How to post using Diagrams

I published this post at Pete Tamburro's Forum. I thought it might help some people so here it...


How to post a decent post using Diagrams, Arrows, enlarged Fonts and a clean and readable text.

Pete, this is for you!

There are a few methods for posting Diagrams or Photographs.
First you need to determine whether your intended Diagrams and Photographs already appear (that means that they’re uploaded) on another web page or not.


Creating a Diagram

Method 1, 

Requires storage site

1) Open your favorite ChessBase program 
2) (If needed open a new board)
3) Click on the letter “s”



4) That should bring you to the ‘Position Setup’ window
5) Create your Diagram
6) [If needed add arrows]
7) Click on the ‘Print Screen’ keyboard button
8) Open Windows ‘Paint’ program
9) Click CTRL + V (or go to Edit and click Paste)
10) Resize the screen to fit the board
11) Save the photo in JPG format.

BTW, ChessBase actually has a Diagram creator function but I think that this rather Neanderthal method is quite bullet proof for those without computer skills.

Method 2,

Requires storage site

1) Open your ICC client program (be that Blitzin or Dasher)
2) Go to examine mode
3) Create your Diagram
4) [If needed add arrows]
5) [If you want to highlight certain squares or create different colored arrows hold the Right mouse button + the ALT button when making the arrow. That will pop up the color scheme window. Choose the color you’d like] 



6) Click on the ‘Print Screen’ keyboard button
7) Open Windows ‘Paint’ program
8) Click CTRL + V (or go to Edit and click Paste)
9) Resize the screen to fit the board
10) Save the photo in JPG format.

Method 3,

Does not include arrows but requires no storage site

1) Go to the link - http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-diagram-generator.php
2) Create your Diagram
3) Click on the ‘Generate Diagram’ button
4) Copy the Diagram’s direct link listed under the ‘Just the image’ option



5) Locate (in your text) where you would like the Diagram to appear
6) Paste the link’s address

BTW, if you have an account on www.RedHotPawn.com you can also use the ‘Analyze board’ option to create your Diagram and follow the same steps of saving the image and uploading it to an image host.


***

Storage site for Methods 1 and 2

1) Go to the link - http://photobucket.com/
2) Create an account
3) Create an album
4) Upload the Diagram (photo)

BTW, whenever uploading a series of Diagrams you better create a new album, title it appropriately and upload the Diagrams to that Album. 
That will ensure that you keep it in an orderly fashion. 


Retrieving the Diagram to fit a Forum Format

1) Go to the specified album
2) Hover with your mouse cursor over the Diagram
3) It will enlarge and a few options will be seen
4) Choose the bottom one (‘IMG code’)



5) Locate (in your text) where you would like the Diagram to appear
6) Paste the link’s address 

***

Retrieving a Diagram from an online source

(The easy way!)

1) Go to the Diagram’s online source (website)
2) Click on it with your Right mouse button
3) choose the “Copy IMG URL’ option



4) Locate (in your text) where you would like the Diagram to appear
5) Paste the link’s address 
6) Mark the whole line with your mouse curser
7) Click on the ‘Insert Hyperlink’ Icon

BTW, clicking on the ‘Insert Hyperlink’ Icon will add the “url” in the beginning of the address and “/url” in the end of it – you could by all means just do it yourself just don’t forget to put it inside square brackets 

***

An example to how an IMG link is supposed to look like with in a text:



***

How to Enlarge the text size

1) Mark the text you’d like to enlarge
2) Click on the Icon that looks like an “A” with up and down arrows.
3) Look for the size factor (size=3)
4) The higher the number the bigger the text will be




That’s all

BTW, make sure you enter spaces, that you “Bold” the main lines and that you “i” lists. It makes the reading easier and pleasant.

BTW 2, when providing a reference variation use the “[Root position: 1. e4 e5]” format so everyone will know what position you are referring too without having to goo backwards and forwards between posts.

Thanks

Good luck!

Final notes: 

If you have anything to add please feel free to message me and I'll modify the original post.

Obviously it goes without saying that you don't "have to" create a Diagram if you already have the position in your variation or PGN file. Just go to the position you'd like to Diagram, create a JPG Image, upload it to your online Image Host and copy its IMG code.

