Chess Pundit

For the past 5 months my rating has hovered around 1850. I played a small 3/SS G/45 tournament on Sunday. Two wins and a loss....


Against a 1640 player, I played against my own opening, which I find rare. I've played white 37 times so far this year and this was the first time against the Caro-Kann. It's a solid opening?!...and considered I played against French at least 6 or 7 times. Since everyone hates playing against their own opening, i guess it's a good thing. I like playing the exchange variation though.

GAME 1

1 e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 e6 6. Bf4 Nf6 7. Nd2 Bd6 8. Bg3 O-O 9. Ngf3 Bxg3 10. hxg3 I really think the game is won here. We can analyse two major position errors by black to this point. 5...e6 blocks in his light squared bishop. After a move like 7...Bd6 many people might trade bishops which I think is a mistake in this position. Eventually Black has to take, opening up the h-file. Even if I am castled at that point I can play g4, g3, Kg2 and slide my rook to h1.



10....e5 11. Nxe5 Re8 12. f4 Nxe5 13. fxe5 Bg4 14. Bxh7+ Kf8 15. Qb3 (Qc2 may have been better) Nxh7 16. Rxh7 Kg8 17. Rh4 Qg5 18. c4 dxc4 19. Nxc4 Be6 He almost gets some counterplay here. 20. Qe3 Qe7 In postgame review, the computer suggested f6! 21. Nd6 Red8 22. Kf2 Rac8 23. Nxc8 Rxc8 24. Qd3 Qb4 25. Rah1 Kf8 26. Rh8+ Ke7 27. Rxc8 Bxc8 28. Qa3 Qxa3 29. bxa3 Be6 30. Rc1 Kd7 31. Rc2 Bf5 32. Rb2 Be4 33. Ke3 Bc6 34. g4 Bd5 35. g5 g6 36. a4 Ke6 37. g4 Kd7 38. a5 a6 39. Rb6 Bc6 40. a3 Ke6 41. Rb1 Kd5 42. Rf1 Ke6 43. Rf6+ Ke7 44. Rd6 Bd7 45. d5 Bxg4 46. Rb6 Bc8 47. Kd4 Kd7 48. e6+ fxe6 49. Rxe6 Kc7 50. Rxg6 1-0

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 e6 6. Bf4 Nf6 7. Nd2 Bd6 8. Bg3 O-O 9. Ngf3 Bxg3 10. hxg3 e5 11. Nxe5 Re8 12. f4 Nxe5 13. fxe5 Bg4 14. Bxh7+ Kf8 15. Qb3 Nxh7 16. Rxh7 Kg8 17. Rh4 Qg5 18. c4 dxc4 19. Nxc4 Be6 20. Qe3 Qe7 21. Nd6 Red8 22. Kf2 Rac8 23. Nxc8 Rxc8 24. Qd3 Qb4 25. Rah1 Kf8 26. Rh8+ Ke7 27. Rxc8 Bxc8 28. Qa3 Qxa3 29. bxa3 Be6 30. Rc1 Kd7 31. Rc2 Bf5 32. Rb2 Be4 33. Ke3 Bc6 34. g4 Bd5 35. g5 g6 36. a4 Ke6 37. g4 Kd7 38. a5 a6 39. Rb6 Bc6 40. a3 Ke6 41. Rb1 Kd5 42. Rf1 Ke6 43. Rf6+ Ke7 44. Rd6 Bd7 45. d5 Bxg4 46. Rb6 Bc8 47. Kd4 Kd7 48. e6+ fxe6 49. Rxe6 Kc7 50. Rxg6 1-0

GAME 2

Here I stumbled against a 1883 player, whom I had been 4-0 against. I got the better position, but let it falter a bit and then made an ill-advised sacrifice. Here is an English opening which I played in my study-minimizing fashion....c6. I was asked "do you played c6 against everything? Well, basically yes, but I have been looking at the Benko Gambit.

