november 11, 2001
"I will dominate them all"-Alexander Alekhine
270 entrants, 5 rounds, 26 matches
My record: 25 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw!
In a game of only thirteen moves, there must be at least one major blunder. Here it is 12...Ng4 .
White: DrChrome
Black: cudzoo
Event: Feb. Fast
Date: 2001-01-02
(B10 Caro-Kann D)
1 e4 c6 2 Nf3 d5 3 ed cd 4 d4 e6 5 Bb5+ Bd7 6 Nc3 Bb4 7 0-0 Bxc3 8 Bxd7+ Nxd7 9 bc Ngf6 10 Ng5 0-0 11 Qd3 Qc7 12 Re1 Ng4 13 Qxh7++ 1-0
White's sixth move is curious, his eigth move is poor, and the nineth move is a blunder that loses his queen.
White: cudzoo
Black: DrChrome
Event: Feb. Fast round 1
Date: 2001-01-02
(C47 Four Knights, Scotch, 4...exd4)
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 d4 ed 5 Nxd4 Bb4 6 Qd3 Qe7 7 Bd2 Bxc3 8 Qxc3 Nxe4 9 0-0-0 Nxc3 10 Bxc3 0-0 11 Nxc6 dc 12 Rd3 Bf5 13 Re3 Qg5 14 h4 Qf4 15 g3 Qxf2 16 Re2 Qc5 17 h5 h6 18 Rh4 Rfe8 19 Rd2 Re1+ 20 Rd1 Rxd1+ 21 Kxd1 Rd8+ 0-1
At the time of this game, I had no fear or respect for the Sicilian Defence (I have since learned some). 13.a4 was the can opener move, black's reply was not his strongest move (0-0 I think was in order) and brought about the attack on his queen side. 14.Nd5 and black has a choice, exchange the Knights or take the 'free' pawn. Both lead to trouble, but exchanging the Knights would have been better. 15.Bb6 and now the attack begins in earnest. 17...Bxf3 was a clever trap set by black, for if 18.Qxf3 then Nd2 forking the Queen and Rook. 24.Rfe1 is the mistake alluded to in the title, if 24.Rae1 the game would have been much shorter. At this point I am up a piece, black's king is in the center without much cover. If the same plan had been implemented with the other rook, white wins easily. As it turned out, white goes down an exchange! (not to mention three pawns!) With 38.Rxb7+, I am able to regain the advantage.
White: DrChrome
Black: Joe
Event: Feb. Fast round 1
Date: 2001-01-02
(B54 Sicilian)
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cd 4 Nxd4 e5 5 Nf3 Nf6 6 Nc3 Bg4 7 h3 Bh5 8 Bb5+ Nc6 9 0-0 Be7 10 Be3 a6 11 Ba4 b5 12 Bb3 h6 13 a4 b4 14 Nd5 Nxe4 15 Bb6 Qb8 16 a5 Bd8 17 Qd3 Bxf3 18 gf Nf6 19 Qc4 Nxd5 20 Qxc6+ Ke7 21 Qxd5 Rf8 22 f4 Bxb6 23 ab Qxb6 24 Rfe1? (24 Rae1! ) 24 S f6 25 Qe6+ Kd8 26 fe fe 27 Rxe5 Qxf2+ 28 Kh1 Qf3+ 29 Kg1 Qg3+ 30 Kh1 Qxe5 31 Qg4 Qxb2 32 Rd1 Qe5 33 Ba4 Ra7 34 Qxb4 Kc7 35 Re1 Qd5+ 36 Kg1 Rb7 37 Re7+ Kb8 38 Rxb7+ Qxb7 39 Qxd6+ Ka7 40 Qxf8 Qb6+ 41 Kh2 Qc7+ 42 Kh1 Qb7+ 43 Kg1 Qb1+ 44 Qf1 Qxf1+ 45 Kxf1 Kb6 46 Kf2 Kc5 47 Kf3 a5 48 Kg4 g6 49 Be8 g5 50 Kh5 Kd6 51 Kxh6 Ke7 52 Ba4 Kf6 53 c4 1-0
I must confess an almost complete ignorance of the King's Gambit at the time of this game. I have recently played through the King's Gambit section of David Bronstien's book 'Two Hundred Open Games', and developed a fondness for this throwback to the 'Golden Age' of chess. All the open lines, the rich combinations, hanging pawns, and sacrifices would gladen the heart of a Morphy or Anderssen. What possessed me to move 3...c6 ? More natural for me would have been 3...Bc5, but I was unwilling to give up the d5 square to white. I accept the gambit, but do not attempt to protect the gambit pawn. After 16.dxe5, it seems that white must win a piece- but 16...Bc5+ exposes the weakness created by the gambit, and on the next move it is black who wins a piece! 22...Rc8 is the begining of a combination I thought would lead to mate, but I did not see 26.Ng1. I could have brought mate by: (40 S Rcg1+ 41 Kf2 Qxg3+ 42 Ke2 Rh2++ ) but did not see that, either. Finally, I am able to avoid white's attempt at perpetual check and deliever the mate.
