More on my performance this weekend.

So, I had some goals for this weekend. I think I met them in two out of three games. In the last game, I just did not play "real chess". In the second game, I don't recall enough about my thought process to say whether I had lapsed out of it or had a mistake in judgment. Either way, I have several lessons to learn.

I ran my games through the computer to double-check some of my tactical thoughts, and I was pleased at a couple junctures where it confirmed my calculations. In the first game, however, there was one situation where I was worried about how to preserve my advantage in the face of an attack. I was up the exchange and a pawn. I saw a clear line which gave back the exchange, but kept the pawn in a position where that would be an overwhelming advantage. I also saw a more risky line that I couldn't clearly evaluate and had some complicated lines where he gets a couple of my pawns and there are attacks on my king and what not. So I gave back the exchange. It turns out, however, that the attack fizzles out and I end up ahead an entire piece in the line I didn't choose. I didn't look at all the analysis, though, just the "+4.18" - I want to work it out on my own! I might post the game with all its blemishes once I figure out the best way to do that. I will do a critical examination of all three games, but I don't know if I'll post my losses. I'll be more critical of them, though!