Saturday, December 31, 2005
A long time ago...
The mistakes list was intended to see how someone's performance in standard games was progressing over time. One difficulty in using it is it does not track your opponent's level of play. Even if you are improving, playing someone who is way over your head will likely push you into more mistakes, and those games make the list look like you are slipping backwards.
I present this as freely usable for personal or educational purposes only. Email me if you want to publish this or any parts of this. It may prove useful to someone out there, especially under 1500 folks. Modify to suit your own needs.
Mistakes List
Mistake | Explanation |
Haste | Acting like under time pressure when not |
Time Pressure | Need to manage time better |
Mouse Slip | OTB - Didn't write down the move first with plenty of time |
Opening Error | Neglecting development breaking from principals |
Questionable/Weak Move | |
Easy Positional Error | Weak center or squares inaccurate defense Knight on edge etc. |
Medium Positional Error | When 2 or 3 factors needed to be considered |
Difficult Positional Error | When 4+ factors needed to be considered |
King Safety Error | Unforced loosening of King's defenders or bad King moves |
Back and 7th Rank Problems | Both offense and defense |
Lost Tempo | When other moves were better |
Lost Initiative | When it could have been preserved |
Bad Plan or Tunnel Vision | When you failed to fully examine what was called for |
No Plan | |
After the Move Problem | Blocking your defenders, accidentally opening or closing lines, etc. |
Forgot What I Saw Earlier | Could be anything, like abandoning defense of other pieces |
Weak/Inferior Pawn Structure | |
Failed To Retreat | When there were other alternatives |
Moved Into Mate | Calculating inaccuracies |
Missed Mate | |
Stalemate Problems | Allowed perpetual check thoughtless promotion etc. |
Bad Trade | When a trade of loses advantage |
In Over Your Head | Getting into positions beyond your ability to play |
Easy Endgame Blunder | When a won/drawn game becomes drawn/lost |
Medium Endgame Blunder | When a won/drawn game becomes drawn/lost |
Difficult Endgame Blunder | When a won/drawn game becomes drawn/lost |
Easy Endgame Mistake | When only some advantage is lost |
Medium Endgame Mistake | When only some advantage is lost |
Difficult Endgame Mistake | When only some advantage is lost |
Tactical Level of Error | Simple clear and forced tactics are as below |
(Include Missed Mate) | Add 1-6 for unclear positions 1-4 for many variations 2-8 for combinations |
0 | Blunder of not immediately taking |
1 | |
2 | Your opponent takes your hanging piece |
3 | |
4 | You miss a pin fork skewer or unstoppable threat |
5 | |
6 | You give your opponent a pin fork skewer or unstoppable threat |
7 | |
8 | You miss a 2 move threat or tactic |
9 | |
10 | You give your opponent a 2 move threat or tactic |
11 | |
12 | You miss a 3 move threat or tactic |
13 | |
14 | You give your opponent a 3 move threat or tactic |
15 | |
16 | You miss a 4 move threat or tactic |
17 | |
18 | You give your opponent a 4 move threat or tactic |
19 | |
20 | You miss a 5 move threat or tactic |
21 | |
22+ |
-=-=-=-=-
Example game:
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2004.11.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Chessmaster"]
[Black "kingofthespill"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "57"]
[EventDate "2004.??.??"]
1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Bg5 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 Bxc3+ 8.
bxc3 b6 9. cxd5 exd5 10. O-O h6 11. Bh4 g5 12. Bg3 Re8 13. Qc2 Ne4 14. c4 Nxg3
15. hxg3 Nf6 16. cxd5 Bb7 17. e4 Qe7 18. Rfe1 Rac8 19. Ne5 c5 20. dxc6 Qb4 21.
Bc4 Rxe5 22. Rab1 Rxe4 23. Rxe4 Qxb1+ 24. Qxb1 Bxc6 25. Re7 Bd5 26. Qf5 Rxc4
27. Qxf6 Rc6 28. Re8+ Kh7 29. Rh8# 1-0 paste below game into this link:Mistake 11/5/04, Black Haste 26 Time Pressure Mouse Slip Opening Error Questionable/Weak Move 7 Easy Positional Error Medium Positional Error 17 Difficult Positional Error King Safety Error 11 Back and 7th Rank Problems Lost Tempo Lost Initiative Bad Plan or Tunnel Vision 16, 19, 20 No Plan After the Move Problem 16 Forgot What I Saw Earlier Weak/Inferior Pawn Structure Failed To Retreat Moved Into Mate Missed Mate Stalemate Problems Bad Trade In Over Your Head 22 Easy Endgame Blunder Medium Endgame Blunder Difficult Endgame Blunder Easy Endgame Mistake Medium Endgame Mistake Difficult Endgame Mistake Tactical Level of Error (Include Missed Mate) 0 16 1 2 3 19 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 27 11 12 13 22 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 23 21 22+
Hence my efforts there.
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