Pirc Defense (2), sojourn for now

Today’s blog entry is from this week’s club tournament. With a low turnout, I was paired against another club regular who is known for solid play. He opened with e4 and I responded with the moves which normally transpose into my trusty Philidor. We jockeyed for position for 16 moves, him on the k-side and me in the center.

The game became tactical with an attack against my castled position. He left a weakness in the center, but I did not see it as I was concentrating on the area of the board surrounding my King. After exchanging pieces, the position was almost even. I offered and he accepted a draw instead of continuing the fight.

This game highlights what I have perceived over the last year or so. My game is deteriorating in many areas. It has become obvious that my game cannot be fixed over-the-board, so I intend to take a break from rated play and concentrate on improving my game. Future game posts will likely be from online and practice games.