I played six games at a tournament in Berkeley over Presidents' Day weekend in 2002. I ended up 4-2 in the Class A (rated 1800-2000) section, which was just out of the money. Some of these games are quite enjoyable, at least to me. Since I haven't gotten anyone's permission, I'll be circumspect and not post the players' names. Their ratings were all between 1750 and 1950 at the time.
Game 1: I was White.

1 e4 e5
2 f4 Qh4+
3 g3 Qe7

Here I actually fell into thought for awhile and decided on what turned out to be the book move.

4 d3 ef
5 Bxf4 d5
6 Nc3 Nf6
7 Bg5 de
8 Nxe4 Nbd7

I have a good game here. Maybe 5...Qb4+ is best, although my book says White is ok after 6 Nd2 Qxb2 7 Bxc7.

9 Qe2 h6

This invites a move I had wanted to play anyway.

10 Nxf6+ Nxf6
11 Bxf6 Qxe2+
12 Bxe2?! ...

This is the wrong piece. The Bishop belongs on the long diagonal, and the Knight can go to f4 from e2. This wastes several moves for me, but I still have an endgame advantage because of his weak Kingside pawns.

12 ... gf
13 O-O-O Be6
14 Kb1 O-O-O
15 Bf3 h5
16 Ne2 f5
17 h4! ...

I spent a lot of time thinking about this move, which fixes his light-square weaknesses even though it weakens my g-pawn on the half-open file. I was obviously worried about 17...h4, which appears to give him plenty of play. Now f4 is looking like a wonderful square for the Knight.

17 ... f6

This is probably best, as the alternative 17...Bd6 18 Nf4 Bxf4 19 gf looks pretty good for White.

18 Rdf1 Bd6
19 Nf4 Bf7
20 Rhg1 ...

My plan was to relocate the Bishop to h3, but I have to protect that g-pawn. Even after this move I can't play 21 Bg2 because of 21 ... Bc5.

20 ... c6
21 a3 a5
22 Ne2 Bc5
23 Rg2 Rde8
24 d4 Bb6
25 c3 Bc4

Now I've managed to block off the dark-squared Bishop, but the other Bishop starts to cause trouble. I'm still hoping to get my Bishop to h3, but now with about fifteen minutes left for the next twenty moves I start to go astray. I think 26 Rd1 was the right move here.

26 Kc2 a4
27 Kd2?! c5!

I had been worried about ...Re3, but this opening of the position is very vexing. Already I can't see a good move. Either I lose the pawn or open the position, or both.

28 Re1 Rd8
29 d5 Bxd5
30 Bxd5 Rxd5+
31 Kc2 Re8

So he gives me the pawn right back.

32 Nf4! Rde5
33 Rxe5 fe

Maybe I should've tried 33 Rd1.

34 Nxh5 c4!

Otherwise I would have played c4 myself.

35 Re2 e4
36 Nf6 Rf8
37 Nd5 Bc5
38 Nf4 Rg8
39 Nh5 ...

It's starting to look bad; not sure where I could have improved. After 39 Rg2 Bd6 40 Ne2 f4! things are even worse, so maybe it was time to counterattack with 39 Rd2 Rxg3 40 Rd5.

39 ... e3
40 Kd1 Kc7

Black's plan is clear enough. Maybe here I should try Rg2 and g4 before it's too late.

41 Kc2 Kd6
42 Kd1 Ke5
43 Kc2 Rg6
44 Rg2 Ke4
45 Nf4 Rh6

Yep, too late. At least I made the time control, barely.

46 Ne2 Kf3
47 Rh2 Rd6

I could resign here, but instead I fight on to the bitter end. And he gets my hopes up by failing to win as quickly as possible.

48 Nd4+ Kxg3
49 Re2 Bxd4
50 cd Rxd4

Like here. 50...Kf3 51 Rh2 Rxd4 and 52...e2 looks pretty devastating.

51 Rxe3+ Kxh4
52 Re5 Kg4
53 Kc3 Re4
54 Rb5 f4
55 Rxb7 f3
56 Rg7+ Kh3
57 Rh7+ Kg2
58 Rg7+ Kf1
59 Kd2 ...

Well, this is the end. Maybe I should have tried 59 Kb4 in a last-ditch effort to push my own pawn. I think 59...c3+ probably refutes it, or normal play with 59...f2. Still, this is just giving up.

59 ... Re2+
60 Kc1 f2
61 Rd7 Re3

At least I had one stupid trap before resigning (61...Ke1??? 62 Rd1 mate).

