match 1½-½

CS - LC
Match Owen Sound, ON (1), 31.05.2006
B23 - Sicilian : Grand Prix Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bc4 Bg7 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Bg4 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.Ng5+ Ke8 10.Qxg4 Nd4 11.Nd5 [11.Nxh7! Rxh7 12.Qxg6+] 11...Nf6 This is where the game started going downhill. I should've started thinking a little bit here. previously i was just looking ways to mate him or win material. I missed that he actually had a few threats. 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 [I thought he could only play 12...exf6 13.Ne6 Nxe6 14.Qxe6+ Qe7 15.Qxe7+ Kxe7 because after 13.c3 he has to retreat his knight and I'm better] 13.c3 [13.Nxh7 was an interesting try again 13...Rxh7 14.Qxg6+ Rf7 15.e5 Bh8 (15...dxe5 16.fxe5 Bxe5) 16.e6] but I missed he could keep on threatening 13...h5 14.Qh3? [I wanted to keep the pressure up missing that 14.Qh3 dropped a pawn 14.Qd1 forced him to retreat or play 14...Bxg5 (14...Nc6) 15.fxg5 Ne6 in either case i can develop with d3 and have a much better position] 14...Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Nxf4 16.Rxf4 Bxg5 17.Rf3 [17.Rf1 would have gave me more opportunities to keep the queens on] 17...Qd7 18.Qg3 Qg4 19.Qxg4 [If I would've seen 20. ...Bf4, I probably would've played 19.Qe1 ] 19...hxg4 20.Rg3? [20.Rf1] 20...Bf4 21.Rxg4 Bxh2 22.g3 I thought that giving up the g-pawn and being able to go to g2 would have been better [22.d3 may have been okay 22...Be5+ (22...Bg3+ 23.Kg1) 23.Kg1;
22.Rxg6 Kf7 23.Rg4] 22...Bxg3+ 23.Kg2 Be5 24.Rxg6 Kf7 25.Rg4 Rag8 26.Rxg8 Rxg8+ 27.Kf3 [27.Kf2 c4 wouldn't have changed much] 27...Rg3+ 28.Ke2 c4! A good move by him. Now it's tough for me to get any development 29.b3 cxb3 30.Kf2 Trying to threaten a tactic with d4 [30.Ra3 trying to pick off the b-pawn was likely better] 30...Rh3 31.Rb1?? Now for the 10th time I'm lost again 31...Rh1 32.Ke2 Bf4 [32...b2 looks strong] 33.Ra1 a5? [He was up a bunch and I was running out of moves. 33...b6 34.Bb2 Rh2+ 35.Kf3 looked good] 34.Bb2 Rh2+ 35.Kf3 Bxd2 36.Kg3 Bf4+ 37.Kxf4 Rxb2 38.Ke3 Rc2 39.Kd3 Ke6 40.Rb1 Now I thought I had swindle chances 40...Ra2 41.Rxb3 Rxa4 42.Rxb7 Ra3 43.Kd4 a4 44.Rb5 Rb3 45.Ra5 Ra3 46.e5 dxe5+ 47.Rxe5+ Kd6 48.Rd5+ Kc6 49.Rc5+ Kd6 50.Rd5+= He had no idea how to try and win this so he offered a draw. After this I realized I should try and play simpler next time. ½-½

