Share your games!

My post was meant to be a sarcasm and self-mocking, since I have spent like 20 years playing chess and I can't earn money with that, at least not enough. I'm no WGM, i don't win all competitiions, but chess is like the only thing I do good.

Btw, I have barely any talent in painting, but I do it anyway, cus I love it :) Good luck, chess can be a lot of fun. :)
 
My post was meant to be a sarcasm and self-mocking, since I have spent like 20 years playing chess and I can't earn money with that, at least not enough. I'm no WGM, i don't win all competitiions, but chess is like the only thing I do good.

Btw, I have barely any talent in painting, but I do it anyway, cus I love it :) Good luck, chess can be a lot of fun. :)

It might not be your fault unless you have something to do with it.

http://www.ronpaul.com/congress/legislation/111th-congress-200910/audit-the-federal-reserve-hr-1207/

Sorry for no tag line. I didn't think it was important enough. I wonder if this is the real problem and/or another means of control.
 
I don't have any games to share but I was away playing an informal 5 minute tournament today. We were 18 players and everyone had one white and one black game against everyone else. The reason I mention this is that it was the first time I got to play Ulf Andersson. I had two good games against him. First one I had to give up the exchange for a pawn but he agreed it was the best continuation and it was an interesting game until I ran out of time. Second game as white I had a pretty good attack going but again I lost the way in time pressure. I imagine he had everything under control but it was still fun to be the one attacking against such a player. Overall I scored 12/34 but there were some pretty good players there so I can't be too disappointed. Ulf Andersson drew one game and won the rest and the tournament.
 
In a tournament on chess.com, I just played a very short game against an expert-rated (R=1963) player... I mated him in 15 moves. The opening had one interesting point, when I offered a piece sacrifice:

1. Nf3 Nc6

Not a very common reply. I decided that a Queen's Gambit offered me the best chance for an opening edge, since Black has already blocked his c-Pawn.

2. d4 d5
3. c4 Bg4
4. Nc3 dxc4

Probably not the best. I was expecting 4. ... e6. Now I push him out of the center.

5. d5 Bxf3
6. exf3 ...

Taking with the g-Pawn was also good.

6. ... Ne5
7. Bf4 Ng6
8. Bxc4! ...

This zwischenzug (in-between-move) is much better than an immediate move by the attacked Bishop at f4. Obviously, Black gets crushed if he accepts the offered Bishop: 8. ... Nxf4, 9. Bb5+ c6, 10. dxc6 and Black, faced with threats like 11. c7+ or 11. cxb7+, can already resign.

8. ... Nf6
9. Be3 ...

The other Bishop moves (9. Bg3 or 9. Bg5) were also OK, but I felt that the action was going to be on the Q-side, so I retreated to e3 instead.

9. ... Qd6
10. Qb3 Nd7
11. Nb5 Qe5
12. d6 ...

Simultaneously opening the diagonal to Black's vulnerable Pawn at f7, and also cutting the Black Queen's defense of c7. Already, Black can start thinking about resigning.

12. ... Nc5
13. Nxc7+ Kd8
14. Qb5 Rc8

Shortening the agony. Black was losing a Rook anyway.

15. Qe8 mate.
 
I beat a FIDE Master in a rated match game:


[Event "Babylon City Team Open Challenge - Board 2"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2012.10.10"]
[White "blueemu"]
[Black "alKhawaja14"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2071"]
[BlackElo "2101"]
[TimeControl "1 in 5 days"]
[Termination "blueemu won by resignation"]

1.Nf3 c5 2.e4 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 a6 7.O-O e6 8.Kh1 Bb4 9.Na4 Nxe4 10.Nxc6 Qxc6
11.Qd4 Bf8 12.Bf3 f5 13.Bh5+ Kd8 14.Be3 Rg8 15.Bf7 Rh8 16.Bh5 b5 17.Nb6 Bb7 18.Bf3 Bc5 19.Qxg7 Qxb6 20.Qxh8+ Kc7
21.Qe5+ Qd6 22.Qxd6+ Bxd6 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.f3 Bd5 25.a4 b4 26.c4 bxc3 27.Rfc1 Be5 28.Bd2 c2 29.Rxc2+ Kd8 30.Bc3 Bd6
31.Rd2 Ke7 32.Re1 Bc6 33.a5 Rb8 34.Be5 Bd5 35.Rxd5 exd5 36.Bf4+ Kf7 37.Bxd6 Rxb2 38.Kg1 Rb5 39.Bc7 d4 40.Rd1 Rd5
41.Rd3 Ke6 42.f4 Rc5 43.Bb6 Rc1+ 44.Kf2 Rc2+ 45.Kg3 Rc3 46.Rxc3 dxc3 47.Kf3 c2 48.Be3 Kd5 49.Ke2 Kc4 50.Kd2 Kb3
51.g4 1-0
 
I lost to my dad in chess a few days ago. I was white and I used an opening we had just read about, the king's gambit.
1. E4 E5
2. F4 EXF4
3. NF3 D6
4. BC4 NF6
5. NG5 D5
6. E5 DXC4
7. EXF6 QXF6
8. H4 BE6
9. NE4 QE5
10. NC3 F5
11. D3 FXE4
12. NXE4 NC6
13. QE2 0-0-0
14. BD2 QXB2
15. ND6+ RXD6
16. 0-0 QXC2
17. RFC1 QXD3
18. QXD3 RD3
19. BXF4 BC5+
20. KF1 BF8
21. KE1 RXF4
22. RAB1 BB4+
23. RXB4 NXB4
24. RD1 NC2+
25. KE2 BG4#
Towards the end, I realized I had made a grave mistake or two, and was hoping he would make an error as well so I had a chance.
 