62 Kd2 Rd3+

0-1

Game 2: I was Black.

1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nf3 d5
4 Nc3 c5
5 Bg5 cd
6 Nxd4 Be7
7 e3 O-O
8 Be2 a6?

Well, this is a real lemon, and he wastes no time taking advantage of it. I think I had to play 8...dc.

9 Bxf6 Bxf6
10 cd ed
11 Qb3 ...

Already I'm in trouble.

11 ... Nc6
12 Rd1 Bxd4
13 ed b5
14 O-O ...

Interesting. He doesn't want the free pawn, yet.

14 ... Be6
15 Bf3 b4
16 Ne2 ...

Not 16 Nxd5 Na5.

16 ... Qd6
17 Qe3 Rfe8
18 Qf4 Rad8
19 Rfe1 Qd7
20 Rc1 Rc8
21 Rc5 Ne7
22 Rec1 Rc6
23 Qd2 Rb8
24 Nf4 Rxc5
25 Rxc5 Rb5
26 Qc2 Bf5
27 Qc1 Be6

Well, I had 18 minutes left for 18 moves.

28 Rc7 Qd8
29 Nxe6 fe
30 Bg4 Qd6
31 b3 Rb6
32 Qc5 Nf5
33 Bxf5?! ef
34 Rc8+ Kf7

Did I survive this mess unscathed? I don't think he should have given up his Bishop so easily.

35 Qc2 g6

Maybe 35...Qe6 was better.

36 Rf7+ Kg8
37 g3 Rb8?!

Time is running out.

38 Rc6 Qe7
39 Rxa6 Re8
40 Qd2 Qe1+
41 Qxe1 Rxe1+
42 Kg2 Rd1
43 Ra7 ...

I thought for sure that he would play 43 Ra4 Rxd4 44 a3, but maybe he didn't like his chances after 44...Re4 45 Rxb4 d4. Either way it's probably a draw.

43 ... Rxd4
44 Rb7 Re4
45 Kf3 g5

Big deep breath...time control!

46 Rb5 g4+
47 Kg2 Rd4

So his advantage consists of my Rook's awkward position. I don't know whether pushing my Kingside pawns was correct, but I think it probably was.

48 Kf1 Rd2
49 Ra5 Kg7
50 Ke1 Rc2

I didn't want to let his King off the first rank; I'm losing one of my pawns anyway.

51 Rxd5 Rxa2
52 Rb5 Rb2
53 Rxb4 Kf6

From this point on, my time runs down as he shifts his pieces around trying to win. Now I make it a little easier for him, but I'm starting to get a little annoyed...

54 Rb7 h5
55 Rb6+ Ke5
56 b4 Ke4
57 Rb5 Kd3
58 Kf1 Ke4
59 Kg2 Rb3

I think 59...f4 60 gf+ Kxf4 probably clinches the draw here.

60 Rb8 Ke5
61 b5 Kd6
62 b6 Kc6
63 Kf1 Rb1+

I can't quite trade Rooks here, as he wins the K+P endgame.

64 Ke2 Rb2+
65 Ke3 Rb3+
66 Ke2 ...

Well, I called his bluff. I don't think he much fancied 66 Kd4 Rf3, so he crawls back into his hole. Now I never offered a draw, since I figured it was his to offer. This is obviously a draw, but I had very little time on my clock at this point, less than ten minutes for the rest of the game. He had already failed to endear himself to me in a couple of ways, so I was starting to get really annoyed at this point.

66 ... Rb2+
67 Kf1 Rb1+
68 Kg2 Rxb6

The K+P endgame is a draw, and so here I thought he would finally split the point with me. But he presses on.

69 Rf8 Rb5
70 Rh8 Kd5
71 Rxh5 Ke6
72 h4 gh+
73 Kxh3 ...

Well, my game score ends here, as I had about four minutes left. But here is what happened: he finally pushed his pawn to f4, with my King on g4. In a misguided attempt to win, he moved his King all the way over to the b-file; so I brought my rook around to g1 and took his g-pawn. His King was back on d4 at this point, and his rook on e3. Now, trading Rooks and playing Ke3 would draw, but I guess he didn't see this; he played Re1, so I took his last pawn and proceeded to win the endgame, ending up with about thirty seconds left in the game.

I walked out of the tournament hall suppressing a big grin, but I didn't feel too bad...after all, he shouldn't have tried so hard to win a dead drawn position (mostly by exploiting my lack of time). There is a lot of justice in chess.

0-1

Game 3: I was White.

