did i get to 1500?

i played in a four rounder at London today. me and kirk drove down, rented a very nice Matrix. i'm a fan. in any case, i scored 1/4 against dramatically higher competition. we'll see if it was enough...i need to get to 1500 so i can play the U2000 section at the Canadian Open. i scored 0/3 with 1.Nc3 as white


C - NN(1615)
London Open London, ON (1), 29.04.2006
B07 - Pirc Defense : Byrne variation

Playing in the first round of the London open. I was hoping to gain 16 points so I could get up to 1500 and be able to play in the U2000 at the Canadian Open. The first round was against a kid who said he hadn't played a tournament game in a couple of years, thus 1615 didn't mean very much to me. 1.Nc3?! My new idea for this tournament. I was hoping to transpose back to most of the 1.e4 openings while avoiding a bunch of the stuff I don't like (Winawer, Scandinavian). The negatives of course are that they don't have to transpose back to a 1.e4 opening (see my next two white games) and of course I avoid the mainline of the Alekhine and I'm forced to play the 3.Nc3 line v. the Caro 1...Nf6 2.d4 d6 I was terribly happy with this 3.e4 g6 Okay so here I am I decided to play 4.Bg5 the Byrne variation, which I had dabbled with before but didn't really decide beforehand what to play. I will have to decide before the Canadian Open. Probably just the [mainline 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be3 and go for it] 4...Bg7 5.Qd2 Nbd7 6.Nf3?! [Theory doesn't show this at all. Better is 6.0-0-0 or; 6.f4] 6...0-0 7.Bd3 [I was stuck for a plan here. Probably best was 7.0-0-0 but I was worried about him coming with the queenside pawns; I also thought about playing 7.Bc4 hoping for 7...Nb6 8.Bb3 avoiding the pawn storm on the queenside and allowing me to castle safely on the queenside; 7.Bh6 c5 8.Bxg7 Kxg7 9.0-0-0 was also a possibility] 7...c5 8.e5? [Too ambitious. I should have probably solidified the center with 8.d5 a6 9.a4; Even 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 may have been okay as well] 8...cxd4! I missed this in my calculations. Well didn't really miss it, I miscounted in my calculation that they captured a pawn here [Something like 8...dxe5 9.dxe5 Ng4 was okay for me] 9.exf6 dxc3 10.Qxc3 [Now I'm just down a pawn. 10.bxc3 gave me double isolated pawns and being down material.] 10...Nxf6 11.Qb3 Forced because of the discovered attack 11...b6 12.0-0-0 [I had decided to do a kingside attack but practically 12.0-0 may have been better] 12...Be6 13.Qa4 Qc7 14.h4 [Maybe strengthening the center instead of going for his king was better. But I fear that something like 14.Rhe1 was more the slow kill as well] 14...Ng4 15.Rdf1 [I wanted to make 15.h5 work but I thought it just loses a whack of material because after 15...Nxf2 16.hxg6 I thought that Black can just take back the pawn, whereas after something like 16...fxg6 (16...hxg6 17.Qh4 Nxd3+ 18.Rxd3 Rfc8) 17.Qh4 Nxh1 (17...Nxd1 18.Qxh7+ Kf7 19.Bxg6#) 18.Rxh1 h5 But I'm okay here 19.Bxg6 ] 15...h5 16.Nd2 [I wonder if closing off the long diagonal with 16.c3 may have been a better try; or even 16.Kb1 ] 16...Ne5 17.Kb1 Nxd3 18.cxd3 b5! A strong move by him 19.Qa6 [19.Qxb5 Rab8 wins for Black; 19.Qb4 a5 20.Qe4 looks strong for him as well] 19...Bf5 20.Rc1 [I don't know why I didn't look at 20.Qa3 sure it would have put the capture on d3 off a move. Looking back, the Nd2 hurt me more than it should have] 20...Bxd3+ 21.Ka1 Qd7 22.Rhd1 [I think I mentally blocked the move 22.Qa3 because I wanted to keep the a-pawn backward and eventually try to pick off the b-pawn to even the material. As a result though I got a passive, terrible position] 22...Bf5 23.Nb3 Rac8 24.f3 Qe6 25.Rxc8 [At this point I was able to grab the b-pawn 25.Qxb5 Rxc1+ 26.Rxc1 Rc8 27.Rxc8+ Qxc8 28.Qe2] 25...Rxc8 26.Qxb5 Rc2 27.Bc1 Qc8 28.Qf1 Be6 [Fritz found a mate 28...Qc3 29.bxc3 (29.Qb5 Rxc1+ 30.Nxc1 Qc2 31.Qe8+ Kh7 32.Qh8+ Bxh8 33.Nd3 Qxd1+ 34.Nc1 Qxc1#) 29...Bxc3+ 30.Bb2 Bxb2+ 31.Kb1 Re2+ 32.Rd3 Bxd3#] 29.Kb1 Bf5 30.Ka1 Qa8 Again Hans, this was because I offered a draw in his time trouble, not because I thought it was even 31.Rd2= a5 32.Rxc2 Bxc2 33.Qc4 Bf5 34.Qa4 Qd5 35.Qxa5 Qd3 36.Nd2 Bh6 37.Qc3 and I eventually lost in a bishop v. knight ending 0-1

