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1. e4
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I've known Bob for a few years now, yet I'd only faced him over the board one other time: in the last round of my first tournament at the Illowa Chess Club in December 2001. (For those who don't know, Bob is the proprietor of the chess publishing & distribution company, ChessCo. www.chessco.com) Since he thrashed me during that first encounter (and since I've learned a thing or two since my days of pushing wood in the Class H section), I was happy to finally get the chance to redeem myself. Having played Bob only once (and that almost two years ago), I really wasn't sure what opening he played, so I asked a friend of mine what I should expect. Knowing my penchant for king-pawn openings, he told me Bob was fan of the French. This put me at ease a little since I've had good results against the French in past tournament play, but then, before I could finish my thought, my friend added, "I think he's even written a book or two about it." Great. I knew I was in for a battle, but I was determined to make the best move against my formidable opponent, who isn't just one of the biggest chess proprietors in the nation, but also has a knowledge of opening theory that puts the little experience I have to shame. (Plus, I suffer from an affliction I like to call "acute tactical glaucoma", so I knew I needed to take my time.) I didn't always make the best move, but luckily for me Bob had a few inaccuracies of his own I was able to capitalize on and come out on top. |
 
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1... e6
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The French. Or, as some over-zealous Americans might now call it, "The Freedom Defense." I hate this opening.
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2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. Nf3
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Bob doesn't like this move for some mysterious reason, but I'm not convinced it's too bad. |
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5... Nc6 6. Bb5 Nge7 7. O-O Qa5 8. Bxc6+ Nxc6 9. Ne2
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Passive, but black is seriously undermining my center pawns and I thought this was the best way to deal with the threats. After I play c3, one of my knights will have a good home on d4. |
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9... cxd4 10. Nexd4 Qd8 11. c3 Be7 12. Qe2
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Here I didn't have a clear plan. I just wanted to get my queen to the e-file so if black plays ...f6 to open up the f-file for his rook I can undermine his e-pawn. |
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12... a6 13. Bd2
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13.Bf4 might be better here, but again, I had almost no idea what to do at this point. |
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13... Qb6 14. Bg5
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? Bad. Very bad. This awful move allows black to win a pawn. |
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14... Bxg5
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Black needed to take with the knight first (threatening my queen) if he wanted that pawn. [14...Nxd4 15.cxd4 Bxg5 16.Nxg5 Qxd4] |
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15. Nxc6 Bh6 16. Ncd4
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Whew! That was a close one. Now I'm right back to where I want to be.
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16... O-O 17. Rfd1
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I thought the d-file might eventually open up -- and I wanted to avoid trading my good knight for black's bad bishop after the maneuver ...Bd7 and ...Bb5 -- so I thought it would be a good idea to take control of the half-open file. Though I may have moved the wrong rook since the play is all on the kingside, black's pawns and bishop are pointing at my queenside and I didn't want to start dropping pawns over there.
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17... Bd7 18. Rab1 Rac8 19. h3
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I want to get my other knight more actively placed on g4. And besides, giving your king a little breathing room is always a good idea to avoid those pesky back-rank mates. I had considered (albeit briefly) playing 19.g4, threatening to win his bishop by 20.g5, but after 19...g6 and 20...Bg7, my e-pawn will have to go because I don't have the time or resources to defend it.
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19... f6 20. Kh1
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I want to eventually push my f-pawn to defend his cohort on the e-file, but I wanted to avoid the nasty pin on my knight by her majesty on b6.
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20... Be8 21. Nh2 Bg6 22. Rba1
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I didn't like having to do this. |
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22... fxe5 23. Qxe5 Rxf2
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?! I thought this was a bit too greedy, but nevertheless, this is the critical point of the game -- where accuracy is absolutely essential. Both of us have threats and I wasn't sure either of us could carry out our plans without taking a tempo or two for defense, but now my knight springs back into the game after a brief hiatus on h2. [After >=23...Rce8 24.Ng4 Bf4-/ black clearly has the upper hand.]
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24. Ng4
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/= I was really happy to get my knight back into the fracas, but 24...Bf4 had me worried.
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24... Rxb2
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GM Jonathan Rowson might call this "blinking." Black relinqueshes control of the only open file to snatch a pawn on the side of the board where nothing is happening or needs to happen. The play is all on the kingside. [Instead, if >=24...Rf7 25.Qxe6 Qxe6 26.Nxe6 Re8 27.Nxh6 gxh6= it's anybody's game.]
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25. Nxe6
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/- I had seriously considered taking with the queen (with check), but I wanted to get material back by grabbing his d-pawn, simultaneously threatening a discovered check. Glad I didn't! Little did I realize that after Nxe6 white has almost a forced win. Black doesn't have sufficient time (or piece placement) to prevent Nxh6 followed by Qg7 mate, so he's forced to take drastic measures. Sometimes God grants little favors.....
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25... Kf7 26. Rdf1+
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This is why taking the rook off the f-file was a mistake. |
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26... Ke7 27. Nc5+
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And here black resigned in view of 27...Kd8 28.Rf8 Be8 29.Rxe8#, or the even less attractive alternative 27...Qe6 28.Qxe6 Kd8 29.Qd7#. |
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