3½/5 for Kirk

Sadler,K (1507) - Lachapelle,C
OS Winter Active Owen Sound, Ontario (1), 27.11.2005
B38 : Accelerated Dragon, Maroczy Bind, 6.Be3

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be2 e5 9.Ndb5 a6 10.Nd6 Ne8 11.0-0 b6 12.c5 Nd4 13.Nd5 bxc5 14.Nxc8 Nxe2+ 15.Qxe2 Qxc8 16.Ne7+ Kh8 17.Nxc8 1-0

Sadler,C (1547) - Sadler,K (1507)
OS Winter Active Owen Sound, Ontario (2), 27.11.2005
D14 : Slav Exchange, 6.Bf4 Bf5

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Nc3 Bf5 6.Bf4 e6 7.e3 a6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Nc6 10.0-0 Be7 11.h3 0-0 12.Rac1 Rc8 13.a3 Na5 14.Nd2 Nc4 15.Nxc4 dxc4 16.Qd1 Nd5 17.Bg3 b5 18.e4 Nf6 19.Be5 Nd7 20.Bg3 Nf6 21.Bh4 Re8 22.Bxf6 Bxf6 23.e5 Be7 24.f4 Qb6 25.Kh1 Red8 26.d5 exd5 27.Nxd5 Qc5 28.Nxe7+ Qxe7 29.Qf3 Rd3 30.Qg4 Rcd8 31.Rcd1 g6 32.Rxd3 Rxd3 33.Qc8+ Kg7 34.Qxa6 Qh4 35.Kh2 Qg3+ 36.Kh1 Qh4 37.Qxb5 1/2-1/2

Van Aalst,K (1235) - Sadler,K (1507)
OS Winter Active Owen Sound, Ontario (3), 27.11.2005
A40 - Queen's Pawn

1.d4 e6 2.e3 c5 3.c3 cxd4 4.cxd4 Nf6 5.Bd3 Be7 6.Nc3 b6 7.Nf3 Bb7 8.0-0 d6 9.h3 Nbd7 10.Re1 0-0 11.e4 e5 12.Bc4 Rc8 13.Bb3 exd4 14.Nxd4 Nc5 15.Bc2 a6 16.Qf3 b5 17.a3 Qb6 18.Nf5 Rfe8 19.Qg3 Nh5 20.Nxe7+ Rxe7 21.Qh4 Nf6 22.Bg5 Re6 23.Bxf6 Rxf6 24.e5 Rh6 25.Qg4 Re8 26.exd6 Rhe6 27.Rxe6 Rxe6 28.Bf5 Rxd6 29.Re1 Ne6 30.Qh4 g6 31.Be4 Kg7 32.Bxb7 Qxb7 33.Ne4 g5?? 34.Nxg5 Nxg5 35.Qxg5+ Rg6 36.Qe5+ f6 37.Qe7+ Qxe7 38.Rxe7+ Kh6 39.Ra7 f5 40.b4 Re6 41.Rd7 Kg6 42.Rd8 Re5 0-1

Sadler,K (1507) - Both,A (1618)
OS Winter Active Owen Sound, Ontario (4), 27.11.2005
B42 - Sicilian : Kan

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.0-0 Qc7 7.c4 Bc5 8.Nb3 Be7 9.Be3 d6 10.N1d2 b6 11.f4 Nbd7 12.Rc1 Bb7 13.Nd4 Nc5 14.Be2 Ncxe4 15.Bf3 0-0 16.Qc2 Nc5 17.b4 Ncd7 18.f5 e5 19.Ne2 Rac8 20.Qb2 e4 0-1