1 e4 e5
2 f4 d5
3 ed fe
4 Nf3 Nf6
5 Bb5+ c6

Ok, I'm already out of my meager book knowledge. This looks like a gambit position for Black, except that material is even.

6 dc Nxc6
7 d4 Bd6
8 O-O O-O
9 c3 ...

I knew this was probably weak when I played it, but I didn't see anything better. My book gives 9 Nbd2 with ideas of Nc4-e5, which happens in the game, but the point is that after 9 c3 Nd5 this is taken away for the time being. He misses this, and I get Nbd2 in anyway.

9 ... Bg4
10 Be2 ...

This is dubious, though. Probably 10 Nbd2 or even moving the Queen would be better. I guess I'm entertaining ideas of 10 Ne5, which his next move stops.

10 ... Re8
11 Nbd2 Nd5
12 Nc4 Bc7
13 Re1 Qe7
14 Bd2 Rad8?

I think this was the right time for 14...Ne3. Certainly, this was his last chance to play it.

15 Bd3 Qf6
16 Rxe8+ Rxe8
17 Qf1! ...

Finally I feel like I'm starting to play well. Still, what happens next is startling.

17 ... b5?

He probably thought I couldn't go to e5, but he missed the following zwischenzug.

18 Re1! Rxe1
19 Qxe1 Kf8?

This is the wrong way to remove the mate threat.

20 Nce5 Bxf3??

He's definitely losing the b-pawn now, simply because the move he played doesn't work. So I'm winning anyway.

21 Nd7+

1-0

Game 4: I was Black.

1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nc3 d5
4 Bg5 Be7
5 e3 O-O
6 Nf3 h6
7 Bf4 c6

Again, I'm pretty much out of my book here. The Queen's Gambit is not my style, but I don't know anything else well enough to play it against 1 d4.

8 c5 b6
9 b4 bc
10 bc Qa5

I think I'm ok now, if a bit cramped. I know the standard maxim is to answer a wing attack with a thrust in the center, but there's no way I'm ever going to be able to play ...e5. So my plan is to expand on the a- and b-files. My c-pawn will be weak and I'll be a little cramped, but I should be all right. Plus I can eliminate both his Bishops, getting rid of my bad light-squared one in the process.

11 Qd2 Nh5
12 Bd3 Ba6
13 O-O Bxd3
14 Qxd3 Nd7
15 Ne2 Nxf4
16 ef Qc7

This looks like a good move, not because it covers c6, but because it covers b8, allowing me to fight for the b-file.

17 Ne5 Rab8
18 Rab1 Nxe5
19 fe Rxb1
20 Rxb1 Rb8
21 Rxb8+?! ...

I think 21 h3 or 21 g3 are probably better.

21 ... Qxb8
22 h3 Qb4!

Suddenly it looks like I'm doing pretty well. 22...Qb2 23 Qa6 leads to complications which seem less favorable for me.

23 g3 Qa5!

I also liked this move, which is more annoying than it looks. He has to figure out how to defend his a-pawn. I'm not sure what's best for him here; maybe 24 a3 is the right move. Still, I feel better and better about my chances.

24 Qb1 Qd2
25 Qb7? ...

The moment of truth. I'm not sure what to suggest for White; maybe 25 Kf1 is better.

25 ... Bxc5!
26 dc Qxe2
27 Qxc6 d4!
28 Qe8+ Kh7
29 Qxf7 ...

He wins the race after 29 c6 d3 30 c7 d2 31 c8(Q), but he loses the game: 31...d1(Q)+ is mate in two. The only remaining try is perpetual check, which he tries to set up.

29 ... d3
30 Qxe6 Qe1+
31 Kg2 Qe4+

This covers f5, and 32 f3 Qe2+ 33 Kg1 Qd1+ 34 Kf2 Qc2+ and 35...d2 covers everything. Now White's best move is 32 Kh2, after which I would have had to find 32...Qf3! to assure the win (which is not so clear after 32...d2 33 Qb3). The only other choice is

32 Kg1 d2
33 Qd7 Qb1+!

(or 33 Qb3 Qe1+ and 34...d1(Q).)

0-1

Game 5: I was White.

1 e4 g6
2 d4 Bg7
3 f4 d6
4 Nf3 c5
5 Bb5+ Nc6
6 Nc3 cd
7 Nxd4 Bd7
8 Be3 a6
9 Be2 b5
10 a3 Nf6

My fifth move was a little dubious, so I think Black has equalized here. But I still like my position despite the loss of a tempo.

