Magazines Games 2008-2018 2008

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4 4.f3 Bf5 5.c4 e6 6.dxe6 Nc6! 7.Be3 (7.exf7+? Kxf7 8.Be3 Bb4+ 9.Nc3 Re8 10.Kf2 Rxe3! 11.Kxe3 Bc2! 12.Qd2 (12.Qxc2 Qxd4+ 13.Ke2 Re8+ -+ ) 12...Ng4+!! -+ is an example of some nasty home analysis I cooked up for anyone greedy enough to want to take on f7.  ) 7...fxe6 8.Nc3 Nb4!

An improvement on Tindall-West which Black won rather unconvincingly.  9.Rc1 c5 10.d5?! ( White's best is 10.Qa4+! with the prospect of an edge, in complex play. As far as I know it's only been played once. ) 10...exd5 11.cxd5 a6 Black can take the pawn on d5 straight away but the text keeps greater complexity and maintains pressure on White to solve his development problems. (11...Nfxd5 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 (12...Nxd5 13.Bb5+ Kf7 14.Bc4 Be6 =+ ) 13.Qxd5 Nxd5 14.Bf2 =+ (14.Bxc5? Rc8 -+ ) ) 12.Bg5?! Trying to punish Black for not regaining the pawn, but White's development lag is becoming serious. (12.Kf2 =+ ) 12...Be7 13.d6?! (13.a3 Nfxd5 14.Nxd5 keeps Black's advantage to a minimum. ) 13...Bxd6 -/+ 14.a3 Qe7+! 15.Kf2 Be5! The point of Black's last move. This piece sacrifice to exploit the weakened dark squares is the blow that brings White's problems out into the open.  16.Bc4 ( Accepting the piece leads to quick disaster. 16.axb4? Bd4+ 17.Kg3 Qe5+ 18.f4 (18.Kh4 h6 -+ ) 18...Qe3+ 19.Qf3 Qxc1 20.h3 Qxb2 -+ ) 16...Rd8 17.Bd2? White's last chance to try and defend was 17. Qa4+, but it looks grim.  17...Bd4+ 18.Kf1 Nd3 More artistic than 18...Be3 when White can struggle on by sacking his Queen.  19.Bxd3 Bxd3+ 20.Nge2 O-O 21.Bg5 c4 22.Qd2 h6 23.Bxf6 Rxf6 A picturesque position, with White almost completely paralysed by the bishop pair and Black threatening to triple on the e-file and then take the knight on c3.  24.Re1 Rxf3+! Forcing mate in 4.  25.gxf3 Qh4 Now if 26. Ne4 Qh3 is mate and 26. Kg2 Qf2+ 27. Kh3 Bf5 is also mate. 0-1

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4

4.Ne2 The Alapin variation, in which White can only just equalise with best play. However, it has the advantage of avoiding huge reams of theory and is also one of the few lines against the Winawer that keeps the position open, if that is your strength.  4...dxe4 5.a3 Be7 By declinin g the pawn sacrifice Black equalises easily and avoids some of the sharp lines.   6.Nxe4 Nd7 6...Nf6 immediately may be a fraction more accurate.  7.N2g3 Ngf6 8.c3 O-O 9.Bc4 White wants to restrain Black's Kingside expansion and inhibit the moves e5 and f5. Black can of course still play ...e5 straight away and possibly should, but the text might make it seem a little less attractive.  9...b6 10.O-O Bb7 11.Qe2 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Nf6 12...c5 appears to equalise, though the text is probably okay as well.  13.Ng5!? A rather ambitious attempt to retain complexity, but not actually bad. White figures that the move h6 for Black will make it harder to dislodge the knight from its destination square e5 and also might become a target for Kingside play.  13...h6 14.Nf3 c5 15.Bf4 Bd6! Black is (correctly) not tempted into giving up his powerful white squared bishop for some dodgy pawn hunting exercise.  16.Ne5!? Once again White plays ambitiously to retain complexity. Although objectively roughly equal Black probably has more problems to solve in this position.  16...cxd4?? ( Correct was 16...Nd5! 17.Bd2 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qh4 19.f4 with an unclear position. ) 17.cxd4? (  I spent quite a bit of time calculating the winning sacrifice 17.Nxf7! Rxf7 18.Qxe6 Bd5 19.Bxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxd6 +- but failed to notice that in the final position Black cannot play 20...dxc3 because his knight is now hanging! An embarrassing oversight, but it only gets 1 question mark because it doesn't lose the game for White. ) 17...Nd5 Black offered a draw.  18.Bd2 a6?! (18...Qh4 19.f4 ) 19.Bd3 The bishop was no longer accomplishing anything on the c4-g8 diagonal and repositions to cover c2 and menace the Kingside.  19...Nf6 To prevent Qe4, which would force weaknesses and to potentially reveal the weak pawn at d4. White is however starting to get a small initiative.  20.Rad1 b5 21.Rfe1 Bd5 22.Bb1 Qb6?! Better was 22...Qe7, keeping the Kingside under surveillance.  23.Qd3! Now it's become clear that White has the better game despite his inferior pawn structure. Black's Kingside is in danger.  23...Rfd8? 23...Rfc8 was needed, minimising the disadvantage. Black had to meet the threat of Nd7! but the text allows another evil because it doesn't quite provide the King with enough room to escape.  24.Qg3? ( Incorrectly eschewing 24.Bxh6! gxh6 25.Nxf7! Kxf7 26.Qg6+ Kf8 27.Qxf6+ Ke8 28.Bf5 +/- I was running down my time a bit and was worried that Black may be able to make it messy by declining the second piece sac. The text looked like a safe and strong alternative, but is actually not nearly as good. ) 24...Kf8 25.Qh4! Ng8 (25...Ke7!? was an interesting alternative. ) 26.Re3 Ra7 27.Rde1 Removing any possible tactical counterplay along the d file before launching the big attack. White's back rank is potentially weak.  27...Be7? The start of a bad plan. Black should probably try to mobilise his Queenside here with 27...a5, preventing any nasty Bb4+ ideas as occurred in the game.  28.Qh5 Bg5?? The losing blunder. 28... Bd6 is probably forced at this stage, though the position is still difficult to defend.  29.Bb4+ Ke8 30.Bg6! Obviously 30. Bc5 should be good enough too, but the text is the prettiest way to win.  30...Rdd7 31.Bc5 Qb7 32.Nxd7 (  Winning, but much prettier was 32.Nxf7! Rxf7 33.Rxe6+! Bxe6 34.Rxe6+ Kd8 35.Bxf7 Qxf7 36.Bb6+! Kc8 37.Re8+ ) 32...Qxd7 33.Bxa7 Qxa7 34.Bb1 Bxe3 35.fxe3 Qc7 36.Qe2 To bring the c file under control.  36...Nf6 37.Qc2 Qb7 38.Rc1 Kd7 39.Qf2 Qb8 40.e4 1-0