Sadler,K (1507) - Cook,E (1256)
OS Winter Active Owen Sound, Ontario (5), 27.11.2005
C79 - Ruy Lopez : Steinitz Defense Deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bd7 5.0-0 a6 6.Ba4 Nf6 7.Re1 h6 8.c3 Bg4 9.Nbd2 exd4 10.cxd4 b5 11.Qc2 Nb4 12.Qc3 bxa4 13.Qxb4 Bd7 14.e5 dxe5 15.Rxe5+ Be6 16.Qxa4+ Nd7 17.d5 Bd6 18.dxe6 fxe6 19.Rxe6+ Kf7 20.Nd4 Ne5 21.Ne4 Qh4 22.Nf5 Nf3+ 23.gxf3 Qxh2+ 24.Kf1 Qh3+ 25.Ke2 Kxe6 26.Nxg7+ Kf7 27.Qc4+ Kxg7 28.Qd4+ Kg6 29.Qf6+ Kh7 30.Qf7# 1-0

4½/5 ain't bad

I just got back from the Owen Sound Winter Active. I scored 4½/5 securing first place...the opposition wasn't top notch, only gained approximately 20 points, but still. my only draw was v. kirk. here are the games.



Drimmie,J - Sadler,C (1547)
Winter Active Owen Sound, ON(1), 27.11.2005
B40 - Sicilian Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.Bc4 b5 5.Be2 Nc6 6.0-0 Qc7 7.d3 Nf6 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Qd2 0-0 10.Rfe1 Bb7 11.d4 b4 12.e5 bxc3 13.Qxc3 Nd5 14.Qd3 Nxd4 15.Bxe7 Nxf3+ 16.Bxf3 Nxe7 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Red1 Rfd8 19.Re1 Qd5 20.Qa3 Nf5 21.Rad1 Qc6 22.Qd3 Nh4 23.Qg3 Nf5 24.Re3 Nxg3 25.Rxg3 d5 26.Re3 d4 27.Ree1 c4 28.Kf1 Rab8 29.b3 cxb3 30.axb3 Qxc2 31.Rc1 Qxc1 32.Rxc1 Rxb3 33.Rc4 h6 34.Ke2 a5 35.Kd2 Ra8 36.Kc2 Rc3+ 37.Kb2 Rxc4 38.h3 d3 39.Kb3 Rac8 40.h4 d2 41.Ka3 d1Q 42.g4 Rb8 0-1

Sadler,C (1547) - Sadler,K (1507)
Winter Active Owen Sound, ON (2), 27.11.2005
D14 - Slav : Exchange 6.Bf4 Bf5

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Nc3 Bf5 6.Bf4 e6 7.e3 a6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Nc6 10.0-0 Be7 11.h3 0-0 12.Rac1 Rc8 13.a3 Na5 14.Nd2 Nc4 15.Nxc4 dxc4 16.Qd1 Nd5 17.Bg3 b5 18.e4 Nf6 19.Be5 Nd7 20.Bg3= Nf6 21.Bh4 Re8 22.Bxf6 Bxf6 23.e5 Be7 24.f4 Qb6 25.Kh1 Red8 26.d5 exd5 27.Nxd5 Qc5 28.Nxe7+ Qxe7 29.Qf3 Rd3 30.Qg4 Rcd8 31.Rcd1 g6 32.Rxd3 Rxd3 33.Qc8+ Kg7 34.Qxa6 Qh4 35.Kh2 Qg3+ 36.Kh1 Qh4 37.Qxb5= ½-½

yes i know i missed 30.Qxd3

Cook,E (1256) - Sadler,C (1547)
Winter Active Owen Sound, ON (3), 27.11.2005
B34 - Sicilian : Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 g6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Qd2 0-0 8.Nxc6 dxc6 9.Bd3 Ng4 10.0-0 Nxe3 11.Qxe3 Bd4 12.Qc1 Qa5 13.Ne2 Bb6 14.Bc4 Qe5 15.Ng3 Be6 16.Bd3 Rad8 17.Kh1 Qc5 18.a3 Bc4 19.b4 Qb5 20.Bxc4 Qxc4 21.Rb1 h5 22.f3 Rd7 23.Rd1 Rxd1+ 24.Qxd1 Rd8 25.Qc1 h4 26.Nf1 Qe2 27.h3 Qf2 28.Nh2 Rd2 29.Qg1 Qxg1+ 30.Rxg1 Bxg1 31.Kxg1 Rxc2 32.Nf1 Rc3 33.a4 Rc4 34.b5 cxb5 35.axb5 Rb4 0-1