NN (1701) - C
London Open London, ON (2), 29.04.2006
A03 - Bird's Opening

1.f4 A bit of a surprise, but a pleasant one. I used to play this as White and was comfortable with the reversed-Dutch positions. Also I wasn't sure if I was going to play a Sicilian or something else v. 1.e4 1...d5 2.e3 [2.Nf3 is more common, but the text transposes] 2...Nf6 3.Nf3 g6 [As someone who has played this as White at a lowly level I wanted to avoid playing 3...c5 ;
or 3...Nc6 as it allows him to develop his bishop easier] 4.Be2 [4.b3 is another way to kill a tempo to try and develop his bishop to c4 or b5] 4...Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 c5 I'm very happy with my position here, a reversed Dutch 7.Nc3 [7.Qe1 like in the Ilyin-Genevsky Dutch is the mainline.] 7...d4!? I'm not sure whether this was good or not, but my reasoning was this. I was developed enough to make a second pawn move that would force his knight to move eventually. He will have trouble developing his bishop, and this will potentially open up the diagonal for my darksquared bishop. In addition, he was a little bit older than me and looked like he was banging out his moves like he'd played them a million times. I figured an aggressive move like ...d4 would make him think a little bit 8.exd4 [The text is exactly what I was hoping for but after 8.Ne4 Qb6 would not have worked as well because there is no pin(8...Nc6 9.Nxc5 dxe3 10.Bxe3 Nd5; 8...Nxe4 9.dxe4 Nc6) ] 8...cxd4 9.Ne4 Nc6 10.Qe1 [I wonder if 10.Nxf6+ may have been better. I would have been happy with this position as well. His development is going to be tough, probably best being b3 and Bb2, and if he plays c3 or c4, he ends up with the isolated pawn 10...Bxf6 ] 10...Qb6 11.Qh4?? Terrible and a "pawn tactic" actually wins it for me, ironically enough ;) 11...Nxe4 12.dxe4 d3+ 13.Kh1 dxe2 14.Re1 Bf6 15.Qg3 Nd4 16.Nxd4 Qxd4 17.Rxe2 Qd1+ 18.Re1 Qg4 19.Qf2 Bd7 20.e5 Bh4 21.g3 Bc6+ 22.Kg1 e6 23.Be3 Be7 24.Bxa7 Rxa7 25.Qxa7 Qf3 26.Rf1 [I was honestly hoping for 26.Re2 Qxe2 27.Qf2 Bc5!] 26...Qg2# 0-1

C - NN (2053)
London Open London, ON (3), 29.04.2006
D01 - Richter-Veresov Attack