CL - CS
Match Owen Sound, ON (2), 31.05.2006
A07 - King's Indian Attack

My goal this game was to grab a pawn and slowly dominate. 1.Nf3 I was kinda surprised by this, but I figured he'd go for something straightforward. I was kinda hoping for 1.e4 though 1...Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.0-0 0-0 5.d3 [I think d3 is too slow in this position. I realize that he wants to play the King's Indian attack and play e4 in one move but 5.c4 ;
or 5.d4 would be better. He gives away the advantage of the first move here.] 5...d5 6.Nbd2 c6 [I should have tried to take control with 6...c5. The text was okay but too passive when I need to win] 7.e4 dxe4 8.dxe4 Bg4 [8...Nbd7] 9.Re1 Nbd7 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Ne5 [11...Qc7 developing the pieces was tried in Planinc-Vukic YUG-ch 1972 ] 12.Qe2 Qb6 Trying a double-attack on b3 and on f3 13.b3 [13.Nb3 was better...the e-pawn has enough protectors] 13...Nh5! Trying to open up the diagonal and hit the g-pawn 14.Rb1 [14.Nf1 Nf3+ 15.Bxf3 Bxa1 16.Bxh5 gxh5 17.Be3 Bd4 18.Qxh5 may not have been "better" but it was definitely messier and that's worth something in my books ;)] 14...Nxg3 15.Qe3 Qxe3 With queens off, I'm happy with this position, even not being up a pawn 16.Rxe3 Nh5 17.Bb2 Nf4 18.Nf3 Nxf3+ 19.Rxf3 Nxg2 [Maybe 19...Bxb2 was better as the king doesn't necessarily gain a square, but I wanted to get the bishops off. I guess though if 20.Rxb2 e5 looks okay as that is a great outpost] 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Kxg2 Rfd8 22.Rd3 Rxd3 23.cxd3 Rd8 24.Rd1 e5 25.Kg3 f5 26.exf5 gxf5 27.f4? Making things tough on himself. 27...e4 28.d4 [28.Kf2] 28...Kf6 29.b4 a5 [29...Ke6] 30.a3 [30.bxa5 c5 31.d5 c4 32.Rb1 Rxd5 33.Rxb7 Rxa5 34.Rxh7 Rxa2 looks tougher for me. Sure i'm still winning, but not as easily] 30...axb4 31.axb4 Ke6 32.Kf2 b6 33.Ke3 [I thought maybe 33.Ke2 but even still it's not any better after 33...c5 34.bxc5 bxc5 35.dxc5 Rxd1 36.Kxd1 Kd5] 33...c5 34.bxc5 bxc5 35.d5+ [35.Rd2 cxd4+ 36.Rxd4 Rxd4 37.Kxd4 was possibly better but still lost] 35...Rxd5 36.Rxd5 Kxd5 37.h4 c4 38.h5 c3 39.h6 Kc4 40.Ke2 Kb3 41.Ke3 c2 42.Kd4 c1Q 43.Ke5 Qc5+ 44.Kf6 Qd6+ 45.Kg5 Qg6+ 1½/2 i should get enough points to get to 1500. 0-1

May Grand Prix

CS - JD
May Grand Prix Owen Sound, ON (1), 28.05.2006
D31 - QGD : Semi-Slav

First round of the Grand Prix. An interesting setup by Bev. Your top 3 tournaments (out of 5) count towards the Grand Prix title, and they have round robins. Top 6, next 6 etc. and the Grand Prix winner is based on top 3 performances, regardless of division. Kinda neat. 1.d4 I wasn't sure what to play. I remember he was looking at the Queen's Indian previously so I was hoping he'd play a Nimzo. Unfortunately he played the Queen's Gambit (still my bane after all these years) 1...d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 b6? [I figured either the Noteboom 4...dxc4 ;
the Semi-Slav 4...Nf6 ;
or the Dutch 4...f5 . I asked him after the game what his idea was and he wanted to play ...Bd6 without allowing c5] 5.Bf4 I stop that 5...Nf6 6.e3 Bb4 [6...Bd6 was still playable] 7.Bd3 Ne4 8.Bxe4 dxe4 9.Nd2 c5? [9...f5 was pretty much forced 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qh6 looks pretty tough though] 10.Ndxe4 Bb7? Dropping a piece? or a deep sacrifice 11.Nd6+ Ke7 12.Nxb7 Qd7 13.Nd6? [13.Qf3 was stronger] 13...cxd4 14.Qxd4 Bxd6 15.Bxd6+? [15.Qxg7 was better as 15...Rd8 (15...Bxf4 16.Qxh8) 16.Bg5+ I didn't calculate at all. This should be a lesson for the near future] 15...Qxd6 16.Qxg7 Rd8 17.0-0 Rd7 18.Rad1 [18.Ne4 Qd3 19.Qxh7] 18...Qb4 19.Rxd7+ [19.Qg5+ f6 20.Qg8 Qxb2 21.Qxh7+ Ke8 22.Qg8+ Ke7 23.Nb5] 19...Nxd7 20.Rd1 Qxc4 21.Qxh7 Rd8 22.Qd3 Qc6 23.Qe4 Qc5 24.h3 Maybe I had better but I was up two pawns so I'd get rid of his one threat (back rank) 24...Nf6 25.Qb7+ Rd7 26.Rxd7+ Nxd7 27.Qxa7 Qb4 28.Qa3 1-0

VR - CS
May Grand Prix Owen Sound, ON (2), 28.05.2006
B12 - Caro-Kann : Advanced Variation