White: Joe
Black: DrChrome
Event: Feb. Fast round 1
Date: 2001-01-02
(C33 King's G-A, Bishop's G, Jaenisch V)
1 e4 e5 2 Bc4 Nf6 3 Nc3 c6 4 f4 ef 5 Nf3 d5 6 ed cd 7 Bb5+ Bd7 8 d4 Bb4 9 Bxd7+ Nbxd7 10 0-0 0-0 11 Bxf4 Nb6 12 Qd3 h6 13 Be5 Bd6 14 Rae1 Nc4 15 Nxd5 Nxe5 16 de Bc5+ 17 Kh1 Nxd5 18 c4 Nb4 19 Qc3 Nxa2 20 Qc2 Nb4 21 Qe4 Nd3 22 Re2 Rc8 23 Qxb7 Nf2+ 24 Rfxf2 Bxf2 25 Rxf2 Qd1+ 26 Ng1 Qe1 27 Re2 Qd1 28 b3 Rb8 29 Qxa7 Rxb3 30 h3 Rb1 31 Qf2 Ra8 32 e6 fe 33 Kh2 Rf8 34 Nf3 h5 35 Rd2 Qb3 36 Qd4 Rc1 37 Ne5 Rff1 38 Qd8+ Kh7 39 g3 Rh1+ 40 Kg2 Qe3 41 Nf3 Rcf1 42 Ng5+ Kg6 43 Qe8+ Kxg5 44 h4+ Kh6 45 Qh8+ Kg6 46 Qe8+ Rf7 47 Kxh1 Qe1+ 48 Kg2 Qxd2+ 49 Kh3 Qe1 50 g4 Qh1+ 51 Kg3 Qg1+ 52 Kh3 hg++ 0-1
Philidor was the individual to whom the quote: "Pawns are the soul of chess. " is ascribed. This little bit of wisdom from a time when everyone thought the world was flat! Many years later, 2...d6 was common in the "Golden Age". Paul Morphy sometimes used it and played against it. After 3.d4 the most common responce is exd4, but some wild and wooly games ensued after 3...f5! (see the games of Paul Morphy for examples) But the text move: 3...f6, is simply a wasted move. Blsck wastes another move with 5...c6. Black is poorly prepared for the upcoming assault, and is soon overwelmed.
White: DrChrome
Black: Montana Grizzly
Event: feb fast round 2
Date: 2001-04-01
(C41 Philidor D)
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 f6 4 de Be7 5 Nc3 c6 6 Bc4 fe 7 0-0 Nf6 8 Ng5 Bg4 9 Bf7+ Kf8 10 f3 Bh5 11 Ne6+ Kxf7 12 Nxd8+ Bxd8 13 Be3 Nbd7 14 Qxd6 Be7 15 Qc7 b6 16 Qxc6 Rac8 17 Qb5 Rhd8 18 Rad1 Nf8 19 Qxe5 Ng6 20 Qb5 Rh8 21 g4 Bxg4 22 fg Nh4 23 e5 h6 24 Qd5+ Kg6 25 ef gf 26 Qh5+ Kh7 27 Qf7++ 1-0
The name Jaenisch keeps coming up, apparently he invented a lot of the defences I use for open games. Karl Andreyevich Jaenisch was a russian chess player from the middle of the last century. He also came up with the Schliemann-Jaenisch Defence against the Ruy Lopez (sometimes called the Jaenisch Gambit) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5!- truly a bare knuckled defence! I am no expert on the Ponziani, why c3 if not to prepare for d4 as in the guacamole piano? Perhaps white plans to get there in two after Nd2. It never reaches d4, instead becomes a target and falls on move 10. When I took his knight on 14, he elected not to retake. He goes down another piece on 20, and white is hopeless.
White: Montana Grizzly
Black: DrChrome
Event: feb fast round 2
Date: 2001-04-01
(C44 Ponziani, Jaenisch C-A)
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 c3 Nf6 4 d3 d5 5 ed Nxd5 6 Be2 Be7 7 0-0 0-0 8 Nbd2 a5 9 Qb3 Nf4 10 Bd1 Nxd3 11 Qc2 Bf5 12 Be2 Nxc1 13 Qxc1 e4 14 Nd4 Nxd4 15 Re1 Nxe2+ 16 Rxe2 Bg5 17 Qc2 Re8 18 c4 Qd3 19 Qd1 Rad8 20 Qe1 Bxd2 21 Qf1 Qd4 22 Rd1 e3 23 fe Bxe3+ 24 Kh1 Qxd1 25 Re1 Qh5 26 h3 Be4 27 Rxe3 Bxg2+ 28 Qxg2 Rxe3 29 b3 Re1+ 30 Kh2 Qe5+ 31 Qg3 Rd2++ 0-1
This game needs no comment, the title says it all.