1.Nc3 I was paired up against an expert. He really blitzed me this game and I tried to slow down but I found it tough 1...d5 2.d4 Bf5! Realizing that I was playing for either e4 or a terribly passive position 3.Nf3 [Chessgames said I should've stuck to my goal of e4 in one move and played 3.f3 ] 3...Nf6 4.Bg5 e6 Now he has a good position 5.e3 [I wonder if I should've played for the bishop pair, as in similar lines in the Caro-Kann advance and the Slav with 5.Nh4 ] 5...c6 6.Bd3 Bb4 7.Bxf5 exf5 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Ne2 I was happy enough with my position. Obviously I won't be able to break with f3 but I can come up the queenside (hopefully) 9...h6 10.Bxf6 [In my game I won the bishops dominated and in the games I lost the bishops dominated. I've already realized that I undervalue the bishop pair but it was dramatically shown this tournament 10.Bf4 g5 11.Be5 is okay] 10...Nxf6 11.c3 [A little slow maybe. If I was going to play c4 I should've played it in one move 11.c4 particularly because the bishop is doing nothing on b4] 11...Bd6 12.Rc1 ["You should have played 12.g3 and opportunities to play for many moves more. Instead you played h3. If you understood that concept you should not have lost that game. Also you played the queenside pawn attack but never followed through (planning). " (HJ)

I absolutely agree. I can't recall why I decided against it] 12...0-0 13.c4 Re8 [13...dxc4 14.Rxc4 may have been better for me, because it would have been more difficult for a patzer like me to do a queenside attack] 14.c5 Bc7 15.h3? [Obviously once i have c5 in 15.g3 is good as he literally has no squares for his bishop. As sad as this is, I trusted his expert opinion in that if it was good he wouldn't allow it.] 15...Ne4 16.b4 a6 [I thought 16...a5 was good] 17.Nd2 I didn't want to be reactive, but I figured this gave me the option of f3 as well 17...Qf6 18.Nxe4 fxe4 19.Qd2 Re7 20.a4 Rae8 21.Nc3 I was happy about this move, because later on I threaten Nxd5 21...Qh4 22.b5 axb5 23.axb5 I'm happy now that I have a bit of a threat now. 23...Re6 24.f4?! [24.b6 Bb8 25.Ra1 and now I am really threatening coming through on the queenside] 24...exf3 25.Rxf3 Rg6 26.Qf2= [As you said I should have tried 26.b6 Bg3 (26...Bb8 27.Rcf1) 27.Rcf1] 26...Bg3 Honestly I missed this move 27.Qc2 Rge6 28.Qd3 Qg5 [28...Rxe3 29.Rxe3 Bf2+!] 29.Nd1 Very passive 29...Bc7 30.Kf2? My opponent called this move "suicidal" after the game. My play should have been on the queenside [30.Ra1] 30...Rg6 31.g4 [31.Qf1 may have been better] 31...h5 32.Qf5 Qh4+ 33.Kg2? [I didn't want to play 33.Ke2 because of the potential pin but this was much better as he can't really win a pawn here 33...hxg4 (33...Qe7 34.Qxh5 and I'm at least as good) 34.Qxf7+ Kh7 35.hxg4] 33...hxg4 34.Qxf7+ Kh7 35.Qxe8?? I missed Black's next 35...gxf3+ 36.Kxf3 Qh5+ [I only saw 36...Qxh3+ which is bad as well. I lost the flow of the game with Kf2 and then i was just out of it moving my king into the field of attack instead of away from it.] 0-1

C - NN (1845)
London Open London, ON (4), 29.04.2006
D01 - Richter-Veresov attack

