Rolling Pawns

Crushed

rollingpawns — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:31:05 +0000

My opponent was a young guy, never played him before. He played Queen’s pawn, here is the game. His early attack, starting with h4, for a long time seemed not serious to me. I missed a nice tactics with 13. Nxg4, it was my only chance in this game.

I did not realize how bad was my position until I made a fatal mistake with Ne4. His Rxh2 effectively finished the game.

Ruy Lopez, Open

rollingpawns — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:29:10 +0000

I missed 2 games before in this club and that day I had a certification exam in the afternoon. But I passed the exam well and though felt a bit tired I decided after some rest to go and get some distraction.

My opponent was the guy I played twice before having a +1, =1 score. He unexpectedly played e5 and again somewhat unusually went for Open variation in Ruy, here is the game. I had only one game with it, played Re1, lost, so here I decided to go for the main line – d4, though didn’t know it well. After 14. Bc2 I thought that I got some perspectives on the kingside, but with a few exact moves he neutralized it.

A few exchanges, which I felt I couldn’t avoid, followed. He thought a lot starting from the opening and had 30 minutes less than me. Finally having less than 5 minutes he offered a draw. First I refused, but when after several moves we came into a dead drawn rook endgame I decided to accept it. He had less than 2 minutes, I had about 20, so he looked nervous and it was a relief for him. The first draw was similar to this one, we had opposite colored bishops and I offered a draw in his time trouble. And when I won with a rook sacrifice the second time, he showed the sacrifice to a few other people, praising me, people usually do the opposite, showing off if they win.

So, he is a nice guy and draw was a logical result of this game, as he rightly noticed after the game, nobody had an essential advantage during the game.

It’s good I am not playing chess for living

rollingpawns — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:37:28 +0000

This is what I told the president of the club after I finished this game. My opponent was a young guy, I lost to him once before playing against his Modern defense. I have a score -3 in it and -2 in Pirc, so definitely there are some things …

So I decided to do something else and played 1. d4, for the first time in the last 3 years I think, here is the game. He still made Modern defense out of it, but I felt comfortable in the opening. Then on the move 12 he played g5. I thought that Nf3, g4 is not good for me and decided to sacrifice a pawn. Houdini supports Nf5 and thinks it is sound. I quickly started to gain advantage and he spent a lot of time on his moves. I thought a lot after his 19… Qe6 on 20. Re1, but wasn’t sure that after 20… Qxc4 21. gxh6 Bxd4 I have enough compensation for two pawns.

His 23… Bxf4 was not good, exchanging the important defender. It’s too bad I didn’t see 25. Rh4+ Kg7 26. Rg1, winning on the spot. Then not the best moves were played from the both sides. I still continued my attack and then the critical moment came when I played 37. b4. I didn’t see the best Na4 and the move Be6, that I also looked at and considered after the game the better one, keeping all the advantage, worth only 0.4.

After 37. b4 I saw right away that I blundered the knight on c3. It was a shock, though I still had some attack. The funny thing is that after he takes the knight he loses by force after 39. Rxc5!, so it wasn’t a blunder at all. Anyway, the game continued and he decided to give up his rook for my c6 pawn. I didn’t play well after that, one reason was that my time was running up, it was about 5 minutes left. With 4 minutes left I stopped writing the moves, he had about a minute. I lost material and found myself in a losing position. Having, I think, something like 28 seconds left (with me having more than 2 minutes) he went for three-fold repetition. I was actually glad at this moment. Then I came home and computer told me, how exactly I managed not to win the game, that was won. I knew that I was winning, just didn’t know how close I was to it.

One who fears an isolated Queen’s Pawn should give up chess (sequel)

rollingpawns — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:17:30 +0000

The original post was devoted to the game where I had an isolated pawn, here I had the same opponent but we reversed the roles, here is the game. He had White, played Italian game and went for the variation with an isolani. I prepared for it, but not enough. He missed 14. Rxe6 with an advantage. Then it was a critical moment when I could take on a2. I decided that it looks too risky with my kingside getting under attack and my rook and knight out of play. Houdini kind of confirmed that saying that with one pawn it was equal and if I would take another one, I would lose.

After exchanging queens I saw that all my difficulties are behind. I missed 3-fold repetition after 44… Rd6, I would claim it having less time at this moment. Then I decided to play on the kingside. When I had about 5.5 minutes and he 7.5-8 minutes he played Rf3. I quickly took the rook, thinking that exchange is OK. The thing is he blundered, after h3+ he loses the rook. I didn’t notice it and he too.