Recent one for me on chess.com. I was White, the guy playing Black resigned.

1.e4 e6
2.d4 d5
3.e5 c5
4.c3 Nc6
5.Nf3 Qb6
6.Be2 cxd4
7.cxd4 Nh6
8.h3 Nf5
9.Be3 Qa5+
10.Nc3 Bb4
11.O-O O-O
12.a3 Bxc3
13.bxc3 Qxc3
14.g4 Nxe3
15.fxe3 Qxe3+
16.Kg2 Qe4
17.a4 Nxd4
18.Bd3 Qf4
19.Nxd4 Qxd4
20.Bxh7+ Kxh7
21.Qxd4 f6
22.exf6 Rxf6
23.Rxf6 gxf6
24.Qxf6 Bd7
25.Qf7+
1-0
Link to the game.
 
This thread has been kind of dead lately. Here is my round one game in my club championship. It's agaist Jan-Olov Lind (who participated in the Gibraltar tournament recently and had an interesting game against Michael Adams there). He's rated slightly below 2250 and I'm just above 1700. Nedless to say I have never taken even a half point against him.

I was black and the time contol was 1 hour plus 30 seconds per move.

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. Ngf3 Be7 5. g3 dxe4 6. dxe4 b6 7. Bd3

Bd3 surprised me, I had expected Bg2.

7...Bb7 8. 0-0 Na6

Heading to c5 obviously.

9. Re1 Nc5

I had thought he needed to react to my threat of Nc5. The pressure on e4 is growing. I couldn't see him both keeping his bishop and saving the e4 pawn. I figured I would maybe get to exchange my knight for his bishop.

10. Bb5+ c6

A check thrown in and blocked. Now what, is he going back to d3? I didn't think so but what else is there?

11. Bf1

Yes but doesn't this win me a pawn?

11...Nfxe4 12. Nxe4 Qxd1 13. Rxd1 Nxe4 14. Bg2

A pawn ahead, not bad but there is pressure on c6. Nd4 or Ne5 is comming with tempo on my knight, what to do? When the clock is ticking against a 2250 player I have never taken even a half point against there is some nervousness. How DO I protect c6?

I can't even ignore c6 and castle to just give the pawn back, that allows Rd7. Am I worse? I'm up a pawn, shouldn't I be better? Tick-tack, if I get so low on time that I only have the increment I might as well resign now.

There is always f5 but what an ugly move. Have to make a move soon, I spot Bc5. Seems to threaten f2. Looks tempting, pretty much forces Be3 and if I capture doesn't that make his pawn structure a little worse? Let's try that.

14...Bc5 15. Be3 Bxe3 16. fxe3

I found out afterwards he thought Bc5 gave him chances, turns out the computer agrees. It looked like such a natural move at the time though.

Here I still have to figure out what to do about c6. Rc8 looks wrong, passive moves against such strong opposition usually lose. f5 still looks terribly weakening. So let's start by adressing the tempo on my knight.

16...Nf6 17. Ne5

I had looked at Nd5 of course. After e4, Ne3, Rd7 I thought he was better. I simply did not realize I could play the knight back to f6 again after e4. I also missed c4, Nxe3, Rd7 where I can apparently play Nxc4. I did not see these moves in the game and thought letting the rook go to the seventh was bad for me. So I figured I'd pay back the pawn to finally get to castle.

17...0-0

Having just played this move I realized Bxc6, Bxc6, Nxc6 was just terrible for me. Here there is hardly a rook move available and the d-file cannot be contested for a long time, if ever. I could not believe that the good position I had just a few moves ago had deteriated so fast to this mess.

18. Nxc6

He's rated almost 2250 so I assumed this was bad for me too but almost jumped for joy at not having to defend that other position.

18...Bxc6 19. Bxc6 Rc8 20. Ba4

So he has a bishop for my knight but a slightly worse pawn structure. This is not so bad, I may have a chance to draw this after all.

20...Rfd8 21. h3

I didn't understand the point of this move during the game. Turns out that Ng4 was a strong move that I should apparently have played some time during the last few moves.

21...Kf8 22. c3 Ke7 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Rd1 Rxd1 25. Bxd1 Kd6

I would have liked to save a rook but I couldn't find a way to do that. His bishop is probably stronger than my knight but is it enough to win?

26. Bf3 h5

On principle the pawns belong on dark squares of course. On the other hand I also need to move my pawn majority. I didn't see a way to do both.

