petrosian, 1961   TheaN: Who said that (I've heard Waitzkin say that during his Chessmaster's annotiations, but it's not his I presume)?      Sep-09-08 R Kuijf vs I Rogers, 1989    TheaN: <I find it a bit odd that most here enter the puzzle into their computer and let the answer come to them instead of trying to solve it themselves> You misjudged this. Pretty much everyone FIRST tries to solve the puzzle themselves. After that, they let the computer give the ...      Sep-09-08 Carlsen vs Aronian, 2008    TheaN: <hellopolgar: nice pun!> I concur: sometimes cg has good ones. Usually... they don't.      Sep-08-08 Jansa vs Smejkal, 1969    TheaN: <YouRang: Took me a long time to find it. :-( Nothing to be proud of here... :-p> I think that it is overall misunderstood on cg that with these kind of puzzles, timing is the major key: no, it is not. What mainly counts is that the patterns become familliar. Even if it would ...      Sep-07-08 Azmaiparashvili vs Jiangchuan, 1988   TheaN: <(It's sort of like taking flying lessons and not bothering to learn how to land.)> With this, I think you defy your own example: isn't it the fear of crashing halfway through, that one does not want to know how to land so he doesn΄t actually have to try get there? How cryptic ...      Sep-07-08 A Nickel vs The World, 2008    TheaN: <Hugin: Rybka saying 0.0 at this early stage makes as much sense as one saying Habla Ψ23LKMxxxxx)=900984873?.> I seriously lol'd after this: I think you made a valuable point there though. Computers don't read openings good if it's not booked in their code: how could a player ...      Sep-07-08 G Vescovi vs R Szuhanek, 1994    TheaN: 5/7 Spotted the first move as this is a logical move and enough counterplay is given to White were he not to gain back the piece. I also noticed the potential of 22.Bxf6! opening the g-file more, but after 23.Qh6! I could no longer visualize the pawn storm after either 23....fxe4 or ...      Sep-05-08 Bisguier vs Nakamura, 2004   TheaN: All in all a nice game by Nakamura though. And respect for the still relatively good playing Bisguier.      Sep-05-08 Bisguier vs Larsen, 1965    TheaN: <YR: After <14.Rxf6 Bh8 15.Bxf8 <Bxf8>> I see <16.Qh6 Be6 17.Nd2!> threatening Rf1 and Nde4, leaving black is in terrible trouble. Or do you see a better way for black?> We are the ChessBorg, you will be.......... hey what the... why is that correct? :) Black ...      Sep-05-08 R Nokes vs P B Weir, 1979   TheaN: With some extensive analysis, White can probably make a mate net with Rook and Queen vs Queen, as Black's lady is not going to join the fun in one or two moves. But... I would still play 29....Rxf4 30.Qc7† with 31.Qxf4. So obviously Black shouldn't have played 29....Rxf4, so 29....1-0

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Jul-11-08    TheaN: First kibitz for my own forum and I'll do it myself: a nice start to adress the cons of online play, FICS in this case. I play pretty much everything on FICS, although I have not yet started Losers and Suicide. Today, I played two Atomic games against a certain user (I am just as nice to keep him anonymous), rated. He was estimated (E) so long gone user. He won with White, me not very good with Atomic blundered away a won position with a direct attack whilst my opponent had an indirect attack on my King. Boom, bad luck, and you lose a good game. The second game I was White.... the game goes very shortly to a forced win to White: 1.Nf3 e6?? 2.Ne5 and Black disconnects, game ABORTED for too few moves! Of course I would've won with either 3.Nxd7‡‡ or 3.Nxf7‡‡! FICS admins probably can't retrieve it as its aborted, and thus the user abused the disconnection system to the most. I was really like: "you frikkin $)#&!@!)