White: DrChrome
Black: glenn stegman
Event: feb fast round 2
Date: 2001-04-01
(C40 Damiano's D)
1 e4 e5
2 Nf3 f6
3 d4 Bd6
4 de Bxe5
5 Nxe5 fe
6 Bc4 Ne7
7 Bg5 Rf8
8 Qh5+ g6
9 Qxh7 Nbc6
10 Bh6 Nd4
11 Bf7+ Rxf7
12 Qh8+ Ng8
13 Qxg8+ Ke7
14 Bg5+ 1-0
{black resigns)
Once again, we see the Ponziani, Jaenisch C-A; this time played more aggresivly by white. White elects to trade queens on 10.(as he probably should.) The game is exactly equal material wise, but white stands slightly better positionaly. But 11.f3 gives the slight edge away. The exchange of his light squared bishop for my knight on 17 is pivotal. My bishop pair proves the difference.In open positions, the bishop pair is stronger than the knight and bishop, white should try to exchange one of his minor pieces for one of my bishops and keep both his rooks on the board untill that is acomplished to minimize the bishop pair's power. Sadly for white, he does neither. White's pieces are handcuffed by 24.
White: glenn stegman
Black: DrChrome
Event: feb fast round 2
Date: 2001-04-01
(C44 Ponziani, Jaenisch C-A)
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 c3 Nf6 4 d3 d5 5 ed Nxd5 6 d4 ed 7 Nxd4 Nxd4 8 Qxd4 Be7 9 Bc4 Nf6 10 Qxd8+ Bxd8 11 f3 0-0 12 0-0 c6 13 Bg5 Re8 14 Nd2 b5 15 Bb3 Bb6+ 16 Kh1 Nd5 17 Bxd5 cd 18 Rae1 Bf5 19 b3 f6 20 Bf4 Rxe1 21 Rxe1 Rc8 22 Rc1 g5 23 Bg3 Be3 24 Be1 Bd3 25 g3 a6 26 h4 gh 27 gh h5 28 Kg2 Kf7 29 Kg3 Rg8+ 30 Kh3 Bf4 31 a4 Bf5++ 0-1
The mind is a terrible thing! On move 11 I am faced with a difficult choise of moves. I considered two moves for a long time, 0-0-0 and 0-0. Blscks pieces are poised for a queenside attack. Castling queenside would give the king a bigger body guard, and free up the kingside pawns for a pawn storm against the black king- but would bring the white king under attack. Kingside castling offers more immediate safety, but less attacking chances for white. My calculations were unable to determine a clear advantage for either move. Flawed chess thinking is the true dragon in this game, unable to choose between two well considered moves, I make a rash, ill-considered move instead. 11.Na4 is a blunder that loses the e pawn and the knight! (could have been worse-15.Nc6 Nxc6 16.bxc6 Bxc6+! forking the rook and king.)
In his book "Three Steps To Chess Mastery", Alexei Suetin says: "If there is the oppertunity to choose between two continuations of roughly equal effect, it is better to select the path which contains fewer variations, and, conseuently, the less danger of a mistake." Had I read that before this game, I would have kingside castled. But as it turned out, Shenkerian had a 'dragon' of his own to deal with. Move 67 and we have reached a winning end game for black. King, Rook, and two connected pawns vs. King and Rook. All he has to do is keep the pawns connected to insure that one will queen. He allows the pawns to become seperated, and loses one with the exchange of rooks. On move 80, I told Shenkerian the game was drawn because his pawn could not queen. He did not believe it! Once the pawn reached the 3rd rank, it became obvious to him, and he agreed to the draw.
My flawed decision making vs. his lack of end game technique, the two 'dragons' cancel each other out and the result is a draw.