Oh, one more thing... It's much better to be a  than to be a  and it's certainly better to use a  than to use a 

Okay, stay 

Second round against Uwak

My second game against Uwak was hard fought draw.
Uwak is a strong player from the Philippines who won many tournaments, was the state champion and is currently one of GM Wesley’s openings coaches. 
Needless to point out, this is a very strong player!

I already suffered two loses to Uwak and it was clear to me that I’m no match for him in opening theory. Our previous games proved that his plus originated straight from the opening so this time I had prepared something else. The London! 



[Event "ICC"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2011.02.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "MusiqueWand"]
[Black "Uwak"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A48"]
[WhiteElo "2353"]
[BlackElo "2363"]
[PlyCount "114"]
[EventDate "2011.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 



3... Bg7 4. e3 O-O 5. Be2 d6 6. O-O Nh5 



( More common moves are: 6... Nbd7, usually met with 7. h3 c5 8. c3 with a level headed game. Or, 6... c5, usually met with 7. c3 and here if Black tries 7… Qb6 White can play 8. Qb3 and have nothing to worry about.) 

7. Bg5! 

(It is ok to play 7. Bg3 Nxg3 8. hxg3, where upon 8… e5 9. dxe5 (9. c3 e4 10. Nfd2 d5 11. c4 c5!!) 9... dxe5 10. e4 Nc6 11. c3 both sides may enjoy a rather comfortable Queen-less middle game.) 

7... h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nfd2!!? 



(Here too, 9. Bg3, is quite playable and level headed. For instance, 9… Nxg3 10. hxg3 c5 (10... e5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. e4) 11. c3) 

9... gxh4 10. Bxh5 h3!? 

(To my knowledge this move has not been played before but I might be wrong. More common was 10... c5 to which White plays the usual 11. c3) 

11. g3 c5 12. c3 



(Noticed how all of White's pawns are on dark squares! Omitting Black's DSB) 

12... Nd7! 13. Na3 



(Black played the best move, 12…Nd7, threatening to go to f6 and attack White’s LSB or to go to b6 and empower the Queenside. I was quite aware of the move 13. Bf3 but despite playing the London I wasn’t necessarily opting for a draw I was merely trying to play a decent game where my positional understand is leveled with my opponent’s theoretical knowledge and tactical abilities. After 13. Bf3 I saw this follow up - 13… Nf6 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. Bxe4 d5 where I could hardly see any means for white to improve his position and therefore chose 13. Na3. this is not a meritless move, it stops …b5 and Na3-c4 can prove quite useful in some lines. Ah, yes... i know i took it far with the arrows. eat it up!) 

13... Rb8 



14. f4!? 

(This is a very important place to stop, sit back and wonder. What is white to play? What plan should one adopt? Clearly, Black is intending …b5 and what is White to play? Obviously White can ignore this threat and simply play a developing move such as Ra1-c1 or Na3-c2, or Bh5-f3. the move the moves I considered judgmental were either 14. Qe2 in order to stop …b5 or the move I evidently played 14. f4 and go for a Stone Wall plan. The reason I decided not to go for14. Qe2 is that it doesn’t really stop …b5 at all and it’s not clear how useful it is after the continuation: 14… a6 15. f4 b5 16. Bf3 Nb6 17. Nc2 Qc7 18. Bg4 d5 and I have to admit I’m quite funned of Black’s position.) 

14... b5 15. Nc2 



15... b4 16. cxb4 cxb4 

(White gets too much after 16... cxd4 17. exd4 Bb7 18. Bg4) 

17. Bf3 a5 18. Rc1 Nb6 



19. e4!!? 

(I find it hard to determine whether this is a good move, a brilliant move or a clear mistake! I don’t know really. Other more straightforward moves were: 19. b3 which stops …Na4 and …a4 and 19. Qe2 which finishes White’s development. Rf2, prophylactic.) 

19... Ba6 

(19... Na4 20. Nc4 Ba6 21. N2e3) 

20. Be2 

(Rybka favors 20. Rf2, this is a very deep move I’m not sure I would have found it in a normal game. With time to analyze I’d of been very happy to find such a move because it’s not obvious. White seems to allow Black’s LSB to stay on that diagonal and exert pressure on his camp but the flip side is to White’s favor. It kept the Bishop on f3 where it protects the centre, later we’ll see why that would have been important. On f2 the Rook indirectly protects the b2 pawn and may double Rooks on c2. it’s an interesting move but Bf3-e2 was also nice. ) 

20... Bb7! 
 

