Games, 8/16/06

Last night I read Predator at the Chessboard sections 2.1.1 - 2.1.6: knight forks.I also did 77 CTS tactical problems. I refuse to make simple blunders! My opponents will have to earn their points.

Loss: likesforests(1412P)-filco(1769)

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 e5 7. d3 Nc6 8. Be3 Ng4 9. Nd5 Nxe3 10. Nxe3 f5 11. Nd2 Nd4 12. exf5 gxf5 13. Nf3 f4 14. Nxd4 fxe3 15. Bd5+ Kh8 16. Bxb7 exf2+ 17. Kd2 Qg5+ 18. Kc2 Bxb7 19. Ne6 Qf6 20. Nxf8 Rxf8 21. Rf1 Bg2 22. b4 Bxf1 23. Qxf1 e4 24. Re1 exd3+ 25. Kxd3 Qf5+ 26. Re4 Qf3+ 27. Re3 Qf5+ 28. Re4 Re8 29. Kd2 Qxe4 30. Qxf2 Bh6+ 31. Kc3 Qe3+ 32. Qxe3 Rxe3+ 33. Kd4 Re2 34. a4 Rxh2 35. Kd5 Rg2 36. Kc6 Rxg3 37. a5 Bf4 38. a6 h5 39. Kb7 Rb3 40. b5 h4 41. Kxa7 h3 42. Kb8 h2 43. a7 Ra3 44. a8=Q Rxa8+ 45. Kxa8 h1=Q+ 0-1

14.Nxd4 and my follow-ups were overly-optimistic. Before one plays a move, one must calculate his opponent's best response.

Draw: filco(1769)-likesforests(1441P)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. e4 Nb6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Bb5+ c6 7. Be2 e6 8. Be3 Bxf3 9. gxf3 e5 10. dxe5 Qxd1+ 11. Kxd1 Be7 12. Nc3 O-O 13. Kc2 N8d7 14. f4 f5 15. exf5 Rxf5 16. Bg4 Rff8 17. h4 Bc5 18. h5 h6 19. Be6+ Kh8 20. Ne4 Bxe3 21. fxe3 Rfe8 22. Bxd7 Nxd7 23. Rad1 Nxe5 24. fxe5 Rxe5 25. Nd6 Rxe3 26. Nxb7 Rae8 27. Rhg1 Rh3 28. Rd7 Re2+ 29. Kd1 Rxb2 30. Kc1 Rxa2 31. Kb1 Rhh2 32. Rgxg7 Raf2 33. Rh7+ Kg8 34. Rhg7+ Kh8 35. Rh7+ Kg8 36. Rhg7+ Kh8 37. Rh7+ Kg8 38. Rhg7+ 1/2-1/2

Next time I will meet 1.d4 with a serious reply, 1...d5 and the Slav or Semi-Slav. I fell behind in development, but cleverly forced a draw.

Win: likesforests(1465P)-ErnestHemingway(1333)

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2 e4 6. Ng5 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Qe7 8. Qc2 e3 9. fxe3 h6 10. Ne4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 d6 12. d4 Na5 13. Bd3 b6 14. Be4 Bb7 15. Bxb7 Nxb7 16. Qa4+ Qd7 17. Qa6 O-O-O 18. Qxa7 c5 19. Qxb6 Qc7 20. Rb1 Qxb6 21. Rxb6 Kc7 22. Rb5 Ra8 23. O-O f6 24. e4 Rxa2 25. e3 Rc2 26. e5 fxe5 27. Rf7+ Kd8 28. Rbxb7 Rxc1+ 29. Kg2 Rc2+ 30. Kh3 Ke8 31. Rxg7 Kf8 32. Rgc7 1-0

Allowing 6...Bxc3 7.bxc3 was a good plan. Black helped me open the b-file for my queenside attack! My attack was weak, but after he hung two pawns I closed in for the kill. Next time, remember:

    "In Chess, the pawns go first."