Magazines Games 2008-2018 2017

1.e4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.Bc4 a6 4.a4 d6 5.Nf3 Nd7

The only game I could find reaching this position was between two apparently unrated players in 2015. Ed: A pattern search reveals dozens of instances of the line 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4.Bc4 Nd7?? Including highly rated victims and highly rated White players who missed the chance to play...  6.Bxf7+! Kf8 ( After 6...Kxf7 7.Ng5+ White either wins the queen or mates in three. ) 7.Bxg8 Andrew is conte nt with a pawn and still has a winning or near winning position but various other moves maintained a stronger initiative. The bishop still couldn't be taken.  7...Kxg8 8.d3 Ne5 9.Nxe5 Bxe5 10.Bh6 Be6 11.f4 Bg7 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.O-O c6 14.Qd2 Bf7 15.f5 Qd7 16.Qg5 Raf8 17.f6+ exf6 18.Qxf6+ Kg8 19.Rf2 Qc7 20.Ne2 Qd8 21.Raf1 Qc7 22.Nf4 Qd8 23.Ne6 Bxe6 24.Qxe6+ Kg7 25.Rf7+ Kh6 26.Qh3+ Kg5 27.Qe3+ Kh5 28.g4+ Kxg4 29.R1f3 g5 30.Rh3 1-0

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 O-O 6.f4 e5 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.fxe5 Nfd7 10.e6 fxe6 11.Nf3 Nc5 12.Bg5 Rd7 13.e5 Nc6 14.Be3 Na6 15.O-O Nxe5 16.Rad1 Ng4 17.Bc1 c5 18.h3 Ne5 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Bh6 Rxd1 21.Rxd1 Bd4+ 22.Kh1 Bd7 23.Bf3 Bc6 24.Bxc6 bxc6 25.Ne4 Nc7 26.b4 e5 27.Nxc5 a5 28.Nb3 axb4 29.Nxd4 Rd8 30.Rb1

The surprising (30.Bg7! exd4 31.Rxd4 Ra8 32.Be5 Ne6 33.Rd2 is about equal. ) 30...exd4 31.Rxb4 d3 32.Rb7 (32.Rb1 was safer. ) 32...Ne6 (32...Ne8!? with the idea ...Nd6 would have been close to winning. ) 33.Bd2 33.Rb1 is passive but again safer.  33...Nc5 34.Re7 Ra8 (34...Rd4! ) 35.Re5! Nb7 36.Re3 Ra3 After this the winning chances are all gone. Instead, (36...Rd8 maintains a slight advantage. ) 37.Bb4 Rxa2 38.Rxd3 Ra4 39.Rb3 c5 40.Ba3 Na5 41.Rb8+ Kf7 42.Bxc5 Rxc4 43.Be3 h5 44.Rb5 Nc6 45.Rc5 Rxc5 46.Bxc5 Ke6 47.Kg1 Kd5 48.Bb6 Ke4 49.Kf2 Nb4 50.Bc7 Nd5 51.Bd6 1/2-1/2

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bf4 Nf6 6.e3 O-O 7.Be2 Nbd7

(7...dxc4 is the natural continuation, taking the tempo. ) 8.Ne5 (8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 cxd5 10.O-O gives White a development advantage but whether he can do anything with it is debatable. ) 8...dxc4 9.Nxc4 Nd5 10.Bg3 b5 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 e6 What will the light-square bishop do now?  14.O-O Rb8 15.Qd4 Qb6 16.Rfc1 a6 Better was (16...b4 with ...Ba6 ideas. ) 17.Rc5 Bb7 18.Rac1 h5 After this Black's troubles just gradually get worse. Better was (18...Qa5 19.b4! Qa3 after (19...Qxa2? 20.Bf3 Rfc8 21.Ra1 the queen is trapped  ) 20.Rc7 a5 and Black is still in the game. ) 19.b4 Rfe8 20.Bh4 Bf8 21.Bf6 Be7 22.Bxh5 Bxf6 23.exf6 e5 24.Qh4 Rbc8 25.Bg4 Rxc5 26.bxc5 Qd8 27.c6 Bc8 28.Bxc8 d4 29.Bd7 dxe3 30.fxe3 1-0

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3

4...Nc6 Maybe Leonard should have copied Ben who was on the next board!  5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 O-O 7.e4 b6 8.Bd3 Ba6 9.Nh3 Na5 10.Qe2 Nb3 11.Rb1 Nxc1 12.Rxc1 d6 13.f4 d5 14.e5 dxc4? (14...Ne4 was the only move, e.g.  15.cxd5 (15.Bxe4 Qh4+ 16.Qf2 Qxf2+ 17.Nxf2 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Bxc4 and Black should hold okay. ) 15...Bxd3 16.Qxd3 Qxd5 17.O-O and the black knight is a bit of a problem. ) 15.Bb1! Now Black completely lacks any "only move".  15...Nd5 16.Bxh7+! Nice concept - retreating the bishop and then sacrificing it.  16...Kxh7 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.Ng5 Qxg5 19.Qxg5 Bb7 20.O-O Rae8 21.Rf3 f5 22.Rh3 Rf7 23.Rf1 Ne7 24.Re1 Nd5 25.Rh5 Rd7 26.Qh4 Kf7 27.Rh7 Rg8 28.g4 fxg4 29.f5 1-0

1.c4 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.dxc6 Bxc6 6.Nc3 e6 7.e4 Bb4 8.f3 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6 10.Bg2 (10.Be3!? ) 10...h5

11.h4 O-O-O 12.Bg5 Qxd4 13.Bxd8 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Qe3+ 15.Qe2 Qxc3+ 16.Kf2 Qd4+ 17.Qe3 Qb2+ 18.Qe2 Qd4+ 19.Qe3 Qb2+ 20.Qe2 Qd4+ 1/2-1/2

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.h3 Bf5 7.Ne5 Nbd7 8.Nc4 Qc7 9.Qf3 e6 10.Bf4 Qd8 11.O-O-O Nb6 12.Ne3 Bg6 13.h4 h6 14.h5 Bh7 15.Bd3 Bxd3 16.Rxd3 Bd6 17.Be5 Nbd5 18.Nexd5 cxd5 19.Qg3 Bf8 20.Re3 Kd7

(20...Rc8!? with ideas of an exchange sac on c3 was worth considering. Certainly the king's excursion to c6 is an interesting idea. White's best plan is the kingside attacking chances after f2-f4-f5 and the cunning king move perhaps deflects White's thoughts to the other side where there's less danger for Black. ) 21.Qh3 (21.f4! with the idea f4-f5 was the real test for the wandering king. ) 21...Kc6 22.Na4 Maybe 22.f4 was still best. It is not easy to develop a real attack on the queenside.  22...Rc8 23.Rc3+ Kd7 24.Rxc8 The further exchange helps Black but the alternative (24.Rb3 b6 25.Nc3 Rc4 doesn't look too fearsome either. ) 24...Qxc8 25.Qb3 Qc6 26.Rh3 Ne4 27.Re3 Qa6 28.Re1 b5?! (28...f6 29.Bf4 b6 or ) (28...b6 29.f3 Nd6 are both abo ut equal but the text move weakens the queenside pawns structure and restores a bit of White's advantage. ) 29.Nc3 Nxc3 30.Qxc3 Bd6 (30...Qc6 31.Qg3 (31.Qa5 Qb6 ) 31...f6 32.Bf4 is nice for White - Black still can't easily complete his development! ) 31.Bxg7 (31.Qf3!? f6 32.Qg4 Be7 33.Bf4 Rc8 34.Kb1 keeps some kingside initiative. ) 31...Rg8 Black has equalised again, all his pieces are now active.  32.Be5 Bxe5 33.dxe5 Qxa2 34.Qb4 Rxg2 35.Qxb5+ Ke7 36.Qc5+ Ke8 37.Qc8+ Ke7 38.Qc5+ Ke8 39.Qc8+ Ke7 40.Qc5+ 1/2-1/2

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3.a4 e6 4.d3 d5 5.Qe2 Be7 6.g3 Nc6 7.Bg2 Nf6 8.Nf3 d4 9.Nd1 e5 10.Nd2 Rb8 11.f4 O-O 12.f5 Ne8 13.Nf3 Nd6 14.O-O b5 15.g4 c4 16.Bd2 b4 17.b3 cxb3 18.cxb3 f6 19.h4 Na5 20.Rb1 Qe8 21.h5 Qf7 22.Nh4 Nxb3 23.Ng6 Nxd2 24.Qxd2 hxg6 25.hxg6 Qe8 26.Bf3