27. Kf2 g6 28. Ke2 Nd7 29. Kd2 f5 30. h4 e5 31. b4 Nf6 32. c4

Here I realize he has pretty much succeded in stopping my pawns. Maybe just putting them on dark squares was the better plan as now they may be attacked some time in the future.

32...Ng4 33. a4

I was hoping for Bxg4 of course making the draw pretty likely.

33...Nf6 34. Kc3 Nd7 35. Bd5 Nf6 36. Bf7

I was a little frustrated that I let him get to my pawns so easily. We both had a handful of minutes and the increment.

36...Ne4+ 37. Kd3 Nxg3 38. Bxg6 f4 39. exf4 exf4 40. Kd4

So... here I am with 3 minutes on my clock. I had a great position at some point but now it's looking worse by the minute. If I magically had another hour on the clock there is a slim chance I could have held the draw here. Unfortunately I am not good in time trouble.

40...Ke6 41. Bd3 Nf5

The losing move. I hadn't really calculated the race but I went for it anyway.

42. Bxf5 Kxf5 43. c5 bxc5 44. bxc5 f3 45. Ke3 Ke5 46. Kxf3 Kd5 47. Kf4 Kxc5 48. Kg5 Kb4 49. Kxh5 Kxa4 50. Kg6 a5 51. h5 1-0

And I resign here since the race is won by white. Still, my best game against him so far.
 
Uh oh, Troll time.

Is winning everything? Even a World Champion in chess or not had to lose a great deal to achieve it. The unthinkable is someone never losing. In their game they'd know the outcome of every situation and avoid playing.

My chess is a good as ever. Now I need to play many games against strong masters to become an official one. In short, we play to lose.
 
Woo-Hoo! For the first time, my online rating is up over 2100...

... temporarily. Ratings tend to go up and down, so I'll likely drop back below the 2100 level in the near future. Still, having broken the 2100 barrier once, it should be easier to do it again.

Here's the game (against a 2023-rated player) that did it:

Blue Emu vs Octenanda
Athens Confederation Intramural Tournament 2012-2013
Caro-Kann Defense, Irregular

1. e4 c6
2. d3 ...

I'm playing a slightly irregular system against my opponent's Caro-Kann Defense. The usual line would be 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4. Instead, I'm playing for a King's Indian Attack position... if my opponent just develops normally, I will follow up with moves like Nd2, g3, Bg2, Ngf3, and O-O; reaching a colors-reversed King's Indian position.

2. ... d5
3. Nd2 ...

Blocking the d-file, and thereby avoiding any exchange of Queens if Black should trade off the center Pawns with dxe4. I like to keep most of the pieces on the board until one side or the other has gained the advantage... otherwise, there is too much risk of the game petering out into a dull lifeless draw. Now Black decides to cut across my KIA (King's Indian Attack) plans, by opening the center. This is quite double-edged, however, since he loses time in the process.

3. ... dxe4
4. dxe4 e5
5. Ngf3 Bg4
6. Bc4 ...

With the center open, the previously-intended KIA development plan would not work very well... it's better suited to semi-closed positions. So I am more-or-less forced to switch plans and play an open game instead. My last move threatens 7. Bxf7+ exploiting Black's unguarded Bishop on g4 (7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Nxe5+ and Black's Bishop on g4 is loose). Note that Black's counter-plan of opening the center (to prevent my KIA development) has left him somewhat behind in time... I have three pieces developed to his one, and I'm ready to castle and centralize my Rook.



6. ... Qc7
7. h3 ...

I might as well challenge his Bishop at this point, so that Black must choose which diagonal he wants to operate on... the c8-h3 diagonal or the h5-d1 diagonal.

7. ... Bh5
8. O-O Nf6
9. Re1 ...

Other possibilities were 9. Qe2 or 9. c3. By clearing the f1-square and guarding my e-Pawn a second time, I free up the Knight on d2 to manoever, allowing my Queen's side pieces to enter the game.

9. ... Bc5
10. Qe2 ...

Just a little consolidating move before I continue developing... from e2, the White Queen can keep an eye on the f2-Pawn, the e4-Pawn, the c4-Bishop... and eventually (after c3) on the b2-Pawn as well.

10. ... O-O



Now I am free to continue my plan of re-deploying the d2-Knight, which will simultaneously release my Queen's side pieces and also challenge Black's active Bishop on h5.

11. Nf1 Nbd7
12. Ng3 Bxf3

A rather drastic solution, but the Bishop would have only limited prospects after a retreat to g6 anyway.

13. Qxf3 Rad8

So Black has caught up in development, but at the cost of exchanging off his light-squared Bishop.



My most obvious idea at this point would be to bring my c1-Bishop and a1-Rook into the game... but I dislike playing aimless developing moves. Instead, I decided to invade Black's light squares, which were weakened by the exchange of his Bishop.

14. Nf5 ...

Now I might be threatening 15. Bg5 followed by 16. Nh6+ (forking the King and the f7-Pawn), and Black cannot capture the annoying Knight by 16. ... gxh6 without losing his own Knight by Bxf6+. Black sees this possibility coming, of course, and side-steps.

