Point and click

I didn't start playing serious chess until I was 16 years old, but I've always thought this was a help rather than a hindrance. As an 'older' junior, I probably learnt a little more quickly, especially from bad losses, and was able to put those lessons into practice.
My most common losses in those early days were games where I wasted a tempo or two in the opening, and then got hit by an attack. It took me a while to become a better defensive player, but I also learnt how to hack an opponent.
Even these days these lessons stick with me, as shown by the following game. To spare my young opponent I won't give his name, but while he played the opening reasonably well, he also played it a little automatically. As a result I was able to lunch a typical BDG attack, using the open f file and a lead in development to break open the kingside. Alert readers will spot that I could have won a piece with 11.Nxg4 but I was looking for the bigger prize with a sac on f6, and idea that quickly paid off.


Press,Shaun - Other, A.N. [D00]
Canberra 2016