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. b3 d5 4. Bb2 Bf5 5. d3 e6 6. Nc3 d4 7. Nb1 c5 8. b4 b6 9. g3 Nbd7 10. Bg2 Rb8 11. b5 Bd6 12. h3 Qc7 13. Nh4 Bg6 14. O-O O-O 15. Nxg6 hxg6 16. Nd2 g5 17. Nf3 g4 18. Ng5 gxh3 19. Nxh3 Ng4 20. e3 Ndf6 21. Bf3 Nxf2 22. Rxf2 Bxg3 23. Rg2 Qe5 24. Qe2 Rbd8 25. exd4 cxd4 26. Qxe5 Bxe5 27. Nf2 Bf4 28. Bc1 Be3 29. Kf1 Nd7 30. Ke2 Bxc1 31. Rxc1 Nc5 32. Rcg1 g6 33. Ne4 Nxe4 34. Bxe4 Kg7 35. Rh2 Rh8 36. Rgh1 Rxh2+ 37. Rxh2 f5 38. Bc6 e5 39. Kf3 g5 40. a3 Kg6 41. Bd5 Rf8 42. Kg3 Re8 43. Re2 Kf6 44. a4 Rh8 45. Rh2 Rxh2 46. Kxh2 g4 47. Kg3 Kg5 48. a5 f4+ 49. Kg2 bxa5 50. c5 Kf6 51. b6 1-0

GAME 3

My venerable King's Gambit wins with ease against a 1580 rated player. My playing of the King's Gambit has gotten him to start playing it himself. Win or lose it's a fun game.

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d5 This is what I call the patzer variation. 4. exd5 Bg4 5. Bb5+ Nd7 6. d4 a6 7. Bxd7+ Qxd7 8. O-O O-O-O 9. c4 Bxf3 10. Qxf3 g5 11. Nc3 h5 12. Ne4 f6 Development is the biggest key to the King's Gambit.



13. h4 Qg4 14. hxg5 f5 15. Nc5 Bxc5 16. dxc5 Qxg5 17. Bxf4 Qe7 18. d6 cxd6 19. cxd6 Qd7 20. Be5 Rh6 21. Qxf5 Qxf5 22. Rxf5 Re6 23. Rxh5 Nh6 24. c5 Ng4 25. Bc3 Rg8 26. Rh8 1-0

Back at it Wednesday. Today was a draw as black against an 1836... in a game I should have won. I finished the Wednesday tournament with 2.5/4 and a 1915 performance. I expect my rating to go up 13 points, but if I would have won, it could have been 27. Wait 'till next month!

White: Ronald (1836)
Black: Chris (1843)

1. c4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 Why bother trying to learn another opening, the English when it is easy to force people into and opening you are more comfortable with. The move d4 is so natural that is has to be played. The exchange slav is pretty easy to play, as long as you know when to stop copying moves. 6. Bg5 Ne4 7. Bh4 Qa5 8. Qb3 e6 9. e3 Bb4 10. Rc1 O-O Here, I have some pressure going, but I don’t have enough going to win anything. The best is to continue to develop 11. Bd3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Ba3 13. Rb1 a6 14. O-O b5 He’s caught up in development but my goal is to pressure his weak pawn on c4. 15. Qc2 h6 16. Nd2 Qc7 Moves like f4 or e4 are coming. Also looked a Bd6 and f5. 17. e4 dxe4 18. Nxe4 Bb7 19. Bg3 Qd7 I should have gone straight to e7 here. 20. Rbd1 Rac8 Finally getting my rook in play 21. Qd2 Qe7 Dangerous looking was Nf6+ gxf6 Qxh6 22. Qf4 Rcd8 There is Bh4, and Nd6 to worry about. I’ve looked at f5 or g5 as well, but f5-Bh4-g5-Nxg5 looks dangerous and g5-Qf6 looks annoying. 24. Bg3 g5 However, now with my pawn on f6 I can play the dangerous looking g5.