White: DrChrome
Black: Shenkerian
Event: feb fast round 2
Date: 2001-04-01
(B70 Sicilian, Dragon V)
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cd 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6 6 Bb5+ Bd7 7 Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8 Bg5 Qb6 9 Nb3 Bg7 10 Qd2 0-0 11 Na4? Qc6 12 Qb4 Qxe4+ 13 Qxe4 Nxe4 14 Be3 b5 15 Nd4 ba 16 f3 Nec5 17 0-0 Rfc8 18 a3 Rab8 19 Ra2 Ne5 20 Bf2 Nc6 21 Nxc6 Rxc6 22 Bxc5 Rxc5 23 c3 Rcb5 24 Rf2 d5 25 Rd2 Bh6 26 Re2 e6 27 Rc2 Rc8 28 Re2 Rb3 29 Kf1 Bf4 30 g3 Bh6 31 f4 Rc4 32 Ra1 d4 33 cd Rxd4 34 Rc1 Rd7 35 Rc8+ Bf8 36 Ke1 Rdb7 37 Rcc2 h6 38 Kd1 Bg7 39 Kc1 g5 40 fg hg 41 Red2 g4 42 Re2 Rf3 43 Re1 Rd3 44 Re4 Rf3 45 Re1 Rb8 46 Rg2 a6 47 Rc2 Bh6+ 48 Kb1 Rxa3 49 Re4 Bg7 50 Rxg4 Kf8 51 Kc1 Rab3 52 Rxa4 Bxb2+ 53 Kd1 Ra8 54 Rc6 Rd8+ 55 Kc2 Rdd3 56 Raxa6 Bd4 57 Ra2 Bg1 58 Kc1 Ke7 59 Rc7+ Kf6 60 Rc4 Be3+ 61 Kc2 Bg1 62 Kc1 Rbc3+ 63 Rxc3 Rxc3+ 64 Kd2 Rf3 65 Ke1 Rb3 66 Kf1 Bxh2 67 Rxh2 Rxg3 68 Rh8 e5 69 Kf2 Rg6 70 Kf3 Ke7 71 Ke4 Re6 72 Kf5 e4 73 Rh2 e3 74 Re2 f6 75 Kg4 Re5 76 Kf4 Ke6 77 Rxe3 Rxe3 78 Kxe3 Ke5 79 Kf3 f5 80 Ke3 f4+ 81 Kf3 Kf5 82 Kf2 Ke4 83 Ke2 f3+ 84 Kf2 Kf4 85 Kf1 Ke3 86 Ke1 Kf4 87 Kf2 1/2
What a battle this was! I usually adopt the King's Indian Defence when faced with something unusual. What could be more unusual than 1.c4 2.b4? On move 7, I gambit a pawn to try and gain some queen side counter play. But white is able to hold his own. So, on move 22 I sacrifice another pawn. White declines the trade of queens on 27 , and in the resulting combination trades his queen for a pawn , knight, and a rook. I quickly retake the pawn. Still, I must be very carefull that his minor pieces don't overwelm my queen. I am able to retake the sacrificed pawns, and after an excange of rooks, it's Queen and Bishop vs. Rook, Bishop and Knight. Both sides have three pawns. After some clever tactical moves, I exchange my Bishop for 2 of his pawns, and the Knight. Then I exchange to capture his remaining pawn. This leaves Queen and pawn vs. Bishop and Rook. The game is won for black, it's just a matter of technique and a lot of moves. Once again, Shenkerian makes an endgame mistake. This one cost him the Bishop, and he soon resigned. Interesting is the position after move 59. Black has left his remaining pawn en prise but 60.Rxh5 then 60...Qd1+ winning the rook!
White: Shenkerian
Black: DrChrome
Event: feb fast round 2
Date: 2001-04-01
(A15 English, Orang-utan)
1 c4 Nf6 2 b4 g6 3 Bb2 Bg7 4 g3 d6 5 Bg2 0-0 6 d3 c6 7 Nf3 b5 8 cb Bb7 9 bc Bxc6 10 0-0 Qb6 11 a3 a5 12 Bd4 Qc7 13 ba Rxa5 14 Qb3 Nbd7 15 Nbd2 e5 16 Bc3 Rb5 17 Bb4 Nd5 18 Rab1 Nxb4 19 ab Bd5 20 Qa4 Qb7 21 Rfc1 Ra8 22 Qc2 e4 23 Nxe4 Bxe4 24 de Ne5 25 Qd2 Rb6 26 Qd5 Rb8 27 Rd1 Nc6 28 Qxd6 Nd4 29 Rxd4 Rxd6 30 Rxd6 Qxe4 31 Rbd1 Qxe2 32 Rd8+ Bf8 33 R1d4 Rxd8 34 Rxd8 Kg7 35 Rd2 Qb5 36 Bf1 Qxb4 37 Bg2 h5 38 Rd7 Qb5 39 Rd1 Bc5 40 Bf1 Qc6 41 Bg2 Qe4 42 Rd7 Qe2 43 h4 Bxf2+ 44 Kh2 Qb5 45 Re7 Qb8 46 Ne5 Bxg3+ 47 Kxg3 Kf6 48 Rxf7+ Ke6 49 Rf4 Qxe5 50 Kf3 Qc3+ 51 Kf2 g5 52 hg Qc5+ 53 Kf3 Ke5 54 Re4+ Kf5 55 Ke2 Qc2+ 56 Kf1 Qc1+ 57 Kf2 Qd2+ 58 Kf3 Kxg5 59 Re5+ Kf6 60 Re4 Qd5 61 Kf2 Qc5+ 62 Kf3 Kg5 63 Bh3 Qc3+ 64 Re3 Qf6+ 65 Kg2 Qb2+ 66 Kf3 Qb7+ 67 Ke2 Kf4 68 Rd3 Qb2+ 69 Kd1 Ke4 70 Rd2? Qb3+ 71 Kc1 Qxh3 72 Re2+ Kf3 0-1
Black's third move is poor, exd is the proper responce. His 4th move is a wasted tempo. Nge7 would have been better than 6...f6, though Black is allready in serious trouble.