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.g3 Nc6 5.Bg2 d5 6.cxd5

6...Nxd5 Tarrasch-like structures are supposed to be easier for Black with this set of knights exchanged.  7.d4 Be7 8.O-O O-O 9.Nxd5 After 9. e4 Black can hold the balance in complex play.  9...exd5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Bg5 Qb6 12.Rc1! Taking the pawn straight away hands Black the initiative and it will have to be returned anyway. The text threatens to take the pawn under favourable circumstances.  12...d4 13.Qc2 Bd6 14.Nd2 Be6 Black has almost equalised, but not quite.  15.Ne4! ( After the natural 15.Nc4 Bxc4 16.Qxc4 h6 17.Bd2 Qxb2 the chances are about equal. ) 15...Nb4!? 16.Qa4? ( Missing the chance to keep a slight initiative with 16.Qd2! meeting 16...Nxa2?? with 17. Nf6+! ) 16...Nxa2 17.Ra1 Bb3! 18.Qd7 Bb4 =+ ( Also better for Black was 18...Bc7!? but I rather liked the paradoxical nature of the text, blocking the retreat of the knight on a2 yet like the knight itself, strangely effective. ) 19.Rfd1? A brilliant and creative move, but unsound. White hopes to show the dark side of the stray knight on a2.  ( Best was 19.Nd2 Be6 20.Qxb7 Qxb7 21.Bxb7 Rab8 22.Bf3 but Black is much better. ) 19...h6? ( An over finesse. After 19...Bxd1 20.Rxd1 h6 Black should win. ) 20.Bh4? (  Missing the fleeting gift that Black has presented. 20.Nf6+! gxf6 21.Bxh6 delivers White substantial counterplay. ) 20...Bxd1 -+ 21.Nf6+!? Definitely the best chance to confuse the issue. Black has to defend for a long time now, though in doing so should eventually nurse the material to victory.  21...gxf6! (21...Kh8?! 22.Qf5 Bc2! (22...g6? 23.Qf4 g5 24.Bxg5 +- ) 23.Qxc2 gxf6 allows White more compensation than the game. ) 22.Qg4+ Kh8 23.Be4?! (23.Qf4 f5 defends adequately. ) (23.Rxd1 is probably objectively better, but when you are lost it's sometimes better to be even more lost, with a chance the opponent will go wrong, than just a little bit lost, but in a simplified position. ) 23...f5 (23...Qe6 also seems to win with best play, as does 23...Rg8. ) 24.Qxf5 Qg6 25.Bf6+ Kg8 26.Qf4 Bd2! If you analyse enough with computers you start to play like them! This move is a typical resource when you are a long way up in material. Black forces the opening of the d1 - h5 diagonal and the condemned bishop on d1 suddenly becomes useful in preventing g4.  27.e3 Qh5 28.Rxd1 Again not ob jectively best, but setting Black problems to solve. 28. Bxd4 was the calm way to continue.  28...dxe3! 29.Kg2! e2 30.Rxd2 e1=Q 31.Rd5 Amazingly, even with his two Queens Black only has one way to win here.  31...Qxe4+! 32.Qxe4 Qg6 33.Qh4 Threatening Rg5!  33...Kh7 34.Rh5 Threatening Bg5.  34...Rfe8 Threatening Qe4+  35.f4 Threatening f5.  35...Re2+ 36.Kh3 Re6 37.Bg5 Qf5+ 38.Kg2 Rc8 39.Rxh6+ Rxh6 Or just 39...Kg7.  40.Qxh6+ Kg8 41.Bf6 Qe4+ 42.Kh3 Qh7 Although the attack was unsound, White's creativity can't fail to impress.  0-1