25. Qc7 Rd7 26. Qb6 f5 27. Nc5 Bxc5 28. dxc5 f4 It’s not often the kingside pawns get revenge. 29. Rfe1 fxg3 30. hxg3 Rfd8 Following everything up took some thought. I also looked at playing the queen to f6 or f7 to pressure f2. 31. Re3 Kg7 There are no current check threats, but my position was okay so I thought I’d remove the threat. 32. Rde1 e5 Here I thought about playing Rxd3. I think it does hold now, but yesterday I was being a bit cautious. I am an instinct player and it didn’t feel right. 33. Be4 Rc7 34. Bxc6 Rxc6 35. Rxe5 Qxe5 36. Rxe5 Rxb6 His alternate 36. Qxb7+ looked threatenting, but Rc7 holds. (Qc7---Re7+ wins for black) 37. cxb6 Kf6 38. Rc5 Rd6 39. c4 Here comes by big mess-up. It was nearing 11 pm, the Astros were hanging on to their World Series chances and I had a few late nights in a row. If you need any other excuses, I probably can think of some.



39…b4 I thought this would trap in the rook 40. Rc7 Rxb6 Now I see the problems coming. I can’t play Rf6 without losing the bishop…but I do anyway. 41. c5 Rb5 42. c6 Ba8 43. Rc8 Rb6 44. Rxa8 Rxc6 Now he had a chance to win with c7—Bb7-Rb8. I should have played Rc5. 45. Rb8 a5 46. Rb5 Ra6 47. g4 Ke6 48. Kf1 Kd7 He offered a draw here. I had some hopes that I could still win with my queenside majority. 49. Ke2 Kc6 50. Re5 a4 51. Re6+ Kb5 52. Rxa6 Kxa6 53. Kd2 Kb5 54. Kc2 Kc4 55. g3 Kd4 56. f4 gxf4 57. gxf4 Ke4 58. f5 Ke5 59. Kd3 h5 1/2-1/2 The pawn ending is drawn and I offer this time.

I've been playing the King's Gambit as white against e5. It's fun opening and win or lose, it is an interesting game. It is hard to determine how well it is working for me because the opponents who play e5 thus far have been either 200+ points better than me or 200+ points below me. IT seems that either only beginners or experts play e5. Everyone else, including myself, has their own system. I've done "as expected", losing against the tougher opponents, and beating the weaker. I've glanced over this line, but it seemed to play itself, so I didn't really pay much attention to it. I, of course, could have played it better.

White: Me (1843)
Black: Francisco (2117)

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d5 4. exd5 Nf6 5. d4 Nxd5 6. Bc4 Be7 7. O-O Be6 8. Ne5 Bf6 8. Bb3 would have been better here. 9. Bxd5 Qxd5 10. c4 Qd8 10. Nc3 is better. There isn't enough time to play c4 but it was soooo tempting. 11. Bxf4 Nc6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Be3 Bxc4 14. Re1 O-O 15. Nc3 Re8 16. Kh1 Qd7 17. b3 Ba6 18. Na4 Qd5 19. Nc5 Bc8 20. Qd2 (preventing Bh3) Bf5 21. Rac1 Bg6 Now I am getting some couterplay on the "c" file. 22. Na6 Qd7 23. Nb4 Be4 24. Bf2 Qg4 (threatens Bg5 & mate) 25. Be3 Qd7 This the last decsion point in the game. I'm down but far from out. I'm trying to play on the c5 file, but also wary of a lot of threats. There are a lot of threats involving Rxe3 or Bxg2. I thought Qc3 would hold, but it doesn't. In hindsight, Na6 was probably the best move here.