White: DrChrome
Black: Josh Landon
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (3)
Date: 2001-05-23
(C44 Scotch O)
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 d5 ? 4 Nxe5 Nb4 ?? 5 a3 Nc6 6 Bb5 f6? 7 Nxc6 bxc6 8 Bxc6+ Bd7 9 Bxa8 1-0
White: Josh Landon
Black: DrChrome
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (3)
Date: 2001-05-23
(B02 Alekhine, Two Pawns (Lasker's) A)
1 e4 Nf6 2 e5 Nd5 3 c4 Nb6 4 c5 Nd5 5 Bc4 e6 6 Qh5 ? Nf4 7 Qf3 Qg5 8 g3 Qxe5+ 0-1
The Elephant Gambit is very tactical, and gives black good counter attacking chances. Black overestimates the effects of 10...Bh3, but manages to escape the resulting exchanges only down a pawn. Perhaps I should give myself an exclaimation mark for 16. Bxc6 . it removes black's most dangerous piece and weakens black's queenside pawn structure. (where white has a majority) 18...Nd4 was a poorly considered counter, perhaps better was e4 or g5, though Black still can not equalize.
White: DrChrome
Black: Kenny,D
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (3)
Date: 2001-05-23
(C40 Queen's Pawn C-G (Elephant G))
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d5 3 exd5 Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qe6 5 b3 Nc6 6 Bc4 Qg6 7 Nb5 Bd6 8 Ba3 a6 9 Nxd6+ cxd6 10 0-0 Bh3 11 Nh4 Qg5 12 Bxf7+ Ke7 13 Qh5 Qxh5 14 Bxh5 Be6 15 Bf3 Nf6 16 Bxc6 bxc6 17 Rae1 c5 18 f4 Nd7 19 d4 cxd4 20 fxe5 Raf8 21 exd6+ Kd8 22 Rxe6 Rxf1+ 23 Kxf1 Rf8+ 24 Nf3 Nf6 25 Re7 1-0
One of the principals of the Alekhine Defence is to bait white into overextending. The Lasker Two Pawn Attack, or Chase Variation, is a valid method of attacking the Alekhine. By sacrificing his c pawn, white can gain good iniative for a king side attack. Kenny was unwilling to make the sacrifice and went to great lengths to protect the pawn. His pawn picket line has disappeared by move 16. 18 Nf5 was a tactical error from which white was unable to recover.
White: Kenny,D
Black: DrChrome
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (3)
Date: 2001-05-23
(B02 Alekhine, Two Pawns (Lasker's) A)
1 e4 Nf6 2 e5 Nd5 3 c4 Nb6 4 c5 Nd5 5 Bc4 e6 6 Bxd5 exd5 7 d4 b6 8 b4 a5 9 Qa4 Bb7 10 Nf3 f6 11 0-0 axb4 12 Qxb4 fxe5 13 Nxe5 d6 14 Ng4 h5 15 Ne3 dxc5 16 Qc3 cxd4 17 Qxd4 Be7 18 Nf5 Bf6 19 Re1+ Kf7 20 Qe3 Re8 21 Qd2 Rxe1+ 22 Qxe1 Bxa1 23 Nc3 Qf6 24 Ng3 Bxc3 0-1
White: DrChrome
Black: Patrick
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (3)
Date: 2001-05-23
(B10 Caro-Kann, Closed (Breyer) V)
1 e4 c6 2 d3 d5 3 Nd2 dxe4 4 dxe4 h6 5 Ngf3 Bg4 6 h3 Bh5 7 Bd3 Nd7 8 0-0 Qc7 9 b3 e5 10 Bb2 f6 11 Qe2 0-0-0 12 Rfd1 Bc5 13 c3 Ne7 14 b4 Bb6 15 a4 a5 16 g4 Bg6 17 bxa5 Bxa5 18 Nc4 Nb8 19 Nxa5 Qxa5 20 Nd2 h5 21 Nc4 Qa7 22 Ba3 c5 23 Rdb1 Nd7 24 Nd6+ Kb8 25 Rxb7+ Qxb7 26 Nxb7 Kxb7 27 Bb5 1-0
A quick visit to the U. of Pitt. site gave me the idea for this new (for me!) defence. Queen's Indian ala Nimzo! White dawdles setting up his pieces, as a result, none of them ever leave his side of the board! Still, they are beautifully set up. Timid play as the engagement begins results in a loss of a pawn on move 14. Having done his work, Black's Queen Knight exchanges itself for white's dark squared bishop. Now it is the other Knight's turn to harrass the enemy. When he takes the h pawn, white cannot capture the impudent Knight for 20...Qh5+ would win a rook. 22.Bf3 is ill considered, the exchange would open the h file with check, but the impudent Knight does not wait to be exchanged. 22...Ne5! and white should have protected the bishop with Qc3 and then tried to ride out the oncoming kingside pawn storm. Instead white retreats the Bishop allowing 23...Nd3 , forking the Queen and Rook. To paraphrase the Klingon saying, "Today is a good day to resign."