Better was (26.Rxb4 Rxb4 27.Qxb4 Qc6 28.Qb3+ Nf7 29.Nb2 Qc3! and Black's bishop pair ensures him the advantage. ) 26...Nf7! 27.Qa2 b3 (27...Rb6!? with the idea 28...Be6 giving the piece back to block the a2-g8 diagonal may have been better. ) 28.Rxb3 Be6 29.fxe6 Ng5 30.Rxb8 Qxb8 31.Qh2 (31.Kg2 or ) (31.Nb2 both look close to equal. ) 31...Qb3 32.Be2 Rc8 33.Nf2 Qa2 34.Nh1 Qxe6 35.Ng3 Bb4 The obvious (35...Rc2 36.Qh4 would've been more annoying for White. ) 36.Kg2 The f2-square was a better place for the king.  36...Rc2 37.Rh1 Kf8 38.Qh8+ Qg8 39.Kf2 Ne6 40.Qxg8+ Kxg8 Now White is too passive and is bound to lose one or more of his weak pawns.  41.a5 Rb2 42.Rc1 Bc3 43.Nh5 Nf8 44.Kf1 Nxg6 45.g5 fxg5 46.Bg4 Kf7 47.Bc8 Rh2 48.Ng3 Nf4 49.Rb1 Bxa5 50.Rb7+ Kf8 51.Rb8 Ke7 52.Bg4 g6 53.Rb7+ Kd6 54.Ne2 Rh1+ 55.Ng1 Bd2 56.Bf3 Rh2 57.Rb6+ Kc5 58.Rxa6 Nxd3 59.Be2 Rf2# 0-1

1.d4 c5 2.d5 e5 3.dxe6 fxe6 4.e4 d5 5.Nc3 d4 6.Nce2 e5 7.Ng3 Nf6 8.Nf3 Bd6 9.Bc4 Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Qe7 12.O-O Nbd7 13.a3 O-O-O 14.b4 Nb6 15.Nf5 Qd7 16.Nxd6+ Qxd6 17.bxc5 Qxc5 18.Bb3 Kb8 19.Bd2 Rhe8 20.Qd3 Qc6 21.f3 Nfd7 22.Ba2 Nc5 23.Qe2 Rd7 24.Ba5 Nca4 25.Bxb6 Qxb6 26.Qd3 Nc3 27.Bb3 g5 28.a4 h5 29.a5 Qc6 30.Qc4 Qxc4 31.Bxc4 Rc7 32.Bd3 Rc5 33.Ra3 Re7 34.Rfa1 Nb5 35.Rb3

The better (35.Bxb5 Rxb5 36.c3 equalises. ) 35...Nd6 36.Kf2 Rec7 37.Kg3 Nc4 38.a6 Again White should rid himself of the more or less useless bishop, e.g. (38.Bxc4 Rxc4 39.Rb5 looking for counterplay. ) 38...b6 39.h4 Rg7 (39...gxh4+! 40.Kxh4 Ne3 now gives Black a clear, though not yet decisive, advantage. ) 40.Rh1? The last move before 10 minutes additional time gained at move 40. Instead, (40.Bxc4 was still best:  40...Rxc4 41.Rb5 gxh4+ 42.Kh3 Rxc2 43.Rxe5 Rcxg2 44.Re8+ Kc7 45.Rc1+ Kd6 46.Rd1 and White at least has a bit of counterplay in a weird endgame position. ) 40...Ne3 Now all hope for White is gone.  41.Rb5 gxh4+ 42.Kxh4 Nxg2+ 0-1

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 c6 4.d4 exd4 5.Qxd4 d5

6.Bf4 Unusual. The main moves here are 6.Bg2, 6.Bg5 and 6.cxd5.  6...dxc4 And the two games in my big database both saw 6...Be6 played.  7.Qxc4 Be6 8.Qa4 Qb6 9.Qc2 (9.O-O-O Qxf2 ( or 9...Ng4 10.Nh3 Nxf2 11.Nxf2 Qxf2 12.Ne4 ) 10.Nh3 Qb6 11.Ng5 both give White enough play for the missing pawn. ) 9...Na6 10.Bh3 (10.a3 was better but still very nice for Black. ) 10...Nb4 11.Qc1 Bc5 12.Bxe6 Bxf2+ 13.Kf1 Bxg1 (13...fxe6!? 14.Na4 Qb5 15.Nc3 Qc5 with a solid extra pawn. ) 14.Bxf7+ Kxf7 15.Rxg1 Rhe8 16.Rg2 Rad8 16...Nbd5!?  17.a3 Weakening the queenside pawns and chasing the knight to where it needs to go anyway. After the better (17.Bg5 White is still in the game. ) 17...Nbd5 18.Nxd5 Rxd5 19.b4 Qd4 Black's activity is much too much now.  20.e3 Qd3+ 21.Re2 g5 22.Bc7 Rc8 23.e4 Nxe4 24.Qe1 Rxc7 25.Kg2 Qxe2+ 26.Qxe2 Rd2 27.Rf1+ Kg7 28.Qxd2 Nxd2 29.Rf5 h6 30.h4 Rf7 31.Ra5 b6 32.Re5 gxh4 33.gxh4 Rc7 34.Kf2 Nc4 35.Re4 Nxa3 36.Kf3 c5 37.bxc5 bxc5 38.Kg4 c4 39.Re5 c3 40.Kh5 c2 41.Re1 Rc5+ 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Nc3 e6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.e3 Nf6 7.h3 Bh5 8.Bb5 Qd6 9.g4 Bg6 10.Ne5 Nd7 11.f4 f6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Bd3 O-O-O

Black can't really save the g6-pawn, e.g. (13...Ne7 14.Qc2 Kf7 15.Nb5 is close to winning for White. ) 14.Bxg6 Rh6 15.Bd3 Re8 16.Kf2 Qe6? (16...Kb8 first would have avoided the worst of the coming problems. ) 17.Bf5 (17.Qf3!? ) 17...Qf7 (17...Qd6 18.g5 fxg5 19.fxg5 Rh8 20.Qf3 Ne7 gives Black slightly better survival chances but it would still be very difficult defence. ) 18.Qb3! (18.Qf3 looks similar but after  18...Ne7 19.Bd3 f5 20.g5 Rh8 White still has plenty of work to do. ) 18...g6 (18...Ne7 19.Bxd7+ Kxd7 20.Qxb7 +- ) 19.Nxd5 gxf5?! (19...Rh7 20.Bd3 Rd8 21.Bc4 Na5 22.Nb6+! (the only winning move)  22...Nxb6 23.Bxf7 Nxb3 24.Bxb3 +- ) 20.Nb6+ axb6 21.Qxf7 Re7 22.Qd5 fxg4 23.hxg4 Nb4 24.Qf3 Nd3+ 25.Kg2 f5 26.g5 Rc6 27.Qd1 Nb4 28.Bd2 Nd5 29.Kf2 Rce6 30.Qb3 c6 31.Qd3 Re4 32.Rh8 Kc7 33.Rah1 Bg7 34.Rg8 Nxf4 35.exf4 Bxd4+ 36.Kf1 Nc5 37.Qf3 R4e6 38.Rh6 Re4 39.Rf8 Bg7 40.Rxf5 Bxh6 41.gxh6 R4e6 42.Rxc5 bxc5 43.f5 Rf7 44.Bf4+ 1-0

1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3.Bxe5

3...Nf6 There are many hundreds of games in my big database up to here and White has scored almost 47%. Wow! However, Mike seems to be doing okay with his 1.b4.  4.Nf3 O-O 5.e3 d5 6.c4 6.Be2 is the "main" move here (scoring about 47%) but the text move has been reasonably successful recently, though not over a longer period.  6...c5 Now White's percentage in Mega is around 18% from 22 games. White actually won a couple of them.  7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.a3 Ba5 9.Be2 Nc6 10.Bb2 Qe7 11.O-O Be6 12.Qc2 Rac8 13.d3 Bc7 13...Bf5 is strong, the idea being that 14.e4 can be met with 14... Nf4 with a clear advantage.  14.Nbd2 b6 Black's advantage appears minimal now that White has just about completed his development.  15.Ne4 f6 16.Rac1 Bb8 17.Rfd1 Rfd8 18.Qa4 Kh8 19.Ng3 Qd7 20.Qh4 Nce7 21.d4? 21.Nd2 was cessary but the fact that the white queen lacks any escape route is not so obvious.  21...Ng6 (21...Ng6 22.Qe4 Bxg3 23.dxc5 (the only try)  23...Bf5 24.Qxd5 (24.c6 Rxc6 25.Qxd5 Qxd5 26.Rxd5 Rxc1+ 27.Bxc1 Bxh2+ 28.Kxh2 Rxd5 -+ ) 24...Qxd5 25.Rxd5 Rxd5 26.hxg3 Rcxc5 and White is quite lost but could play on for a bit longer. ) 0-1