Once again... 1.Nc3 Nf6 2.d4 d5 3.Bg5 c6 [I was hoping for 3...e6 4.e4 going into a French. This line doesn't transpose into the Caro quite as nicely] 4.Bxf6 exf6 5.e4?! [5.e3 may be better] 5...dxe4 6.Nxe4 Be7 7.Nf3 0-0 8.Be2 Bf5 9.Ng3 Be6 [If 9...Bg6 I may have tried 10.h4 h6 11.h5 Bh7 12.Bd3 similar to the mainline of the Caro] 10.0-0 Nd7 11.c3 Nb6 12.b3?! [Missing that he was going to d5 not to c4. Maybe 12.Re1 Nd5 13.Qc2 Nf4 14.Nf5 Nxe2+ 15.Rxe2 Re8] 12...Nd5 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.c4 [Again not necessary because I think that he was happy going to f4 regardless. I liked the idea of the big pawn center and trying to push through 14.Bd3 Qa5 15.c4 Qxd2 16.Nxd2 Nf4 17.Bf5] 14...Nf4 15.Bd1 [I didn't want to give up the bishops altogether, but activity trumps bishop pairs. 15.Bd3 ;
15.Rfe1 Nxe2+ 16.Rxe2 Rfe8 17.Rae1] 15...Rfd8 16.Bc2 g6 17.h3 [17.Rfe1 may have been better. Again I was playing too quickly and didn't have a plan and was playing reactively. Luft is generally good, but I wonder if the rook move, then 17...-- 18.Ne2 Nxe2+ 19.Rxe2 same idea as before 19...-- 20.Rae1] 17...a5! Strong move. Paralyzing most of my pawns 18.Rad1 Bf8 19.Ne2 [19.Ne4 may have been better. Luck favours the aggressor 19...f5 (19...Kg7) 20.Neg5 Bc8 21.g3 Nh5 (21...Ne6 22.Nxe6 Bxe6) ] 19...Bh6 [19...Nxe2+ 20.Qxe2] 20.Nxf4 Bxf4 21.Qc3 Hoping to pick off the f-pawn eventually 21...Bd6 22.Qb2 [Fritz wanted me to try 22.c5 but I was worried about the backward d-pawn. Unfairly? Can you comment on this please?] 22...a4 23.d5 Bd7 24.Qxf6 Grabbing my pawn. At the end of a long day, my goal was just to grab a pawn, offer a draw and go home. 24...cxd5 25.Rxd5 Bc6 26.Rdd1= There's my draw offer 26...Be7 27.Qc3 Qf4 28.Qe3 Hoping to go into a pawn up endgame 28...Qxe3 29.fxe3 Bc5 30.Nd4 axb3 31.Bxb3? [I have no idea what I was thinking 31.axb3 seemed better with hindsight. My excuse (for what it's worth) was that I was a little upset that he didn't respect me enough to accept my draw offer (of course the 400 rating point differential and the fact my opponent had a tough tournament had nothing to do with it) and also that 8 hours is a lot of chess for a day 31...Ra2 32.Rf2] 31...Ba4 32.Kf2 Bxb3 33.Nxb3? [Again 33.axb3 was better here as well.] 33...Rxa2+ 34.Kf3 Rc8 35.Nxc5? [35.Rd7 was stronger 35...Bf8 36.Rxb7 Rxc4 37.Nd4] 35...Rxc5 36.g4 [36.Rd4 held onto things as you mentioned previously 36...Rc2 (36...Ra4 37.Rb1 Rcxc4 38.Rxc4 Rxc4 39.Rxb7) 37.Rb1 R5xc4 38.Rxc4 Rxc4 39.Rxb7] 36...Rxc4 37.Rd7 Hoping to double the rooks and get a draw. Despite the fact I went from a double rook ending a pawn up into a double rook ending a pawn down, my sense of danger had disappeared. 37...Rb2 38.Rfd1 [38.Kg3! was also recommended by you. It's unclear why I missed this. My plan was much slower. I should've took a deep breath and went for a walk between the middlegame and the endgame. I have no chance of doubling the rooks with the text move] 38...Rcc2 39.Re7 Rf2+ 40.Ke4 Rb4+ 41.Ke5 [My only chance was 41.Rd4 and if 41...Rxd4+ (41...Rb1 42.Rdd7 and go for the b-pawn?) 42.Kxd4] 41...Rf3 42.Kd6 [42.e4 was better. 42...Rxh3 (42...Kf8 43.Rdd7) 43.Rf1 Re3 44.Kd5] 42...Rb3 43.Re1 b5 The game is pretty much over here 44.Kc5 Rb2 45.Rd1 b4 46.Rb7 b3 47.Kb4 [47.Rd3 Rxh3 48.Rdxb3 Rxb3 49.Rxb3 Rg3 and I'm still worse as 3 beats 1] 47...Rh2 48.Kxb3 Rxe3+ 49.Kc4 Rhxh3 50.Rf1 Rhf3 I could safely resign here. 51.Rg1 Kg7 52.Kd4 Ra3 53.Ke4 Rfb3 54.Rb1 Rxb1 55.Rxb1 g5 56.Rb5 h6 57.Kf5 Rf3+ 58.Ke4 Rf4+ I was outmatched in the open section but I think I'm heading in the right direction 0-1