White: Patrick
Black: DrChrome
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (3)
Date: 2001-05-23
(A13 English O)
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 b3 b6 4 Bb2 Nc6 5 g3 Bb7 6 Bg2 Qe7 7 0-0 0-0-0 8 d3 d5 9 Nbd2 g6 10 Qc2 d4 11 Rae1 Bh6 12 e3 Nb4 13 Qb1 dxe3 14 fxe3 Nxd3 15 Re2 Nxb2 16 Qxb2 Ng4 17 e4 Qc5+ 18 Kh1 Bxd2 19 Nxd2 Nxh2 20 Rfe1 Ng4 21 Nf1 h5 22 Bf3 Ne5 23 Bg2 Nd3 0-1
White: DrChrome
Black: Bill Hembree
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (4)
Date: 2001-07-26
(A04 R�ti O)
1 Nf3 Nc6 2 g3 e5 3 d3 Bb4+ ? 4 c3 Ba5 5 Bg2 Nd4 ?? 6 Nxe5 Nh6 ? 7 Qa4 Nc6 8 Bxh6 gxh6 9 Bxc6 bxc6 10 Qxa5 0-0 11 Nd2 Qg5 12 Qxc7 f6 13 Nef3 Qb5 14 Nc4 Qd5 15 Ne3 Qb5 16 0-0-0 1-0
White: Bill Hembree
Black: DrChrome
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (4)
Date: 2001-07-26
(B02 Alekhine, Scandinavian V)
1 e4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 e5 Ne4 4 Nxe4 dxe4 5 Nh3 Nc6 6 Qe2 Nd4 7 Qxe4? Bf5 8 Qxb7 Rb8 9 Qxa7 Nxc2+ 10 Kd1 Nxa1 11 Qa4+ Qd7 12 Qa7 Rd8 13 b3 Qc6 14 Qa3 Qc2+ 0-1
I love this game! The Kings Indian Attack is not known as a "tactical" opening, white allows black to set up his pieces however he wants. In grandmaster games, black uses a conservitive approach forcing the game into stratigic, positional lines. In non grandmaster games, black frequently rushes to occupy the center, allowing white to counter-attack it in hypermodern fashion. In this game, black goes for the former approach. However, he makes a slight stratigic error allowing the c pawn to become "backward". Look at the postition after move 12 to see what I mean. Normally in grandmaster games, the c pawn is advanced to c6 or c5. If c6, then the knight is posted on d7. This small flaw would probably be enough for white to gain an advantage, but play took a different turn. 13...Qd7 is a mistake which allows 14.Bxf6 creating a hole in front of the black king. Now watch as tactics take over... keep your eye on the sixth rank. 15. cxd5 brings the e6 pawn up. 16.Qh6, now the queen takes up residence on the sixth rank. Black could not resist 16...Bxa3, snacking on the hanging pawn, attacking the rook, but another piece vacates the sixth rank. 17.Rxc6 ! the winning shot. Now the queen recaptures, bringing her majesty up to the vacated sixth rank. 18.Ng5 threatens mate, fxg5 is forced and black's queen is lost. Black could have resigned, but that would have denied me the pretty checkmate.