11 Bf3 Rc8
12 Nd5 O-O

He couldn't trade on d5 and d4 and then take my c-pawn, because his rook on h8 would hang to my queen on d4. After castling, though, this is a threat, which I overlook. After 13 c3 I think I have a nice game, but after my move the game is nearly already over.

13 O-O? Nxd5
14 ed Nxd4
15 Bxd4 Bxd4
16 Qxd4 Rxc2
17 Re1 Re8
18 Rac1 Qc7
19 Qe3 e5
20 Be4? ...

From bad to worse.

20 ... ef
21 Rxc2 ...

After 21 Qxf4 Rxe4! I can resign.

21 ... Qxc2
22 Qxf4 ...

It's a choice between a two-pawns-down endgame and a one-pawn-down middlegame with his Queen killing me.

22 ... Qc5+
23 Kf1 Qc4+

My last move was forced because of the threats of ...f5 or ...Bf5, but now my Bishop is even more pinned.

24 Kf2 Bf5
25 Kf3 Bxe4+
26 Rxe4 Qxd5
27 Ke3 Qb3+
28 Kf2 Qxb2+
29 Kg3 Qxa3+
30 Kh4 Rxe4
31 Rxe4 Qa4

0-1

Game 6: I was Black. That last loss put me pretty close to out of the money, and I needed a win to stay in contention. As I played, I kept an eye on the other games, and before my game ended I knew I had no chance at finishing in the top three. Still, this game went a long way towards making me feel good about my tournament.

1 e4 c5
2 Nf3 e6
3 d4 cd
4 Nxd4 Nc6
5 Nc3 Nf6
6 Nxc6 bc
7 Bd3 Be7?!

7...d5 right away is probably better.

8 e5 Nd5
9 Nxd5 cd
10 Qg4 g6

Well, here we go. I need to keep my black squares safeguarded from now on, and develop the rest of my army. I really need to work on my openings.

11 O-O d6
12 Bb5+ Bd7
13 Bxd7+ Qxd7

This seems a little odd, considering how bad my Bishop was. I also thought he might play 13 ed, when I should almost certainly play 13...Bxd6.

14 ed Qxd6
15 Bh6 Qb4
16 Qf3 ...

He wants more than an endgame, and it's hard to blame him here, but I think it would be fairly good for him. Meanwhile, I'm too afraid to take the b-pawn; maybe a computer could survive, but I don't like my long-term prospects with no chance of castling. One of my favorite chess sayings is Nimzovich's "The threat is stronger than the execution" (this is good for everyday use as well!), so I find a good move that increases the pressure on his pawns without actually taking any of them.

16 ... Rc8
17 Bg7 Rg8
18 Bc3 Qc4
19 Rfd1 ...

This just seems like the wrong Rook. He can't seriously be worried about his a-pawn, and his Rooks belong on the central files.

19 ... Bc5
20 Qf6 Be7
21 Qe5 ...

I really don't have anything better after 21 Qf3 than repeating the position with 21...Bc5, since I really don't want to allow 22 Rd4. But he doesn't want a draw; with his score at 3.5/5, he would have made some money with a win.

21 ... Qc7
22 Qd4 Bc5
23 Qh4 h5
24 Re1 Be7
25 Qd4 Qb6
26 Qa4+ Rc6
27 Bd4 Qa6
28 Qb3 Qc8

We're both running pretty low on time here, with 18 and 14 minutes (respectively) left for 17 moves. Here I think he should consider 29 c3.

29 Re2 a6
30 Rd1 Rc4
31 Qd3 Bc5
32 Bf6 Rf4
33 Be5 Rf5
34 c3? Bxf2+!

That's a free pawn for me, and now I'm starting to get a lot happier.

35 Kh1 Qc6
36 Bd4 ...

With a draw offer. This was a good time for it, as I was pretty low on time and the position was dangerous. I think I knew I was out of the money at this point; still, it's always nice to beat someone rated above you, and I did think I could win.

36 ... Bxd4
37 Qxd4 Qc4
38 Qxc4 dc
39 Re4?! Ke7!
40 Rd4 ...

After 40 Rxc4 Rd8! I am in good shape, but this isn't any better for him.

40 ... Rb8
41 R4d2 ...

Notice that he took three moves to put his Rook where he should have put it in one (39 Red2). Meanwhile I've brought my last piece out, and this decides the game.

41 ... Rbb5
42 Kg1 Rfd5
43 Kf2? Rxb2!

A piquant end to a nice last game. I was a little surprised that he gave up here, as there's still some work to do. But I'll take the win and go home 4-2.

0-1

Back to the problem page