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This was my first ever tournament. I was in the military at the time and soon to be discharged. I had performed well on base in a simultaneous competition and several people encourged me to participate in this tourney. The entry fee was steep (for someone in my financial condition) but I managed it ( and no, I did not win a darn thing - although if memory serves I did score 2.5 or 3.0 for the tourney (5 round swiss).) |
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1. e4 c5
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American Chess had reached new popularity in those days bolstered no doubt by Bobby Fischer's triumph at Reykjavik in 1972. However, truthfully, I had toyed with game while I was in college at Purdue, but I really never played it with any compassion until I learned that it could help pass the time away in Southeast Asia. My chess buddy there was from the Phillipines and taught me a great deal about openings and tactics. |
 
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2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4
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The poisoned pawn varaition had become rather well known by this time, still I thought maybe that that was where my opponent was heading. |
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7... Be7
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Sorry, not this time!! Still a slight sigh of relief, he was using a variation I was somewhat familiar with albeit from the other side of the board. |
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8. Qf3 e5
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Opps, perhaps I spoke too soon. More common (at least at that time) is 8. -----, Qc7 (and it was certainly most familiar to me.) |
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9. Nf5
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Ne2 and Nb3 were also available, but I opted for something I felt was more aggressive. |
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9... Bxf5
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9. -----, 0-0; 10. Nxe7 ch, Qxe7; 11. 0-0-0, ef (11. ----, Be6; 12. f5); 12. Nd5 |
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10. exf5 Nc6 11. O-O-O
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I generally do not castle on the Queenside but will not hestitate to do so when I believe the position warrants it. |
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11... Qb6 12. g4 Nd4 13. Qg2
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I had intended to put my King's Bishop here when the time was right. |
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13... Rc8 14. fxe5
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This probably was not the right move, but I wanted to open a line back to the Queenside for my g5 Bishop. The drawback is that it also lets Black open a line to my Queenside for his dark squared Bishop. But then, I was also hoping that I could do something on the Kingside before he did something on the Queenside. |
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14... dxe5 15. Bd3
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While this provides additional protection for my c2 square, it also blocks the file for my Rook at d1. |
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15... h6
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Forcing the Bishop to do what it was going to do anyhow - withdraw to a more useful position. |
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16. Be3
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While the pin looks attractive, providing additional support to the c3 Knight with Bd2 may have been better, but I thought I would be able to take my Queen to the d2 square. |
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16... Ba3 17. Na4
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I felt that 17. bxa3, Rxc3 would leave me with more problems than I wanted. |
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17... Qb4 18. Bxd4
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Exchanging off potential attacking units is sometimes the best defensive option. |
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18... exd4
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18. -----, Qxd4?; 19. Bb5 ch or 18. -----, Qxa4; 19. Bxe5 |
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19. Rhe1+ Kf8 20. bxa3
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My Knight really had no place to go so exchanging it for the a3 Bishop made sense to me. |
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20... Qxa4 21. Qxb7 Qxa3+ 22. Kb1
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The d file just did not appear attractive to me at the time. Besides I had no wish to give away a pawn. |
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22... Qc5 23. Re5
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This move apparently came as a surprise to my opponent as he now spent a considerable amount of his clock deciding what to do. As for myself, I was just trying to survive; I knew that if he ever got his Rooks connected I would likely be dead meat. I briefly considered 23. Qxa6, Nxg4 or 23. Bxa6, Qxc2 ch but I never explored these any further at the time, perhaps White has some resources available after these moves. |
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23... Qxe5
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On 23. -----, Qc6 (or Qc7) then 24. Qb4 ch, Kg1; 25. Qxd4 or 23. -----, Qc3; 24. Re7 |
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24. Qxc8+ Ne8 25. Bxa6 Kg8 26. Bd3 Kh7 27. h4 Nf6 28. Qc4 Nd5
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28. -----, Nxg4; 29. Qxf7, Nf6; 30. Qg6 ch, Kg8; 31. Bc4 ch, Nd5; 32. f6. And besides my King is on the Queenside. |
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