Then something interesting happened. I stopped writing the moves and started to play faster. He also reached 5 minutes and then it looked like he lost “the time initiative”. His time became equal to mine and then he got behind. On the board there was some meaningless maneuvering. I thought that I don’t want to win on time, being in this drawn position and not knowing how to win, it would be not legal by the way. Anyway when I had about 3 minutes 20 seconds and he about 2.5 minutes I offered a draw. He looked kind of surprised, so I said: “You have less time, but it’s up to you, of course”‘. He thought for a moment and agreed.

When I came home, of course computer pointed to h3+. It kind of stuck in my head for a half of Friday, the only excuse I have is that I was playing blitz at that moment. From the positional point of view I think the game demonstrated all the advantages of isolani in the middlegame – playing on open verticals and strong knight on e5. It also showed that d5 was a nice square for my knight.

Playing home game

rollingpawns — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:54:09 +0000

This game was like a home game in hockey. I had White and played with one of the organizers (due to an odd number of players) rated ~1660. I absolutely had to win. In the standings before the last round I was in the place opposite where I should have been and had a perspective to lose a lot of rating points. So, again Sicilian, Moscow variation, here is the game.

It was 4… Nd7, against which I am +3. I repeated the scheme with c3, d4, Qe2, she developed the bishop on e7 and was doing OK. I missed 20… Ba3, but she didn’t take a pawn and played Bf8, being wary of h5-h6. I think I looked at Qd3,Ng5 moves, but definitely didn’t see the decisive Qd3-h3 maneuver. I played Qd3 one move later, but the opportunity was lost.

I continued to attack on the kingside, but she defended very well. Then I saw that my queen can get into the Black’s territory. Of course I considered winning b5 pawn, but I didn’t like that her queen gets on “c” vertical and then into my territory. Houdini says that I could get the pawn, even two and still defend my king. Then I missed 45. dxc5, thinking that I can lose that c5 pawn later. It was a winning move. Anyway I got an idea to regroup my knight and try to get it on f6. She could prevent it with Qh4, but didn’t. She was also in the time trouble, having something like 4 minutes vs. my 7. When I put my knight on f6 Black’s position became indefensible. After Qa7+ the game was decided.

A beaten one is worth two unbeaten ones

rollingpawns — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 04:18:17 +0000

My last game was a confirmation of this Russian proverb. My opponent was a Russian-speaking man, expert. He had White, here is the game. I knew that he plays d4, c4, I didn’t want to try Benko against solid 2000+ guy and decided to play Grunfeld again (despite of my mishap with the first try) and use my freshly acquired knowledge.

My Nd7 was a scarce move with a low score, still I was OK. The first crucial moment came when after 18. Nf4 Bb7 I saw his e5, e6 coming, but after calculation I found the way out of it with Qxc8.
He thought a lot on his 22. d5, but I expected it to be fine after Bxd5. I am glad that I decided to think carefully about Bxe5 and saw that it loses.

I think my 27… Nc5 was a turning point, then Qd4 forced him to exchange the queens. He had twice less time than me, but the position became simpler. After exchange on the queenside there was nothing left to fight for, he realized that after some kingside play and acknowledged it.

I was happy after the game. Houdini didn’t spoil my euphoria, it was a clean game, it didn’t find any mistakes from the both sides. Two shootouts between Fritz and Houdini starting from 18. Nf4 both ended in a draw.

First Pancake Always Turn Out The Worst

rollingpawns — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:06:48 +0000

I get paired with a guy rated 1475, nevertheless this guy beat one ~1800 and drew with another one in this tournament. I also remembered that we played in the blitz tournament and drew. Anyway, he gets White and starts d4. I decide to try Grunfeld for the first time OTB, here is the game.

We go along the regular lines of Exchange Grunfeld, then suddenly he plays 9. Nfd2. I see that it is not worth to take c3 pawn because of Rc1 and decide to play Nc6 to increase pressure on d4. He plays 10. Nb3 and I see that I have to take the pawn ob c3, it looks like my queen can escape through b2. I think after 11. Bd2 he says something and I have to ask him to understand that he offers a draw. I am very surprised and say: “No, it’s only 11 moves”. After Qb2 he plays Bc1 and now I understand … I think some time, even it’s already clear, then agree to a draw.

He tells me, that he saw it a couple of weeks ago in one new GMs game. Sounds like a nice preparation for 1475 rated, I tell myself with irony. We look at the game, don’t find anything better than 9… cxd4, which also doesn’t look very good for Black. Of course, I am upset, also surprised how mainline Grunfeld can “go down” so easily.