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4

3...Bg4 The Portuguese gambit.  4.f3 Hits the bishop but weakens the kingside.  4...Bf5 5.Bb5+ Nbd7 6.Ne2 Forgetting to hold on to the d5 pawn?  6...Nxd5 7.Ng3 Bg6 8.O-O e6 9.a3 Be7 10.Ba4 O-O 11.c4 N5f6 12.Nc3 Nb6 13.Bb3 c5 Now the weakness of white's f3 move becomes apparent. The king knight is misplaced on g3. f3 was its natural square.  14.dxc5 Bxc5+ 15.Kh1 Bd3 16.Re1 Bf2 17.Bg5 Bxe1 18.Qxe1 h6! The best chance.  19.Bxh6!? gxh6 20.Rd1 Qd4 21.Qd2? Bc2 was essential.  21...Nxc4 22.Bxc4 Qxc4 23.Qxh6 Bg6 24.h4 Rad8 25.Rc1 Qd4 26.Nce2 Qd2 27.Nf4 Desperation.  27...Qxc1+ 28.Kh2 Rd4 29.Nge2 Qe3 0-1

Grandmaster Torre, who had such a brilliant performance in last chess Olympiad, was overwhelming in the Asian Veterans. It is worth remembering that he is the clear record holder of participation number in Chess Olympiads with the impressive number of 23. Next is Hungarian Grandmaster Lajos Portisch with 20 participations. Winning with a 100% score is of course always fantastic but the ease with which it happened was quite nice. Only against Ewen Green and in the game below against countryman Legaspi there was some danger of not winning.   1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bc4 e6 5.Bb3 Nf6

(Relevant is 5...Ne7 6.c3 b6 7.Be3 Bb7 8.Nbd2 Nd7 9.h3 h6 10.Qe2 as in Short,N (2698)-Kasparov,G (2812) Leuven 2011 1?2-1?2. A clear Hippopotamus System. ) 6.Nbd2 Nbd7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 e5 (8...b6 is another approach. ) 9.c3 Qe7 10.Nf1 Nb6 11.Ng3 h6 12.h3 Kh7 13.a4 a5 14.Bc2 c6 15.b3 Qc7 16.Ba3 Rd8 17.Qe2 Be6 18.Bxd6! A nice way to win a pawn and empowering the c2 bishop.  18...Qxd6 19.dxe5 Qe7 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.e5 Bg7 22.c4 Nd7 23.Nh5 Bh8 24.Nf4 Nf8 25.Qe3 Bg7 26.Nh5 Bh8 27.Nf4 Bg7 28.Nd4 Rd7 29.Rad1 Rad8 30.Rd3 Kg8 31.Red1 Qg5 32.Ndxe6 (  Better is 32.Nfxe6 Qxe3 33.fxe3 fxe6 34.Nxe6 Rxd3 35.Nxd8 Rxe3 36.Nxb7 Rxe5 37.Rd6 with a clear superiority. ) 32...Rxd3 33.Rxd3 Rxd3 34.Qxd3 fxe6 35.Nxg6 Nxg6 36.Qxg6 Qxg6 37.Bxg6 Bxe5 Now Black ha s reasonable drawing chances in this Bishop opposite colours ending.  38.Kf1 Kg7 39.Be8 Kf6 40.Bd7 Ke7 41.Bc8 b6 42.Ke2 c5 43.g3 Kf6 44.f4 Bc3 45.Kf3 e5? This is a serious mistake. Losing control over d5, is opening a corridor for the white King. White can force this by playing g4 and f5 but then the exchange of one pawn makes the position very drawish, even if White takes the b6 pawn, as the black Bishop blocks on b4.  46.f5! Bd2 47.Ke4 Be1 48.g4 Bh4 49.Bb7 Be1 50.Kd5 h5 51.Kd6 hxg4 52.hxg4 Bd2 53.Be4 Bh6 54.Kc6 Kg5 55.Kxb6 Kxg4 56.Kxa5 Kf4 57.Bc2 e4 58.Kb6 Kxf5 59.a5 1-0

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.c5 Nc6 7.Bd3 Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 e5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Qd1 d4 12.Ne4 dxe3 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Be2 Qxd1+ 15.Bxd1 Nd3+ 16.Ke2 Nxf2 17.Rf1 Ne4 18.Rf3 Bg5 19.Bxe3 Rae8 20.Bxg5 Nxg5+ 21.Re3 Rxe3+ 22.Kxe3 Re8+ 23.Kd3 Re1 24.Rc1 Rg1 25.h4 Ne6 26.g4 c6 27.b4 Nf4+ 28.Ke4 Nd5 29.a3 Rg3 30.Bf3 f5+ 31.gxf5 gxf5+ 32.Kxf5 Rxf3+ 33.Ke6 Rxa3 34.Rg1+ Kh8 35.Kd7

35...Rb3 At this stage, Black has more than +7 on the computer. Goffs was already planning a celebration drink after the game, perhaps?  36.h5 Rxb4 37.h6 a5 38.Re1 Nf6+ 39.Kd8 Rh4 40.Kc7 Rxh6 41.Kxb7 Nd5 42.Re8+ Kg7 43.Rd8 a4 44.Rd7+ Kg6 The first mis-step (44...Kf8 45.Rd8+ Kf7 46.Rd7+ Ne7 securing c6 and freeing the Rook is one way ) 45.Kxc6 Nb4+ 46.Kb5 Rh4 47.Kxa4 Nd3+ 48.Kb5 Nxc5 Sometimes it pays to never give up! This is unnecessarily panicky, but the remote White king means the ending is still winning.  49.Kxc5 Rf4? The win is now gone (49...Re4! cuts off the king by one more file, if  50.Rd4 Kf5! ) 50.Kd5 h5 51.Ke5 Rf1 52.Ke4 h4 53.Rd8 Kh5 54.Rh8+ Kg4 55.Rg8+ Kh3 56.Ke3 Kh2 57.Ke2 Rg1 58.Rh8 h3 59.Kf2 Rg3 60.Rh7 Ra3 61.Rh8 Kh1 62.Re8 Ra2+ 63.Kf1 Ra5 64.Kf2 Rf5+ 65.Kg3 1/2-1/2

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Nbd2 a6 7.Nf1 O-O 8.Ne3 Na5 9.Bb3 Nxb3 10.axb3 Re8 11.b4 Ba7 12.O-O h6 13.Nc4 c6 14.h3 Qc7 15.Qc2 Be6 16.Re1 Rad8 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Nxe3 Bc8 19.c4 Nh5 20.d4 Nf4 21.Rad1 Qe7 22.d5

22...Qf6 Black's well placed Knight and Queen give him some tactical chances.  23.Nh2 Qg6 24.Kh1 cxd5 25.cxd5 Bd7 26.Nf3 Rc8 27.Qb1 Bb5 28.Ng1 Rc7 29.g3? Nd3! WInning material  30.Kg2 Qxe4+ 31.Kh2 Qg6 32.Re2 Nxb4 33.Qxg6 fxg6 34.Red2 Rec8 35.Ne2 Bxe2 36.Rxe2 Nc2 37.Nxc2 Rxc2 38.Rdd2 Rxd2 39.Rxd2 Rc4 40.Kg2 e4 41.Kf1 Kf7 42.Ke2 Kf6 43.f4 exf3+ 44.Kxf3 Ke5 45.Re2+ Kxd5 46.Re7 Rb4 47.Rxg7 Rb3+ 48.Kg4 Rb4+ 49.Kf3 Rxb2 50.Rxg6 a5 51.Rxh6 a4 52.Rh5+ Kc4 53.Ra5 b5 54.g4 Kb4 55.Ra8 a3 56.g5 a2! 57.g6 Rb3+ 58.Kf4 Ra3 59.Rxa3 Kxa3 60.g7 a1=Q 61.g8=Q Qf1+ 62.Ke3 Qxh3+ 63.Kd2 Qh2+ 64.Kd3 b4 65.Qa8+ Kb2 66.Qc6 Qg3+ 67.Ke2 Qe5+ 68.Kd1 Qd4+ 69.Ke2 d5 70.Qa4 Qc4+ 71.Ke3 Qb3+ Well played David! 0-1