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4

3...c6 The Slav Defence, which is very popular right now.  4.Nc3 dxc4 Here Peter t for some time. I hoped that my morning brush up on the main lines would cope with whatever he threw at me!  5.g3!? Sacrificing a pawn for the centre.  5...b5 Hard-nosed materialism! Black simply says "show me the money".  6.Bg2 Bb7 7.O-O ( If 7.Ne5 Qc8! ) 7...e6 8.a4 a6 (8...b4 would gain time but ultimately lose a Q-side pawn. I decided to hang on to my ill-gotten gains. ) 9.Qc2 (9.Ne5 Qc8 10.axb5 cxb5 11.Nxb5? Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Qb7+ -+ ) 9...Be7 10.e4 O-O 11.e5 Nd5 12.Ne4 Nd7 13.Bg5 (13.Neg5 g6 is the other option. But black's position remains sound and he will play the freeing move ...c5. ) 13...h6 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Nd6 A huge knight, but it can't achieve much by itself.  15...N7b6! 16.a5?! This stabilises the Q-side and creates a target on a5. Maybe (16.Nd2 was better, if  16...Nxa4 17.N2xc4 ) 16...Nc8 17.Ne4 Qc7 A nice re-arrangement of pieces. Keeping an eye on the a-pawn and bringing the Nc8 to the centre to help fend off K-side action.  18.Nc5 Nce7 19.Nh4?! (19.Nd2!? ) 19...Rad8 Eyeing the weak d-pawn and co-ordinating the rooks.  20.Qe4 Bc8 21.Bh3 Nb4! A good maneouvre to get rid of white's good Nc5.  22.f4 Nd3 23.Nxd3 cxd3 24.b4 Trying to nail down the weakness on c6 but... (24.Qxd3 Qa7 ) 24...c5! 25.bxc5 (25.dxc5 Nc6 26.Bg2 Bb7 27.Qe1 d2 28.Qb1 Rd4 29.Bxc6 Qxc6 30.Nf3 Rfd8 31.Qd1 Rd3 ) 25...Nc6 26.Nf3 Nxd4 27.Nxd4 Qxc5 28.Qxd3 Rxd4 29.Qe3 Bb7 What a transformation for this bishop!  30.Ra2 (30.Rad1 Rfd8 planning ...Qd5 with an easy win. ) (30.Bg2 Rd2!! 31.Qxc5 Rxg2+ 32.Kh1 Rc2+ ) 30...Qd5 31.Rg2 (31.Bg2 Qxa2 32.Bxb7 Rfd8 33.Bxa6 Qxa5 ) 31...Rd1 32.Re1 Rd8 33.f5 An attempt to confuse.  33...exf5 34.e6 fxe6 35.Kf2 White is out of moves  35...Rxe1 36.Qxe1 (36.Kxe1 Qd1+ 37.Kf2 Rd2+ ) 36...Qf3+ 37.Kg1 Rd1 38.Bxf5 Rxe1# 0-1

Going into this round 4 game Guy West was co-leader of the tournament with 2. 5/3 and very much wanted the full point from this game. I on the other hand wanted to make up for a horrible loss to Guy two years ago at the Auckland Open  1.e4 c5 2.f4 Nc6 3.Nf3 g6 4.Bb5 Bg7 5.O-O Qb6 6.a4 a6 7.Bc4 e6 8.Nc3 Nge7 9.d3 O-O 10.Kh1 Nd4 11.a5 Qc7

