2 games

C - K
C78 - Ruy Lopez
G/15 Owen Sound (1), 14.01.2011

We played a couple of games at his house tonight (G/15) in preparation for the tourney on January 29th. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 He asked for a Ruy Lopez 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 [If I had known that he was going to avoid the mainline I would have just played 5.d3 ] 5...Bc5 6.d3 [I chickened out. I shoudl have just played my usual 6.Nxe5 ] 6...b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.Bg5 d6 9.Nc3 [9.Bd5] 9...Nd4 10.Nd5 [Fritz thinks I should have played 10.Nxd4 Bxd4 11.Nd5] 10...c6 11.Nxf6+ gxf6 12.Bh6 Re8 [He had the intermezzo 12...Nxb3 He should have been looking hader at this point] 13.Nxd4 exd4 14.Qf3 Kh8 15.Bxf7 for instance. And he resigned.

Not a great game by him. I was happy enough...yes I didn't see anything, but I saw what little was there and played sensibly. 1-0

K - C
A40 - Owens Defense
G/15 Owen Sound (2), 14.01.2011

In return I asked him to play 1.d4 e6 I had been thinking about playing this for a while so figured...why n ot? 2.e4 [If 2.c4 I could always transpose to a Queen's Indian. I was thikning about doing this from 1.e4 e6 and if 2.d4 then b6 and if 2.Nf3 or other, going to a Sicilian] 2...b6?! Unusual but I wanted to get K out of his comfort zone 3.c4 Bb7 4.Nc3 [4.Qc2 Qh4 was in Silman's book based on a Korchnoi Candidates game (!)] 4...Bb4 Pressure on the e-pawn 5.Bd3 f5 6.f3 and I think I'm already better 6...fxe4 7.fxe4 Bxe4? [7...Nf6 is better] 8.Qg4? [and he blinked first 8.Bxe4 Qh4+ 9.Kf1 and he's better because Bxc3 is no longer check and my rook is hanging] 8...Bxd3 9.Qxg7 Qf6 10.Qxf6 Nxf6 11.Bg5 Rf8 [11...Ne4] 12.0-0-0 Bxc4 13.Kb1 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Ne4 Another easy win and we had a couple beers, but neither one of us saw very much! 0-1

hot theory and 1.e4 e5

i'm quite impressed with 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 Qb6 as a sharp line for Black



i used to play 3. ...dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 and get checkmated horrifically. Thank you Ivanchuk for bringing it to my attention.

Also, isn't it always a good idea to play 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 and not 2.f4! until they play the Petroff or the Philidor? :)

I'm also interested in 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g5?! as a lethal blitz weapon...can i use it v. 3.Bc4? likely not :)

Fischer's 60 Memorable Games

Today I finished Fischer's 60 Memorable Games, 2008 edition, redone by Batsford in algebraic with no editorial changes. Fabulous book...highly recommended.

Here's one of my favourite games from it...there were a lot of fabulous games, Byrne-Fischer, etc. but here's one v. Smyslov that I quite liked as it gave me a new idea as White in the Lopez if, for instance, the guy plays a line i'm not too fond of



Fischer - Smyslov
Capablanca Memorial 1965
C77 - Ruy Lopez

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 Be7
7. Nbd2 O-O 8. Nf1 b5 9. Bb3 d5 10. Qe2 dxe4 11. dxe4 Be6
12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. Ng3 Qd7 14. O-O Rad8 15. a4 Qd3 16. Qxd3
Rxd3 17. axb5 axb5 18. Ra6 Rd6 19. Kh1 Nd7 20. Be3 Rd8 21. h3
h6 22. Rfa1 Ndb8 23. Ra8 Rd1+ 24. Kh2 Rxa1 25. Rxa1 Nd7 26. b4
Kf7 27. Nf1 Bd6 28. g3 Nf6 29. N1d2 Ke7 30. Ra6 Nb8 31. Ra5 c6
32. Kg2 Nbd7 33. Kf1 Rc8 34. Ne1 Ne8 35. Nd3 Nc7 36. c4 bxc4
37. Nxc4 Nb5 38. Ra6 Kf6 39. Bc1 Bb8 40. Bb2 c5 41. Nb6 Nxb6
42. Rxb6 c4 43. Nc5 c3 1-0

the concept of playing d3, Nbd2, Nf1 before castling is a great one! How often when playing the White side of a closed Lopez, could you have used the rook on f1 (behind the mobile f-pawn) instead of on e1?