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 g6 5.Bc4 Nb6 6.Bb3 Bg7 7.Qe2 dxe5 8.dxe5 Nc6 9.Nbd2 O-O 10.h3 Bf5 11.g4 Be6 12.c3 Bxb3 13.Nxb3 f5 14.g5 Qd5 15.Bf4 Qe4 16.Bh2 Qxe2+ 17.Kxe2 f4 18.e6 Rf5 19.Rad1 Nc4 20.Rd7 Nxb2 21.Nbd4 Nxd4+ 22.cxd4 Ra5 23.Rxc7 Ra6 24.d5 Rxa2 25.Rhc1 Na4+ 26.Kf1

26...Nc3? Black should defend with Nb6. However, White rejects the opportunity to collect a Bishop and Knight for a Rook.  27.d6? exd6 28.Bxf4 b5? Black should again be defending with Re8.  29.Bxd6 Re8 30.e7? White overlooks the winning move Bb4 kicking the Knight and preparing Rc8  30...Kf7 31.Be5? White misses his final chance to win decisive material with R (either) xc3.  31...Bxe5 32.Nxe5+ Ke6 33.Nd3 Ne4 34.R1c6+ Kf5 35.f3 Ng3+ 36.Kg1 Ne2+ 37.Kf1 Ng3+ 38.Kg1 Ne2+ 39.Kf1 Ng3+ 40.Ke1 Ra3? (  In the final position White can win simply by 40...Ra3 41.Rf6+ Kxg5 42.Rf8 ) 1/2-1/2

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d5 4.Bb5 Bd6 5.f4 Qe7 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.fxe5 Bxe5 9.Bxe5 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Qxe5 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.O-O O-O 13.Qf5 Qe7 14.Rae1 Rad8 15.e4 d4 16.Na4 Nd7 17.h3 Ne5 18.d3 Rd6 19.Qf2 Rd7 20.Qg3 f6 21.Nb2 Qa3 22.Nc4 Nxc4 23.bxc4 Qxa2 24.e5 Qa3 25.exf6 Qd6 26.Qxd6 cxd6 27.fxg7 Rxf1+ 28.Kxf1 Kxg7 29.Re4 c5 30.Ke2 a5 31.Kd2 a4 32.Kc1

32...Rb7! When I saw William play this, I thought he'd made a mistake. Surely Ra7 was better?  33.Re8 Kf6 34.Ra8 Ke5 35.Rxa4 Rg7 Black doesn't defend the a pawn, but instead goes after White's kingside pawns.  36.Ra8 Rxg2 37.Ra7 h6 38.Re7+ Kf6 39.Re4 Kf5 40.Re8 Rg6 41.Re2 Kf4 42.Re4+ Kg3 43.h4 h5 44.Kd2 Rg4 45.Re6 Kxh4 Black's strategy works!  46.Rxd6 Kg3 47.Rd5 h4 48.Rxc5 h3 49.Rh5 h2 50.c3 dxc3+ 51.Kxc3 Rh4 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nd2 Qb6 6.Qb3 c4 7.Qc2 Bg4 8.Be2 Bxe2 9.Nxe2 e6 10.O-O Be7 11.Ng3 O-O 12.e4 Rfe8 13.Bg5 Qb5 14.e5 Nd7 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.Nf3 a5 17.Ng5 Nf8 18.f4 h6 19.Nh3 Ra6 20.f5 Nxf5 21.Nxf5 exf5 22.Rxf5 Rb6 23.Rf2 Ng6 24.Raf1 Re7 25.g3 Qd7 26.Nf4 Nxf4

27.gxf4 White's advantage according to the computer is less than 0.5. It isinstructive to see how White converts that into a win.  27...Rg6+ 28.Kh1 f5 29.Rg2 Rxg2 30.Qxg2 Qe6 31.Rg1 Kh7 32.h4 h5 33.a4 Rd7 34.Qc2 g6 35.Kh2 Qc6 36.Rb1 Rc7 37.b4 cxb3 38.Qxb3 b6 39.Kg2 Kg7 40.Kf2 Qd7 41.Ke2 Rc6 42.Kd2 Qd8 43.Qb5 Qd7 44.Rc1 White prepares the decisive breakthrough c4!. Nothing can prevent this  44...g5 Black hopes to confuse matters, but it's an empty gesture. (  Black cannot prevent c4, for example after 44...Qe6 45.c4 Rxc4 46.Rxc4 dxc4 47.Kc3 White collects the c pawn and the powerful passed central duo will decide ) 45.hxg5 1-0

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Nbd2 a6 7.Nf1 O-O 8.Ne3 Na5 9.Bb3 Nxb3 10.axb3 Re8 11.b4 Ba7 12.O-O h6 13.Nc4 c6 14.h3 Qc7 15.Qc2 Be6 16.Re1 Rad8 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Nxe3 Bc8 19.c4 Nh5 20.d4 Nf4 21.Rad1 Qe7 22.d5

22...Qf6 From this apparently even position, Black manages to conjure up the initiative and keep it to the end.  23.Nh2 Qg6 24.Kh1 cxd5 25.cxd5 Bd7 26.Nf3 Rc8 27.Qb1 Bb5 28.Ng1 Rc7 29.g3 Nd3 30.Kg2 Qxe4+ 31.Kh2 Qg6 32.Re2 Nxb4 33.Qxg6 fxg6 34.Red2 Rec8 35.Ne2 Bxe2 36.Rxe2 Nc2 37.Nxc2 Rxc2 38.Rdd2 Rxd2 39.Rxd2 Rc4 40.Kg2 e4 41.Kf1 Kf7 42.Ke2 Kf6 43.f4 exf3+ 44.Kxf3 Ke5 45.Re2+ Kxd5 46.Re7 Rb4 47.Rxg7 Rb3+ 48.Kg4 Rb4+ 49.Kf3 Rxb2 50.Rxg6 a5 51.Rxh6 a4 52.Rh5+ Kc4 53.Ra5 b5 54.g4 Kb4 55.Ra8 a3 56.g5 a2 57.g6 Rb3+ 58.Kf4 Ra3 59.Rxa3 Kxa3 60.g7 a1=Q 61.g8=Q Qf1+ 62.Ke3 Qxh3+ 63.Kd2 Qh2+ 64.Kd3 b4 65.Qa8+ Kb2 66.Qc6 Qg3+ 67.Ke2 Qe5+ 68.Kd1 Qd4+ 69.Ke2 d5 70.Qa4 Qc4+ 71.Ke3 Qb3+ Well played David! 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e3 Bd6 5.Bg3 Ne4 6.Nd2 Nxg3 7.hxg3 Nd7 8.Bd3 h6 9.g4 e5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Be2 Be6 12.Nb3 Qd7 13.f3 Nc4 14.Bxc4 dxc4 15.Nd4 Bg3+ 16.Ke2 O-O-O 17.Qc2 c5

18.Nxe6 A critical moment. I overlooked the possibility of Qd3+ forcing the queens off, and giving me a passed pawn.  18...Qxe6 19.Qf5 Qxf5 20.gxf5 Rhe8 21.Nh3 Rd5 22.f6 g6 23.Rad1 Should Black keep the Rooks on, or not?  23...Rxd1 24.Rxd1 Re6 25.f4 Bh4 26.Kf3 Bxf6 27.Nf2 Kc7? I should have stopped White's knight reaching g4 by playing h5.  28.e4 Be7 29.Ng4 g5 30.f5 Rd6 31.Rxd6 Bxd6 32.Nxh6 f6 33.Ng4 Be7 34.a4 a6 35.a5 Kc6 36.Ne3 Kb5 37.Kg4 Kxa5 38.Nxc4+ Ka4 I try to push the queenside pawns through, but would have been safer to have played Kb4 and return to the centre to support the bishop. The three queenside pawns against two will ensure the Knight is tied up defending, and the game might be drawn.  39.Nd2 b5 40.Kh5 b4 41.c4 b3? Black can draw with Bd6 intending Be5, any other move succumbs to the winning plan demonstrated in the game.  42.Kg6 Kb4 43.Kf7 Bd8 44.Ke6 a5 45.Kd7 a4 46.Kxd8 a3 47.bxa3+ Kc3 48.Nxb3 Well played, Pricha! 1-0

1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.f4 d6 4.c3 Nf6 5.Bd3 O-O 6.h3 Nbd7 7.Be3 c5 8.Nd2 cxd4 9.cxd4 e5 10.fxe5 dxe5 11.d5 b6 12.Ne2 Bb7 13.O-O Qe7 14.a3 a5 15.Rc1 Rac8