12.f5 Having come out of the opening rather well, White sacrifices a pawn for attacking chances.  12...exf5 13.exf5 Ndxf5 14.Ng5 b5 15.Nd5 Qc6 ( Amusingly both players thought that the following variation would win for white. 15...Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Bb7 17.Rxf5 gxf5 18.Qh5 h6 19.Bxf7+ Rxf7 (  This is what we missed, we assumed black must play the losing 19...Kh8? 20.Qg6 ) 20.Qxf7+ Kh8 21.Ne6 Qe5 22.Qxg7+ Qxg7 23.Nxg7 Kxg7 with a drawish ending. In light of this, the move played is perhaps better, preparing Bb7 ) 16.Nxe7+ Nxe7 17.Bxf7+ Kh8 18.Bd2 Bb7 19.Qg4 Nf5 20.Rae1 h6 21.Re2 A very ambitious move, giving up a piece. ( Alternatively 21.Qh3 Qxg2+ 22.Qxg2 Bxg2+ 23.Kxg2 hxg5 24.Bd5 Rab8 and white would reach an ending where his two bishops compensate for Black's extra doubled pawn. ) 21...hxg5 22.Qh3+ Nh4 23.Re4 (  When playing his 21st move White had apparently intended to play 23.Bxg5 but now realised that  23...Qxg2+ 24.Rxg2 Bxg2+ 25.Qxg2 Nxg2 26.Kxg2 Bxb2 is hopeless for him. After the move played the threat is Rxh4 with mate to follow. Black could defend with Bf6 or even the fancy Qd5 but chooses the simple solution. ) 23...Rxf7 (23...Qd5 24.Bxg5 Rxf7 25.Qxh4+ Kg8 -+ ) 24.Rxf7 Kg8 25.Rf2 Qd6 26.Ree2 Rf8 27.Rxf8+ Qxf8 28.Kg1 Bd4+ 29.Be3 Qf4 (  Here black misses his chance to force the win with 29...Qe8 (or Qe7) pinning bishop to rook. After  30.c3 Bxg2 31.Qg3 Bf3 32.cxd4 Bxe2 -+ it's all over. ) 30.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 31.Qe3 Qxe3+ 32.Rxe3 Kf7 (  The alternative 32...Nxg2 would let the Rook show it's strength in the ending after  33.Re8+ Kf7 34.Rb8 Bc6 35.Rb6 followed by Rxa6 ) 33.Re5 d6 34.Rxg5 Nf5 35.Rg4 Nd4 36.c3 Nb3 37.h4 Nxa5 38.Rf4+ Kg7 39.g4 Nc6 40.g5 Ne5 41.Rf6 Nxd3 42.Rxd6 Be4 43.b4 This move almost loses spectacularly. 43 b3 and 43 Rxa6 should draw comfortably.  43...Nxb4 44.cxb4 cxb4 45.Rd4 b3 (  The Rook can cope with B+2P, but not with 3P. For example 45...Bc6 46.Rxb4 a5 47.Rb1 a4 48.Rc1 Bd5 49.Rc5 Bc4 50.Rc7+ Kf8 51.Ra7 ) 46.Rxe4 a5 47.Re1 a4 48.Rb1 b4 49.Kf2 a3 Black's Q-side pawns are going to produce a Queen but unfortunately (for me!) White will have a blockade position. Black could improve things slightly with (49...Kf7 50.Kg3 a3 51.Rxb3 a2 52.Rxb4 a1=Q 53.Rf4+ Ke6 54.Rf6+ but it's still a draw ) 50.Rxb3 a2 51.Rxb4 a1=Q 52.Rf4 Qh1 53.Kg3 Qg1+ 54.Kh3 Qe3+ 55.Kg4 Qd3 56.Rf3 Qe4+ 57.Kg3 Qe1+ 58.Kh3 Qg1 59.Rf6 Qh1+ 60.Kg3 Qg1+ 61.Kh3 Qe3+ 62.Kg4 Qe5 63.Kh3 Qe3+ 64.Kg4 Qg1+ 65.Kh3 Qh1+ 66.Kg3 Qg1+ 1/2-1/2

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c6 4.O-O Bf5 5.b3 e6 6.Bb2 h6 7.d3 Be7 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.c4 Nbd7

10.a3 Hardly inspiring stuff from White but 10 moves played and no time used .  10...a5 11.Ra2 Bh7 12.Qa1 Qb6 13.Bc3 Qa7 Stopping White's b3-b4. It's a bit hard to know what to do now as White.  14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 Rfd8 16.cxd5 exd5 17.e4?! Risky to say the least. Black's pieces are better placed to take advantage of the game opening up.  17...Qa6?! (17...dxe4! ) 18.Re1! Re8 19.exd5 cxd5 20.d4 Qb5 21.a4 Qb6 22.Nf1 Be4 23.Ne3 Rad8 24.Rc1 Qe6 25.Bc7?! White still has problems with his Rook on a2 being out of play. So 25 Re2 is probably the simplest way to look for equality. The Bishop was well placed on e5, keeping the Black Queen at bay.   25...Ra8 26.Re2 Bxg2 27.Kxg2 Qe4+ 28.f3 Qd3 29.Rcc2 Bb4 30.Be5 Qxb3 31.Qc1 ( Having lost a pawn, White goes looking for chances on the King-side. But the quiet 31.Qa2 Qxa2 32.Rxa2 Nd7 33.Nxd5 Nxe5 34.dxe5 Rad8 35.Nxb4 axb4 36.Reb2 looks like a draw. Black had run out of time by now - he was down to the 1-minute increment, and misses several chances. White's position just keeps getting better for the next 20 moves. ) 31...Qd3 32.Rf2 Re6 (32...Nd7! ) 33.Rc7 Ba3?! 34.Qc3 Qxc3 35.Rxc3 Bb4 36.Rc7 b6 (36...b5! ) 37.Rfc2 Rae8 38.Kf2 Bd6 39.Bxd6 Rxd6 40.Rb7 Rde6 41.Nf5 h5 42.h3 Kh7 43.g4 Rf8 44.Rcc7 Kg8 45.g5 Ne8 46.Rd7 Kh7 47.Rxd5 g6 48.Ne3 Nd6 49.Rd7 Nc8 50.Re5 Rd6 51.Nd5 ( An ending has been reached in which White has the more active pieces. Now the straight forward 51.Rxd6 Nxd6 52.Rd5 Nc8 53.Rd7 is probably winning. However ... ) 51...Rxd7 52.Nf6+ Kg7 53.Nxd7 Rd8 54.Nf6 Nd6 55.d5 (55.Rd5! ) 55...Kf8 56.Re2 b5 57.axb5 Nxb5 58.Rb2 Nd6 59.Rb6 Ke7 60.Ra6 Rb8 61.Ne4 (61.Rxa5! Was better, instead the exchange of the strong Nf6 is probably equal. ) 61...Rb2+ 62.Ke3 Nxe4 63.fxe4 Rb3+ 64.Kd4 Rxh3 65.Ke5 Rd3 66.d6+ Kf8 67.Ra8+ Kg7 68.Rxa5 h4 69.Rd5 Rxd5+ 70.Kxd5 h3 71.d7 h2 72.d8=Q h1=Q 73.Qf6+ 1/2-1/2