Sadler,C (1547) - Pucak,S (1011)
Winter Active Owen Sound, ON (4), 27.11.2005
D13 - Slav : Exchange Variation

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bf4 h6 6.e3 Nf6 7.Nc3 Nh5 8.Ne2 Nxf4 9.Nxf4 Bg4 10.Be2 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 e5 12.dxe5 Bb4+ 13.Ke2 Nxe5 14.Qa4+ Nc6 15.Bxd5 0-0 16.Bxc6 Qd2+ 17.Kf3 bxc6 18.Rhd1 c5 19.Rxd2 Bxd2 20.Rd1 Bb4 21.Nd5 a5 22.a3 Rfc8 23.Ne7+ Kh7 24.Nxc8 1-0

Both,A (1618) - Sadler,C (1547) [B21]
Winter Active Owen Sound, ON (5), 27.11.2005
B21 : Sicilian : Grand Prix attack

1.e4 c5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Nc3 Qd8 6.Bc4 e6 7.b3 Bd6 8.0-0 Bxf4 9.Bb2 0-0 10.Nh4 Qxd2 11.Qf3 Qe3+ 12.Kh1 Qxf3 13.Rxf3 Be5 14.Re1 Nc6 15.Bb5 Bd4 16.Rd3 Ng4 17.Rd2 Nf2+ 18.Rxf2 Bxf2 19.Re4 Bxh4 20.Rxh4 Nd4 21.Bd3 h6 22.Ne4 e5 23.g4 Nf3 24.Rh3 Bxg4 25.Rxh6 gxh6 26.Nf6+ Kg7 27.Nxg4 f6 28.Bc1 Rh8 29.Be4 Nd4 30.Ne3 Rab8 31.c3 Ne6 32.Nf5+ Kf7 33.b4 cxb4 34.cxb4 Nf4 35.b5 Rhd8 36.Bf3 Rd3 37.Nh4 Rg8 38.Bxf4 exf4 0-1

for the record...

the most annoying things to play against as black are the ruy lopez exchange and the slav exchange. i decided today i was gonna try 1.d4 c6 to try and avoid the tromp and stuff and maybe backdoor into a caro or two. i got it twice today and twice they played 2.c4 which was grand and then twice they played the slav exchange. man i hate playing it as black. same goes for the lopez exchange. and also the Fantasy variation of the Caro. shudder...

