Category Archives: world open

World Open U1800 Game 8 and Thoughts

Posted on by

tired 3[Event “World Open U 1800”]
[Date “2019.07.07”]
[Round “8”]
[White “Andrew Zhang”]
[Black “Mike Callaham”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “B07”]
[WhiteElo “1820”]
[BlackElo “1741”]
[Annotator “Scholarship,Chess”]

Game 8. It only took a few moves to realize that I was getting tired. I hadn’t played in 10 months! 1 loss out of 7 games still had me feeling good though. I also knew that I was working with part 4 of the rule. I decided to just draw on much discipline as I could, and hoped that would have to carry me through. I knew I had probably fallen out of any serious chance at 1st place, but that wasn’t why I was there. I wanted Scholarship Chess Business Center methods to carry me as far as my energy would allow. I’d never played 9 rounds straight before! As you will see, energy and discipline are heavily intertwined. I lasted 7.5 rounds! 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bg5?!world open 8-1This system has nuisance value but is considered by all of theory to be one of the weakest answers to the Philidor!} c6 6. Qd2 Qc7 7. O-O-O Be7 8. h4 b5 9. Bd3 a5world open 8-2It’s amazing to me how these young players find such good moves at times. Black has equalized and is slowly creeping up on the initiative. White’s next move is the computer’s top choice.  That for me is very instructive!} 10. Ne2! h6 11. dxe5? I know that calculating ed and de every turn is annoying!  It’s one of the features I like about this opening.  According to Kosten and the article I published in 2010, black has the better center because he has pawn control of d5 while white does not have control of d4. There are other benefits but hey, I’m not going to tell you everything and leave myself nothing to play?! LOL (11. Be3 Ng4 Black has a small advantage here. White had to play Ng3, Kb1, h5, Kb1, Nh2, or c3.  de was 11th on the list. 12. Ng3 Ndf6 13. Qe2 a4 14. a3 Bd7 15. Rhe1 O-O Black is definitely in the drivers seat.) 11… dxe5 12. Bxf6 {Just retreat the thing for crying out loud. This is where studying would have paid off.  This move aids my development and gives me the bishop pair! Nxf6 13. Qc3 Bd6
14. Ng3 O-O 15. Qd2world open 8-3

It appears that the pressure on f2 can begin now! That means no forward movement for either knight. That’s so cool!} Bg4?  (15… Bc5! 16. Nf1 Rd8 17. Qe2 a4 18. Ne3 a3 19. b3 Ng4 20. c3 Qa7 21. Rhe1 Be6 22. Kb1 Rab8 Putting the squeeze is better than what I played. I wanted to pin the knight down and maybe play rad8 but, that strategy is for when they are on the kingside!) 16. Kb1 Rfd8 17. Qe3 Be6 18. h5 {?!} Ng4 19. Qe2 world open 8-4Qb6?! According to the computer 19 …Bc5 is stronger and it’s also begging for a5-a4. I’m exhausted and I’m just relying on our methods and procedures to get me through the game!} (19… Bc5 20. Rdf1 a4 21. Nf5 a3 22. b3 Qa5 23. Qd2 Qa7 24. Qc3 b4 25. Qe1 Nxf2 26. Rh4 Rd7 27. Nxe5 Bxf5 28. exf5 Re8 29. f6 gxf6 30. Qd2 Rxe5 31. Qxh6 Rxd3  Wins the game!!) 20. Rhf1 Bc5 21. Rd2 a4 22. Nf5world open 8-5