14. ... Kh8
15. Bg5 a5

Naturally not 15. ... h6 16. Nxh6 overloading the g7-Pawn. Black now undertakes a demonstration on the Queen's side in order to slow down my King's side initiative. Rather than just ignore it, I decide to first counter his Queen's side play before pressing forward on the King's side... on the theory that if I can stay equal on the Queen's side and also gain an advantage on the opposite wing, then I will be the only one with any realistic winning chances.

16. a4 Qb6
17. b3 Rc8
18. Rad1 Bb4
19. Re2 Qc7

Black's Queen's side manoevers have brought him no advantage, aside from somewhat incommoding my Rooks.



Now I start pressing forward on the King's side again.

20. Nh6 ...

Doubly-attacking the f7-Pawn and overloading his g7-Pawn. It's not a check, thanks to Black's precautionary 14th move (... Kh8), but still very awkward to meet. Black decides to sacrifice a Pawn in order to side-track my c4-Bishop, but he gets inadequate compensation for the lost Pawn. Still, it's hard to see what else he might have tried. Moving his d7-Knight to b6 (in order to guard the f7-Pawn with his Queen) would be best if it weren't for the reply 21. Bxf6.

20. ... b5
21. axb5 cxb5
22. Bxb5 Qb7

Now the obvious-looking 23. Bc4 allows 23. ... a4, overloading my b3-Pawn and generating some serious counter-play. So I'm more-or-less forced to abandon the idea of a double-attack on f7, and instead I can operate with threats of exchanging off either (or both) of his Knights at some favorable moment.

23. c4 Qc7
24. Ng4 Rcd8
25. Re3 ...

Intending to double Rooks on the open d-file, and meanwhile his d7-Knight is still tied down guarding his other Knight on f6.



Black's position is under tremendous pressure, and if he just defends passively and allows me to play Red3 doubling Rooks, that pressure will only increase further. He decides to cut the Gordian Knot, despite the fact that in doing so he loses further material.

25. ... Nxg4
26. Bxd8 Rxd8
27. hxg4 ...

A difficult choice. The other option was to take with the Queen... but in this case I felt that the doubled Pawns were more of an advantage than a handicap.

27. ... Nf8
28. Red3 Rxd3
29. Qxd3 ...

Preparing to invade. With a material advantage of a Rook and a Pawn vs a Knight, I expected the endgame to be an easy win... but the opposite-colored Bishops make it more difficult than you might expect.

29. ... Be7

Defending the entry-points as best he can.



30. Qd5 ...

Threatening the f7-Pawn.

30. ... Kg8
31. Qc6 ...

Pretty well forcing the Queens off the board, since 31. ... Qa7 32. Qe8 leaves him helpless to meet the threat of 33. Rd7 (his Knight is pinned against his King, and his Bishop will be pinned against the f7-Pawn). Black decides to exchange Queens on e8 instead of on c6, so that his King can gain a tempo by attacking the e8-Bishop.

31. ... Qb8
32. Qe8 Qxe8

Now forced, since there is no other way to stop 33. Rd7.

33. Bxe8 Ne6
34. Rd5 Nc5
35. Rxe5 Kf8
36. Ba4 h6

A curious position.



White is far ahead in material... a Rook and two Pawns (7 points) against a Knight (3 points)... but the win is not at all obvious, since Black has a strangle-hold on the dark squares. Simply advancing White's King to d4 gains nothing, since Black can always just kick it back again with Ne6+.

After studying the position for a while, I found the winning plan. First I play f3 to securely guard my e4-Pawn, so that my Rook can return to d5 to cut the board in half. Then I advance my King to e3, to take over the guard of the e4-Pawn. Then I advance the now-mobile f-Pawn up through f4 to f5, where it controls the e6 square and prevents the Black Knight from making use of that square. Then finally, I advance my King to d4, breaking the dark-square blockade... and at that point, Black can safely resign.

37. f3 g6
38. Kf1 ...

Obviously not 38. Kf2 Nd3+ forking King and Rook.

38. ... f6
39. Rd5 Kf7
40. Ke2 Ke6
41. Ke3 Kf7
42. f4 Kf8
43. f5 Kf7
44. Kd4 ...

... and now Black is hopelessly lost. He can no longer maintain the dark-squared blockade, and the advance of my c-Pawn will cost him a piece (assuming that he can stop it at all). That will leave me a full Rook up, in an endgame. He could resign at this point.



44. ... Nxa4
45. bxa4 gxf5
46. gxf5 Bb4
47. c5 Ke7

Hoping to reply to 48. c6 with 48. ... Bd6 (although that line also loses). White has a more convincing win, though... I simply create a second passed Pawn, and then Black cannot stop them both.

48. e5 fxe5+
49. Rxe5+ Kf7

... and now every line wins. For example, I could play 50. c6 Bd6 51. Rd5 Bg3 52. c7 Bxc7 53 Rd7+ winning a piece; or 50. c6 Bd6 51. Rd5 Ke7 52. f6+ Ke6 53. Rxd6+ Kxd6 54. f7 and Black's King cannot stop both the f-Pawn and the c-Pawn simultaneously. I choose a third line, which wins a piece instantly.