White: DrChrome
Black: Matt
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (4)
Date: 2001-07-26
(A06 R�ti, Old Indian A)
1 Nf3 d5 2 g3 Nc6 3 Bg2 Nf6 4 d3 Bg4 5 Nbd2 e6 6 0-0 Bd6 7 c4 0-0 8 b3 Nb4 9 a3 Nc6 10 Bb2 Bxf3 11 Nxf3 a6 12 Qd2 b5 13 Rac1 Qd7 14 Bxf6 gxf6 15 cxd5 exd5 16 Qh6 Bxa3 17 Rxc6 Qxc6 18 Ng5 fxg5 19 Qxc6 Rac8 20 Qxd5 h6 21 Qf5 Rce8 22 Be4 Kg7 23 Qh7+ Kf6 24 Qxh6+ Ke7 25 Ra1 Bb2 26 Qxg5+ f6 27 Qc5+ Kd8 28 Rxa6 Be5 29 Bf5 Bd6 30 Rxd6+ Ke7 31 Rd7++ 1-0
White: Matt
Black: DrChrome
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (4)
Date: 2001-07-26
(B05 Alekhine, Modern V, 4...Bg4)
1 e4 Nf6 2 e5 Nd5 3 d4 d6 4 Nf3 Bg4 5 Be2 Nc6 6 0-0 e6 7 Nc3 dxe5 8 Nxe5 Bxe2 9 Qxe2 Nxd4 10 Qe4 c5 11 Nxd5 Qxd5 12 Qxd5 exd5 13 c3 Ne2+ 14 Kh1 Nxc1 15 Raxc1 f6 16 Nf3 Kd7 17 Rfe1 Bd6 18 Rcd1 Kc6 19 Nh4 g6 20 Re6 f5 21 c4 d4 22 g3 Rae8 23 Rde1 Rxe6 24 Rxe6 Kd7 25 Re2 Re8 26 Rd2 Bc7 27 Nf3 Ba5 28 Rd1 Re2 29 Kg2 Rxb2 30 a3 Rb3 31 Ra1 Bc3 32 Ra2 d3 33 Ne5+ Bxe5 34 a4 Bb2 35 Kf1 Bc3 36 h3 Rb1+ 0-1
I had the crazy notion to transpose into the Smith-Morra Gambit with 2.d4 and 3.c3, but Torenvalk would have none of that. "To Risky" where his words. Without the white pawn on e4, black is easily able to safely decline the gambit. Now I am in uncharted waters, I never play Queen Pawn openings as white! (I was able to successfuly make the transposition in an I.E.C.C. match- 1.Nf3 c5 2.e4! Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.Nxc3. Should Black play 2...d6, the Smith-Morra transposition is off and we are back to the KIA, but that was what intended with 1.Nf3 anyway.)
I had a long think on move 9. Was it better for me to exchange the bishops on d3 or allow Black to exchange on f4? Is opening the e file worth doubling the pawns? I think I made the right choise, black intended Qd3 anyway, 9.Bxd3 would have given it to him with tempo. I do not have a chance to use the e file for my rook (the c file is where the action is!), but the doubled pawn proves not to be a serious weakness. Black's queenside offensive is miscalculated, and after the fireworks, he is down a Knight. The key move here was 17.Ne5. The white Knight is powerfully posted, here. Black cannot exchange or he will lose a piece. A retreat of the Black Knight on c6 gives the c file to white, though black doesn't want to do this, he must. With 17...Ne7 and 18...Raa8 Black can contest the c file.
The powerfull Knight takes over. It opens the a file for the white pawn (which eventually Queens) and then forks the king and rook. Black gamely plays on, but after the pawn Queens, checkmate is unavoidable.
White: DrChrome
Black: Torenvalk
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (4)
Date: 2001-07-26
(D13 Queen's G-D Slav, Exchange V)
1 Nf3 c5 2 d4 cxd4 3 c3 d5 4 cxd4 Nc6 5 Nc3 Nf6 6 Bf4 e6 7 e3 a6 8 Bd3 Bd6 9 0-0 Bxf4 10 exf4 Qd6 11 Qd2 0-0 12 Rac1 b5 13 a4 b4 14 Ne2 a5 15 b3 Ba6 16 Bxa6 Rxa6 17 Ne5 Rc8 18 Qd3 Raa8 19 Qb5 Rab8 20 Rxc6 Qd8 21 Rfc1 Rxb5 22 Rxc8 Rb8 23 Rxd8+ Rxd8 24 Nc6 Re8 25 Nxa5 g6 26 Rc7 Ne4 27 Nc6 Nd2 28 Nc1 Kg7 29 f3 Rf8 30 Kf2 Kf6 31 Ne5 h6 32 Nd7+ Ke7 33 Nxf8+ Kxf8 34 a5 Nb1 35 a6 Nc3 36 a7 Nb5 37 a8=Q+ Kg7 38 Rc8 Nxd4 39 Rg8+ Kf6 40 Qd8+ Kf5 41 g4+ Kxf4 42 Qf6+ Nf5 43 Nd3++ 1-0
