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