White wins again

K-C
Training G/30 Internet Chess Club (6), 19.11.2005
B00 - Owen Defense

Before the game, I told Kirk that I was gonna beat him because I was like Korchnoi and eating oatmeal everyday. He said I was probably right because he was like Botwinnik and out drinking in the woods for two weeks. 1.d4 I wanted to play the Owens all along, since I am from Owen Sound and also the other stuff hadn't gotten me much. So I was frustrated that he played this. 1...e6 I figured that Kirk would play 2.e4 here. My best chance to actually transpose into an Owens2.e4 [If 2.c4 I probably would've gone to a Nimzo] 2...b6 My plan 3.g3?! [Kirk said he played this because he thought I was pissed off that he transposed into a French. If I wanted to avoid the position of 1.e4 e6 2.d4 altogether I wouldn't have played ...e6 in the first place. More regular is 3.Nc3 ;
or 3.Bd3 . This position had actually already been played by Amos Burn v. John Owen in their Liverpool match in 1874;
In a previous game this year OTB actually, Kirk got this position and played 3.c4 Qh4 similar to the Steinitz defense to the Scotch. (I wonder if 3...Bb7 was better) 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.Nf3 Qg4 6.0-0 h5? 7.Ne5 Qxe4?? 1-0 Sadler_K-Page,S/Barrie, ON 2005 (28) and White eventually won. ] 3...Bb7 4.Bg2 f5 Inspired by Miles! [Owen continued in a more controlled style with 4...Nf6 5.Nd2 c5 6.c3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bb4 8.f3 The position is much better for Black. Look at his light squared bishop. If Black can ever force White (or vice versa) to play f3 and g3 within the first 8 moves, they've done something right. 8...Nc6 9.Ne2 0-0 10.0-0 Ba6 11.Nb3 e5 12.d5 Nd4 13.Nexd4 Bxf1 14.Bxf1 exd4 15.Qxd4 a5 16.a3 Bd6 17.Bb5 Qe7 18.Kh1 a4 19.Bxa4 Be5 20.Qc4 Ne8 21.f4 Nd6 22.Qb4 Qf6 23.Kg1 Nxe4 24.Qxe4 Bxb2 25.Bxb2 Qxb2 26.Rb1 Rxa4 0-1 Burn,A-Owen,J/Liverpool 1874 (26)] 5.Qd3? At this point I'm just better [Fritz likes 5.f3 but I'm not a big fan.;
I looked at 5.Qh5+ g6 6.Qe2 but i don't think White's position is anything special] 5...Bxe4 [I didn't want to play 5...Nf6 because of 6.Bg5 but after 6...fxe4 7.Bxe4 Bxe4 8.Bxf6 (8.Qxe4? Nxe4 9.Bxd8 Kxd8 I'm up a piece) 8...Bxd3 9.Bxd8 Nc6 10.cxd3 Nxd4! 