26. Qc3 Rad8 Oh boy. I can't take on c6 like I had hoped. 27. Nxc6 Bxc6 28. Qxc6 Qxc6 29. Rxc6 Bxd4 30. Bd2 Rxe1+ 31. Bxe1 Bf2! and I lose the bishop. Nonetheless, nothing else is better. Moving one of the rooks allows for

27. Red1 c5 28. Nc2 Bxc2 at this point I am toast and just played out a few moves. 29. Rxc2 cxd4 30. Bxd4 Bxd4 31. Qg3 Qf5 32. Qxc7 Bb6 33. Rxd8 Qf1#


I think, or at least wishful, that I can play at expert level positionally, and possibly tactically. Part of my problem is that I need to study the opening more. When you exit the opening being in a worse position, you have to fight tooth and nail to get some action.



1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d5 4. exd5 Nf6 5. d4 Nxd5 6. Bc4 Be7 7. O-O Be6 8. Ne5 Bf6 9. Bxd5 Qxd5 10. c4 Qd8 11. Bxf4 Nc6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Be3 Bxc4 14. Re1 O-O 15. Nc3 Re8 16. Kh1 Qd7 17. b3 Ba6 18. Na4 Qd5 19. Nc5 Bc8 20. Qd2 Bf5 21. Rac1 Bg6 22. Na6 Qd7 23. Nb4 Be4 24. Bf2 Qg4 25. Be3 Qd7 26. Qc3 Rad8 27. Red1 c5 28. Nc2 Bxc2 29. Rxc2 cxd4 30. Bxd4 Bxd4 31. Qg3 Qf5 32. Qxc7 Bb6 33. Rxd8 Qf1#

I've neglected my blog. Basically with the wedding, honeymoon, and Hurricane Rita, I haven't had much time to blog. Okay besides those excuses, I've also been wrapped up playing a computer game, Rise of Nations, and I've been playing Texas Hold'em on Mondays. I play chess every Wednesday though. There is a Wednesday tournament, where you play a game a week for a month, and that makes the tournament. It's full time control, 30 moves in 90 minutes and the G/60. For the past couple of months, I'd been idling. I'd beat people below me, and lose to people above me.

Finally I had a good comeback victory. For much of the game it looked like I was losing, then it looked drawish, and finally in the end I squeezed out a victory in an minor piece ending DOWN a pawn. So I am black versus a Russian guy nearly 200 points higher than me.

White: Anton (2038)
Black: Chris (1843)

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Be2 a6 9. e4 Bb7 Here 9...b4 would have been correct now my bishop gets blocked in. 10. e5 Nd5 11. Nxd5 cxd5 Trying exd5 looks risky with the ever possible e6 sac. 12. O-O Be7 13. Be3 O-O

14. Bd3 Re8 15. Nd2 b4 16. f4 f5 Well, f5 does certainly look weird, but f6 either last move or this move seemed sufficient. Allowing him to play f5 next move is bad. It become hard to defend f7 if I take. If i don't take, can proceed with f6. 17. g4 g6 18. gxf5 gxf5 19. Qh5 Kh8 20. Qf7 Rg8+ 21. Kh1 Rg6 I feel like I am out of the woods. I can force a trade of queens on the next move with Qf8, but wait...here comes a sacrifice.


22. Bxf5 exf5 23. Qxf5 Nf8 This was a good sac. I need to blockade the pawns on e6 and f5, but but my pieces are misplaced. I'm not sure if Nf8 was best 24. Qh5 Qe8 25. Qf3 Qf7 I've been looking at lots of moves and possibilities, but I couldn't find anything better. 26. f5 Rg8 27. Rg1 Rxg1+ 28. Rxg1 Rc8 I figure f6 is coming soon, but wanted to get my rook in a more active position. 29. Bh6 So what is Russian, for "oh crap". There are tons of threats. There is Bg7 followed by a discoverd check or Rg7. If I sac the queen for the knight and bishop, f6+ follows winning the dark bishop.