(20... Bxe2 21. Qxe2 Na4  22. Rb1 – should be fine, for both sides.) 

21. b3! 



(Finally!! I was starting to feel pretty good about my position at this point. I closed the Queen side, have a pretty attractive centre and I can now start to worry about my Knights. Apparently rybka favors 21. Bb5 because it too stops …Na4 and places the Bishop on a more active post. Either way, I was wrong in my assessments. Black’s tactical pressure annoys my position and breaks apart my centre in a few moves.) 

21... Rc8 22. Bg4!



22... Rxc2 

(Another critical stage, I think that in the long run 22... Rc3 23. Bxh3 was actually better for Black despite giving White the time to recollect the h-pawn. But as he usually does, Uwak opted for tactical destruction.)

23. Qxc2 Bxd4+ 24. Kh1



24... d5 25. Nf3 

(Black’s fine Bishops are harnessing considerable amounts of energy. I couldn’t play 25. e5 because after 25… Be3 the obvious idea of …d4+ was just to scary to constantly worry about.) 

25... Bc3 26. exd5



26... Nxd5! 

(It’s interesting to note that Black can go very wrong very simply. For instance 26… Bxd5 allows White to regroup with 27. Bxh3 Qa8 28. Bg2 where White has no problems to worry about. Rybka give this position the value of a pawn in White’s favor. Black choice the best move which keeps the tactics going!

27. Qf2 Nf6 28. Bxh3 Qa8 29. Bg2 Ng4!



30. Qb6 

(There are other tries with gazillion variations. I’ll spare the reader all these lines. it’s sufficient to say that 30. Qg1 was another option.) 

30... Rd8!!? 

(I was surprised by that move because tactically I was expecting 30... Rb8 with discovery threats so White needs to play 31. Qc5 to which Black can chase the Queen with the Rook but it should be ok for White. Black’s last move introduces a simpler threat – Rd8-d6 attacking the Queen.) 

31. Rcd1! Bd2 32. h3!! Rd6! 



33. Qxd6!!! exd6 34. hxg4 Bc3 35. Rxd6



(White would actually win this game if not for Black’s next move. if you change the position by placing Black’s a5-pawn and put it on a6 White would have a winning game. Unfortunately Black does have that resource and it’a quite difficult to prepare against it or even see it beforehand!)

35… a4!! 36. Rxh6!? 

(There are other moves but somehow I find it irrelevant to go into 20 lines of analysis at this stage.)

36… axb3 37. axb3 Qa2!! 38. Rd6 

(Ok, basically I though I had something. I saw Rd6-d8+ and Nh4-f5 and Rh1 and I though I had something. I did have something it just wasn’t enough.)

38… Qxb3 39. Rd8+ Kg7 40. Nh4 Bxg2+ 41. Kxg2 Qa2+!! 42. Kh3

(It’s possible that Kf3 was winning! I’m not sure but I was seeing ghosts and chickened out)

42… b3 



43. Nf5+ Kg6 44. Rd6+ Kh7 45. Rh1 Qa8 46. Rhd1 b2 47. Rh6+ Kg8 48. Rb6 Kh7 49. g5 Qe8 50. Rdd6 Bg7 51. Rb7!!? 



(It’s a tricky move and for once I was playing my own tactics!! I didn’t like the mental image of 51. Nxg7 Qe2 52. Nf5 Qf1+ 53. Kh4 b1Q)

51… Kh8!!! 

(Brilliant! Black will find it quite hard after the obvious 51…Qc8 52. Rxf7 Qxf5+ 53. Rxf5 b1Q 54. Kg4! And there is no clear way for Black to attack White and in the mean time the Rooks and pawns are going to party! And that variation doesn’t even includes the many way for Black to get checkmated.) 

52. Rdb6

(doesn’t that move seem to be winning!?!?! Well it isn’t!)