16.Nc4 It appears White wins the b pawn unless I defend it with the queen. That seemed too passive to me. So  16...Bxd5!? 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Bf2 e4 19.Bxe4! White returns the piece.  19...Qxe4 20.Nd6 Rxc1 21.Nxe4 Rxd1 22.Rxd1 N5f6 23.Nxf6+ Nxf6 24.Bxb6 White regains equal material, and appears to have more winning chances from here with his extra queenside pawn. But it might be an illusion.  24...Ne4 25.b3 Nc3 26.Nxc3 Bxc3 27.a4 Rb8 28.Rd8+ Rxd8 29.Bxd8 Kf8 30.Kf1 Ke8 31.Bb6 Kd7 32.Ke2 Kc6 33.Be3 Kd5 34.Kd3 1/2-1/2

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6 7.Nc3 Qe8 8.Qc2 Qh5 9.e4 fxe4 10.Nxe4 e5 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.Be3 Nc6 14.Nd2 Nd4 15.Bxd4 exd4 16.Ne4 Bh3 17.Qd1 Qxd1 18.Raxd1 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Rad8

20.Nc5 White chooses not to swap the knight off for the bishop, probably because the resulting endgame looked to be drawish.  20...Rfe8 21.Nd3 Re2 22.Kf3 Re6 23.Rfe1 Rde8 24.Rxe6 Rxe6 25.Re1 Rxe1 26.Nxe1 Kf7 27.Nd3 Ke6 28.Ke4 Kd6 29.b4 b6 30.b5 c6 31.bxc6 Kxc6 32.a4 g6 33.f4 Bg7 34.g4 a6 35.f5 gxf5+ 36.gxf5 b5 37.cxb5+ axb5 38.a5 Bf6 39.Nb4+ Kb7 40.Nd5 Bg7 41.f6 Bf8 42.f7 b4 43.Kxd4 Ka6 44.Kc4 Kxa5 45.Kb3 Kb5 46.Nf6 h6 47.Nd7 Be7 48.f8=Q Bxf8 Black loses his bishop, but knows he has a draw in the bag.  49.Nxf8 Kc5 50.Ng6 Kd5 51.Kxb4 Ke4 52.Kc4 Kf5 53.Ne7+ Kg4 54.Kd3 Kh3 55.Ke2 Kxh2 56.Kf2 Kh3 57.Kf3 Kh4 58.Kf4 Kh5 59.Kf5 Kh4 60.Kf4 Kh5 1/2-1/2

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.Nf3 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e3 Bb7 6.Bd3 Ne4 7.Qc2 f5 8.O-O Bxc3 9.bxc3 O-O 10.c5 Rf6

11.Rb1 White fails to anticipate the coming sacrifice.  11...Nxc3! 12.Qxc3 Bxf3 13.g3 The Point. White cannot take the bishop because the rook check followed by Qg5 gives a winning attack.  13...Rg6 14.Re1 Qh4 15.Bf1 Nc6 16.Bg2 Qe4 17.Bxf3 Qxf3 18.Qc4 Qe4 19.Qb5? White again fails to spot the danger. He needed to move his bishop to link the rooks together for self-preservation. However after (19.Bd2 Ne5 20.Qe2 Nf3+ wins the exchange, at least. ) 19...Nxd4 20.exd4 Qxe1+ 21.Kg2 Qe4+ 22.Kg1 f4 I bet Benny enjoyed that game! 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Bg2 c6 8.Nc3 d5 9.cxd5 cxd5!

Technically speaking, position is equal but it's easier to play as Black especially facing it for the first time.  10.O-O ( Better is 10.Ne5 O-O (10...Nfd7? 11.Nxd5! exd5 12.Nxf7 Kxf7 13.Bxd5+ Ke8 14.Bxa8 +/- ) 11.Rc1 Nfd7 12.Nxd5? exd5 13.Nxf7 Rxf7 14.Bxd5 Ne5! 15.Bxa8 Nbc6 16.Bxc6 Nxc6 17.Bc3 (17.Rxc6 Qd5 -/+ ) 17...Bf6 -/+ ) 10...Nc6 11.Be3? (11.Rc1 Ba3 (11...Rc8! = ) 12.Nxd5!? Bxc1 13.Nxf6+ gxf6 14.Bxc1 O-O (14...Rc8 15.Ba3 ) 15.Re1 ) (11.b4! Bxb4 (11...Nxb4 12.Ne5 +/- ) 12.Qa4 Bb7 13.Ne5 +/- Bxc3 14.Bxc3 O-O 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.Qxc6 Rc8 17.Qa4 Rxc3 18.Qxa7 Qd6 = ) 11...Rc8 12.a3 Na5 13.b4 (13.Na2 O-O 14.Ne5 Ne4 15.f3 (15.Bxe4 dxe4 16.b4 Nc4 17.Nxc4 Bxc4 -/+ ) 15...Nd6 =+ ) 13...Rxc3 14.bxa5 O-O 15.Ne5 (15.Bd2 Rxa3 16.Rxa3 Bxa3 17.Qa4 Bd6 18.axb6 Qxb6 19.Ra1 Bxe2 20.Qxa7 Qb2 21.Qa2 Qxa2 22.Rxa2 Bc4 23.Ra7 Rb8 -/+ ) (15.axb6 axb6 16.Ne5 Qc7 =+ (16...Ne4 =+ ) ) 15...Qc7 (15...bxa5 16.Bd2 Rc8 17.Qa4 Bxe2 18.Bxa5 Qe8 19.Qxe8 Rfxe8 20.Rfe1 Rc2 -/+ ) 16.axb6 axb6 17.Bd2 Rc2 18.Re1 Rc8 19.Bb4 Bxb4 20.axb4 Bb5 21.e3 Qc3? almost threw away the win (21...g6 -+ ) 22.Rb1? (22.Ra7? Rc1 23.Qxc1 Qxc1 24.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 25.Bf1 Rxf1+ 26.Kg2 Rb1 -/+ ) (22.Bf1! Bxf1 23.Rxf1 Qxb4 24.Qxc2 Rxc2 25.Ra8+ Qf8 26.Rxf8+ Kxf8 27.Rb1 Ne4 28.Rxb6 Rxf2 29.Rb8+ Ke7 30.Rb7+ = ) 22...Rd2 23.Qc1 (23.Qf3 h6 24.h4 Be8 -/+ ) 23...Qc2 24.Qxc2 Rcxc2 25.Bf1 (25.Ra1 Rxf2 26.Bf1 (26.Ra8+ Be8 27.Bf1 g6 -/+ ) 26...g6 27.Ra8+ Kg7 28.Ra7 Be8 29.Rc1 Rg2+! 30.Bxg2 Rxc1+ 31.Bf1 Rb1 32.b5 Ne4 33.Kg2 Nd6 ) 25...Rxf2 26.Bxb5 (26.Ra1 g5 27.Ra8+ Kg7 28.Ra7 Be8 29.Rc1 Rg2+ 30.Bxg2 Rxc1+ 31.Bf1 Rb1 32.b5 Ne4 33.Kg2 Nd6 -+ ) 26...Rg2+ 27.Kh1 Rxh2+ 28.Kg1 Rcg2+ 29.Kf1 Rf2+ 30.Kg1 Rhg2+ 31.Kh1 Ne4 32.Bf1 Nxg3# 0-1

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6 7.Nc3 Ne4 8.Qc2 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Nd7 10.e4 fxe4 11.Qxe4 Nf6 12.Qe2 Re8 13.Rb1 h6 14.Nh4 c6 15.Ng6

With a nasty threat that Black misses.  15...Qa5? (15...e5! is necessary ) 16.Rxb7! Bxb7 17.Qxe6+ Kh7 18.Nxe7 Rad8 19.Qf7 Rd7 20.Be4+ Kh8 21.Bxh6! Rdxe7 22.Bxg7# 1-0

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b5 4.e3 a6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O c5 7.b3 d5 8.Bb2 Nbd7 9.Nbd2 c4 10.Ne5 Qc7 11.Nxd7 Qxd7 12.Nf3 Bd6 13.Ne5 Qc7 14.Qe1 O-O 15.Bc3 a5 16.bxc4 bxc4 17.Rb1 Rfb8 18.Rb5 a4 19.Ba5 Qc8 20.Qc3 Ba6 21.Rbb1 Ne4 22.Bxe4 dxe4 23.f4 exf3 24.Nxf3 Bb7 25.Nd2 Qc6 26.e4 e5 27.Rb6 Qd7 28.Rfb1 Be7 29.Nxc4 exd4 30.Ne5 dxc3