Nxf2?? It was here that I got scared. I realized I was going blind.  That’s when you start having hind sight instead of foresight! LOL   The smoke and mirrors of chess exhaustion had began to show it’s ugly and repugnant head!!} (22… a3! 23. b3 Qa5 24. c3 Qxc3 25. Rc2 Qb4 26. Qd2 Bxf5 27. exf5 Qxd2 28. Rxd2 Bxf2 29. Be4 Rxd2 30. Nxd2 Rd8 31. Nf3 c5 32. Bc6 c4 33. Rc1 cxb3 34. axb3  Black is winning hard!) 23. Rxf2?? Mistakes come in pairs!! (23. N3h4 Qa5 24. a3 Nxd3 25. Rxd3 Bf8 26. Rg3 Kh8 27. Qf3 Qd2 28. Ne3 Rd7 29. Qd1 Qa5 30. Qe1 b4 31. Ka1 Rb7 32. Rgf3 bxa3 33. Qxa5 axb2+ 34. Kb1 Rxa5 Enough said) 23… Bxf5! Smoke and mirrors!! I actually thought that taking the rook was a better move. I expected this combination… (23… Bxf2 24. Qxf2 Qxf2 25. Rxf2 (25. Ne7!?+  Forgetting about this until I had looked at it again for a long time. Kf8 26. Ng6+ fxg6 27. Rxf2 Kg8) 25… Bxf5 26. exf5 e4 27. Be2 exf3 28. Bxf3 Rd6) 24. Rf1 Bg4 25. Qe1 a3 26. b3world open 8-6Be3?  What am I doing?? (26… Bb4 27. Qf2 Qa5 28. Rdd1 Bxh5 29. Qh4 Bd2 30. c3 Qxc3 31. Rxd2 Bxf3 32. Rc2 Qxd3 33. Rxf3 Qd1+ 34. Rc1 Qd4) 27. Re2 Bxf3 28. Rxe3 Bxh5 29. c4 bxc4 30. Bxc4 Rd1+ 31. Qxd1 Bxd1 32. Rxf7world open 8-7.jpg

I sat there for 20 minutes trying to figure out Q takes at e3 and thought I couldn’t move the g pawn.  I don’t need to move the g pawn with mate threats. lol  I was obviously confused so what did my opponent do?  what every smart one should, offer a draw.  I broke that rule too.  Whenever a kid offers you a draw it’s because they are losing.  double check very closely.  I was getting to tired and lost confidence and accepted the draw.  to be honest, if I hadn’t, I’d have probably taken the rook.  That’s winning too.  Until we got to the analysis board I didn’t know it was a win!} Kh8 33. Rg3 Qd4 34. Kc1 Bh5 Threatening mate!tired 2My last round won’t make it to the analysis. I could have simply withdrawn. I was absolutely useless. You could have set up 50 winning positions and if they were beyond a wbwbw//bwbwb I would have blown them all.  My 1st World Open was a smashing success for me and the principle I teach.  I’m very happy.  1/2-1/2

 

Game 7 World Open U 1800

Posted on by

[Event “World Open U1800”]
[Date “2019.07.05”]
[Round “7”]
[White “Mike Callaham”]
[Black “Max Li”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “D00”]
[WhiteElo “1741”]
[BlackElo “1705”]
[Annotator “Scholarship,Chess”]