..." as it's just frikkin unfair to run away after you've just won one yourself. I think something like this happens more with variants than with normal chess, but even then the game can be lost within 10 half moves (which is the mark for adjournment instead of abortion on FICS. I liked to share that, discuss it if you like. Jul-19-08    TheaN: Second post, and I'd like to post a game that played today on FICS with some of my own annotiation. Correct me where there is better (engine analysis would be lovely); but I do like the sacrifice in it. [Event "rated blitz match"] [Site "Free Internet Chess Server"] [Date "2008.07.20"] [White "Pellemann"] [Black "TheaN"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1354"] [BlackElo "1427"] [ECO "C41"] [TimeControl "60+8"] <1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6> I rarely play Philidor but against slightly lower rated players it usually creates some tactical chances. BTW, my own rating was ~1600 two days ago (7-17); yesterday (7-18) I really had an off-day dropping ~150 points. <3. Bc4 Nf6> To avoid some Legal traps, I know it's not theory (Nc6), but most players do not play Ng5 which seems very good for White. <4. Nc3 Nc6 5. O-O Nxe4> I don't know whether this is so good for Black but it seems to work in Blitz. The variation that challenges it is the one my opponent played. <6. Bxf7+ Kxf7 7. Nxe4 Bg4> Normally, d5 ought to increase Black's center but I thought it wasn't necessary just yet. <8. h3 Bh5> Oops... not that taking on f3 isn't that much better; Black is worse here. <9. g4?!> Nfg5†! seems to win for White. <9....Bg6 10. Nfg5+ Ke8 11. d3 Be7> Sacrifices a pawn in advance for an attack. <12. Ne6 Qd7 13. Nxg7+?!> I doubt the move. <13....Kd8 14. Bg5 Kc8!> Creating counter chances, Black threatens Bxg5 and Qxg7. I can't play it now because of Bxg5 Nxg5 Qxg7?? Ne6† . <15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. Nf5?> Seems incorrect but thereby the pawngrab seems incorrect also. It opens the g-file: now the White King gets under pressure. <16....Bxf5 17. gxf5 Rg8+> Qh4 immediately fails to Qg4, dropping pressure after the Queen trade. <18. Kh2> Best move, protecting h3 in advance... Ng3 provokes Qh4 with the simple Kd7 Rg6 and Rad8 with a strong attack, and White pretty helpless to stop it. <18....Qh4 19. Rg1> Hm. There seems to be nothing better for White: playing f6 immediately at least slows Black down, though. Some analysis here would be nice. <19....Kd7 20. f6?> Too late, shows the continuation. <20....Nd4!> You'll see in a moment why. <21. Rxg8??> Preparing f7 which is actually a blunder: I have to admit I didn't see it in advance; now that I do know it, White should've played f7 immediately, where he might interpose Qf4† with Rg3. Not great for White, but it stops Black. <21....Rxg8 22. f7?> White, continuing unprepared, missed the combination. <22....Qf4+ 23. Kh1> Ng3 is no better, leading to Qxf2† 24.Kh1 Rxg3! . Jul-19-08    TheaN: <23....Nf3!!> And can be noted. White cannot promote with either of the four distinct possibilities. f8=N† is the only move with check, but then the King just moves. Anything else meets Qh2‡. Only Ng3 stops the mate, nonetheless, Black wins the Queen with another great move. <24. Ng3 Rxg3!!> I was surprised it works so good. White loses Ng3 and can't really help it: 25.f8=Q? (f8=N+ Ke8!) Rxh3† 26.Kg2 Rh2† 27.Kf1 Rh1†! 28.Kg2 (Ke2 Nd4‡) Qg4†! 29.Kxh1 Qh3‡, a pretty mate. 25.Qf1 meets Rg1†! 