( Black had a winning move, but sadly he missed it. 30...Qd6! and White has too many hanging pieces and something drops off ) 31.Nxd7 Rxa5 32.Rxb7 Rxb7 33.Rxb7 g6 34.Rc7 Rb5 35.Rxc3 Black has full compensation for the pawn, but White manages to steadily squelch it and consolidate.  35...Rb2 36.a3 Kg7 37.Kg2 Ra2 38.Nb6 Bxa3 39.Rc4 Be7 40.Nxa4 Ra3 41.Nc3 Bf6 42.Ne2 h5 43.Nf4 Bd8 44.Nd3 g5 45.e5 Kg6 46.h3 Kf5 47.g4+ hxg4 48.hxg4+ Ke6 49.Kf3 Ra1 50.Ke4 Rg1 51.Nc5+ Ke7 52.Kd5 Rd1+ 53.Nd3 Rd2 54.Ke4 f6 55.exf6+ Kxf6 56.Rc6+ Kg7 57.Kf5 White now has the compensation as well as the pawn  57...Rd1 58.Ne5 Rf1+ 59.Ke6 Rf6+ 60.Kd7 Ba5 61.Rxf6 Kxf6 62.Nf3 Bc3 63.Kd6 Bb4+ 64.Kd5 Bc3 65.Ng1 Bd2 66.c4 Be3 67.Nf3 Bf4 68.c5 Ke7 69.Nd4? (69.Kc6! Heading to b7 wins easily ) 69...Kd7 70.c6+ Kc8 71.Ne6 Bd2 72.Kd6 Bb4+ 73.Ke5 Bd2 74.Kf5 Bc1 75.Kf6 Bd2 76.Ke5 Bc1 77.Kd6 Ba3+ 78.Kd5 Bc1 79.Kc5 Bd2 80.c7 Be1 81.Kc6 Bg3 82.Nxg5 Bxc7 83.Ne6 Be5 84.g5 Bb2 85.g6 Bf6 86.Kd6 Bc3 87.Ke7 Be5 ( Ed: Amazingly 87...Kb7!! stepping away from the centre to get around White's pieces and back towards the centre is the only saving move here (see below), but this is inhuman stuff ) 88.Nf4 Bg7 89.Nh5 Bh6 (89...Bh8 90.Kf7 Kd7 91.Ng7 is a key winning manoeuvre. In the 87... Kb7!! line above, Black is just in time to get his King around to f6 when White goes Kg8 to collect the Bishop ) 90.Kf7 Kd8 91.Nf6 Kc7 92.Ng4 Oh for the skills of a GM-elect in an endgame! 1-0

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bb5 Nxc3 7.bxc3 Bd6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 O-O 10.O-O Bg4 11.Be2 Ne7 12.Qb3 Rb8 13.Ba3 b5 14.Bxd6 cxd6 15.Rfd1 Ng6 16.h3 Bd7 17.d5 a5 18.a3 Qf6 19.Nd4 b4 20.axb4 axb4 21.Ra7 Bc8 22.Nc6 Rb6 23.Rd4 Qg5 24.Kh2 Qf6 25.Kg1 Qg5

Wanting a draw by repetition?  26.Kf1 No thanks.  26...Nh4 27.Bg4! (  White can win material with 27.Ne7+!? Kh8 28.Nxc8 Qxg2+ 29.Ke1 Rxc8 30.Rxh4 But not surprisingly Bruce avoids this as it looks very scary. After  30...Qg1+ 31.Bf1 Rc1+ 32.Kd2 the weak back rank means White can keep his piece although Black has significant compensation ) 27...Ba6+ Black insists on confusing matters more, a very practical approach as White's advantage can only be maintained with very precise play  28.Kg1 h5 29.f4 Qh6 30.Ne7+ Kh8 31.Rxb4? (31.Bd1! ) 31...Rxb4 32.Qxb4 hxg4 33.Rxa6 gxh3 34.Qxd6? (34.Qa3! holds the balance ) 34...Qh5! Winning  35.Ra2 hxg2 36.Rxg2 Nxg2 37.Ng6+ Qxg6 38.Qxf8+ Kh7 39.Kf2 Nh4 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3.g3 b5 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.d3 e6 6.f4 Nf6 7.Nf3 d5 8.e5 d4 9.Ne2 Nd5 10.O-O Be7 11.g4 Nc6 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.Ng3 c4 14.Ne4

14...c3! The editor is pleased to report that Stockfish likes this tactic more and more as it looks longer. One bright spot in an otherwise miserable tournament for me.  15.bxc3 dxc3 16.Nxc3 Nxe5 The point, Black is entitled to a positional plus, but not the immediate collapse that ensues  17.Ne4?? Nxg4 18.Nfg5 Nde3 19.Qf3 Nxf1 20.Rxf1 Nh6 21.f5 Nxf5 22.Bf4 Qb6+ 23.Kh1 O-O 24.Qh5 Bxg5 25.Bxg5 h6 26.Nf6+ gxf6 27.Bxf6 Bxg2+ 28.Kxg2 Kh7 29.Rxf5 Rg8+ 30.Rg5 Rg6 31.Qf3 Rag8 32.Qe4 hxg5 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 b6 5.e3 Bb7 6.Bd3 O-O 7.O-O d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Ne5 Bd6 10.b3 c5 11.Bb2 Nc6 12.Ndf3 Nb4 13.Be2 a5 14.a3 Na6 15.a4 Ne4 16.Nd2 Nxd2 17.Qxd2 Qe7 18.Bb5

18...Nb4 Now pieces begin to fly everywhere.  19.Nd7 Rfd8 20.Nxb6 Bxh2+ 21.Kxh2 Qd6+ 22.f4 Qxb6 23.dxc5 Qxc5 24.Bd4 Qc2 25.Rf2 Qxb3 Black has won a pawn but White has more than enough positional compensation, and the computer even finds a clever win, based on the idea of trapping the Queen  26.Bxg7!? Mahmood's version of the same idea is even more surprising, but offers Black a way of wrigglingout (26.Qe2! With two ideas  26...Rd6 defending the king but allowing  27.Qf1! and Rb2 will trap the Queen ) 26...Kxg7 27.Qd4+ f6 28.Rb2 Nc2! 29.Rxb3 Nxd4 30.exd4 White retains an edge based on his better Bishop, but Darryl never really looks to be in serious danger from here.  30...Ra7 31.Rc1 Bc8 32.Bd3 Bd7 33.Rc5 Bxa4 34.Ra3 Be8 35.Raxa5 Rxa5 36.Rxa5 Bf7 37.Ra7 h6 38.Bf5 Rd6 39.Kg3 Rb6 40.Kh4 Kf8 41.Ra4 Rb2 42.g4 Rh2+ 43.Kg3 Rb2 44.Ra6 Ke7 45.Ra7+ Kf8 46.Ra8+ Kg7 47.Ra4 Rb3+ 48.Kf2 Rb2+ 49.Ke3 Rb3+ 1/2-1/2

1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 e6 6.Nc3 Nxc3 7.bxc3 Qc7 8.Bd2 d6 9.f4 Bd7 10.Nf3 Bc6 11.Bd3 Nd7 12.O-O g6 13.Qe2 Nb6 14.c4 d5 15.c5 Nc4 16.Bxc4 dxc4 17.Qxc4 O-O-O 18.Bc3 Qd7 19.Qb3 Be7 20.Qb2 h6 21.Ba5 Rdg8 22.Rae1 g5 23.Nd2 gxf4 24.Ne4 Rg4 25.h3 Rg6 26.Rxf4

26...Rhg8 White needs to play simply Re2. Since after  27.g4 h5 Black takes over.  28.Rxf7 hxg4 29.h4 Qe8 30.Qf2 g3 31.Qf3 Rg4 32.Rf4 Qg6 33.Rxg4 Qxg4 34.Qxg4 Rxg4 35.Nf6 Rxd4 36.Re3 Rd1+ 37.Re1 Bxc5+ 0-1

1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 c5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.a3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.g3 Nxc3 7.bxc3 b6 8.Bg2 Bb7 9.O-O Be7 10.Qc2