1-3

C - K
April Match (4), 18.04.2006
C25 - Vienna gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.d4 Bb6 6.Na4 Nf6 7.Nxb6 axb6 8.Bd3 d6 9.Bxf4 Bg4 10.c3 0-0 11.0-0 Re8 12.Re1 Ne7 13.e5 Nfd5 14.Bxh7+ Kh8 15.Bd2 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Kxh7 17.c4 dxe5 18.cxd5 [18.dxe5 c5 19.Qxf7 Nc7 20.Bg5 Qd4+ 21.Kh1] 18...Qxd5 19.Qh3+ [19.Qh5+ Kg8 20.Qxe5] 19...Kg8 20.Rad1 [20.Rxe5 Qxd4+ 21.Qe3 Nf5 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Qxd4 Nxd4] 20...Qxd4+ 21.Kh1 Qxb2 22.Bc3 Qa3 23.Rxe5 Ng6 24.Rxe8+ Rxe8 25.Qd7 Re7 26.Qd8+ [26.Qd4 f6 27.Qd5+ Rf7 28.Qxb7] 26...Kh7 27.Qd4 f6 28.Qd3 [28.Bb4 Qxa2 29.Bxe7 Nxe7] 28...b5 29.Qh3+ [29.Qf5 Qxc3 30.Qh5+ Kg8 31.Rd8+ Nf8 32.Qd5+ Kh7 33.Qh5+] 29...Kg8 30.Qc8+ Kf7 31.Ba1 Qxa2 32.Qxb7 Qe2 33.Qd5+ Re6 34.h3 Nf4 35.Qf3 Qxf3 36.gxf3 Nxh3 White resigns 0-1

game

K - C
April Match (3), 17.04.2006
E68 - King's Indian: fianchetto, classical variation, 8.e4

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 I thought he was really trying to win here since he played 2.Nf3 which he knows I have a tough time against. 2...g6 I decided not to play a Grunny and go for a KID. To digress for a second, this kind of thing happens to me *all* the time. I play something OTB that I've never actually played before. I've started working with a FM and I hope he points me in the right direction opening wise. 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.c4 d6 [5...d5;
or 5...c6 will transpose to a Grünfeld] 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4 c6 9.Bg5 [9.h3 is the mainline 9...Qb6 is the mainline. I'm not sure I like this position] 9...Qc7 10.Qd2 exd4 11.Nxd4 Ne5 12.b3 c5? [12...c5 I only saw 13.Nf3 after which 13...Bh3 with the threat of 14.Bxh3 (But unfortunately (for me) it falls to 14.Nxe5 Bxg2 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Ng4 Bxf1 17.Nxf6+ Kg7 18.Nfd5) 14...Nxf3+] 13.Ndb5 Qb6 [13...Qd7 14.Qxd6 Qxd6 15.Nxd6 Neg4] 14.f4 Nc6 15.Nxd6 Rd8 16.e5 Ne8 17.Nd5 Kirk got greedy 17...Rxd6 18.exd6 [I really wanted to give up the exchange 18.Nxb6 Rxd2 19.Nxa8 Rxg2+ (19...h6 20.Bh4 g5 21.fxg5 Bxe5) 20.Kxg2 b6] 18...Qa6 19.Rae1 Bd4+ 20.Kh1 [Kirk missed the winning 20.Qxd4!! but of course the finish is not easy Be6 (20...cxd4 21.Rxe8+ Kg7 22.Bf6+ Kh6 23.Rg8 Kh5 24.Bf3+ Bg4 25.Bg5 Rxg8 26.Nf6#; 20...Nxd4 21.Rxe8+ Kg7 22.Nf6 Ne2+ 23.Kf2 Bh3 24.Rxa8 Bc8 25.Rxc8 Qxd6 26.Rg8#) 21.Nf6+] 20...Bd7 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.Nf6+? [22.Nc7 Qb6 23.Nxe8 Bxe8 was winning] 22...Bxf6 23.Bxf6 Re6 Kirk said he missed this move 24.Qc3 Nd4= I offered a draw here, for some reason mentally I thought the queen was on d3 so that after 25.Bxd4 cxd4 [I could pin the queen with 25...Rxd6 ] 26.Qxd4 Rxd6 27.Qb2 Qa5 28.Bxb7 [28.Qe5 Qa6 29.Kg1] 28...Rd2 29.Qf6 Qxa2 I didn't see a mate for him so I wanted to make him prove it 30.Bd5? Rxh2+? [30...Rxd5 31.cxd5 Bh3 32.Rg1;
Anything else won 30...Be6 31.Bc6 Bh3 32.Re1 Rxh2+ 33.Kg1 Qf2#] 31.Kg1 Be6 32.f5 Again I saw no mate 32...Bxd5 33.Qd8+ Kg7 34.f6+ Kh6 35.Qxd5 Qe2 36.Qa8 Kg5 37.Qd5+ Kh6 38.Qb7 Rh5 39.Rf2 Qe3 40.Qxf7 Qxg3+? [40...Qe1+ 41.Rf1 (41.Kg2 Qh1#) 41...Qxg3#] 41.Kf1 Qd3+ 42.Kg1 Qg3+ 43.Kf1 Rh1+ 44.Ke2 Qe5+ 45.Kd2 Qe1+ [45...Qd4+ 46.Ke2 Qd1+ 47.Ke3 Rh3+ 48.Rf3 Rxf3+ 49.Ke4 Qd3+] 46.Kd3 Rh3+ White resigns I fought back but he was better for quite a bit. I missed quite a few things defensively (and a bit offensively) but i guess so did he 0-1