Next book is Benko...this could take years ladies and gentlemen...lots of games and me and Mrs. C are going to be parents in May to twins!

standing on the shoulders of giants

this humorous quote, attributed to Sir Isaac Newton was partially about how he saw further because he was "standing" on the knowledge passed on by past generations, and partially a slight to his short-statured rival Robert Hooke. our game i titled standing on the shoulders of giants as we both blitzed out about 13 moves of ruy lopez theory

C - K
March match (1) 3/3/2006
C99 - Ruy Lopez : Tchigorin variation, 12. ...cxd4

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 [I haven't found an antidote for the Falkbeer yet (still playing 2.f4 d5 3.Nf3 unsuccessfully online) so I decided to see what he had in store for the Ruy Lopez.] 2...Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3! [The exclam was for bravery. I have been diligently working on tactics for the past couple of weeks so felt comfortable allowing the Marshall. If I go back to an Anti-Marshall it will probably be 8.a4 ;
as i haven't figured out the weakpoints of 8.h3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 Nf6 compared to the mainline] 8...d6 9.h3 Na5! This was a surprise. Kirk probably expected me to vary earlier, but I have never seen him play the Tchigorin before. [Kirk said afterwards he couldn't remember the line that "the Russians used against Fischer" so he decided to play the Tchigorin. I assume he meant 9...Nd7 as in Fischer-Tal ] 10.Bc2 c5 As I got this position, as so many times before, instead of the usual Ng3 and go at the king, I was gonna try and play Nbd2-Nf1-e3 and dominate the weak d5-square 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.Nf1? [The mainline is 14.Nb3 ;
14.a3 is also played to take squares away from the knight.] 14...Nb4?! [Much stronger is 14...exd4 and White can't play 15.Nxd4 because of 15...Nxd4 16.Qxd4 Qxc2;
14...exd4 there are lots of moves for White but I think Black has better play. I may try this as Black from now on 15.Bb1 (15.Bf4; 15.Bg5; 15.Bb3) ] 15.Bb3 a5 16.a3 Na6 17.Bg5 trying to work on e5 and d5 17...h6 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Ne3 keeping with my plan 19...Be6 20.Bd5? Giving him a tempo to mobilize his pieces [I should've just played 20.Bxe6 fxe6 21.d5 right away] 20...Rac8 21.Bxe6 fxe6 22.d5 [22.dxe5 dxe5 23.Rc1 was another try] 22...Nc5 23.Rc1 [I liked this move but 23.dxe6 Nxe6 24.Qd5 Qd7 25.Rad1 was another attempt] 23...Qd7 24.dxe6 Nxe6 [24...Qxe6 25.Nd5 would've been okay as far as i was concerned too] 25.Nd5 Rxc1 26.Qxc1 Rc8 27.Qd2? [I had Kirk's tactic that didn't work 3 moves later 27.Qxh6 . I should've been looking for things like this.] 27...Bg5? I wonder if Kirk just slowly felt himself get smothered and wanted to force something [27...Qd8 28.Nxf6+ gxf6 29.Qxh6 was still good for me though. HIs position was falling apart] 28.Nxg5 Nxg5 29.Nb6 Qxh3 An interesting try that almost worked 30.Qd5+ Black resigns 1-0

game 7

C-K
January Match Internet Chess Club (7), 22.01.2006
C92 - Ruy Lopez : Closed, Kholmov Variation