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.Nc3 Bb7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 Bb4

7.Qb3 At this po int I was not entirely happy with the result of the opening. Stephen's has steered the game into a position I had not seen or played before. When playing the Nimzo-Indian white often places the queen on c2 (the so called Classical variation) so he can recapture with the queen when white captures on c3. Here he is able to achieve the same idea with Qb3 which simultaneously attacks the pinning bishop.  7...Qe7 8.e3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 d6 10.Bd3 Nbd7 11.O-O-O!? Stephen takes on a lot of risk by castling queenside. If he fails to impose his will on the position before black completes development then his king position will become a liability. Maybe a strongermovewas (11.Bg3 preparing to castle kingside. ) ( black gains counterplay after 11.O-O with  11...Bxf3 12.gxf3 g5 13.Bg3 h5 and the position is unclear. ) 11...c5 Black would like to castle before starting play in the centre, however after (11...O-O?! 12.e4! it is going to be difficult for black to activate his pieces around the imposing white centre. If black tries to grab the pawn with  12...g5 13.Nxg5 hxg5 14.Bxg5 e5 15.d5 then white has a ready made attack on the poorly defended black king. ) 12.d5 b5! ( Again there is no time to delay. After 12...O-O 13.e4 white can control the opening of the centre. ) 13.dxe6 Qxe6 14.Bg3 bxc4 15.Bxc4?! ( The position of the king becomes less relevant after an exchange of queens when the Bishop pair and weak black pawns of d5 and c5 are all in white's favour. Stephen should have sought to exchange the queens with the manoeuvre 15.Qxc4 d5 16.Qf4 O-O 17.Qd6 now the game might end in a repetition of moves after  17...Qg4 18.Qf4 Qe6 19.Qd6 ) 15...d5 16.Qb3? ( The start of a poor plan. Why exchange off one of your pair of bishops and remove a piece which was impeding one of the lines of attack? After this black is clearly better. Better was 16.Bd3 when at most black is slightly better, because of the dangerous white king position. ) 16...Bc6 17.Bb5 Bxb5 18.Qxb5 O-O 19.Kb1 a5 20.Rd3 Ra6 21.Rhd1 Rb6 22.Qxa5?! ( This accelerates the attack. More resistance is put up by 22.Qa4 ) 22...Ra6 23.Qe1 Rfa8 24.a3 c4! 25.Rd4 Nc5 26.Be5 Qf5+ 27.e4 (  The end is swift after 27.Kc1 Nb3# ) ( or 27.Ka2 Rxa3+ 28.bxa3 Qc2+ 29.Ka1 Nb3# ) 27...Nfxe4 28.Ka2 c3 29.Rxd5 c2 30.R1d4 Qe6! There are no more pieces which can come to the aid of this pinned rook on d5. It only remains for black to exchange off the only defender on d4 and the rook falls.  31.Bf4 ( After 31.Qe3 Ra4 the queen is overworked stopping the c-pawn and also being able to recapture on d4. ) 31...Ra4 32.b3 Rxa3+ Once again the knight delivers mate after 33.Kb2 Ra2+ 34.Kc1 Nxb3# 0-1

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c6 3.g3 d5 4.b3 g6 5.Bb2 Bg7 6.Bg2 O-O 7.O-O Nbd7 8.Qc2