what a mess

C - K
April Match (2), 08.04.2006
C29 - Vienna Gambit

This was a funny game. I'm sure Fritz will jump all over it. 1.e4 [I decided to play 1.Nc3 , but I suspected that Kirk wouldn't transpose into something proper, so I decided to invite 1.e4 e5 and play the Vienna] 1...e5 2.Nc3!? Nf6 3.f4 The Vienna Gambit 3...d5! The strongest move at this point. I had thought about this previously and I decided to play it as a "bad" Falkbeer with Nc3 and Nf6 thrown in 4.exd5? [4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 is the mainline and is better than what happened;
4.d3 is also playable] 4...Bc5? [4...Nxd5;
4...exf4;
4...e4 were all better I think. Chessgames.com didn't have ...Bc5 listed] 5.Bb5+!? following Tchigorin's example, but it threw a real wrench into the proceedings [5.fxe5 Nxd5 6.Nf3 may have been okay] 5...c6 6.dxc6 bxc6 7.fxe5 and Fritz agreed with me. let's see what happens 7...Ng4 8.Ne4? [I had thought about 8.Qf3! , but I couldn't makee it work as I still thought that 8...Nf2 was good for Black but I guess after 9.Bxc6+ Nxc6 10.Qxc6+ Bd7 11.Qxc5 Nxh1 I'm better. That's disappointing] 8...Bxg1 and Now I'm down a piece 9.Nd6+ Ke7? [9...Kf8 was much better. Avoiding the check when I take with the knight] 10.Qf3? [10.Rxg1 was much better as the bishop could not be taken 10...cxb5 11.Qf3] 10...Nxe5 I thought I was screwed but luckily 11.Nxc8+ was there getting the queen off the d-file 11...Qxc8 12.Qa3+ Ke8 13.Rxg1 cxb5 14.d4 Nc4 I missed this move 15.Qf3 Qe6+ 16.Kd1 [16.Kf2 Qf6 and he's better] 16...Nc6?? [16...Qc6 would have been better. I was worse the whole game but missed a lot of tactics] 17.Re1= and I offered a draw but he resigned. We both missed quite a lot. I think it's good that we played an open game like this. It really showed me what I need to work on 1-0

April Game One

K - C
April Match Internet Chess Club (1), 02.04.2006
E43 - Nimzo-Indian : Fischer variation