This was not the best of games. 1.e4 Kirk mentioned that he had started playing 1.e4 so I wanted to see what he played v. the Ruy 1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 [I had actually thought about playing 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 because of the crazy (unsound) line I saw 5...f6 6.Nxe5!? fxe5 7.Qh5+ Kd7 (7...g6 8.Qxe5+ +-) 8.Qxe5 and it will be difficult for Black to free himself. Unfortunately, Black doesn't have to play that line.] 4...Nf6 5.0-0 [I also thought about trying this 5.Qe2 to avoid the Open Lopez, as favored by Tiviakov and Tpstar But then I thought about it and realized that I wanted to see what he would play.] 5...Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3! What the heck, I thought. I'm gonna go for it. 8...d6 9.h3 [Again I had thoughts of playing 9.d4 Bg4 10.Be3 but was curious to see what his Closed Lopez line was] 9...Be6!? The Kholmov variation. Tough enough in practice, but not the greatest theoretically. A nice choice 10.d4 Bxb3 11.Qxb3 [11.axb3 is played as well but that isolated pawns after 11...exd4 12.cxd4 weren't very appealing to me(12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 was another option, but I think the tempi on the queen makes it easier to roll the queenside pawns.) ] 11...exd4 [11...Qd7 is main line, but the text is theory as well] 12.cxd4 Nxd4?? [12...Na5;
or 12...d5 were better. I assume that Kirk thought I played 12.Nxd4 and trade that way. ] 13.Nxd4 c5 14.Nc6 Qc7 15.Nxe7+ Qxe7 16.Bg5 1-0

2nd endgame in a row

K-C
January Match Internet Chess Club (6), 21.01.2006
C99 - Ruy Lopez : Closed, Tchigorin Variation, 12 ...cxd4

