Mirrors And Stuff 🔒

One game: mostly tight but was outplayed towards the end. White then proceeded to totally fail to cut my promotions down, causing me to end the game with two queens and no fucks.

Not particularly proud, but a win is a win.

One game: not proud of it. Only won because my opponent blundered harder than me.

One game: Another Caro Kann game with a decent amount of discipline on my side. Controlled the middle in the early game. Didn't rush moves or make silly blunders.

Stop treating 20 minute games like they're 2 minutes games, mirrors. You win if you actually think.

One thing wasn't happy with is that I ended up weakening both my flanks rather than castling. Could have been expensive, but I was always about one move ahead of my opponent and kept the initiative. In the midgame, had I lost it for a single move, I would have been screwed.

Right side rook and queen finished up. Bishop pinned their defending rook and their queen was trying to control the center - but there was nothing really going on there other than a gaggle of pawns placed defensively.

White traded their bishops (both) for my knights. This is something I used to do, and now I'm honestly beginning to understand why it's not always the best, even if their points value is equivalent.

I've had a really long win streak. This is likely due to me losing so much rating by playing at night whilst sleepy. Feels like I'm seal clubbing right now.

Played one more game as black: far more even with a less focused opening. White attacked with a queen, bishop and knight on my left but my queen snuck into their back line and gobbled both rooks. Last few moves were pretty tight: had to sac a rook to keep king in check to prevent white from being able to lock down my king. In the end, queen and knight trapped their king in the center of the board.

One game: went for a Queens gambit, was declined and an throwaway attack with a bishop that I probably shouldn't have done. They retreated with their king. They then attacked my advance pawn.

I had thought to trade my queen just to simplify the board, but they just... Didn't attack?! Which left mate in one by taking their queen, as my bishop's attack pushed their king away from the queen.

Mate in 32 seconds. Honestly embarrassing for them given that I'm not a very good player.

Two games: both in the morning. Barely remember either. Wasn't fully paying attention on the first game, lost. Focused on second. Won.