Focus, focus, focus. When you’ve played an awesome game and one mistake
blows everything out, it can zap your energy. That satisfaction of a job well
done can refill your battery! This was one of those games where not following
your own procedures makes it hurt even more. Time trouble, count the delay
while writing the move and double checking the clock. Do your look and make
the best move time will allow. 38. f5? Came as a shock to me. Was so caught up in the stuff going on with c4, forgot the check had to go 1st.  Didn’t follow procedure. After the game I felt like Homer Simpson at the plant. I knew I’d played well or at least thought I had.  That’s ok, will never go off procedure again ever! I’ve been working this new variation of the London. I made a misplay on move 8 and handed over the initiative. I’d told my friend…”dude, there are a lot of 2 knight endings in this system. I hate endings!? not cause I can’t play them but because they’re usually no play in them. This one was different.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 c6 4. e3 Bf5 5. f3 e6 6. g4 Bg6 7. Bd3 Bd6world open 7-18. Bg5? This move is no good in the Nc3 London System. The best thing to do was keep
developing. (8. Nge2 Bxf4 9. Nxf4 Nbd7 10. h4 Qb6 11. Qd2 O-O-O 12. O-O-O=) 8… Nbd7 9. h4 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Qc7 11. Nge2 h6 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. O-O-O O-O-O=world open 7-314. e4 dxe4 15. Nxe4 Be7 16. Qb3 (16. a3 This would have brought it back to dead equal!) 16… Nd5 17. Kb1 Qb6world open 7-418. Qxb6?! {I’d asked him if he was looking for a a draw with that move. he said he wanted to play on. Probably shouldn’t have taken. I didn’t know it was that good for him. (18. Qd3!? h5 19. g5 Nb4 20. Qb3 Nd5 21. Qd3 Nb4 22. Qb3 draw!) 18… axb6! 19. Rdg1 g6 20. Nf2!? (20. h5 g5 21. c4 Ne3 22. Rc1 f5 23. Rc3 Nxc4 24. gxf5 exf5 25. Rxc4 b5 26. Rc2 fxe4 27. fxe4 Kb8 =) 20… c5 (20… Kc7 21. Nd3 b5 22. Ng3 Kb6 23. h5 g5 24. Ne4 Nb4 25. Ne5 Rhf8 26. c3 Nd5=  ) (20… h5 21. g5 Bd6 22. Ne4 Bf8 23. c3 b5 24. Nc1 He’s going to keep a small edge.) 21. c3 (21. Nd3 cxd4 22. Nxd4 Nb4 23. Nxb4 Rxd4 24. Nd3 h5 25. g5 just above equal) 21… c4 22. Ne4 b5 23. Nd2 Kd7world open 7-2Looks like it’s time to attack the A file. It’s instructive how black takes over the file! 24. a4 Ra8 25. axb5 Ra4 26. f4 Rha8 27. Nf3 Bd6world open 7-528.Ne5+ {Diagram #} (28. Kc2 f6 29. g5 fxg5 30. hxg5 h5 31. Nh4 Rg8 32. Ra1 Rxa1
33. Rxa1 $13) 28… Bxe5 29. dxe5 Ne3 30. Kc1 Nxg4 31. Kd2 h5 32. Rb1 Ra2world open 7-633. Ng3? (33. Rhf1 Kc7 34. Nd4 Rd8 35. Rg1 Kb6 36. Rge1 Nh6 37. Kc2 Rda8 38. Rbd1 R8a5 unclear) 33… Kc7 (33… R8a5 34. Ke2 Kc7 35. Rhd1 Rxb5 6. Rd2.  The lead is a static pawn but it’s going to be hard getting it back!!) 34. Ne4 Rd8+ 35. Nd6 Nf2 36. Rhe1 Nd3 37. Re4 Nxb2 38. Ke3world open 7-7All of blacks choices lead to an edge for white from here! This ending is
more instructive than I could have imagined!} f5??  (38… b6!? 39. Rd4 Na4 40. Rb4 Nc5 41. Rbxc4 Rf8 42. Ne4 Ra5 43. Nxc5 bxc5 44. Rxc5+ Kb6 45. Rc6+ Kxb5 46. Rc7 Kb6 47. Rdc4 with a slight edge to white)  39. Rxc4???+ (39. b6!+  This wins in all lines! I hate blundering when their’s a check!! Kb8 Black could have played Kd7, Kb6, and Kc6.  They all lose but the lines are just to long and complicated to leave you with a definitive analysis in the time I have.  Stop By and we’ll talk about it!  40. Rd4. Surely I had enough time left for these 2 moves! The next 15 moves, I’m not sure! It’s instructive as well!}
Nd3 41. Rxc4 Nf2 42. Rc7 Ng4+ 43. Kd3 Nf2+ 44. Kc4 Ne4 45. Rxb7+ Ka8 46. Rc7 Kb8 47. Rd1 Ng3 48. Rc6 Rb2 49. Rd3 Ne4 50. Nxe4 Rxd3 51. Nd6 Rxd6 52. exd6 Rd2 53. Kb5 Rd5+ 54. Ka6 Rd2 55. c4 {and wins}) 39… Nxc4+ 40. Nxc4  There was no fighting my way out and I later resigned.  0-1

World Open U1800 Game 6

Posted on by

[Event “Worl Open U1800”]
[Date “2019.07.06”]
[Round “6”]
[White “Eric Tipton”]
[Black “Mike Callaham”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “C41”]
[WhiteElo “1775”]
[BlackElo “1741”]
[Annotator “Scholarship,Chess”]
{Round 6. I’m feeling good and rested. It’s time to close the deal. Just
taking it round by round and trying to stay on procedure. I looked up every
opponent’s history before the game. How many games, how have they performed
against higher rated players, and what is the sum total of their experience.
Here, we enter a Philidor. We kept it level for a while but then I slowly
managed to pull away. Then some full board play gets me the advantage. A
nice game.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O