1.e4 e5 [I wanted revenge for our game last week, no doubt about it. I wasn't in the mood for another Opocensky Najdorf 1...c5 ;
didn't want a passive position with 1...c6 ;
and don't have the bollocks to try 1...Nf6 vs. the arch-duke of the Alekhine himself (but will in the future even if it's just blitz). So 1.e4 e5 it is] 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 [Of course there's always other options. I had to think at this point whether I wanted to play something "normal" or get him thinking on move 3 with something like 3...f5 ] 4.Ba4 [A less classy player would probably have played 4.Bxc6 ] 4...b5 a little finesse to stop a later Bxc6 5.Bb3 Nf6 6.0-0 [They say that 6.d4 is good here on chessgames.com (12 wins for White v. 2 losses, most of them miniatures). Interesting. Although after 6...exd4 7.e5 Ne4 I don't see what the big deal is as in Menke-Rellstab 1947(or even 7...Ng4 ) ] 6...Be7 7.Re1 0-0 The only reason I offered the Marshall, was not because I wanted him to play 8.c3 and allow it, but was to kill some time and let him decide whether or not to allow it. He didn't 8.h3 [The odd time where I do play the Closed Lopez I play this move order because the anti-Marshalls (IMHO) aren't as good for White as the mainline Closed Lopezes. 8.a4 Bb7 for instance] 8...d6 [I recalled that the grandmaster refutation to this line is 8...Bb7, but I couldn't remember why :) if 9.c3 (9.d3 is normally played by the Linares crowd) 9...d5! allows a better Marshall. 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Rxe5 Black doesn't have to waste a tempo with ...c6 and can play something like 12...Bf6 (or even 12...Nf4! ) ] 9.c3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 exd4?! [13...-- Releasing the tension in the center, which as a certain Mr. Frarey tought me the hard way, whomever released the central tension in the Lopez loses. I wanted to mix it up though. Kirk has made me suffer on the Black side of the Tchigorin too many times with the 14.Nf1 -- 15.Ng3 -- 16.Nh4 -- 17.Nhf5 plan and checkmated me horribly. So I wanted him to have to think for a change, plus I figured it would be easier to develop my knight if he didn' thave d5 kickign it from c6 and where was my bishop gonna go. Hell, maybe I'll have to try a different Lopez next time ;)] 14.Nxd4 Nc6 [I was thinking about moves like 14...Be6 for a while, trying to get him to trade off the bishop and get rid of my isolated pawns. The problem with this thinking (although it does develop my bishop) is that I'm making a conscious effort not to trade bishops for knights if I can help it (although that will be shown laughable later on in this game)] 15.N2f3 Ne5 Again to get my pawn away from d6 [15...Nxd4 16.Nxd4 d5 17.exd5 Bb4 18.Re2 Bb7 may have been an easier way to open up the game. History has shown (me) that Black's game gets easier the more open it is in the Tchigorin] 16.Bf4 Rd8!? not the greatest move but I had to free my pieces. [16...Nh5!? 17.Nxe5? (but 17.Bh2 basically refutes it) 17...Nxf4 may have been decent;
Probably just developing with 16...Bd7 was the strongest.] 17.Rc1! Yes! Taking advantage of my weaknesses in development. I had to decide where to put my queen. Fitz likes Qb6, but I was worried about tactics on the e7 bishop 17...Nxf3+ 18.Qxf3 Qb7 19.Bb3 Bd7 Now I wanted to trade off a pair of rooks. I don't think he will be able to put sufficient pressure on my d-pawn. 20.Qd3?! [20.e5! Qxf3 21.Nxf3 dxe5 22.Nxe5 and the weakness of my bishop on e7 tell] 20...Rac8 21.Nf3? [21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.Nf3 because the rook is guarding the e-pawn.] 21...Rxc1 22.Rxc1 Qxe4 23.Bxf7+! I totally missed this. I had flashbacks to the previously mentioned game where he checkmated me horribly. I didn't see anything terrible though with... 23...Kf8 24.Qxe4 [The exchange was forced as 24.Qd2 Bxh3 is good for Black (and i even saw that)] 24...Nxe4 25.Bd5 Nc5 Aiming to fork 26.Bg3 [I wasn't sure what to try with 26.Rd1 Be6 was recommended by Fritz but 27.b4 looked good to me, stopping my queenside and leaving me with an isolated pawn] 26...Be6= I offered a draw here. Kirk took about 2 minutes before deciding on 27.Rxc5! Fritz likes it as two bishops for a rook is pretty good. The only problem with it, positionally, is that it gives me winning chances on the queenside and gets rid of my isolated pawn. 27...dxc5 28.Bxe6 Rd1+?! 29.Kh2 Bd6 This was the idea behind my odd 28th move. I wanted to trade off the bishops and go knight and light squred bishop v. rook. Unfortunately, Kirk was not so accomodating 30.Ne5 [30.Bc8 was probably better, because I'm impatient so I likely wouldn't have seen the error of my ways and played 30...Bxg3+? probably losing b/c of the active king] 30...Ke7 [I couldn't make 30...Re1 work but after 31.f4 Re2 Fritz says it's all good. My move was based on the active king. Kirk's king is more of a bystander than anything.] 31.Bc8 Bxe5? Giving up the bishop pair for no compensation, plus he grabs a couple of pawns. I was counting on 3 being better than 2 on the queenside, but honestly I was very lucky it worked out so well. [31...Re1 didn't work here as 32.Nc6+ won a piece but;
31...Rd2 32.Bxa6 Rxb2 was pretty good] 32.Bxe5 a5 33.Bxg7 a4 34.Bh6? [34.f4 was better] 34...b4 [I thought about 34...Rb1 35.b3 axb3 36.axb3 Rxb3 but that gets rid of my most advanced pawn 37.Bf5 c4 38.Bxh7 and now what?] 35.Bf5 Ra1 36.Bxh7 Rxa2 37.Bg7 [Defending the other way 37.Bc1 was likely better.] 37...a3 38.Bg8? [38.bxa3 bxa3 (38...Rxa3 to keep the pawns together loses to 39.Bg8) 39.f4 will be tough for me.] 38...Rxb2! 39.Bxb2? [He's gotta go for his own with 39.f4 ] 39...axb2 40.Ba2 c4 41.h4 c3 42.Bb3 b1Q He blundered in the endgame. As the last two games have shown, we *both* need to work on technique. We're both victims of bad decisions as much as anything 0-1

2005 was a draw

Sadler_K - Sadler_C
December Match Internet Chess Club (5), 31.12.2005
C82 - Ruy Lopez : Open, St. Petersburg Variation

