Games, 8/20/06

I raised my CTS score 10 points, tested CT-ART's "Geometric" motifs three times. Today's games follow. As usual, comments are welcome.

Loss:likesforests(1459P)-AMULET(1762P)

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. e4 d6 8. g3 e6 9. Bg2 Ne7 10. Bf4 e5 11. Be3 Ba6 12. b3 Qc7 13. Rc1 Rd8 14. f4 f5 15. O-O O-O 16. Rf2 exf4 17. Bxf4 Be5 18. Bh6 Rf7 19. Rcc2 c5 20. Bg5 Bd4 21. Bxe7 Bxf2+ 22. Rxf2 Qxe7 23. Nd5 Qe5 24. exf5 gxf5 25. Re2 Qg7 26. Rf2 Bb7 27. Rf4 Qe5 28. Qd2 Re8 29. g4 Qe1+ 30. Qxe1 Rxe1+ 31. Kf2 Re5 32. gxf5 Rexf5 33. Rxf5 Rxf5+ 34. Kg1 Rg5 35. Ne7+ Kf7 36. Nd5 Bxd5

I need to watch my clock. I spent 70sec/move for moves 8-20, and so had to rush to play the remaining moves, missing some tactics:

26.Re2 (5-ply tactic, 50 sec to think) and 33.Ne7+ (3-ply tactic, 1 sec to think). It's frustrating missing a simple 3-ply tactic!

I spent 83 sec on my first 6 moves and arrived at a position that scores only 30% for White. I should learn the English Opening.

Draw: sabi(1483)-likesforests(1452P)

1. e4 d5 2. e5 Bf5 3. d4 e6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Bb5+ Nc6 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. c3 cxd4 8. cxd4 c5 9. Be3 c4 10. Nc3 Rb8 11. Qa4+ Qd7 12. Qxd7+ Kxd7 13. b3 Ba3 14. O-O Bb2 15. Na4 Bxa1 16. Rxa1 cxb3 17. axb3 Ne7 18. Nc5+ Ke8 19. Rxa7 Nc6 20. h3 Nxa7 21. g4 Be4 22. Nd2 f5 23. f3 fxg4 24. fxe4 gxh3 25. Nxe6 h6 26. exd5 Kd7 27. Kh2 Rb5 28. Nc5+ Rxc5 29. dxc5 Re8 30. c6+ Nxc6 31. dxc6+ Kxc6 32. Nc4 Kd5 33. Kxh3 Rb8 34. Na5 Rb5 35. Bd2 Kxe5 36. Nc4+ Ke6 37. b4 g5 38. Kg4 Kd5 39. Ne3+ Ke4 40. Nc2 Kd3 41. Bxg5 hxg5 42. Ne1+ Kc4 43. Nf3 Rxb4 44. Nxg5 Kd5+ 45. Kf5 Rb1 46. Kg6 Rf1 47. Nf7 Ke6 48. Ng5+ Ke7 49. Ne4 Rg1+ 50. Kf5 Rf1+ 51. Kg4 Ke6 52. Nc5+ Kd5 53. Nd3 Ke4 54. Nc5+ Ke5 55. Nd3+ Ke4 56. Nc5+ Kd5 57. Nd3 Ke4 58. Nc5+

I gained a large advantage, then fumbled into a draw.

With 20.h3?, my opponent blundered away his rook. 23...fxg4, I sacrifice a bishop to "open the position". 28...Rxc5 I trade a rook for a knight. These are silly trades. I was in a rush to simplify and win.