10...O-O? Diagam #Ed: Did Darryl really miss the standard tactic in this position, or is this some kind of mysterious Grandmasterly exchange sac? Perhaps he will see this in his complementary copy an let us know. The engine isn't impressed and the further course of the game suggests it really was a blunder.  11.Ng5 Bxg5 12.Bxb7 Nd7 13.Bxa8 Qxa8 14.d4 Bf6 15.Be3 Qc6 16.Rac1 Rc8 17.Qb3 h5 18.Rfd1 c4 19.Qc2 Be7 20.a4 g6 21.Rb1 Bf8 22.Bg5 Bg7 23.e4 Qb7 24.Re1 Nb8 25.h4 Nc6 26.Qe2 e5 27.d5 Na5 28.g4 hxg4 29.Qxg4 f5 30.exf5 Qd7 31.Qg2 Qxf5 32.d6 Qd7 33.Rbd1 Rf8 34.Re3 Kh7 35.Rg3 Rf7 36.h5 gxh5 37.Qe4+ Kh8 38.Qg6 Nc6 39.Qxh5+ Kg8 40.Qg4 Kf8 41.Qxc4 Ke8 42.Qe4 Bf8 43.Qg6 Nd8 44.Rd5 Black is completely tied up in knots 1-0

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Bc4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Be7 8.Qb3 Be6 9.Bxe6 fxe6 10.Nxd4 e5 11.Ne6 Qd7 12.Nxg7+ Kd8 13.Ne6+ Kc8 14.O-O Na6 15.Bg5 Nc5 16.Nxc5 Bxc5+ 17.Kh1 Ne7 18.Nd2 Ng6 19.Rf7 Be7 20.Nf3 Re8 21.Rd1 Qc7 22.Qe6+ Kb8 23.Rd7 Qc8 24.Bxe7 Nxe7

25.Qd6+ A smashing victory Philip! 1-0

1.e4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.d3 c6 6.Nf3 Bd6 7.O-O O-O 8.h3 f5 9.Re1 Qc7 10.c4 Nf6 11.c5 Bxc5 12.Nxe5 Qb6 13.Qc2 Nbd7 14.Nc3 Nxe5 15.Rxe5 Bd6 16.Re2 f4 17.gxf4 Nh5 18.Ne4 Bxf4 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.Rxe3 Nf4 21.Ng5 Qb5 22.h4 Nxg2 23.Kxg2 Qd5+ 24.Kg1 h6 25.Ne4 Bf5 26.a3 Rad8 27.Rae1 Kh8 28.Qc3

28...Qf7 Black prepares a neat attack, netting a pawn and opening up the White King.  29.Rf3 Qh5 30.Rf4 Qg6+ 31.Kh2 Bxe4 32.Rexe4 Rxf4 33.Rxf4 Rxd3 34.Qe5 Rd1 35.Rf8+ Kh7 36.Rf3 Qg1+ 37.Kh3 Qh1+ 38.Kg4 Qg2+ 39.Kf4 g5+ The attack comes to fruition.  40.hxg5 hxg5+ 41.Qxg5 Rd4+ 42.Ke3 Qxg5+ 43.Kxd4 Qd2+ 44.Ke4 Qxb2 45.Kf5 Qb5+ 46.Kf6 Qd5 47.Rf5 Qd4+ 48.Kf7 Qg7+ 49.Ke6 Kg6 50.Rf3 Qg8+ 51.Ke7 Qd5 52.Rf6+ Kg5 53.f4+ Kg4 54.a4 Qe4+ 55.Kd6 Qxa4 56.Rf7 Qxf4+ 0-1

1.c4 e5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Ne7 5.e4 O-O 6.Nge2 Nbc6 7.d3 d6 8.Rb1 Be6 9.Nd5 Qd7 10.O-O f5 11.Be3 fxe4 12.dxe4 Rf7 13.Qd2 Raf8 14.f3 b6 15.b3 Kh8 16.Rbd1 Ng8 17.Rf2 Nd8 18.Rdf1 c6 19.Ndc3 Nf6 20.Rd1 Nb7 21.g4 Qc8 22.h3 Nd7 23.Rff1 Qe8 24.Ng3 Ndc5 25.h4 Bc8 26.h5 Ne6 27.hxg6 hxg6 28.Nge2 Nf4 29.Nxf4 exf4 30.Bd4 Be5 31.Ne2 Qe7 32.Bh3 Rh7 33.Kg2 g5 34.Rh1 Kg7 35.Kf2 Rfh8 36.Bg2 Rxh1 37.Rxh1 Rxh1 38.Bxh1 Qf6 39.Bg2 Nc5 40.Bf1 Ne6 41.Bc3 Kf7 42.Ke1 Ke7 43.Kd1 Qh8 44.Bxe5 dxe5 45.Ng1

45...Nd4 Slo wly but surely Black has taken control. It is surprising to see the lower rated player reverse the trend of the game and completely turn things around in the second half  46.Qf2 Qd8 47.Kc1 Qd6 48.Qh2 Qb4 49.Qd2 a5 50.Qxb4+ axb4 51.Kd2 Kd6 52.Be2 Bd7 53.Nh3 Ne6 54.c5+!? To free (and possibly exchange) the poor Bishop, it's not a sacrifice as White will win the Black g-pawn and get an outside passer  54...bxc5 55.Bc4 Nd4 56.Nxg5 Ke7 57.Be2 Kf6 58.Nh3 Be6 59.Nf2 c4 60.bxc4 Nxe2 61.Kxe2 Bxc4+ 62.Nd3 Bxa2? 63.Nxb4 Bc4+ 64.Nd3 Ke6 65.Kd2 Kd6 66.Kc3 Bb5 67.Kd2 Bc4 68.Nf2 Bf1 69.Nd3 c5 70.Nc1 Bc4 71.Nd3 Bb3 72.Nf2 Bc4 73.g5 Be6 74.g6 Ke7 75.Nd3 Kf6 76.Nxc5 Bh3 77.Nd3 Ed: Since t he pawn structure is closed and there aren't pawns on both wings, it's not surprising that the knight is outclassing the bishop.  77...Kxg6 78.Nxe5+ Kf6 79.Nd3 Bg2 80.Ke2 Kg5 81.Ne1 Bh3 82.Kd3 Kf6? Ed: This is actually the losing move, Black can hold if he can prevent Kd4-d5 and e4-e5-e6 but now e5 comes with check and his bishop is blocked out so he is not in time. (82...Be6! ) 83.Kd4 Bf1 ( or 83...Be6 84.Nd3 Kg5 85.Ke5 ) 84.e5+ Kf5 85.Kd5 Bb5 86.Nc2 Ba4 87.Nd4+ Kg5 88.Ke4 Bd7 89.e6 Be8 90.Ke5 Kg6 91.Ne2 Ba4 92.Nxf4+ Kg7 93.Nd5 Kf8 94.f4 1-0

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7 6.c3 Nc6 7.Bd3 h6 8.O-O g5 9.Qe2 g4 10.Ne1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qh4 12.Nb3 a5 13.a4 Be7 14.f4 Nf8 15.Be3 Bd7 16.f5 Nh7 17.f6 Bb4 18.g3 Qh5 19.Rf4 Ng5 20.Rxg4 Bxe1 21.Rxe1 Nb4 22.Rh4 Qxe2 23.Bxe2 Nc2 24.Bxg5 Nxe1 25.Rxh6 O-O-O 26.Nc5 Nc2 27.Bh5 Nxd4 28.Kf2 Rxh6 29.Bxh6 Rh8 30.Bxf7 Rxh6 31.Ke3 Nf5+ 32.Kf4 Rxh2 33.Bxe6 Rf2+ 34.Kg5 Bxe6 35.Nxe6 Nxg3 36.Nf4 Ne4+ 37.Kg4 Rxf4+ 38.Kxf4 Kd7 39.f7 Ke7 40.e6

40...Nd2? Black misses Nc5 which wins easily.  41.Ke5 Nc4+ 42.Kf5 Ne3+ 43.Ke5 Nc4+ 44.Kf5 Ne3+ 45.Ke5 1/2-1/2

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.a3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 a6 10.Qc2 b5 11.Bd3 Nbd7 12.Ne4 Qb6 13.Rc1 Be7 14.Bc7 Qa7 15.Bd6 Bxd6 16.Nxd6 Bb7 17.O-O Bxf3 18.gxf3 Ne5 19.Be4 Rad8 20.Rfd1 Qb8 21.Qc5 Nd5 22.f4 Nd7 23.Qc6 N7f6 24.Nb7 Nxe4 25.Nxd8 Qxd8 26.f3 Qh4