I was looking to get back into my winning ways. 1.d4 This was a bit of a surprise. Kirk hadn't played anything but [1.e4 for quite a while. It probably worked out better for him though because I had the unpleasant (for him) 1...c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 planned which he doesn't like] 1...Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 Fischer Variation. He said after the game that if he remembered that I played this he would have played 4.Qb3 or something. I wonder what he was expecting 5.Bd3 Bb7 [I was thinking about 5...Ba6 but for some reason that would be a novelty in the Chessgames database. It doesn't look terrible to me] 6.f3 when I saw him play this I thought maybe I should've played ...Ba6 6...d5 [I forgot that he had already played e3, so i could play 6...0-0 successfully as if he really wanted to play 7.e4 it wouldn't be so good as he took way too long to get it accomplished 7...d5 8.e5 dxc4 9.exf6 cxd3 10.fxg7 Kxg7 11.Qxd3] 7.Nge2 [7.cxd5 is a little more regular] 7...0-0 8.0-0 c5 I didn't really want to end up with this pawn formation but after 9.a3 I saw that I might be able to give him an IQP which would work out. Recently I've been hoping to try the pawn center of ...e6, ...d6, ...c5, ...b6 but it was tough when he played f3 and I was worried about the big pawn center. 9...cxd4! Thank you David Bronstein 10.exd4 [10.axb4 dxc3 11.bxc3 dxc4 12.Bxc4 Qc7 is okay] 10...dxc4 I was happy with this move as now 11.Bxc4 [11.axb4 cxd3 12.Qxd3 is much better for Black, so the IQP is forced] 11...Be7 12.Bf4 I missed that he was threatening a few things here, so I quickly played 12...Nc6 13.d5?! I was worried about ...Na5 14.d6 Nxc4 15.dxe7 Qxe7 16.Bd6 but then saw that Nxd6 was better. But what about 16.b3 for instance? 13...Na5! 14.d6 [I had only thought about 14.Ba2 but then I just win the pawn] 14...Nxc4 15.dxe7 Qxe7 16.Qb3 [16.b3 Rfd8 Made it work(16...e5 was a little more complicated, but worked as well) ] 16...Ba6 17.Rfd1 [17.Qa4 I thought about 17...Na5 and if (but 17...Qc5+ 18.Kh1 Bb7 works just as well; or 17...Qb7 ) 18.b4 Bxe2 19.Nxe2 Nc4] 17...Rfd8 18.Bg5?? [18.Bg5?? White resigns before I could play 18...Qc5+ , which is frankly a bad idea at mine and Kirk's level. I could have missed the free bishop and, sad to say, we shouldn't resign at Canadian Open until the material is off the board. Kirk got into a position where he couldn't find a clear plan, he was frustrated that he dropped a pawn and overlooked a tactic.] 0-1

out like a lamb

C - K
March Match Internet Chess Club (5), 31.03.2006
D17 - Slav : Czech Variation


I wasn't really into the mood to play, but I needed to be. It reminds me of the quote from Geller - "When a player is not in a good mood and loses it means his technique is not on a high level". i fancy that my technique is at a passable level, but this game shows otherwise 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Nh4!?