26.Qxg1 Nxg1 . <25. fxg3 Qxg3> And White is threatened with both Qh2‡ and Qxh3†, unavoidable without giving up the Queen. <26. f8=N+> It won't be there for long. <26....Ke8 27. Qxf3 Qxf3+ 28. Kh2 Kxf8> And Black wraps up. I kinda messed up the ending nonetheless, giving back Queen for Rook, but the h-pawn taken up inbetween was decisive for my King placement. <29. Kg1 Qxh3 30. Rf1+ Kg7 31. Rf2 Kg6 32. Rg2+ Kf5 33. Rf2+ Kg4 34. Rg2+ Kf3 35. Rf2+ Kg3 36. Re2 Qg4> How can I fall for it after such a combination... <37. Rg2+ Kf3 38. Rxg4 Kxg4 39. Kg2 h5 40. c3 h4 41. c4 h3+ 42. Kh2 Kf3 43. Kxh3 Ke3> And the rest is easy. Maybe not perfect but I won it pretty sound. <44. Kg4 Kxd3 45. Kf3 Kxc4 46. Ke4 d5+ 47. Kxe5 d4 48. Ke4 d3 49. Ke3 a5 50. Kd2 Kd4 51. Kd1 Ke3 52. Ke1 c5 53. b3 b5 54. a3 c4 55. bxc4 bxc4 56. a4 c3 57. Kd1 c2+ 58. Kc1 d2+ 59. Kxc2 Ke2 60. Kb3 d1=Q+ 61. Kb2 Kd3 62. Ka3 Kc2 63. Ka2 Qb1+ 64. Ka3 Qb2# 0-1> Jul-20-08    brankat: <TheaN> Hello there. Based on the above analysis I'd say You seem to be a serious student of the game. It is good that You do annotate Your games, a good way to learn and progress further. I've not really had a chance to go through the game, maybe in the next day or two. Then I'll post a comment here. Good luck with Your forum. Jul-20-08    TheaN: Thanks, but I don't annotate that often, tbh. I just like this tactical shot, and them in general, that's why I usually like the puzzles and the GOTD here as they involve such combinations. I might start annotate more often later though: do take note that in tournament play I'm only ~1650, so without engine analysis my annotations might not always be that great :p. Jul-26-08    johnlspouge: Hi, <TheaN>. I recall that a few days ago, you were trying to settle on an order to write down variations for presentation to others. As another "calculator", I agree that the problem is worthy of attention. You suggested that the final variation should be "best play". The order has some merit, but it runs into a practical problem. It forces an explicit early calculation of inferior variations, which is alright, as long as you have not explored a long decision tree to arrive at the conclusion that the best play shows the original move does not work. A solution might be to calculate superior variations first and then edit to put the variations in the reverse order, to give best play last. <dzechiel> (a model for us all, as usual) tends to give "best play" first (reflecting the calculation order I suggest), but his prose style is not based on explicit calculation. My own presentations use an explicit decision tree (Bologan vs B Redon, 1994), so they present the "best play" discontinuously anyway, but I want to let you know that I am interested in the problem, and I have welcomed your occasional comments on it. I enjoy your posts and I wish you further success on the puzzles. Aug-14-08    yell0wd0g: On Steinitz vs Mongredien, 1862, you posted a question about ideas as white against <1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qg5?>. I think you're right that this move order is dubious but can't be fully refuted. I have encountered it myself at the club, and have had good games playing against the c7 square, which is left weak by the rambling queen. For one thing, an immediate 3. Nb5, which I'll admit looks pretty clumsy, starts presenting black with immediate problems-- how to protect c7 without either moving the king or moving the queen again. So, for example, ...Na6 4. Nf3 Qg6 5. d4 Nf6 6. Ne5 Qe4+ 7. Be2, and white seems to be having all the fun. or ... Qc5 4. d4 Qb6 5. Bf4 Na3 6. Bc4 and now f7 starts presenting problems. Good luck! Aug-17-08    ravel5184: <TheaN: I have the answer ravel, but how are you going to keep my answer secret to others if I post it here?> Tell me it right now and I will immediately delete it. I know, it's a weird way of doing it, but it's the best I could do. Aug-17-08    ravel5184: OK, answer acknowledged. Aug-21-08    WarmasterKron: Another Atomic fan, I see. I probably play it more than I play regular chess, though I don't play on ICC or FICS. Aug-25-08    ravel5184: <TheaN> I'm sorry, but there's a mate in 4 that you missed. Try again.		New in Chess Yearbook

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