Games, 8/22/06

A superior thought process separates those good at tactics puzzles from those good at in-game tactics. At every turn, one must check for checks and captures, as those are the most forcing moves.

Loss: likesforests(1435P)-KnightGold(1621)

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Nxd5 Qxd5 7. Bg2 Qd8 8. e4 e5 9. O-O Bd6 10. Re1 O-O 11. d3 Bg4 12. h3 Bd7 13. a3 Nd4 14. Nxd4 cxd4 15. b4 Qf6 16. h4 Qe7 17. Rb1 f5 18. Bg5 Qf7 19. Bh3 fxe4 20. Bxd7 Qxd7 21. Qb3+ Kh8 22. Rxe4 Qf5 23. Rf1 h6 24. Qd5 hxg5 25. Qxd6 Rad8 26. Qxe5 Qh7 27. Qxg5 Rf6 28. Qe5 Rfd6 29. Qe8+ Rxe8 30. Rxe8+ Qg8 31. Rxg8+ Kxg8 32. Rc1 Ra6 33. Rc4 Rxa3 34. Rxd4 a5 35. bxa5 Rxa5 36. Rb4 b5 37. Kg2 Kf7 38. Kf3 Ke6 39. Ke4 Kd6 40. d4 Kc6 41. f4 Ra4 42. Rb3 b4 43. d5+ Kd6 44. g4 Kc5 45. Ke5 Ra3 46. Rb2 Rd3 47. f5 Rxd5+ 48. Ke6 Rd6+ 49. Ke7 Rf6 50. Rc2+ Kb5 51. Re2 b3 52. g5 Rxf5 53. Ke6 Rf4 54. h5 Rh4 55. Re5+ Kc4 56. Kf5 b2 57. Re1 Rxh5 58. Ke4 Kb3 59. Kd3 Rxg5 60. Kd2 Ka2 61. Kc2 Rc5+ 62. Kd3 b1=Q+ 63. Rxb1 Kxb1 0-1

Won two pawns but lost the resulting rook endgame. I need to learn this ending! Under time pressure, there's not much time to calculate.

Loss: likesforests(1470P)-azimj(1395)

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Be7 5. e4 O-O 6. Bg2 d6 7. O-O Bg4 8. h3 Be6 9. Nd5 Qd7 10. Ng5 h6 11. Nxe6 Qxe6 12. Nxc7 Qxc4 13. Nxa8 Rxa8 14. d3 Qe6 15. Be3 Rd8 16. Qa4 a6 17. Qc4 Qd7 18. d4 exd4 19. Bxd4 Ne5 20. Bxe5 dxe5 21. Kh2 b5 22. Qc2 Rc8 23. Rfd1 Rxc2 24. Rxd7 Nxd7 25. h4 Rxf2 26. Rc1 Nf6 27. Kg1 Rxb2 28. Rc8+ Kh7 29. g4 Rxa2 30. g5 hxg5 31. hxg5 Nh5 32. Bh3 Bxg5 33. Bg4 Nf4 34. Bf5+ g6 35. Bxg6+ fxg6 36. Rc7+ Kh6 37. Rc3 Ne2+ 38. Kg2 Nxc3+ 0-1

My tactics won the exchange, but my tactics also lost the game.

Win:tessera(1444)-likesforests(1470P)

1. e4 d5 2. Nc3 dxe4 3. Nxe4 Bf5 4. f3 e6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. b3 Bxe4 7. fxe4 Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Qh4+ 9. Kf1 Qf6+ 10. Nf3 Qxa1 11. Bxb7 Qxa2 12. Bxa8 Bd6 13. d4 O-O 14. Be4 f5 15. Bd3 Qa1 16. g4 Bf4 17. g5 Qxc1 18. Qxc1 Bxc1 19. Rg1 g6 20. h4 Bb2 21. h5 Rd8 22. Bc4 Rd6 23. Ke2 Kf8 24. Rd1 Ke7 25. Ke3 gxh5 26. Rd3 a5 27. Kf4 Nc6 28. d5 Bc1+ 29. Kg3 f4+ 30. Kh4 exd5 31. Bxd5 Nb4 32. Rc3 Rxd5 33. Rxc7+ Rd7 34. Rc8 Rd8 35. Rc7+ Rd7 36. Rc8 Kd6 37. Kxh5 Rc7 38. Rd8+ Rd7 39. Rc8 Rc7 40. Rh8 Rxc2 41. Kh6 Rc3 42. Kxh7 Rxf3 43. g6 Bb2 44. Rd8+ Ke7 45. Rb8 Nc6 46. Rc8 Kd7 47. Rf8 Ne7 48. Rf7 Rh3# 0-1

This was a close tactical battle--the winner changes every few turns.

Loss:likesforests(1474P)-rockstarnz(1437)

1. c4 {Time Control: 900+10} e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Bb4 4. e4 Nf6 5. d3 h6 6. Bd2 d6 7. a3 Bc5 8. b4 Bd4 9. Nxd4 Nxd4 10. g3 Bg4 11. Be2 h5 12. Bxg4 Nxg4 13. h3 Nf6 14. Bg5 a6 15. Nd5 Ne6 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. h4 c6 18. Ne3 Qc7 19. Nf5 O-O-O 20. Qd2 Nd4 21. Nxd4 exd4 22. f3 Rde8 23. O-O-O c5 24. Qf4 Re6 25. g4 cxb4 26. axb4 b5 27. Rh2 bxc4 28. dxc4 a5 29. b5 Qc5 30. Ra2 Qb4 31. Rxd4 Qc3+ 32. Rc2 Qxd4 33. Rd2 Qa1+ 34. Kc2 Kd7 35. Qf5 Rc8 36. b6 Rxc4+ 37. Kd3 Qd4+ 38. Ke2 Qxb6 39. Qxh5 Ke7 40. Qh8 Qb5 41. Ke1 Qb4 42. Qa8 Rc1+ 43. Ke2 Qc4+ 44. Ke3 Re1+ 45. Kf2 Qf1+ 46. Kg3 Qg1+ 47. Kf4 Qe3+ 48. Kf5 Qxd2 49. Qa7+ Kd8 50. Qb8+ Kd7 51. Qb7+ Ke8 52. Qc8+ Ke7 53. Qc7+ Kf8 54. Qd8+ Re8 55. Qxf6 Re5+ 56. Qxe5 dxe5 57. h5 Qd7+ 58. Kf6 Qe6+ 59. Kg5 f6+ 60. Kg6 Qf7+ 61. Kf5 Rf1 62. g5 Rxf3+ 63. Kg4 Rf4+ 64. Kg3 fxg5 65. h6 Qh5 66. h7 Qxh7 0-1

I spent over 60 seconds on each of these moves: 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 17, 19, 22, 27. Too long! I need to choose a move after 30 seconds or so.

I overlooked queen forks, losing a rook, on turns 31 and 37. I can calculate complex tactics, but I still can make such glaring blunders, especially when I have to rush to avoid losing on time.

After 3...Bb4, immediately putting the question to the bishop is best. 4.a3, 4.Qa4 for example. If 4...Bxc3 then 5.dxc3!, opening lines for my bishop and queen. 4.Nd5 would be clever.

After 8...Bd4, chasing away the knight with b5 would be strong. My d5 outpost is temporary. His d4 outpost is permanent.

14.Bg5, pinning the knight is useful, but 14.Be3 to attack the advanced knight on d4 is better.