50. Kd5 Black Resigns

His Bishop can no longer fall back to the d6 square, so he has no way to prevent the c-Pawn from queening except to take it right now, losing his Bishop.
 
I managed to win a tricky Rook endgame. It was very interesting... and also perhaps rather instructive. There were a number of unusual winning lines in the closing stages.

I didn't play the opening or middle game particularly well... but the endgame was very sharp and I played it fairly accurately.

iChess495 (R-1852) vs Blue Emu (R-2109)
Sokolvsky Opening

1. b4 e5
2. a3 ...

Rather passive. Better is 2. Bb2.

2. ... d5
3. e3 Nf6
4. Bb2 Bd6
5. h3 ...

Not sure what this is all about.

5. ... Qe7
6. c4 c6
7. Be2 O-O
8. Qc2 Re8
9. c5 ...

Releasing the tension in the center. Black already has a good game.

9. ... Bc7
10. Nf3 Nbd7
11. d3 Nf8

Redeploying the Knight to a more useful square.



12. Nbd2 Ng6
13. g4 ...

A bit over-optimistic, but White is trying to create a King's side attack based on his Bishop on b2. Naturally, I'm not going to reply with ... h6, which only helps White to open lines for his attack.

13. ... a5
14. Nb3 axb4
15. axb4 Rxa1
16. Bxa1 b6

White can't play 17. cxb6 because of 17. ... Qxb4+ followed by 18. ... Qxb6. One point of my play on the Queen's side is to make the Queen's side and center unsafe for the White King. If he feels that he must castle on the King's side (as in the game continuation), most of the steam goes out of his attack on that flank, leaving the g4-Pawn looking rather silly.

17. O-O b5

Now that White has castled King-side (and effectively given up his attempts to attack on that wing), I close the Queen's side again intending to switch my pressure to White's weakened King's position. The dark side of 13. g4 is now apparent.

18. Nbd2 h6

I no longer fear that White will use this Pawn to open a line against my King, so I create a square for Knight manoevers.



19. Re1 Nh7
20. Bf1 Ng5
21. Nh2 Nh4

Threatening 22. ... e4 followed by 23. ... Bxh2+ and a King-and-Rook Knight fork on f3.



22. Re2 e4
23. dxe4 dxe4
24. Bg2 f5

It's now clear that White's advanced g4-Pawn is just a target, not an attacking weapon.

25. f4 ...

Losing a Pawn, but 25. gxf4 is no better.

25. ... exf3 en passent
26. Nhxf3 Nxg2
27. Kxg2 hxg4
28. hxg4 Bxg4

... so I've won a Pawn. Now my main goal is to reach a favorable endgame.



29. Qg6 Bxf3+
30. Nxf3 Nxf3
31. Kxf3 ...

The shot 31. Bf6 looks pretty, but it loses to the reply 31. ... Qf7.

31 ... Qf7+
32. Qxf7+ Kxf7
33. Rg2 g5
34. Ra2 Be5

The Rook-and-Pawn endgame looks like a certain win. It will be tricky, though, since in order to make progress with my passed Pawns, I will have to allow White a passed Pawn of his own.

35. Bxe5 Rxe5
36. Ra6 Re6



37. Ra1 Kg6
38. e4 h5
39. Rd1 h4
40. Rd4 ...

Now comes "the moment of truth". In order to advance my passed Pawns, I will need to support them with my King... but that allows White to invade with Rd6, winning my c-Pawn and establishing a dangerous passed Pawn of his own. Alea jacta est!

40. ... Kh5
41. Rd6 Re8
42. Rxc6 g4+
43. Kg2 ...

After 43. Kf4 Rf8+ my passed Pawns advance unopposed.

43. ... Rxe4
44. Rc8 Re2+
45. Kf1 Rc2

Now White is threatening to push his c-Pawn down to c7, then check my King with his Rook, then Queen his Pawn. I am short one move to run my King around in front of my advanced g-Pawn, so I must use the only other available hiding-place.



46. c6 Kg6
47. c7 Kg7

Obviously not 47. ... Kf7? 48. Rh8 and White either Queens his Pawn or wins my Rook after 48. ... Rxc7 49. Rh7+. Now White has a chance to go down in flames with 48. Rd8 Rxc7 49. Rd4, since it appears (superficially) that he can draw the endgame after 49. ... Rc4 50. Rxc4 bxc4 51. b5, since it seems that we both Queen our Pawns and he should be able to pull out a perpetual check on the open board. But it is in exactly this line that Black has a "hidden" winning manoever!

Variation after 48. Rd8 Rxc7 49. Rd4 Rc4 50. Rxc4 bxc4 51. b5 ...



51. ... c3!

Threatening to Queen with check, so White has only one reply:

52. Ke2 c2!
53. Kd2 h3
54. b6 h2
55. b7 ...



55. ... c1(Q)+!
56. Kxc1 h1(Q)+

Forking White's King and the Pawn on b7. Black wins.