This is the prettiest game of the whole bunch! Black simply plays normal Benko moves, easily regains the gambited pawn and obtains a desicive advantage. The game proceeds normally through the first seven moves, till white's 8.Nd2. This is a seldom seen variation, the idea is to allow white to play the desired e4 with out losing castling privileges. The problem with it is that it takes to much time. By move 13, Black is beautifully set up, his rooks on the two open A and B files, and the other pieces harmoniously developed in a Kings' Indian fashion. While white has little to boast of save his three advanced center pawns. 14...e6 - it is now time to undermine those pawns! White refuses the exchange of queens on 17 as it will leave both his b and e pawns unprotected. 17.b3 Qxe4! white dare not exchange queens, now. (18.Qxe4 Nxe4 and the bishop and rook are under attack. If 19.Rd1 then19... Rxa2!) And now, 19...Nh5!, the winning move. This brings a discovered attack on the rook at a1, as well as attacking the f pawn (white's last remaining central pawn). White protects the rook with 20.Bc3 but 20...Nxf4 brings overwhelming threats, chief of which is Ne2+ forking the King and Queen. (21.Rf2? or Re1?-21...Nd3! forking the queen and rook. 21.Qe1? or Qd2?- 21...Bxc3! 22.Qxc3 Ne2+! forking the King and queen. Other Queen moves lose the Knight with check.) White reluctantly accepts the lesser of all evils and exchanges this rook for the dangerous Knight. But this leaves white down a pawn and the exchange with all the positional plusses belonging to Black. All that is left now is to exchange the remaining pieces to arrive at a won end game. 30.Rd2? is a mistake that loses the Knight, and white can offer no more resistance.
White: Torenvalk
Black: DrChrome
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (4)
Date: 2001-07-26
(A58 Benko G, Nd2 V)
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 b5 4 cxb5 a6 5 bxa6 Bxa6 6 Nc3 d6 7 Nf3 g6 8 Nd2 Bg7 9 e4 Bxf1 10 Nxf1 0-0 11 Ne3 Nbd7 12 f4 Qa5 13 0-0 Rfb8 14 Qc2 e6 15 Bd2 exd5 16 Ncxd5 Qa4 17 b3 Qxe4 18 Nxf6+ Nxf6 19 Qc1 Nh5! 20 Bc3 Nxf4 21 Rxf4 Qxf4 22 Bxg7 Kxg7 23 Qc3+ Qd4 24 Qxd4+ cxd4 25 Nc4 Rxb3 26 Nxd6 Rb6 27 Nc4 Rba6 28 Rd1 Rxa2 29 Rxd4 R8a4 30 Rd2? Ra1+ 31 Kf2 Rxc4 32 h3 Rac1 33 Kg3 R4c2 34 Rd4 Rg1 35 Kf3 Rcxg2 36 Rd7 Rg3+ 37 Ke4 Rxh3 38 Rb7 Rd1 39 Rxf7+ Kxf7 40 Kf4 Rh5 41 Ke3 Re5+ 42 Kf2 Rd3 43 Kf1 Rd2 44 Kg1 Re1++ 0-1
White: DrChrome
Black: Orick
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (5)
Date: 2001-09-17
(A13 English, Neo-Catalan)
1 Nf3 d5 2 c4 e6 3 b3 Nf6 4 g3 dxc4 5 bxc4 e5 6 Bb2 e4 7 Nd4 c5 8 Nc2 Bd6 9 Bg2 0-0 10 0-0 Nc6 11 Bxf6 Qxf6 12 Nc3 Be5 13 Nxe4 Qe6 14 Rc1 Qxc4 15 Ne3 Qxa2 16 Nxc5 Bd4 17 Nxb7 Bxb7 18 Bxc6 1-0
In this game, white has exellent threats on both sides of the board when he timed out! (I should have played 5...dxe5 and 6...g6, but the whipping I got in the Jubilee Tournament made me gunshy!)
White: Orick
Black: DrChrome
Event: February 2001 Fast #1 Tournament (5)
Date: 2001-09-17
(B04 Alekhine, Modern, Schmid V)
1 e4 Nf6 2 e5 Nd5 3 d4 d6 4 c4 Nb6 5 Nf3 Nc6 6 Nc3 Bg4 7 exd6 Bxf3 8 gxf3 exd6 9 d5 Ne5 10 f4 Ng6 11 Qe2+ Be7 12 f5 Nh4 13 f6 gxf6 14 Bh3 f5 15 Be3 Qd7 16 a4 0-0-0 17 a5 Na8 0-1
march 21, 2001
The more our playing style embraces tactics, the stronger our Blitz game will be.-Jonathan Maxwell
white to move.
In Blitz the clock is a piece, just like any on the board. Think of it as a pawn, relativly insignificant at the begining of the game. But as it marches forward, it grows in strength, till at the end it becomes as powerfull as a queen!