1.e4 c6 The inevitable return of the Caro! How long before I retire it again 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3 An old favourite. I love the Advanced Variation when White has no clue how to proceed 4...Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6 6.f4 Qa5+! Nimzowitsch's suggestion. 7.Bd2 [Courtney-C.Sadler, Barrie 2003 went 7.c3 Qa6 8.Qxa6 Nxa6 9.Nf3 c5 and I ended up drawing] 7...Qa6 8.Qxa6 Nxa6 I'm more than happy with my position. His good bishop is off, the queens are off and he has weakened his position with f4 9.Nf3 Ne7 10.Nc3 c5 [I got impatient. I should've seen where his king was going before deciding whether pushing c5 was good at this time or not. and whether the knight on e7 belongs on g6 or c5 or f5 potentially 10...h6 ] 11.Nb5! An excellent square for his knight. 11...Nc6 Now my knight is not as good on a6 as i thought he was 5 moves ago 12.c3 [12.Be3;
12.a3 was another prophylactic try] 12...cxd4 13.cxd4 Kd7 14.Ng5 [Again 14.a3 might be okay] 14...f6 15.Nf3?! [15.Nf7 was much better] 15...Nab4 16.Ke2 a6 17.Nc3 [17.Na3 was better, this drops a pawn] 17...Nc2 18.Rab1 N2xd4+ 19.Nxd4 Nxd4+ 20.Kd3 fxe5 21.fxe5 Nc6 22.Bf4 Bc5 [22...g5 was trickier but being up material simpler was better 23.Bxg5 Nxe5+ although the g-pawn hangs after 24.Ke3 (24.Ke2 Rg8 25.Bf4 Nc4 (25...Rxg2+ 26.Kf1 is good for White 26...Nd3 27.Kxg2 Nxf4+ 28.Kf3 Bd6) ; 24...Rg8 25.Bf4 Bc5+ 26.Kd2 Rxg2+] 23.Na4 Ba7 24.Be3? Nxe5+ [24...d4 25.Bf4 b5] 25.Ke2 Bxe3 26.Kxe3 Kd6 27.Rhf1 b5 28.Nc3 Nc4+ [28...b4 29.Na4 Rac8 30.Rbc1] 29.Kd3 Rhf8 30.b3 Rxf1 31.Rxf1 Ne5+ 32.Kd4 Ra7 33.Rf8 Rf7 34.Rd8+ Nd7 35.Ra8 e5+ 36.Kd3 Nc5+ 37.Ke2 Kc6 38.Rc8+ Rc7 39.Rf8 b4 0-1

- AB
May Grand Prix Owen Sound, ON (3), 28.05.2006
D34 - QGD: Tarrasch, Prague variation, 9.Bg5

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 c5 3.c4 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.g3"Against Both I don't understand your opening choice. If you wanted to play positionally against him, then create the isolated pawn and develop your pieces to better squares. For example 6.Bg5 Be7 7.dxc5 " (HJ);
Hans' advice makes good sense even at a less lofty level like mine 6.Bg5 is the reason why Black plays Nc6 before Nf6] 6...Nc6 7.Bg5 Be7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 [" 9.dxc5 d4 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Ne4 with good play." (HJ)] 9...b6 10.dxc5 bxc5 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Qxd5 [12.Nxd5 Bxb2 13.Rb1 Rb8 14.Nd2 Ba6 15.Ne4 Qa5 +- Sveshnikov-Filipenko, SSSR 1978;
"However creating the hanging pawns was not an advantage for you. Even the better 12.Nxd5 keeping the queens on which gives you more play is not clearly better. Even best case scenario if you win the isolated c-pawn this is an almost impossible position to convert" (HJ)] 12...Qxd5 13.Nxd5 Bxb2 14.Rab1 Rb8 Of course I missed this move 15.Nd2 Ba6 16.Rfe1 [16.Nc7 Bxe2 17.Bxc6 Bxf1 18.Kxf1 is an interesting try but I would never have looked for it although it does give me lots of play 18...Be5 19.Rxb8 Rxb8 20.Nd5] 16...Rfd8 17.Nb3 [17.Nc7 Rxd2 18.Nxa6 Rc8 19.Nxc5 was good as well] 17...Be5 18.Nxc5 Rxb1 19.Rxb1 Bxe2 20.Re1 Nd4 21.Rb1 ["Later on you missed 21.f4 (a nice pawn shot!) and its complicated but I like your chances after say 21...Nf3+ 22.Bxf3 Bd4+ 23.Kg2 Bxf3+ 24.Kxf3 Bxc5 25.Rd1! and you are a bit better because of your king placement but not enough to win" (HJ)] 21...Nf3+ 22.Bxf3 Bxf3 23.Ne3= g6 24.h4 Rd2 25.Nc4 Re2 26.Nxe5 Rxe5 27.Nd3 Ra5 28.Ne1 [28.Nb4 Ra4 29.Rb3 is better] 28...Bd5 29.Nd3 Kg7 30.Nb4 Be6 31.Ra1 Ra4 32.a3 Kf6 33.f4 ["You should have never lost this game. You didn't use your king until it was too late. You should have left your pawn on f2 and played 33.Kf1 -- 34.Ke1 -- 35.Kd2 and just tried to hold the position (he's better). Those half points end up costly in the long run" (HJ)] 33...Kf5 34.Kf2 Ke4 35.Nc2 Kd3 36.Nb4+ Kc3 37.Ke3 Kb2 38.Rd1 Rxa3+ 39.Nd3+ Kb3 40.Kd4 Kc2 Of course he was right. I'm paying the guy I should start listening to him :( 0-1