1.e4 The fifth (and deciding) game of our December match. All i needed was a draw 1...e5? The question mark was purely for non-chessical things. Sure I had been studying the Karpov-Korchnoi match (hence the Open Lopez) but I had been working on the Sicilian for weeks and weeks and this is supposed to be my main weapon. 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 [One of the main reasons I don't play this OTB is 6.Re1 where I can't find a really good respone for it. 6...Nc5 7.Bxc6 dxc6 8.Nxe5 and White is good enough to me.] 6...b5 [An interesting line here is the Riga Variation (which allegedly was refuted by Capablanca). It continues 6...exd4 7.Re1 d5 8.Nxd4 Bd6 9.Nxc6 Bxh2+ and if 10.Kxh2 (Capablanca's variation was 10.Kh1 Qh4 11.Rxe4+ dxe4 12.Qd8+ Qxd8 13.Nxd8+ Kxd8 14.Kxh2 with an interesting game. Maybe I'll try it sometime ;)) 10...Qh4+ 11.Kg1 Qxf2+= with perpetual]



7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.c3 Bc5 [The other line is 9...Be7 allowing the knight to retreat to 10.-- Nc5 , but i preferred to try and go for the throat. maybe not the best idea in a match where a draw will suffice, but i had fire in the belly today] 10.Nbd2 0-0 11.Nxe4? [11.Bc2 is the main line when I can either play 11...Bf5 (or 11...f5 ; or the Dilworth Variation (a favourite of mine) with 11...Nxf2 12.Rxf2 f6 13.exf6 Bxf2+ 14.Kxf2 Qxf6 and sharp play) which was Korchnoi's choice in the game I was currently studying 12.Nb3 Bg6 13.Nfd4 Bxd4 14.cxd4 a5 with an interesting game.] 11...dxe4 12.Ng5 Bxb3 13.Qxb3 Nxe5? [Much better was the blocking of his forces with 13...e3! 14.Nxf7 (14.Nf3 exf2+ 15.Kh1; 14.Ne4) 14...exf2+ 15.Rxf2 (15.Kh1 Rxf7 16.e6 Rf5 17.e7+ Qd5 18.Qxd5+ Rxd5 19.b4 Bxe7 20.Rxf2 Rd1+) 15...Bxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Qh4+ 17.g3 Qxh2+ 18.Ke1 Qxg3+ 19.Ke2 Rxf7] 14.Nxe4 Bb6 15.Bf4 Nd3 16.Rad1 Nxf4? [Much, much better was 16...Qe7! threatening something. 17.Rxd3 Qxe4 and then after 18.Rf3 his pieces are tied up and I'm definitely better. Not sure why I missed that relatively easy move] 17.Rxd8 Raxd8 18.Rd1 Rde8 19.Ng5 Nd3? [I made some strange decisions this game. Obviously I wanted to attack f7 but something like 19...h6 first was much better. 20.Nf3 Re2] 20.Kf1? [20.Qc2! threatening mate on h7 was best. What do I have? 20...h6 21.Qxd3 hxg5 for instance? I'm not particularly happy with my position.] 20...Nxf2 Rook+bishop+pawn = queen right? I was happy enough with my position, but I definitely wanted to keep the rooks on if possible 21.Rd7 Ne4 [21...Ng4 was better, actually threatening something. The idea of Ne4 was the fork on c5. He almost had to exchange now;
I was planning on holding off on the knight move hoping for something like 21...-- 22.Nxf7 Ne4! etc.] 22.Nxe4 [22.Rxf7 Nd2#] 22...Rxe4 23.Qd5 Rf4+ To guard f7, freeing up the other rook. 24.Ke2 Re8+ [24...Rf2+ instead, winning a pawn?] 25.Kd3 Re3+ 26.Kc2 Re8? Allowing him to trade off rooks. [26...Rf2+ 27.Kb3 g6 giving myself some luft.] 27.Rd8 Rfe4 28.Qxe4 I almost resigned here, but Kirk said he wanted to play on 28...Rxd8 29.Qe7 Rf8 [Too passive. More active was something like 29...Rb8 ] 30.Kb3 g6 31.h4?! Kirk got impatient I think. His advantage would turn out to be on the queenside in the upcoming endgame. [31.c4 was better in my patzer opinion] 31...c5? [And again, my advantage was on the kingside so I should've played to my advantage with 31...f5 ;
31...c5 32.g4 I of course was hoping for something like 32...c4+ 33.Kb4 a5+ missing that it wasn't mate and he could just play 34.Kxb5] 32.Qb7 c4+ 33.Kc2 Bc5? Hoping for some kind of perpetual. My play was ridiculous [33...Bf2 was better aiming for the h-pawn.] 34.Qxa6 Re8 35.Qxb5 Re2+= and I offered a draw which Kirk smartly declined 36.Kd1 Re5 Nicely played game by Kirk, I basically threw myself on his sword. Hopefully I can play stronger with Black in 2006, neither one of us had more than a draw in our weekly matches. 1-0