Ekeing something out of such openings is hard work.even so,8.Qc2 doesn't look like much.  8...b6 9.d4 Bb7 10.Nc3 (10.Nbd2!? ) 10...Ba6!? Bob Smith uses a bit of original thinking around here. (10...Rc8 11.e4 += ) 11.Ne5 Rc8 12.Rfd1 Qc7 13.cxd5 This shouldn't lead to much,but I was running out of ideas to keep the initiative.Suffice to say,by simplifying thus I'm playing into the drawing technique of the legendary "Smithy". Th This shouldn't lead to much,but I was stuck for ideas to keep any initiative,and I feared the drawing technique of the legendary "Smithy".  13...cxd5 (13...Nxe5 14.dxe5 Nxd5 15.e6!? Nxc3 16.Bxc3 Bxc3 (16...Bxe2 17.Rd7 ) 17.Qxc3 Bxe2?! (17...fxe6 18.Bh3 ) 18.Rd7 ) 14.Qd2 e6! (14...Nxe5 15.dxe5 Qxe5 16.Nxd5 Qe6 17.Nf4 Qf5 18.Bh3 ) 15.Rac1 Qb8 16.f4 Rfd8 17.Ba3 White has an optical advantage,at best.  17...Bf8?! I shouldn't be critical of this move,but I was happy to see it ;trading off the dark-squared bishops gives white something more tangible in the position. (17...Qa8 ) (17...Bb7 18.Nb5!? ) 18.Bxf8 Nxf8 19.a4 Bb7 20.e3 a6?! Allows a further softening up of the dark squares! (20...Ne8! ) 21.a5!? N6d7?! I thought 21.....b5 would be more resilient.True,keeping the pawns on seems counter-intuitive for the defence.But there arent many entry points for the white pieces; c5 and b4 are hard to use. (21...b5 22.Na2 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Rc8 24.Nb4 Rxc1+ 25.Qxc1 Qd8!? and white hasn't quite consolidated his advantage. ) 22.axb6 Nxe5?! Wow,giving me the d4 square as well! (22...Nxb6 ) 23.dxe5 Bc6 24.Ne2 Qxb6 25.Nd4 +/- Be8 26.Ra1 Rc5 27.Ra2 Rdc8 28.Bf1 Bb5 Now white gets a tangible gain. Smith has decided,rightly,that passive defence will no longer do.  29.b4 Rc3 30.Bxb5 axb5 31.Ra5 Qd8 32.Rda1 f6 33.exf6 Qxf6 34.Rxb5 Both my opponent and I were getting a bit short of time.I thought I'd worked this out to be losing.  34...e5!? 35.Ne2! Rc2 36.Qxd5+ Kh8 37.Re1? Vacillation.Greed was good. (37.fxe5 Qf5 38.Rf1 Qh3 39.Qf3 Ne6 40.Rb7 Rd2 I'd seen,except I hadn't seen I was threatening 40. Qf6+ Kg8 41.Rg7+!! (40...Rg8 41.b5 ) 41.Qf6+ Kg8 42.Rg7+ Nxg7 43.Qf7+ Kh8 44.Qf8+ ) 37...exf4 38.exf4 Re8 39.Kf1 Qb2 40.Qd4+ Qxd4 41.Nxd4 Rxe1+ 42.Kxe1 Rxh2 So after the evaporation of the forces,white has an extra,outside passed-pawn.It should be winning!?  43.Rb7 h5! Good defence by R W Smith.The fewer the pawns the better,from black's perspective.  44.b5 h4 45.gxh4 Rxh4 46.Ne2 Rh1+ 47.Kd2 Rb1 48.Nd4 Nh7?! Looks turgid. (48...Rf1! 49.Rb8 Kg7 50.Kd3 Kf7 (50...Rxf4 51.Rxf8! ) 51.Ke2 Rb1 52.Rb7+ after which white improves his king,as per the game. ) 49.Kc2 Rb4 50.Kc3 Rb1 51.Kc4 Nf6 52.b6 Rc1+ 53.Kb5 Rb1+ 54.Kc6 Rc1+ 55.Kd6 Rd1 56.Ke6! Ne4 (56...Rxd4 57.Kxf6 Rxf4+ 58.Kxg6 Rg4+ 59.Kf6 Rb4 60.Ke5 Kg8 61.Kd5 Kf8 62.Kc5 Rb1 63.Rc7 ) 57.Ke5 Nc5 58.Rc7 Na6 59.b7 Rb1 60.Rc6 Kg7 61.Rxa6 Rxb7 62.Ke4 Rb4 63.Ra5 Here Bob resigned stating that he felt I had the technique requires to win the position.Must admit,I hadn't worked out what the winning plan was! Securing the g5 square looks like a good start.The following rearrangement of King,rook and knight should suffice.  63...Kf7 64.Rd5 Kf6 65.Kf3 Ra4 66.Kg4 Ra6 67.Nf3 Ke6 68.Re5+ Kf6 69.Rb5 Ke6 70.Ne5 Kf6 71.Rb7 Rd6 72.Rf7+ Ke6 73.Rg7 etcetera. 1-0

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 b6 3.g3 Bb7 4.Bg2 e6 5.O-O Nf6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Re1 d6 8.e4 a6 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Qc7 11.Be3 O-O 12.Rc1 Nbd7 13.f4 Rfe8 14.Bf2 Bf8 15.b3 Rac8

