ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Thankfully managed a win this week despite making it more difficult than it needed to be. I've realised that I risk a lot of games by avoiding winning or won minor piece endings (because I've not studied them) and getting into tricky positions as a result.

I think if my chess is to improve it needs to in these areas:

1. Strategy and planning
2. Gain a more rounded knowledge of chess so I don't fear certain situations and get forced into inferior positions as a result. Actually I was reading the Noble Park newsletter and an interview with Dusan Stojic who said the best way to improve is not to focus on what you're already good at, but instead cut out weaknesses in your game. Seems obvious; isn't!
3. Learn to defend calmly in complicated positions.

Last night's game was fairly simple as my opponent didn't understand the importance of the d & c-files in the Sicilian, and played some irrelevant moves in the opening rather than controlling the centre, which allowed an early d6-d5. Nonetheless I managed to make things complicated and needed to find 31. f5 to take back the initiative in the position.