I come home and find out, that the novelty was actually my 9… Nc6. Not a good novelty I have to say. I also find, that this 3-fold repetition happened in 1981, in the game Keene-Adorjan after 9… O-O 10. Nb3 Qxc3, so it’s not new at all. Also I find that 9… cxd4 10. Nc4 is OK unless you want to sacrifice your queen as Sutovski did again Aronian, crazy game:

http://www.365chess.com/view_game.php?g=3777970

The move I like the best in this position is 9… Nd7, defending the c5 pawn, and bishop can be developed later to b7.

One more Moscow variation

rollingpawns — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 20:28:18 +0000

Unexpectedly I get White, my opponent is the young guy I played with 7 months ago and won in the endgame. So, he plays Sicilian d6, here is the game. His answer 4… Nxd7 I do not consider very good, since the knight has nothing to do on d7. I won before 2 games with 4.. Nxd7. When I play 11. Rd1 the purpose is not only to defend d4 pawn, but rather X-ray on “d” vertical, seeing that after e5 he can’t exchange pawns because his knight on d7 is hanging.

Then he plays 11… Rac8 and I start to calculate e5. I see Nd5 and e6, arising exchange on f7 and e7 is defended by rook. Still I feel that I should play it. He plays Ne8 quickly, I have to say that he plays too fast, spending only about 10 minutes by that time. After Nd5 it suddenly appears to me that his e7 square is in a great danger. I see that after 14. exd6 I can fork him, but then I don’t like 14… e6 instead of exd6. For some reason I don’t see that Ne7+ is still possible because pawn on d6 protects e7.

Anyway, my Bg5 is not worse, I clearly see that there is no defense. He, quickly again, plays Bf6. I win an exchange, then plan on exchanging the queens, but change my mind thinking that I can just win without going into endgame. It proves to be the right idea, as he blunders in a few more moves and gets under double attack from my queen.

I am happy to win, also to save time as we spent only an hour. I still do not understand how it is possible to spend 15 minutes on 20 moves, I spent about 40.

Finally … something

rollingpawns — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:13:53 +0000

It was the same person I expected, the guy to whom I lost twice. I went over our last game, Italian. So, he gets White and we play the same variation, here is the game. The difference is that he plays Nf1 before the castle. It strikes me as slow and risky and I play d5 right away. I feel that I have some advantage with better placed pieces. His play looks heavier than in previous games and he spends more time than me.

I manage to play Nf5, forcing exchange soon. When he plays 25. c4 I think for a moment that I am in a big trouble, because it looks like I lose a bishop on b6 after c5. Then I find Bxg2. He gets worse and he realizes it. I do not play the best 28… Bd4, because I think that my bishop will be hanging there. Then he misses a chance to equalize with 33. Kg2.

His Qxf4 is a game losing mistake. We both have 20 minutes left at this time. I see 34… Bc7 and that I can get back my bishop, but it seems me that his passed pawn could be strong. I decide to choose a safer continuation, strongly believing that I can win the arising opposite-colored bishops endgame.
It goes smoothly, I almost blitz and after another 11 moves he resigns.
He looks disappointed, I almost want to say – “You expected to win 3rd time?”, of course I never say it.

Computer tells me that several times I let my advantage slip away and I that after 34…. Bc7 my passed pawn was much stronger than his, so … we are not computers. At least during the game I had advantage most of the time and never was worse.

Poisoned pawn

rollingpawns — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:05:58 +0000

I played with a guy to whom I lost about a 3 years ago. I had White, it was my Moscow variation in Sicilian, here is the game. He was the first out of about a dozen of people that I played Moscow to play Qg4 with a desire to win a pawn. I played quickly O-O and then d4, trying to intimidate him by showing that it is not a blunder. It is considered as a line giving White an advantage. My knowledge ended there and I had to play myself. His move 7… b6 was bad I think as well as 10… Qd7. After his 11… e5 there was a forced win after 12. Nxe5. I didn’t see it. Strange, I think I started to consider Nxe5 or Bxe5 only after he played c6 and Nc6, so it was not possible already.

16. Qc2 was beginning of a wrong plan of attacking his queenside. I think Houdini’s plan with a3 and f4 is essentially better. I continued my bad play by putting my queen on a5. It was still equal until I got too excited with the idea of trapping his knight (forcing it to a2). After he played the long awaited move Be7 I quickly played a3?? and after his same quick Bd8 I saw with a horror that my queen is trapped. The game could be ended right there, I just decided to prolong the agony.

I don’t know what to think about this game. I played really well in the beginning and then the combination that I missed wasn’t easy to spot, since the queens were exchanged and you don’t want to do that when you have an attack. The worst was the blunder, not only I played too fast, not evaluating the position after his move, also I had to feel that my queen was not positioned very well.