Round 1
White v Zachary Searle (1791)
I decided before the game that I should try to change up my openings & put the BDG in the bag for this event. Not only would it help avoid walking into any preparation and suit a more positional style that I have had success with on occasion, but it would also make things easier for me as I was without a laptop for the event (the cable for my laptop power pack was frayed and I couldn't find a replacement, so I was essentially without a 'digital second'). Anyway, back to the game:
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. c4 O-O 5. Nc3 c6 6. d4 d5 7. O-O Ne4 8. e3 Nxc3 9. bxc3 dxc4 10. a4 Bg4 11. Qe2 Nd7 12. Qxc4 Nb6 13. Qb4 Qd6 14. Qb1 Qd7 15. Nd2 e5 16. Ba3 Rfe8 17. a5 Nd5 18. Rc1 Rad8 19. Nc4 (D)
I had looked briefly at the idea of opening up the diagonal for the g7 bishop, but didn't give it too much thought until the position was actually on the board. I think the sacrifice isn't sound (Fritz 6 gives me a slight advantage up until 24...Qc7?), but the blunder on move 24 helped make it easier for me.
19...Nxc3 20. Rxc3 exd4 21.Rb3 dxe3 22. Nxe3 Bxa1 23. Qxa1 Be2 24. h4 Qc7 25. Qb2 Bb5 26. Ng4 Re1+ 27. Kh2 f5 28. Nh6# 1-0
Round 2
Black v IM Gary Lane (2371)
I played a dodgy opening, but managed to get a reasonable, though vulnerable position. Lane played a number of inaccurate moves in his attack, which allowed me to consilidate and win a pawn. Then I threw it all away!
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.Bc4 b5 5.Bb3 b4 6.Nce2 d5 7.exd5 cxd5 8.Bd2 a5 9.a3 bxa3 10.Rxa3 Nc6 11.Nf3 e6 12.Ba4 Nge7 13.Ne5 Bd7 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.h4 0-0 16.h5 Nf5 17.Rah3 Rfc8 18.hxg6 hxg6 19.g4 Nfxd4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Bg5 Bg7 22.Qf3 f5 23.Rh7 Qd6 24.Qh3 Qe5+ 25.Kf1 Nd4 26.Be3 (D)
Of course I completely missed the idea of sacrificing the rook on h8 (I had really only considered positions after a sacrifice on g7) and had assumed that my queen could cover any problems that might arise. If I play a move like 26...f4, I think I have a position where I am a pawn to the good and just need to consolidate my king position to have a good chance of winning, or at least drawing the position.
26...Nxc2 27.Bxc2 Rxc2 28.Rh8+ Bxh8 29.Qh7+ Kf8 30.Qxh8+ Qxh8 31.Rxh8+ Ke7 32.Rxa8 Rxb2 33.gxf5 gxf5 34.Rxa5 Rc2 35.Ra7+ Kf6 36.Bd4+ Kg5 37.Be5 f4 38.Rf7 Rc4 39.f3 Ra4 40.Kg2 Rc4 41.Kh3 Ra4 42.Bd6 Rc4 43.Be7+ Kh5 44.Rf6 Kg5 45.Rxe6+ Kf5 46.Rf6+ Ke5 47.Kg4 Rc1 48.Rf5+ Ke6 49.Ba3 Rc3 50.Bb2 1-0
Round 3
White v Kevin Tan (1956)
Kevin was a player who I was not familiar with, and being a junior who seemed relatively new to chess, I thought that he might have been a good candidate for a BDG. He chose to avoid the BDG, and found himself on the wrong side of a Pirc defence, which is a position I have played many times before, and is one where the attack seems to play itself (something that makes chess a bit easier). Kevin never got an attack going & the game was over fairly quickly.
1.d4 Nf6 2.f3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.Be3 Bg7 5.Qd2 Nc6 6.Nc3 0-0 7.0-0-0 a6 8.g4 e5 9.Nge2 b5 10.d5 Na5 11.Ng3 Bd7 12.h4 Rb8 13.h5 g5 14.Bxg5 b4 15.Nb1 Bb5 16.Nf5 Bxf1 17.Rdxf1 c5 18.Qh2 Nc4 (D)
After 13...g5, the attack is winning fairly easily. Find the win from the diagrammed position:
19.Nxg7 Kxg7 20.h6+ Kg6 21.Qh4 1-0
Think I'll make it a 3-part post ... its getting kind of long!
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