LR - CS
May Grand Prix Owen Sound, ON (4), 28.05.2006
B12 - Caro-Kann : Advanced Variation

1.e4 My opponent is the father of the kid I played in the second round 1...c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Like father like son 3...Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 After the game he mentioned that "after you played ...e6 it transposed into a French" ;) He must've missed the fact my bishop was outside the pawn chain 5.Nc3 [5.Be2 is mainline, keeping the option of pushing the c-pawn. again White was playing without a plan] 5...Nd7 6.Bd3 Bxd3 7.Qxd3 Ne7 8.0-0 c5 [Fritz said that 8...Nf5 might be worth a try, to put pressure on the d-pawn, but I like the tried and true ...c5 push] 9.dxc5 Nc6! I was happy with this move. It's thematic, but I'm happy nonetheless. I grab the c-pawn with my bishop then go after the e-pawn 10.a3 Bxc5 11.Bf4 a6 To stop Nb4 12.Ne2 Qc7 now I'm going for the pawn 13.c4 dxc4 14.Qxc4 Ncxe5 i have no problem grabbing either as 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Qc3 [16.Bxe5 Qxe5 is good or(16...Bxf2+ 17.Rxf2 Qxc4) ] 16...Bd6 17.Qxc7 Bxc7 18.Rfd1 Rd8 and for some reason he trades down into a lost pawn endgame 19.Bxe5? Bxe5 20.Rxd8+ Kxd8 interestingly enough I didn't castle in either Caro this tournament 21.Rd1+ Ke7 22.Nc3 Bxc3 23.bxc3 Rd8 24.Rxd8? Kxd8 and it's a walkover from here 25.Kf1 b5 26.Ke2 Kd7 27.Kd3 Kc6 28.Kd4 f6 29.f4 h5 30.h3 g6 31.c4 bxc4 32.Kxc4 Kd6 33.a4 e5 34.fxe5+ fxe5 35.a5 g5 36.Kd3 Kd5 0-1 surprising he didn't put up more of a fight...he beat Aaron Both in the previous round


CS - KVA[D01]
May Grand Prix Owen Sound, ON (5), 28.05.2006
D01 - Veresov

1.Nc3 [This game was a sign from God not to play the Veresov anymore. I didn't want to play 1.d4 against Kees because he plays 1...d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 (forgetting that I could always have played 3.Nf3 c5 4.cxd5 avoiding his line) 3...c5 4.cxd5 cxd4] 1...Nf6 2.d4 d5 3.Bg5 g6 [Secretly hoping for 3...e6 4.e4] 4.Bxf6 [A different (better if you will) idea is 4.Qd2 with castling queenside] 4...exf6 5.e4 [5.e3 may be better as well] 5...dxe4 6.Nxe4 Bg7 7.c3 [7.Nf3 0-0 8.Be2 f5 9.Nc5 b6 10.Nb3 Bb7 11.0-0 Nd7 12.c3 Nf6 13.Re1 a6 14.a4 Re8 15.a5 Nd5 16.Bf1 Alburt-Marjanovic, Bucharest 1978] 7...0-0 I came back from the bathroom and played the usual and horrifying 8.Nf3?? missing that he had a threat 8...Re8 and it's over. I was going to play on only one piece down but after 9.Bd3?? f5 10.0-0 fxe4 it's two pieces.