My last book move  16.g4 g6 To prevent intrusion on f5  17.h3 Qb8 (17...e5 18.Nde2 exf4 19.Nxf4 = ) 18.Nde2 b5 19.Ng3 (19.g5 Nh5 20.cxb5 axb5 21.Nxb5 Bxe4 22.Nxd6 Rxc1 23.Qxc1 Bxg2 24.Nxe8 Bxh3 And Fritz reckons black is better but, of course I would never dream of something like this ) 19...bxc4 (19...b4 20.Na4 h6 21.Qd2 = ) 20.g5 White gets more space  20...Nh5 Probably okay but then there is no choice.  21.Nxh5 gxh5 22.b4 (22.Qxh5 cxb3 23.axb3 Nc5 24.Bxc5 Rxc5 And it's hard now for white to make progress on the king side. ) 22...a5 Now black starts taking over.  23.a3 axb4 24.axb4 Ba8 25.Rb1 Bg7 26.Qc2 It might be wrong to take the queen from the king side. (26.Bd4 e5 27.fxe5 Bxe5 = ) 26...d5 27.e5 Nf8 The knight aims for Nd7-f8-g6-e7-f5  28.h4 Ng6 29.Qd2 Ne7 (29...d4 30.Qxd4 Red8 ) 30.Ne2 Nf5 The knight arrives  31.Bh3 ( Better is 31.b5 ) 31...d4 32.Nxd4 Qb7 33.Kh2 c3 34.Qc2 Red8 35.Rbd1 Nxd4 36.Bxd4 (36.Rxd4 Rxd4 37.Bxd4 Qxb4 ) 36...Qxb4 Black is totally winning now   37.Be3 Be4 38.Qe2 Rxd1 39.Rxd1 c2 40.Rc1 Bf8 41.Qxh5 Qc4 42.Qg4 Qd3 43.Qg3 Rc3 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 O-O 6.f4 Nbd7 7.Nf3 Ne8 8.Be3 e5 9.fxe5 dxe5 10.d5 Qe7

11.O-O f5 12.Kh1 f4 13.Bg1 g5 14.g4 h5 15.h3 Kf7 16.Kg2 Rh8 17.gxh5 Nf8 18.Nh2 Nf6 19.Be2 Bd7 20.Bg4 N8h7 21.c5 Ne8 22.Qb3 Bxg4 23.hxg4 Kf8 24.Qxb7 Qd8 25.Qc6 Nhf6 26.Rad1 Rb8 27.b3 Qc8 28.Qe6 Qxe6 29.dxe6 Ke7 30.c6 Kxe6 31.Bxa7 Rb4 32.Kf3 Nd6 33.Bc5 Rbb8 34.Bxd6 cxd6 35.c7 Rb4 36.Rfe1 Rc8 37.Nd5 Nxd5 38.exd5+ Kd7 39.Re4 Rxe4 40.Kxe4 Rxc7 41.Rd2 Rc3 42.Re2 Ke7 43.Nf3 Kf6 44.b4 Rc4+ 45.Kd3 Rxb4 46.Kc3 Rb5 47.Rd2 e4 48.Ne1 Ke7+ 49.Kc4 Rc5+ 50.Kb4 Bc3+ 0-1

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.Nc3 e6 6.O-O Be7 7.Qc2 O-O 8.e4 d6 9.Rd1 a6 10.d4 cxd4

11.Nxd4 Qc7 12.b3 Nbd7 13.Bb2 Rac8 14.Rac1 Qb8 15.Qe2 Qa8 16.f4 Rfd8 17.Re1 Bf8 18.Nf3 Qb8 19.e5 dxe5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.fxe5 Bc5+ 22.Kf1 Bxg2+ 23.Qxg2 Ng4 24.Nd1 Qa8 25.Re2 Qxg2+ 26.Kxg2 Rd3 27.h3 Rcd8 28.hxg4 Rxd1 29.Rxd1 Rxd1 30.Bc3 Kf8 31.Rd2 Rxd2+ 32.Bxd2 Bd4 33.Bf4 Ke8 34.Kf3 b5 35.Ke4 Bb2 36.g5 bxc4 37.bxc4 Kd7 38.Be3 Kc6 39.a4 Bc3 40.g4 Ba5 41.Kd3 Bb4 42.Ke4 Bc5 43.Bd2 Kb6 44.Kd3 Bf2 45.Bb4 Bg3 46.Ke4 Bh4 47.Kf4 g6 48.a5+ Kc6 49.Be7 Be1 50.Ke4 Bxa5 51.Kd3 Bc7 52.Ke4 Bb6 53.Kd3 a5 54.Kc3 Bc5 55.Bd8 a4 56.Ba5 Be7 57.Kb2 Bxg5 58.Bb4 Bf4 59.Bd6 h5 60.gxh5 gxh5 0-1

1.e4 d5 2.Nc3 d4 3.Nce2 e5 4.Ng3 Nf6 5.Bc4 Bd6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.a3 Na5 8.Ba2 c5 9.d3 h6 10.O-O O-O

11.c3 Bg4 12.h3 Bd7 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.b4 Nc6 15.Nh4 Ne7 16.Qf3 Qc8 17.Bxh6 Ne8 18.Bg5 Be6 19.Bxe7 Bxe7 20.Nhf5 Qd7 21.Rfc1 Bg5 22.Rc2 Bxa2 23.Raxa2 Rc8 24.Qg4 1-0

1.c3 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.cxd4 d5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bf4 Nc6 6.Nb5 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2 Ne4 9.Qf4 O-O 10.a3 a6