Since that line loses, White must go after the Black b-Pawn instead of the g-Pawn.

48. Rb8 Rxc7
49. Rxb5 Kg6

Preventing a check on the g-file.

50. Rb8 Rc2

... and once again, My Rook can prevent the White Pawn from Queening, while my King hides from the Rook-checks on h7.

51. b5 Rb2
52. b6 h3

And now 53. b7 Kh7 and White must give up his passed Pawn, since 54. Kg1 is met by 54. ... g3.

53. Rg8+ Kf5
54. Rf8+ Kg5
55. Rg8+ Kf4
56. Rf8+ Kg3
57. Rf6 ...

The alternative 57. Ra8 leads to another spectacular winning line for Black:

Variation after 57. Ra8 ...



57. ... Rxb6
58. Ra3+ Kh4
59. Kf2 g3+!

Now 60. Rxg3 loses a Rook to 60. ... Rb2+ 61. Kf3 Rb3+.

60. Kf1 Rb4

Preventing a check.

61. Ra1 Rf4+
62. Kg1 g2
63. Rb1 ...

And now 63. ... Kg3 can be met by 64. Rb3+, but...



63. ... Rf1+!
64. Rxf1 Kg3!

... threatening 65. ... h2 mate; and White, a Rook ahead, must resign.

Returning to the game, after 57. Rf6 ...



57. ... h2
58. Rh6 Rxb6!

White resigns, since he loses his Rook after both 59. Rxb6 h1(Q)+ 60. Ke2 Qe4+ (followed by a Queen-check on d4 or e3) and 59. Rh8 h1(Q)+ 60. Rxh1 Rb1+.
 
You never know who you're playing. For intents and purposes the ending is instructive imo. In the opening I think White should have played d5 sooner.

Though I'm no expert on the Sicilian and might be wrong?

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. c3 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bc4 Nb6 8. Bb5 Bd7 9. exd6 exd6 10. O-O Be7 11. Nc3 O-O 12. Bd3 d5 13. h3 Bf6 14. Be3 Be6 15. Rc1 Nb4 16. Bb1 Nc4 17. Qb3 Nxe3 18. fxe3 Qa5 19. a3 Na6 20. Qxb7 Rab8 21. Qxa7 Rxb2 22. Bd3 Rb6 23. Bxa6 Rxa6 24. Qb7 Rb6 25. Qc7 Rc8
Clearchesser: I think Bxa6 was a mistake unless I missed something here?
26. Qxc8+ Bxc8 27. Nxd5 Rb8 28. Nxf6+ gxf6 29. Nh4 Qxa3 30. Rce1 Kg7 31. Rf3 Qd3 32. Ref1 Rb1 33. Rg3+ Kf8 34. Rxb1 Qxb1+ 35. Kh2 Qe4 36. Nf3 Qxe3 37. Kh1 Bb7 38. Kh2 Qf4 39. Ng1 Ba6 40. Nf3 Be2 41. Ng1 Bd1 42. h4 Qxh4+ 43. Nh3 Qxd4 44. Kh1 h5 45. Ra3 Bg4 46. Ng1 Qf4 47. Ra8+ Kg7 48. Ra3 h4 49. Rb3 Qe4 50. Kh2 Kg6 51. Nh3 Qe5+ 52. Kh1 Bxh3 53. Rxh3 Qg3 54. Kg1 Kg5 55. Rxg3+ hxg3 56. Kf1 Kf4 57. Ke2 Ke4 58. Kd2 f5 59. Ke2 f4 60. Ke1 f3 61. gxf3+ Kxf3 Insufficient losing chances. 62. Kf1 g2+ 63. Kg1 f5 64. Kh2 Kf2
White defaulted
 
I recently completed a game of the four knights. It wasn't boring and/or drawish.

[White "Mark"]
[Black "Suman"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
1.Pd2d4 Pe7e6
2.Pc2c4 Pc7c6
3.Pe2e4 Pg7g6
4.Nb1c3 Nb8a6
5.Pa2a3 Ng8f6
6.Ng1f3 Rh8g8
7.Pe4e5 Nf6h5
8.Bc1g5 Pf7f6
9.Pe5xf6 Qd8b6
10.Pb2b4 Pc6c5
11.Pb4xc5 Qb6b2
12.Nc3e4 Ph7h6
13.Nf3e5 Ph6xg5
14.Pf6f7+ Ke8e7
15.Pf7xg8=N Ke7e8
16.Ra1b1 Qb2xa3
17.Ne5xg6 Qa3b4+
18.Rb1xb4 Na6xb4
19.Qd1xh5 Nb4c2+
20.Ke1d1 Nc2a3
21.Ng6e5+ Ke8d8
22.Qh5xg5+ Kd8c7
23.Qg5f6 Pb7b5
24.Qf6xf8 Pb5xc4
25.Qf8d6+ Kc7b7
26.Pc5c6+ Kb7a6
27.Pc6xd7+ Ka6a5
28.Pd7d8=N Ra8b8
29.Qd6xa3+ 1/2-1/2

Who needs bishops.