11.Kd1 Rxd8 I stand better. Note that I saw none of the following sidelines during the game. My tactical vision is weak.] 6.Bxe4 fxe4 7.Qxe4 Nc6 A forced developing move, but in all honestly, until he made the move, I didn't even see that the a-rook was hanging. With all the open lines, I just wanted to continue with the attack. Even so I'm better developed, have the f-pawn for the e-pawn and his queen is in the middle of the board. 8.Bf4 [freeing the queen from the defense of the d-pawn may have been better. 8.Be3 ] 8...Nf6 9.Qe2? [He said this was a mouseslip, but where was he aiming? 9.Qe3 is not much better with 9...Nd5] 9...Nxd4 10.Qc4 Bc5 11.Nd2 0-0 12.b4 d5 Now this is where the position gets hairy. 13.Qc3? [Best is 13.Qd3 Nxc2+ 14.Qxc2 Bxb4 and I have three pawns for the piece. If 15.Bxc7? Rc8 16.Bxd8 Rxc2 17.Bxf6 Rxd2 and I'm better or 15.Qxc7 Qxc7 16.Bxc7 Ne4 17.Rd1 (17.Bf4 Bxd2+ 18.Bxd2 Nxf2) 17...Nxf2!;So he's forced to play something like 15.Ngf3 and I can free my c-pawn with something like 15...c5 and it's an interesting game.; ] 13...Nb5? [13...Ne4! 14.Nxe4 (14.Qb2 Bxb4 15.Qxd4 Bxd2+ 16.Bxd2 c5 17.Qe5) 14...Bxb4] 14.Qd3 Bxf2+? [<14...Bd4 15.0-0-0 a6 would've done. I admit I never even saw that and that was simple. This game was far from pretty or well-played.] 15.Kxf2 Ng4+? [Maybe 15...e5 now instead 16.Bxe5 (16.Qxb5 exf4 17.gxf4) 16...Ng4+ 17.Ke1 and I'm in the game in both lines] 16.Kg2 e5 17.Bxe5?? [17.h3 Nf2 18.Kxf2 exf4 was better for White] 17...Nxe5? [17...Rf2+! 18.Kh3 Nxe5 and he has to give up his queen else 19.Qxb5 Qc8+ 20.Kh4 Qg4#] 18.Qxb5 Qf6? [18...Ng4 threatening 19.-- Rf2+ was much better.] 19.Qxd5+ Kh8 20.Ngf3? Ng4? [20...Rad8! 21.Qe4 Nxf3 22.Nxf3 Qxf3+ 23.Qxf3 Rd2+ 24.Kh3 Rxf3 and we're even] 21.Qd4? [21.Qe4 was much better] 21...Qg6? [21...Qxd4 22.Nxd4 Rf2+ 23.Kh3 Rxd2 I overlooked the threat of Rf2+ the whole game.] 22.Raf1 Rad8 23.Qe4 Qxe4? [23...Rxd2+ 24.Nxd2 Qxe4+ 25.Nxe4 Ne3+ was better] 24.Nxe4 Ne3+ The fork was not as good here without getting all the pieces off (see previous note) 25.Kh3 Nxf1 26.Rxf1 h6 27.Rf2 g5 28.Kg4 Rd4 29.Re2 Black resigns What a terrible effort by both sides. Neither one of us paid attention and lots was missed. I like the fact that I can get an interesting middlegame with this opening, but I wonder if an interesting, painfully tactical middlegame is what i'm looking for vs. these ham and eggers at the tournament. Should I just play the Caro? 1-0

