I have been sucked into openings recently, which is always a bad thing. I really don’t understand the positions 10 or so moves into a master game. I do understand open center battles, and I naturally tend to build them. So for these two games, I came out with offbeat opening I rarely use. I understand the general ideas about how to get to the center, so I thought I’d try them. Thankfully my opponents both moved their rook-pawns, something I honestly don’t understand.

The first game is a clear example of why you don’t block your King with your Queen on an open file. Pinss (I think I say skewers in the notes on the game, which is wrong) and discovered attacks are devastating. The second game is clearly just a misjudging of protection of pawns, leading to a huge and unstoppable central majority. Couple that with a poor choice to trade away while down pawns, and it becomes a clear victory