To be fair I did lose to someone higher rated than me recently too.
 
I do need bishops, I do, I do, I do...

I'm black.

1.Pe2e4 Ng8f6
2.Pe4e5 Nf6d5
3.Pc2c4 Nd5b6
4.Pd2d4 Pd7d6
5.Pe5xd6 Pc7xd6
6.Nb1c3 Bc8f5
7.Bf1d3 Bf5xd3
8.Qd1xd3 Nb8c6
9.Pa2a3 Pe7e5
10.Pd4xe5 Pd6xe5
11.Qd3e2 Nc6d4
12.Qe2xe5+ Qd8e7
13.Qe5xe7+ Bf8xe7
14.Ke1d1 Nb6xc4
15.Ng1e2 Nd4b3
16.Ra1b1 O-O
17.Kd1c2 Nb3xc1
18.Ne2xc1 Ra8c8
19.Rh1e1 Be7f6
20.Nc1a2 Rf8d8
21.Rb1d1 Kg8f8
22.Rd1xd8+ Rc8xd8
23.Re1d1 Rd8xd1
24.Nc3xd1 Kf8e7
25.Pa3a4 Ke7d6
26.Pb2b3 Nc4a5
27.Nd1e3 Na5c6
28.Ne3c4+ Kd6c5
29.Kc2d3 Pa7a6
30.Nc4d2 Nc6b4+
31.Na2xb4 Kc5xb4
32.Kd3c2 Bf6d4
33.Pf2f3 Pf7f5
34.Pg2g4 Pf5xg4
35.Pf3xg4 Bd4e3
36.Nd2f3 Be3f4
37.Ph2h4 Kb4c5
38.Ph4h5 Kc5d5
39.Kc2d3 Bf4c1
40.Nf3d4 Kd5e5
41.Nd4e2 Bc1g5
42.Pb3b4 Bg5e7
43.Pb4b5 Pa6xb5
44.Pa4xb5 Be7c5
45.Kd3c4 Bc5e3
46.Kc4d3 Be3f2
47.Pg4g5 Ke5f5
48.Pg5g6 Ph7xg6
49.Ph5xg6 Kf5xg6
50.Kd3e4 Kg6f6
51.Ne2f4 Pg7g6
52.Ke4d5 Kf6f5
53.Nf4e6 Pg6g5
54.Ne6d8 Pb7b6
55.Nd8b7 Pg5g4
56.Nb7d6+ Kf5f4
57.Nd6c8 Pg4g3
58.Kd5c6 Pg3g2
59.Nc8xb6 Bf2xb6
60.Kc6xb6 Pg2g1=Q
61.Kb6a6 Kf4e5
62.Pb5b6 Ke5d6
63.Ka6b7 Qg1a1
64.Kb7b8 Kd6c6
65.Pb6b7 Qa1a6

White resigns.
 
One from a couple of weeks ago...

[White "Me"]
[Black "Someone else"]
[WhiteElo "139"]
[BlackElo "153"]

1.f4 c5 2.e3 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 O-O 6.Bd3 d6 7.O-O Nbd7 8.Nbd2 a6 9.Qc2 b5 10.b3 Bb7 11.f5 Rc8 12.Qb1 Nd5 13.fxg6 hxg6 14.Ne4 N7f6 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Bxg6! { I get at least a draw if he accepts, and he's the better player. I can also get a good attack instead of the threefold repetition } 16...Nxc3 ( 16...fxg6 17.Qxg6+ Kh8 ( 17...Bg7 18.Qe6+ Kh8 ( 18...Kh7 19.Ng5+ Kh8 20.Qh3+ Kg8 21.Qh7# ) ( 18...Rf7 19.Ng5 ) 19.Qh3+ Kg8 ) 18.Qh6+ Kg8 19.Qg6+ ) 17.Qd3 cxd4 18.exd4 Bg7? { I get a good attack here, he should have taken the draw } 19.Bh7+ Kh8 20.Ng5 { No escape? Threatening Bg6, Qh3 and R (or N) xf7 } 20...e6 21.Rxf7?? ( 21.Bg6! fxg6 22.Qh3+ Kg8 23.Qh7# ) ( 21.Bg8?? Be4! 22.Nxe4 Nxe4 23.Qxe4 Kxg8 ) 21...Qb6! 22.Qh3?? Qxd4+ 23.Be3 Ne2+ 24.Kf2 Nf4! { Winning a piece. The rest is just mopping up } 25.Bxd4 Nxh3+ 26.gxh3 Bxd4+ 27.Kg3 Rxf7 28.Nxf7+ Kxh7 29.Rd1 Rc3+ 30.Kh4 Bf2+ 31.Kg5 d5 32.Kf6 Bc8 33.Ke7 Bh4+ 34.Kf8 Rf3 35.Rg1 { Threat of the cheapo Rg7#. He wasn't going to fall for it, but it was worth a try } 35...Bf6 36.h4 e5 37.Ke8 Bxh4 38.Nd6 Be6 39.Rc1 Rf6 40.Rc7+ Kh6 41.Ke7 Rf7+
0-1

Ratings are ECF, not FIDE!
 