A sad end to a not bad day 0-1

yet another one bites the dust

today i finished





not sure what i'm going for next.

May (2)

K - C
May Match Internet Chess Club (2), 22.05.2006
B19 - Caro-Kann : 4. ...Bf5 main line

1.e4 c6 [After reading through Weeramantry's "Lessons of a Chess Coach" I wanted to play 1...d6 since that's what basically every game was in there, but unfortunately I remembered that Kirk tried to get into the KID with 2.c4 and of course i can't get into the Grünfeld if he already has e4 in] 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Mildly surprising 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 [I kinda wanted to try 4...Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6 but I wanted a longish game and was curious to see what he had in mind] 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Bc4?! Looking for a Tal-esque sacrifice on e6 (which he tried later) 8...e6 9.0-0 [9.Qe2 may be stronger if he wants to work on e6; During the game I thought he may try 9.Bf4 to limit me on the dark squares] 9...Bd6 looking for tactics involving taking out the knight on g3...plus I didn't want to give him a second shot at Bf4 10.c3 Ngf6 11.Qb3 Nb6 [Fritz preferred 11...Qc7 actually threatening something but i was happy enough with this position] 12.Bxe6? I think he needed to play [12.Re1 to try and get this line but even then, it's tough because i'm attacking his bishop;
12.Be2 was another try but I'm happy with this position. Kirk wanted to try and take advantage of my king being stuck in the center] 12...fxe6 13.Qxe6+ Qe7 14.Re1 Qxe6 of course i'm looking for any middlegame with queens off in a position like this 15.Rxe6+ Kd7 16.Re1 Rhe8 17.Be3 [Fritz liked 17.Ne5+ Bxe5 18.dxe5 Nfd5 but I think i'm as good here as he is 19.h5 Bh7 20.f4 looks more aggressive for him...] 17...Ng4 18.Nf1 Nc4 19.b3 Ncxe3 [Fritz wanted to try 19...Na3 20.Rac1 Rad8 but I was happy enough getting the pieces off. Maybe I shouldn't have been though...even with the pieces off he had no mobility...I likely should have *not* traded off the bishop pair and tried to squeeze him anymore, but this way I got the bishop pair against nothing and his pieces were cramped] 20.fxe3 Bd3 21.N3d2 Be4! Whether this was actually the strongest move or not I'm not sure, all I know is that I was happy with this move which made it tough for him to find any active plans. His only active move was e4. 22.Nc4 Bc7 23.Ncd2 Re7 24.c4 [Of course anywhere around here 24.Nxe4 Rxe4 followed by 25.-- Rae8 and I win the e-pawn.] 24...Rae8 25.c5 Bd3 White resigns 0-1

may (1)

C - K
May Match (1) Internet Chess Club, 14.05.2006
C42 - Petroff Defense

1.e4 [I am planning on playing 1.d4 at the Canadian Open, but for some reason I got nostalgic and wanted to play the Ruy Lopez. Unfortunately, I forgot that Kirk only allows the RUy Lopez when he's White and plays the Petroff as Black. I didn't feel like playing the King's Gambit so here we go] 1...e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 [I never felt comfortable playing 4.Nxf7 ] 4...Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Be7 [When I played the Petroff my choice was Marshall's. Kirk's line is more complicated 6...Bd6 ] 7.0-0 Nc6 8.c4 Nb4 I knew this was theory but I also thought it couldn't be good. How could I try to get an advantage 9.cxd5 Qxd5 [Theory is 9...Nxd3 10.Qxd3 Qxd5 11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.Qxc3 but with the isolated pawn i prefer this for Black] 10.Bxe4? A bad idea here. I was hoping to take advantage of all the knight and queen moves by Black [10.Re1 was probably better] 10...Qxe4 11.Re1? I didn't see Qc2 until I played this [11.Nc3 was probably better. 11...Qc2 12.Bg5] 11...Qc2! 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Rxe7+? [Another terrible idea. I had played over Steinitz and von Bardeleben before this game and it clouded my judgement. Even 13.Bf4 was okay for Black as he can't castle because of the pin and 13...Qxd1 14.Raxd1 is good for White. Terrible decision by me] 13...Kxe7 14.Nd5+ Kd8 15.Qxc2 Nxc2 16.Ne5 Be6 White resigns 0-1