so my training schedule for 2006 is firstly to finish off the Karpov book and then to go through tactics and art of attack. my new policy is not to buy a new book until i have finished two.

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

week two

actually the way that our chess history has gone, i'm rather surprised that there is a week two. we decided to do our analysis on here. here's the moves with my notes

K.Sadler - C.Sadler

1.e4 e5 Okay i got black this time. I wanted to play an open game so I decided on this 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 But I didn't expect this! At all! I thought he played the Scotch. But I'm sure I would've complained if I got that as well :) 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 b5 I took a lot of time around here because I wasn't sure whether to play the Tchigorin, the Open Lopez or the Marshall. I decided on the Tchigorin 6.Bb3 Be7 7.Re1 d6 [I was thinking about playing 7...0–0 and then transposing to the Tchigorin but I didn't] 8.h3?! 0–0 [I should've move ordered him and played 8...Na5! with advantage] 9.c3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 [All theory. Usually I play 13...Bb7 . I was trying to induce d5] 14.a4 Now I started thinking for real. It's a little joke between me and Kirk that once you're "out of theory" in the Ruy Lopez, just play a4, because it's normally good. [The main line is 14.Nb3 overprotecting d4] 14...b4?! [14...Bd7 was likely better; Spassky continued 14...Nxd4 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Nf3 Bb7 17.Bg5 (17.Nxd4! looks better) 17...Rfe8 18.Rc1 Qb6 19.Qxd4 Qxd4 20.Nxd4 ½–½ Ljuboejvic-Spassky but I imagine this was a prearranged draw because White looks better to me.] 15.d5 Nb8 I was happy enough with this position. I wanted to keep the c8-h3 diagonal open for some unknown reason, actually to stop Nf1–g3-f5, as the dark squared bishop is the most important piece for me at this point. 16.Nf1 Nbd7 17.Bg5 [I was a little worried about 17.a5 for him, as he'll get to my b-pawn faster than I'll get to his a-pawn.] 17...a5 [Fritz preferred 17...Nc5 ] 18.Rc1 Nc5 19.Be3 [I kinda liked 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 but I guess the weakness at d6 is hard to get at.] 19...Ba6?! [19...Bd7 may have been better. I thought that the space on the a6-f1 diagonal was better, but controlling the diagonal that the light squared bishop was originally on was a better idea. Poor judgement by me] 20.Bxc5 [I wonder if 20.Bb1 was better. Of course! 20...Nfd7 doesn't immediately lose material, but where are my kingside defenders?] 20...Qxc5 [Fritz thought that 20...dxc5 was better, but i was worried about pushing the d-pawn, and my weak e-pawn.] 21.Ng3 g6 [Admitting my mistake and coming back over to this diagonal was better. 21...Bc8 ] 22.Bb3 Qb6 23.Rc6 Qb7 [23...Qd8 brings more pieces over to the kingside] 24.Qd2 Rfc8 [The way things worked out 24...Rac8 was likely better as this way the f-pawn is protected] 25.Ng5 Rxc6? [25...Nd7! with the idea of 26.-- Nc5 was better as then the c-file is closed. I wasn't worried enough, I thought my position was solid. I should've looked a little deeper because this was the only tactical point of the game. The game falls apart from here] 26.dxc6 Qxc6 27.Nxf7 Kg7?? [27...Kf8 28.Qh6+ Ke8 and White is still better] 28.Qh6+ Black resigns. A nicely played attack by Kirk. He built up the pressure slowly and I crumbled. My sense of danger let me down, I absolutely missed that he could even check at Qh6 1–0