52… Qe1!!! 53. Nxg7

(Best moves according to Rybka: 53. Rb8+ Kh7 54. Nxg7 Qh1+ 55. Kg4 Qd1+ 56. Kf5 Kxg7 57. Rxb2 Qd5+ 58. Kg4 f5+ 59. gxf6+ Kg6 60. Rh8 Qf5+ 61. Kf3 Qd5+ 62. Ke3 Qc5+ 63. Kd3 Qa3+ 64. Kc2 Qc5+ - with perpetual check! Draw!)

53… Qh1+ 54. Kg4 Kxg7 55. g6 



55... Qd1+ 56. Kf5 Qd5+ 57. Kg4 Qd1+ 

1/2-1/2







As usual you can find this game on my ICC library, game number 46

Interesting ideas in the Alekhine-Chatard

Avoiding the Alekhine!

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Ng8!? 

( a strange idea? I’m not so sure. )

6. Bxe7 

( The main line is 6. Be3 to which I tested the idea of 6… h5 attempting to stop Qg4 ideas while maintaining White’s normal yet aggressive approach. The following variation is by no means solid or sound but it does make certain things clearer. 

ML) 6. Be3 h5!? 7. Bd3 b6!? {I tested a few ideas, I think it’s a good idea to trade White’s LSB as soon as possible} 8. Qe2 a5 {I insist!} 9. Nh3 Ba6 10. Bxa6 Nxa6 11.
O-O Nh6 12. Bxh6 Rxh6 13. f4 Qd7!? 14. f5 exf5 15. Nf4 c6! 16. Rae1 Nc7 – unclear but I think It’s level headed. )

6… Nxe7



7. h4! 

( the usual aggressive attempt. Threatening h4-h5-h6, Qg4 or Qh5 and Rh1-h3-g3 ) 

7… b6! 



( suicidal but might work is: 7... O-O 8. h5 h6 9. Bd3 c5 10. dxc5 Nbc6) 


(7... Nf5, loses to: 8. g4 Nxh4 9. Nf3 Nxf3+ 10. Qxf3) 



8. h5 h6! 



(Black must stop white’s attack first, a failed attempt is seen after: 8... Ba6 9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Qe2 Nb4 11. Nf3 – with pressure) 

9. Qg4 O-O!!?? 

(9... Nf5 10. Bd3!) 

10. Rh3 c5!? 11. Bd3! 



(11. Rg3? Nf5 12. Bd3? Nxg3 13. Qxg3 cxd4) 

11... f5 12. Qf4 

(it’s incredible but after… 12. exf6 Rxf6 13. Rg3 Qf8 – black can hold and may even be better in the long run.) 


12... Nbc6! 



(too risky is: 12... Ba6 13. Bxa6 Nxa6 14. O-O-O cxd4 15. Nb5 d3 16. Rdxd3 Nc5 17. Rdg3) 


13. Nf3 (13. O-O-O!?) 13... c4! 14. Be2 b5!?? 



(14... Ba6 15. Nh4 b5 16. Rg3 Kh8 17. Ng6+ Nxg6 18. Rxg6
Bc8 (18... Qe7 19. Nxd5) 19. O-O-O b4) 


15. a3 

(15. Nxb5 Rb8 16. Nd6 Qa5+ 17. c3 Rxb2) 

15... Rb8 16. Nh4 



The final position after 16. Nh4 is unclear. I can’t decide who’s better.
I can’t say that this is overly inspiring for Black but it raises some questions and I think Black can find ample of improvements.

***

The second idea to tackle the Alekhine.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 Nc6 



(The only game that I can show is a game I played against Richard Laura.
The game continued:)

7. Nf3 f6 8. exf6 Nxf6 9. Bd3 O-O 



10. Qe2 Nb4 11. O-O-O c5 



12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. a3 Nxd3+ 14. Rxd3 Qd6 15. Na4 b6 16. Nxc5 bxc5 

( Black is already doing quite well!)



17. Qe5 Qxe5 18. Nxe5 Nd7 19. f4 Nxe5 20. fxe5 Rf7 21. Rf3 Ba6 



 
With a very clear endgame and a good centre!

Both variations are out of book and both seem reasonable!

2 nice videos about Bobby

Bruce Pandolfini
 
http://vimeo.com/4009232

Anatoly Karpov

http://bigthink.com/ideas/20613