11.Nxc7 g5 12.Qc1 Qxc7 13.f3 Qa5+ 14.b4 Nxb4 15.axb4 Qxb4+ 16.Kd1 Nf2+ 17.Kc2 Bf5+ 18.e4 Rac8+ 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d3 4.Bxd3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.O-O g6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Qd2 Nf6 9.Bh6 O-O 10.Bxg7 Kxg7

11.Na3 a6 12.Nc2 Qb6 13.Ne3 Be6 14.Kh1 h6 15.Nh4 Ne5 16.f4 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 Qb5 18.Qc2 Rac8 19.f5 Bc4 20.fxg6 Bd3 21.Nef5+ Kg8 22.Nxe7+ Kh8 23.Qf2 Ng4 24.Qd4+ Qe5 25.Qxd3?? Qxh2# 0-1

Had a bad record against Daniel. He seemed to always get White against me and games tended to be me going mental (as I am prone to do) and trying too hard to win and getting smashed. I decided I needed a new strategy against him, thought that I would play solid and keep talking to the demons saying a draw is good enough, wait for white pieces against him. That was the plan anyway...   1.Nf3 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d5 5.O-O

5...Bd6 Good choice of opening against Daniel, he does not study the sharpest openings, so was going to play normal moves and allow Black to unwind and get an OK game - just the kind of no risk opening I needed.  6.b3 Qe7 7.d4 c6 8.Bb2 O-O 9.Ne5 Nbd7 10.Nd2 a5 11.Qc2 Ne4 12.f3 Nxd2 13.Qxd2 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Bc5+ 15.Kh1 dxc4 16.bxc4 White has gone astray, position is equal with Black slowly improving hispieces.   16...Rd8 17.Qc2 Bd7 18.Rad1 Be8 19.Rxd8 Rxd8 20.Rd1 Rd7 21.Rd3 Qd8 = Going with the original plan, didn;t think there was much here, so offerred a draw, Daniel saw something and turned me down.  22.Qd2 Kf8 23.Bc3 b6 24.a4!? = Now Daniel offerred a draw after he played this move, I saw it as a possible mistake and he was losing the thread, so ignoring the voice, I turned it down.  24...Kg8 25.f4 Rxd3 26.Qxd3? (26.exd3 Bd4 27.h3 c5 Would probably have agreed a draw in this line, But Daniel thought swapping Queens led to immediate draw - he had missed the a4 mistake and that that pawn was now doomed. ) 26...Qxd3 27.exd3 Bb4 28.Ba1 c5 29.Kg1 Bxa4 30.Kf2 Kf7 31.Ke3 Ke7 32.Bf3 h6 33.h4? Be1 34.g4 fxg4 35.Bxg4 Bxh4 36.d4 cxd4+ 37.Bxd4 b5 38.cxb5 Bxb5 Thanks to 2 bad pawn moves on the edge Daniel was 2 pawns down, down on the clock - I just needed to be careful of tactics and I was home.  39.f5 exf5 40.Bxf5 a4 41.Ke4 Kd8 42.Bb6+ Ke8 43.Bg6+ Kf8 44.Bc5+ Be7 45.Bd4 a3 Daniel lost on time, but he is completely lost now. 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 4.c4 c6 5.Qb3 Qc8 6.Nc3 e6 7.Rc1 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nbd7 9.Nf3 Nh5 10.Bg3 Nxg3 11.hxg3 h6 12.e4 Bh7 13.Qd1 Nf6 14.Bd3 Qd8 15.e5 Bxd3 16.Qxd3

16...Nd7?! Black should play this Knight to d5. Now White can keep a slight advantage by castling and playing against Black's natural ...c5 pawn-break, but Judy prefers to increase the strategic stakes.  17.g4 Daring Black to castle - either side - but at the slight risk of having her own King marooned.  17...Be7 18.Ne4 Qa5+ 19.Nc3 Rg8?! (19...O-O-O!? =+ White's King is suddenly the more at-risk, the more so because of the advanced g-pawn. ) 20.Nd2 Bg5?! 21.Nc4 Qb4 22.Nd6+ Ke7 23.Rc2 Raf8 24.a3 Qb6!? Black starts to retreat - and never really gets a chance to stop doing so after this. (24...Qb3!? 25.g3 ) 25.b4 f6 26.Na4 Qc7 27.Nc5 Nxc5 28.bxc5 fxe5? Trying to open up some play for her pieces, Black leaves the Bishop in the lurch.  29.dxe5 Bf4 30.Qc3 h5 Imaginative - but the stuff of desperation. Better to sacrifice the Bishop by making White advance her kingside pawns while winning it.  31.Rxh5 Rh8 32.Rxh8 Rxh8 33.g3 Rh3 34.Kf1 Qb8 35.Qd4 Bh6 36.Kg2 Qh8 37.Nxb7 Rh2+ 38.Kf1 Rh1+ 39.Ke2 Qc8 40.Nd6 Qa6+ 41.Nc4 Qc8 42.Qd6+ Kf7 43.Qd3 Ke7 44.Nd6 Qb8 45.Qf3 Re1+ 46.Kxe1 Black resigns 1-0