Game 5 - C 1-0 K

both of us really need to play better with black. the series is at 2½-2½ and white is scoring 4½-½ (the only blemish, my QID the first game)

C.Sadler-K.Sadler
E25 - Nimzo-Indian : Samisch Variation

This game wasn't really fair. It was supposed to start at 8 a.m. and Kirk basically slept in, woke up at 9 and started making coffee and stuff. My plan was to slowly build up a position rather than do the usual 20-30 game finish that happens in our games. God forbid me and Kirk ever get an endgame! 1.d4 e6 I had a bad premonition of him going into a Slav and me having to decide whether to play the Slav Exchange or go into the Botwinnik. 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 I'm gonna keep on playing this until he finds an antidote. 4...d5 [I seriously thought he was going to benoni me 4...c5. After the game he said that he didn't even remember the line and thought that he beat me last time I played 4.f3 ] 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 White has to be better here on general principles alone. He has traded his b-pawn for White's glorious e-pawn and has the bishop pair. In annotating the game Junge-Bogoljubov, Alekhine gave this move an exclam and thought Black was better after 8.e3 Bf5! [7...Nxd5 is the main main line. 8.dxc5 (but I likely would've went for 8.c4 and gotten on with it) 8...Qa5 and this is butt ugly]



after 8.e4 Alekhine commented that White has an "excellent game". 8.Bg5 [8.e3 was theory, but i was confused on how i would get any of my pieces developed. Seriously, how many moves is it gonna take to get my dark squared bishop developed? plus he's gonna castle and then my lack of development is gonna screw me. One of these games my lack of development is gonna get me regardless.] 8...0-0 [8...h6 was played in Botwinnik-Kotov 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 10.e3 0-0 11.Ne2 Re8 12.Kf2 Qe7 13.Qd2 Nd7 14.Nf4 Nf6 15.Bd3 Bd7 16.h3 Qd6 17.Rhb1 b6 18.Bf1 Re7 19.a4 Rae8 20.Re1 c4 21.g4 g5 22.Ne2 Rxe3 23.Ng3 Qxg3+ 24.Kxg3 Ne4+ 0-1 Nice finish by Kotov.] 9.e3 Qa5?! [A little too ambitious by Kirk, but I think he had the right idea. I am a few moves from castling so why not try to put the screws to me. 9...c4 immediately may be better. 10.e4 dxe4 11.fxe4 looks pretty good though 11...Re8 12.e5 Qa5 and there's lots of messy play. I was hoping to keep the position relatively closed, that's why i hung back and avoided e4.] 10.Qc2 [I was thinking about 10.Bxf6 Qxc3+ 11.Kf2 gxf6 with play similar to the game, but i think this line is better as after 12.Ne2 I get a tempo on the queen 12...Qa5 13.dxc5 Qxc5 14.Qd4 and i'm good i think] 10...Re8 11.Bd3? [The immediate 11.Bxf6 was better but i was worried about 11...Rxe3+ although after 12.Kd2! I'm solid gold] (Best for Kirk would be 11...gxf6 12.Kf2 that square again 12...c4 13.Ne2 with play similar to the game.) 11...h6? [11...cxd4! was much better. Look at all the pins!] 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Kf2! I was happy with this move. WIth all the Bc4 King's Gambit's I've been playing I'm happy enough with the uncastled king, and it's necessary in this position. Notice how in most of the sidelines, and this line, how the king was safest on f2 of all places. 13...c4 14.Bf5? [I had perpetual with 14.Bg6 fxg6 (14...f5 15.Bxf5 Bxf5 16.Qxf5 Qxc3 17.Re1) 15.Qxg6+ Kf8 16.Qxf6+ Kg8 17.Qg6+;
Fritz liked 14.Bf1 but i'm a bit clausterphobic.] 14...Bxf5 15.Qxf5 Qxc3 16.Re1 Qxa3 17.Qxf6? [17.Qxd5 was stronger. That passer is gonna be strong. My idea was that I would always have the draw in hand by perpetual with that f-pawn gone.] 17...Qb2+ 18.Re2 [18.Ne2 may have been better] 18...c3?? Going for the glory without calculating anything. A terrible blunder. [18...Qb6 was likely better and he's got a lot of queenside pawns after 19.Qxb6 axb6] 19.Rxb2 cxb2 20.Nh3 Black resigns Not the best game by Kirk but I did my little part and won. 1-0

maybe next week we'll get an endgame!

Oh my God I'm so happy for them. Amanda sent me an email today. I tried to get them to call the baby "Craig" if it's a boy but she wasn't so sure. that's fabulous, happy news.

i love katamari

Katamari

i rented it and it's really cool

also i was thinking about taking up the Owen's Defense for the next tournament, seeing i live in owen sound and all, but considering i can't justify playing 1.b3 i can't see how 1.e4 b6 is playable ;)

K 2½ - 1½ C

K.Sadler - C.Sadler
B41 - Sicilian : Kan

Week four. Who thought we'd get this far? I really hadn't put much thought into prepping for this game. 1.e4 c5 I didn't decide what I was going to play until I walked and picked up a coffee before the game. Kirk has a pretty tight repetoire and normally plays a Be2/Be3/f4 system v. the Sicilian. With the Taimanov, ...b5, ...Bb7 I can take advantage of that. Better than getting into a relatively theoretical duel in the Dragon where he obviously would be more comfortable. 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Be3 [This was unexpected. I figured on something like 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Be2 b5 and a decent position. Now I was left to my own devices] 5...Nc6 [Theory says that 5...Nf6 is better, putting the question to the e-pawn.] 6.c4!