27.fxe4 Black has given up the exchange for an attacking position using his Queen and Knight.  27...Nxe3 28.Rd2 Qg4+ 29.Kh1 Qxf4 30.Re1 h5 31.Rde2 Ng4 32.Qc5 g6 33.Kg1 Rd8 34.Rf1 Qb8 35.Qe7 Rf8 36.Qg5 Qb6+ 37.Kg2 Qd4 38.h3 Ne5 39.Qf6 Qc4 40.Re3 Qd4 41.Re2 Qd3 42.Rff2 Qd4 43.Rf1 Qc4 44.Re3 Qc5 45.Re2 Rc8 46.Rd1 Qc4 47.Kf2 Nd3+ 48.Ke3 Nc5 49.Kf3?? (49.Red2! and White's counterplay holds the game ) 49...Qb3+ 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 O-O 5.Nf3 d6 6.O-O Nbd7 7.Nc3 Re8 8.e4 e5 9.d5 Nc5 10.Re1 a5 11.b3 h6 12.h3 Kh7 13.Rb1 Nh5 14.Be3 b6 15.Qd2 Bd7 16.a3 a4 17.b4 Nb3 18.Qd1 Qf6 19.Nd2

19...Nf4! A clever defensive idea  20.Nxb3 axb3? But now that the Bishop has a retreat path, Nxg2 was necessary first. Now Black loses a piece.  21.gxf4 exf4 22.Bd2 Rxa3 23.Qf3 The advanced pawn provides Black with some chances  23...Ra2!? (23...b2! ) 24.Nxa2 bxa2 25.Ra1 Qb2 26.Qxf4? Black is actually now better despite White's extra rook (26.Bxf4! ) 26...Qxa1? ( White is tied up and Black should prepare this with 26...Kg8! then ...Ra8. The 'a' pawn will then promote recouping all material withinterest  ) 27.Rxa1 Bxa1 28.Qxf7+ Bg7 29.Bc3 Rg8 30.Qxd7 1-0

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O Be7 7.b3 O-O 8.Bb2 d6 9.e3 Nbd7 10.Qe2 a6 11.Rfd1 Qc7 12.Rac1 Rac8 13.d4 Qb8?!

(13...Rfe8 better prepares for d4-d5. ) (13...cxd4!? 14.exd4 Qb8 ) 14.d5 exd5 A novelty in this position.Two games have featured 15.....e5 which I had no intention ofplaying!  15.Nxd5 Nxd5 (15...Bxd5 was possible.  16.cxd5 b5 17.b4 Rfe8 18.bxc5 dxc5 19.a4!? ) 16.cxd5 Bf6! The point of taking with the knight.Of course,in a Benoni-like structure,trading off the second pair of minor pieces is important,from a space point of view.  17.a3 (17.Bh3 Rcd8 18.Bxd7 Bxb2 19.Qxb2 Rxd7 20.b4 Seemed simple enough.  20...Re8 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.Nh4 = ) 17...Bxb2 18.Qxb2 Nf6 (18...Rfe8! = ) 19.Nh4!? (19.Nd2 Bxd5 20.Bxd5 Nxd5 21.Nc4 Ne7 22.Nxd6 Rcd8 = ) 19...Rce8 (19...b5 Was strategically desirable,but....  20.Nf5 Rce8 21.g4 concerned me. Komodo is unfazed.  21...Qd8 22.Nxg7 Kxg7 23.g5 h6 24.gxf6+ Qxf6 Which I had seen,is equal. I thought the text gave me more. ) 20.b4! Qc7 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.Rb1 (22.Nf5!? Bc8 23.Nd4 ) 22...Bc8 23.Qb6 Qe7 24.Qc6? Ponderous.  24...g6?! (24...g5! 25.Nf3 Ne4 26.Rf1 (26.Rb6? Nxf2 ) 26...Bg4 With threats.  27.Rbd1 Bd7 28.Qxa6 Nc3 -/+ ) 25.Rb6 Nd7 26.Qxd6 He goes fo r it, and why not? Bruce had missed ...Nd7, but,as I sat at the board I thought, "He's not likely to movebackwards!" (26.Rbb1 Ne5 27.Qa4 Bg4 -/+ ) 26...Nxb6 27.Qxb6 Bg4 28.Rc1 Rb8 29.Qxa6 Rb2! 30.h3 Be2 My judgement was right; Komodo warms to my position.  31.Qc6!? (31.Qa5 Qf6 32.Qc3 Qxc3 33.Rxc3 c4 -/+ ) 31...c4 32.Nf3?! (32.d6! Qf6 33.d7 Qxc6 34.Bxc6 Rb6 35.Bd5 Rd8 36.Bxc4 -/+ Rc6? 37.Bxf7+! ) 32...Qxa3 33.Nd4 Bd3 34.d6 Qb4 (34...Rxf2! 35.Kxf2 Qxc1 36.d7 Qd2+ 37.Kf3 and now the simple 37....Qa5.  37...Qa5 ) (34...Rd8 35.Bd5 (35.d7! Qe7 36.Bd5 Qxd7 37.Bxc4 Qxc6 38.Nxc6 ) 35...Rxf2! ) 35.Ra1? Losing. (35.Rd1! Rd8 36.Bd5 Qxd6 37.Bxc4 Bxc4 38.Qxc4 Ra8 39.Qc3 (39.Rf1 Raa2 40.Qc8+ Kg7 41.Qg4 Qf6 42.Qf3 Holds. ) 39...Raa2 40.Rf1? Qxg3+! ) 35...Qd2 36.Qf3 c3! 37.Ra8 Rbb8 38.Rxb8 Rxb8 39.Qd5 c2 40.Nxc2 Qd1+ (40...Rb1+! 41.Kh2 Qxf2 42.g4 Bxc2 43.d7 Qg1+ 44.Kg3 Qxe3+ -+ ) 41.Kh2 Bxc2 42.Qc6 Ba4 43.Qc4 Bb5 44.Qc7 Rf8 45.Qe7 Qc2 A rook down and not much happening, white resigned. 0-1

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.e4 Bg7 6.Nc2 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Be2 O-O 9.O-O Bd7 10.Be3 Qa5 11.f3 Rfc8 12.Rc1

(12.Qd2 I've played before,but the the ending after...  12...Ne5 13.Na3 Be6 14.Nd5 Qxd2 15.Bxd2 Is tough to win. ) 12...Be6 13.Qd2 Nd7 14.b4 (14.Na3 Nc5 = ) 14...Qd8 15.Nd5 Nf6? (15...a5! Is what concerned me. It has been played with good equalising prospects (6 draws 1 loss on Chessbase!)  16.b5 (16.a3 axb4 17.axb4 Nce5 18.Nd4 Bxd5 19.cxd5 Nb6 ) 16...Nce5 17.Nd4 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Nc5 = ) 16.Rfd1 Now I'm cruising,finally.  16...Ne5 17.Nd4 Bxd5 18.exd5! a5 19.a3 h5?! (19...axb4 20.axb4 Ra3 Creates an annoying rook! ) 20.Nb5 Stopping the annoying rook!  20...b6?! 21.h3 Ned7 Black sends his army back to barracks.  22.Nd4 Nb8 23.f4!? (23.Qd3 ) (23.Bd3 ) (23.Re1 ) 23...Ne4 PK takes a chance.  24.Qd3 Bxd4?! (24...Ng3! 25.Bf3 Bxd4 26.Bxd4 h4 A better version of the game. ) 25.Bxd4! f5 (25...Nf6 26.f5 +- ) 26.Bf3 Nf6 27.g4!? axb4 28.axb4 Qd7 (28...Na6 then I'll play...  29.g5 Ne8 30.Qd2 ) 29.gxh5 Na6 30.Qd2 Kh8 31.Kh1 Rg8 32.Rg1 Rg7 (32...gxh5 33.Rg5 Kh7 34.Rcg1 Rxg5 35.fxg5 Ne4 36.g6+ Kg8 37.Qh6 ) 33.Rg5 Rag8 34.Rcg1 Qc8 (34...gxh5 35.Qg2 Rxg5 36.fxg5 Kh7 37.Qe2 +- ) 35.hxg6 Rf8 36.Qf2! The attack will crash through.  36...Nxb4 (36...Qxc4 37.Bxf6 Rxf6 38.Qh4+ Kg8 39.Rh5 Rfxg6 40.Rxg6 Qc1+ (40...Rxg6 41.Rh8+ Kf7 42.Qh7+ Rg7 43.Qxf5# ) 41.Kh2 Qb2+ 42.Rg2 ) 37.Qh4+ Kg8 38.Bxf6 1-0