I should seriously take these matches seriously...

White: choith
Black: PreLynMax

1.e4 e5
2.d3 d6
3.Be2 Be7
4.Bf3 Bf6
5.Ne2 Ne7
6.O-O O-O
7.Ng3 Ng6
8.Nc3 Nc6
9.Nd5 Nd4
10.Nxf6+ gxf6 -The mirror moves end here
11.Be2 Nxe2+
12.Qxe2... I resign, but not before a quick laugh at my opponent's expense.
 
[Event "Fri U2200"]
[Site "Marshall"]
[Date "2015.04.17"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Norris, Anthony"]
[Black "Martenet, Jean-Baptiste"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B22"]
[WhiteElo "2030"]
[BlackElo "2100"]
[PlyCount "63"]
[SourceDate "2015.01.13"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 e6 6. Nf3 d6 7. a3 Nc6 8. Bd3
h6 9. O-O Be7 10. Qe2 Qb6 11. Rd1 Bd7 12. Nc3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 d5 14. Bf4 Na5 15.
Rdb1 Qc7 16. Qc2 Rc8 17. Bd2 Nc4 18. Bc1 b5 19. Nd2 O-O 20. Nf1 f6 21. f4 fxe5
22. fxe5 Qb6 23. Qe2 Qa5 24. Qg4 Qxc3 25. Qg6 Qxd4+ 26. Be3 Rxf1+ 27. Rxf1 Qxd3
28. Qxd3 Nxe5 29. Qd4 Bf6 30. Qxa7 Bc6 31. Rac1 Ra8 32. Qc7 (32. Qxa8+ Bxa8 33.
Rc8+ Kh7 34. Rxa8) 0-1

A tragedy, I ended up losing about 25 moves later when I'd simplified to queen vs two bishops & won most of black's pawns.

Probably I should've simplified trading queen for rook & bishop (though objectively 32. Qc7 was stronger) but I was reluctant to give up my queen.

I had about 15 seconds on the clock for the last 10 moves (5 second delay, not increment sadly or I easily would've won). I succumbed to the problem I often have of trying to consider too many possibilities instead of simple focusing on the ONE TASK of not getting my queen & king skewered. As it happened it occurred in the worst possible way where my king was in front, queen was lost & I couldn't even recapture due to an unlucky geometry.

In the game, with about two minutes left I played 26. Be3 which I thought was pure genius but turns out black could've simply taken the e-pawn & I have only perpetual (the capture of the e-pawn gives black the f6 so there's no mate).

I was so distraught after this game that I blundered the exchange for no reason (and zero compensation) against a 1200 player & was lucky to win after a long struggle (I won back a couple of pawns & had to play knight & 6 pawns vs rook & 4 pawns in the endgame).

I think I'm going to take a break from these rapid (25min, 5sec delay) events, some people excel in them, to me they're simply too stressful, even when I win.
 
My fourth & final game from last night.

[Event "Fri U-2200"]
[Site "Marshall"]
[Date "2015.04.17"]
[Round "4"]
[White "De Villa, Jose"]
[Black "Norris, Anthony"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B21"]
[WhiteElo "1940"]
[BlackElo "2030"]
[PlyCount "62"]
[SourceDate "2015.01.13"]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. e5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. a3 Bf5 6. d3 e6 7. Be2 h5 8. Nbd2 Be7
9. O-O Nh6 10. h3 Qc7 11. b3 O-O-O 12. Nc4 f6 13. b4 b5 $2 14. Na5 Nxa5 15.
bxa5 Qxa5 16. Bd2 Qb6 17. Qe1 Qb8 18. Ba5 Rd7 19. c3 dxc3 20. Qxc3 fxe5 {kind
of panic move, wasn't sure what else to do, I like to think in a longer game I
could've thought of a better plan} 21. Nxe5 {and I realized I can't play Rxd3
at any point because that pawn is defended now by the knight, all of a sudden
my king is exposed & my pieces are extremely jumbled} Rd5 22. Bf3 Bd6 23. Bxd5
exd5 24. Nc6 Qb7 25. Nd4 Bd7 {The game went on about 30 more moves, I created
lots of counterplay for my lost exchange. I even ended up losing my queen for
both of white's minor pieces & still had chances due to white's very weakened
king & a powerful knight on g3 but blundered my rook with seconds remaining.
The moral of the story. Screw G-30} 26. Bb4 Qb6 27. Nb3 c4+ 28. d4 Kb8 29. Nc5
Bc6 30. Ba5 Bxc5 31. Bxb6 Bxb6 {Ah I remember the moves leading up to losing
my queen, here they are, believe it or not I came back pretty strong for this
point, I don't remember the exact moves but I bet computer eval would've
brought me up to only perhaps 2-pawns behind but then blew it as I stated
earily. Obviously I'd already blown it here.} 1-0
 
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