29....Ng6 I'm forced to give the piece back under unfavourable circumstances, but he must trade queens to do so. 30. fxg6 Qxf3+ 31. Nxf3 hxg6 32. Rc1 Kg8 He could have played 32. Rxg6 Rc2. There would have been a lot of pawns being grabbed. I wonder what Chessmaster says, but in hindsight it could have been a better try, but more risky. Often when you are up you want to trade and move on. 33. Kg2 a5 34. Rxc8+ Bxc8 I could wait until he takes me getting my bishop to a better diagonal. 35. Bg5 Bf8 No way am I trading the dark bishops. I will however trade dark for knight, leaving me with an opposite colored bishop ending (which normally draws.) 36. Kf2 a4 I am aiming to get my bishop to g1. He cannot play a3 himself.

37. Bc1 Bf5 38. a3 b3 He looked surprised by b3, but then realized I can play Bxa3 and the push b2. 39. Kg3 Be7 Here I offered a DRAW. I now honestly thought I could hold on to the draw, but he declined. 40. Ng1 Bd3 preventing his knight from getting to c3. 41. Nh3 Bf5 42. Nf2 Kf7 I should have played Bc2 in keeping with not wanting to let his bishop get to c3, but I missed his move. 43. Nd1 Bd7 44. Nc3 Ke6 4 5. Kg4 Kf7+ 46. Kf3 Ke6 He nonetheless is going to have trouble getting through 47. Kf4 Bd8 48. Kg3 Bb6 49. Be3 Ba5 The knight on c3 cannot stay. Taking on c3 has the same affect as taking on a3, but here I would get a knight. 50. Ne2 Kf5 51. Kf3 Be1 If he moved his knight, I would have taken it, again going into the drawish opposite colored bishop ending. 52. Bc1 g5 53. Be3 Up until move 53, I figure the game would draw & I would have accepted a draw proposal. However, here is where psychology in chess comes into play. When someone is near victory as he was after move 29, or worked so hard to win a pawn, it tough to step back and realize that not taking the draw will lead to a loss. I've been there once myself. 53..g4+ 54. Kg2 Ke4 Now my king has penetrated. The b2 pawn looks weak and difficult to defend.



55. Kf1 Ba5 Here I did look at trading bishops, but decided to keep it. Time has finally become a factor. We are both under 20 minutes. 56. Kf2 Kd3 57. Nf4+ Kc2 I've already calculated that I win the race handily. 58. Nxd5 Kxb2 59. Nf4 Kc2 0-1 The final touch for victory. The a3 pawn looks tempting, but Nd3 or Bf1 gives him some possibilities.

Next week I will be white against a 16 year old player rated 2110 to whom I have a 0-1-1 record. Now its time for me to study!!!!



If you want to plug it into a computer, here is the pgn:
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Be2 a6 9. e4 Bb7 10. e5 Nd5 11. Nxd5 cxd5 12. O-O Be7 13. Be3 O-O 14. Bd3 Re8 15. Nd2 b4 16. f4 f5 17. g4 g6 18. gxf5 gxf5 19. Qh5 Kh8 20. Qf7 Rg8+ 21. Kh1 Rg6 22. Bxf5 exf5 23. Qxf5 Nf8 24. Qh5 Qe8 25. Qf3 Qf7 26. f5 Rg8 27. Rg1 Rxg1+ 28. Rxg1 Rc8 29. Bh6 Ng6 30. fxg6 Qxf3+ 31. Nxf3 hxg6 32. Rc1 Kg8 33. Kg2 a5 34. Rxc8+ Bxc8 35. Bg5 Bf8 36. Kf2 a4 37. Bc1 Bf5 38. a3 b3 39. Kg3 Be7 40. Ng1 Bd3 41. Nh3 Bf5 42. Nf2 Kf7 43. Nd1 Bd7 44. Nc3 Ke64 5. Kg4 Kf7+ 46. Kf3 Ke6 47. Kf4 Bd8 48. Kg3 Bb6 49. Be3 Ba5 50. Ne2 Kf5 51. Kf3 Be1 52. Bc1 g5 53. Be3 g4+ 54. Kg2 Ke4 55. Kf1 Ba5 56. Kf2 Kd3 57. Nf4+ Kc2 58. Nxd5 Kxb2 59. Nf4 Kc2