But the reason I decided to play (and avoid the Slav Exchange) was this move here. I saw this move in Onischuk-Shirov and thought that it would be a nice try v. the Slav 6...e6 [The strongest theoretical move was 6...Bd7! but I didn't think that (never having seen this before) Kirk would play a retreating move like that. In Kirk's favor, SHirov also played ...e6] 7.Nxf5 exf5 8.e3 Bb4 9.Bxc4 0-0 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Qb3?! [The Onischuk-Shirov game continued 11.Qc2 g6 12.f3 Rc8 13.Rd1 Qe7 14.e4 fxe4 15.Nxe4 Nxe4 16.fxe4 and a plan like this with f3 and trying to get e4 in would have been better for me 16...c5 17.d5 Qd6 18.a5 a6 19.Rf1 Rce8 20.Bh6 Ne5 21.g3 f6 22.Bxf8 Rxf8 23.Rf4 Kg7 24.Kh1 Rf7 25.b3 Qd8 26.Be2 h5 27.Qc1 Bxa5 28.Qxc5 Bc7 29.Rc1 Bd6 30.Qe3 a5 31.Rff1 b6 32.Rfd1 Ba3 33.Rc6 Nxc6 34.dxc6 Qc7 35.Bb5 Qe5 36.Bc4 Re7 37.Qf4 Rc7 38.Bb5 Kf7 39.Rd5 Qxf4 40.gxf4 Ke6 41.f5+ gxf5 42.Rxf5 Bb2 43.Rxh5 Be5 44.Rh8 Kd6 45.Rd8+ Kc5 46.Rd5+ Kb4 47.Ba4 Rh7 48.Kg2 Rxh2+ 49.Kf3 Ka3 50.Rd7 b5 51.Bxb5 Kxb3 52.Rb7 Rh3+ 53.Kg4 Rc3 54.Kf5 a4 55.c7 Rxc7 56.Rxc7 Bxc7 57.Bxa4+ Kxa4 58.Kxf6 ½-½ Even though he got a worse position in the opening/middlegame Shirov's strength showed] 11...a5 12.Ne2?! [Not the best plan. Kirk's idea with ...a5 was to lock up my dark squared bishop. I could have either tried something like 12.Na2 Bd6 13.Qxb7 etc.;
or 12.Qc2 attacking the f-pawn 12...g6 13.b3 (or 13.Bd2 ) ] 12...Nb6 13.Bd3 Ne4 14.Ng3 [One of Fritz's recommendations was 14.f3 Nd6 15.Qc2 Re8 16.e4 but i'm not so sure about it. I guess it's good enough. His bishop is just a big pawn over there] 14...Nxg3 15.hxg3 Now I wanted to come up the h-file and try and checkmate him 15...f4! A creative move allowing *him* to come in and attack me on the kingside and also mobilize his pawns 16.gxf4 I had to take 16...Qh4 17.Qd1 [I was hoping for something like 17.g3 -- 18.Kg2 -- 19.Rh1 but of course 17.g3 is answered by 17. ...Qh3. so i had to work around that] 17...f5! He blocks the diagonal to h7, threatens to double up on the h-file and mate me, and my pieces are still out of play. I was worried about falling into a losing position really quick here. So I decided to try and exchange queens and make my extra pawn count 18.Qf3 Rae8 19.Qg3?! [Fritz preferred 19.Qh3 Qxh3 20.gxh3 I guess my king is good on h2 and I can use the g-file to attack. My move gave equality] 19...Qxg3 20.fxg3 Nd5 21.Bc4 [21.Kf2 was another option. ] 21...Kh8 22.Bxd5? Giving up the bishop pair with no compensation. Actually I did have some compensation...getting rid of his queenside majority and giving him an isolated pawn. I doubt it was worth it though. 22...cxd5 23.Kf2 Rc8 [23...Re4 24.-- Rfe8 may have ben better] 24.b3? Should have been losing. My prior idea of playing b3, Ba3 Bxa3, Rxa3 may have been workable 10 moves ago but not now. This gave his rooks dominance 24...Rc2+ 25.Kf3 Rfc8 26.Ba3 Bxa3? [26...Bd2! and then get a rook to the third rank and it's impossibly tough for me. I know I wouldn' thave been able to defend] 27.Rxa3 Rb2 [27...Re8 working on the e-pawn may have been better. In any case my a3-rook is the worst piece on the board bar none] 28.Rf2 Rcc2 29.Rxc2 Rxc2 30.b4!



I was very happy with this move (hence the diagram), it actually gave me winning chances. He cannot make a passed pawn while I can. Also if he doesn't want to give back the pawns *he* will be the one with the passive rook. 30...axb4 31.Rb3 Rc4 32.g4 g6 33.gxf5 gxf5 34.g4 and the game should take care of itself from here on in. 34...Kg7 35.g5? [I have no idea what I was thinking 35.gxf5 Kf6 36.Kg4 and I'm much better. He will be in zugzwang eventually] 35...b6 36.Kg3 [I wonder if trying to go on the queenside was better. 36.Ke2 ] 36...Kg6 37.Kh4 h6 38.gxh6 Kxh6 39.Rb2 Kg6 40.Kg3 Kh5 41.Rh2+= Kg6 42.Rb2 Game drawn by mutual agreement Not the greatest game by me (my technique needs some work) but I was creatively happy with it, and I got a chance to unleash my opening idea I've been sitting on for two weeks, which for someone with ADD like me, seems like forever ;) March final score - Craig 3½ - Kirk 1½ ½-½