Going into a Maroczy bind position. i should've thought more here. Ironically, I didn't play the Accelerated Dragon because I didn't want to face the Maroczy Bind. As an aside, in the Kan/Taimanov/whatever it's not as easy to stop ...d5 with the Maroczy Bind because of ...e6, whereas in the Accelerated Dragon, Black rarely is able to support the d5 push with ...e6 because of the weakness of the dark squares. Even the "Dragon" bishop usually isn't enough to defend those squares, especially if White gets in Bh6 or something. 6...Nf6 7.Bd3 Qc7 [7...Ne5! is much stronger.; 7...d5 was played by Miguel Quinteros in a game v. Ljubojevic which was similar to our game 8.exd5 exd5 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.0–0 d4 11.Bg5 Be7 12.Nd2 c5 except I think that Black's position was stronger without the inclusion of ...Qc7. I think I should've went with ...d5 right away. White eventually won the Ljubojevic-Quinteros game btw] 8.0–0 d5 9.Nxc6 [9.exd5 exd5 10.Re1 was stronger] 9...bxc6? [9...dxe4! was much stronger, winning a pawn for me. I didn't even pay attention] 10.exd5 cxd5 11.Nd2! I didn't see how strong this was at the time. Not only developing, but gaining a tempo on the queen. Not that we're grandmasters, but Quinteros' idea was much better playing d5 with my queen still on d8 (to support d5) and not allowing the rook move. 11...Be7 12.Rc1 Qd8 [Fritz said that the developing gambit of 12...Bb7 13.cxd5 Qd7 was okay because it doesn't give up a pawn 14.Nf3 (14.dxe6? Qxd3) 14...Qxd5 etc.] 13.f4?! This may have been okay but I didnt like it because it opened up just as many lines on his king as at my king 13...0–0 [I was gonna try 13...d4 right away, but decided against it.] 14.f5 d4?! [I picked the wrong pawn. 14...e5! makes everything better for me. Now I am threatening to push both e4 and d4 and if 15.cxd5 Nxd5 I'm great.] 15.Bf4 Bd6 [15...exf5 may have been stronger but i was all horny over the d4, e5 pawn duo] 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Ne4 [I was worried about 17.c5 because I was having a tough time finding a good place for my pieces] 17...Nxe4 18.Bxe4 Rb8 19.fxe6 fxe6? [Obviously 19...Bxe6 was better. After 19. ...fxe6+ I saw the Qf3+ but i thought that there was no mate, so my connected passers would be worth the h-pawn that dropped or whatever.] 20.Rxf8+ Kxf8 21.Qf3+ [21.Qh5! was even stronger. Once the queen gets to h7 I'm screwed and if 21...h6 22.Rf1+ Ke7 23.c5! I didn't see that OTB though] 21...Kg8 22.Rf1 Bd7 [Maybe 22...Qe7 was stronger but i'm still screwed after 23.Qh5] 23.Qf7+ Kh8 24.Bxh7 [24.Qh5 again was terribly strong. If 24...h6 (24...g6 25.Bxg6) 25.Qg6] 24...Kxh7?? [I should've continued with my "idea" of 24...e5 . This stops the rook from coming to f4 anyways.] 25.Qh5+ Kg8 26.Qf7+ Kh7 27.Rf4 and it's over 27...Qxf4 28.Qxf4 Rxb2 29.Qxd4 Rb1+ 30.Kf2 Bc6? 31.Qd3+ Black resigns Nicely played by Kirk. Overly optimistic by me. I have some stuff to think about as Black before the next time we play again. 1–0

I learned a couple of things from this game

1) i'm lazy tactically...i totally trusted kirk and didn't try and look for anything, especially in the early middlegame/opening
2) i didn't look hard enough at his threats
3) i had one idea (...d4, ...e5) and assumed it was fabulous and didn't look at anything else

we'll see how it goes next week.

my first win

so i went to http://www.chesslive.de and entered my name and low and behold they had games for me. from all over the place. this is my first email game i won back in 1999

[Event "TG.1999.0.13363"]
[Site "IECG email"]
[Date "1999.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Wood,Mike"]
[Black "refutor"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "E11"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 a5 5.e3 Qe7 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 0-0 8.a3 Bxd2 9.Nbxd2 d5 10.Qc2 b6 11.Bd3 Ba6 12.b4 axb4 13.axb4 Qxb4 14.Ra4 Qd6 15.Ng5 Nb4 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Qb1 c5 18.Bg8 Kxg8 19.cxd5 Nbxd5 20.Nc4 Qc6 21.Ne5 Qxa4 22.Re1 Nc3 23.Qxb6 Ne2+ 24.Kh1 cxd4 25.Nc6 d3 26.Ne7+ Kh8 27.Nxf7+ Rxf7 28.Qxe6 Bc4 29.Ng6+ Kh7 30.Qg4 Qa1 31.Qh3+ Kxg6 32.g4 Qxe1+ 0-1