world open 6-1Diagram # Everyone knows the Philidor up to this point. Now they have all the other openings going through their heads. They can play Qe2, Qd3, Re1, a3, a4, Bb3, Be2, Be3, Bg5, h3, de, b3, b4, and Nh4. The more common of those choices appear in other openings. While there are several books on the Philidor, none of them really explain where the white pieces are supposed to be placed and  where the black pieces should not be allowed to get to. If you want to read my article on the Philidor, go to http://www.vachess.org and download or view newsletter 2010-1. Of course I kept a few things to myself, but I’d be willing to explain more to anyone that comes by the club or contacts me. The most instructive part of the article is, “The Plan”!! If you can find a comparable way to explain any opening you are playing, your chances of success with that opening will skyrocket!! 7. Re1 c6 8. a4 Qc7 9. b3!? This is Alekhine’s idea. This line was published in the 1953 book that originally got me interested in the Philidor.  h6 10. Bb2 Re8 11. Bf1?!  Don’t retreat! That gives equality. Fritz actually approves of black’s next move. Nf8 12. g3 Ng6 13. Bg2world open 6-2Every double fianchetto player will tell you, this set up is wrong. You shouldn’t double fianchetto and have the knights on f3 and c3 or the knights on f6 and c6. In a double fianchetto, one of the wing pawns must stay mobile to attack the center and force the center pawns to move or exchange to open lines for the bishops!? Here, the center pawns are no match for black and he can choose to fight on either wing because his pawn structure is fluid and the opponent’s pawn structures are identical and static.} a5 14.
Re2 The jig is up! I am 100% sure my opponent doesn’t have a plan and is stalling. My next move is really designed at putting my rook on d8 and then moving the bishop again to clear the file. It looks like I’m just trying to develop but I’m not. It looks like I don’t have anything to do either but I do. This kind of hidden purposeful play can put your opponents to sleep and/or take tons of time of their clock. When I’m playing the Philidor I move slowly until were castled and then I make my opponent calculate and plan on their own time. Any opening you know as well as I described earlier can be used in this manor!  Bd7 15. d5 Rad8 16. dxc6?world open 6-3The 1st real mistake. White can’t exchange on e5 because black controls d5 but white
doesn’t control d4. Here white reduces the number of spaces his pawns control
in the center with no compensation whatsoever. Now black can plan his center
expansion knowing that the challengers to that expansion are stuck behind the
knights. If the knights move to stop the expansion, they have to go to the 1st or 2nd rank. I think if that happens the bishop pair will die and the weaknesses left behind will give black targets since the knights will have no forward outposts!? (16. Qd3 h5 17. h4 Bg4 18. Rd1 Nf8=world open 6-4Ba3=, Rb1=, Ree1=, Rdd2=, Red2=, Qe3=, Qd2=, Qc4=, Ra1=, Rf1=, Rde1=, Kh1=. when I say equal, I mean equal. lol ) 16… bxc6 Black now has the initiative! 17. Rd2 Be6?! Wrong way?! Should have put it on c8 like I originally planned. 18. Qe2 Bg4 (18… d5 seemed rushed to me, and after 19. exd5 Bxd5 20. Re1 Bf8 21. Nxd5 cxd5 22. Rc1 Bc5 or (22… Ne4 23. Rdd1 Bc5 24. Rf1 isn’t really accomplishing anything.) 23. Rdd1 Qb6 24. Bh3 Re7 25. Bf5 e4 26. Nd4 Ne5 27. Bc3 Under analysis, this does show how the bishops can play out of the holes!) 19. h3 Bc8 20. Rad1 Rd7 21. Nh2 Qb6 22. Nf1 Ba6 23. Qe3 Qb8world open 6-5The last 5 moves have been like watching 2 computers play. lol it’s stil =,=,= and more equal!! 24. Kh2 Bd8 25. Ba3 {?!} Bb6 26. Qf3?  Mistakes come in what? Pairs!?} (26. Qe1 Qa7 27. Ne3 Bc5 or (27… Bd4 28. Na2 Qb6 29. Nf5 d5 30. Nxd4 exd4 31. Rxd4 c5 32. R4d2 Nxe4 or (32… d4 33. Nc1 (33. f4 h5 34. f5 Ne5 35. Nc1 Rde7 36. c3 Nxe4 37. cxd4 Nxd2 38. Qxd2 Rd7 39. Bxc5 Qc7 40. Qg5 h4 41. Rg1=) 33. Rxd5 Rxd5 34. Rxd5 Nf6 35. Bxc5 Qc7 36. Bd6 Rxe1 37. Bxc7 Nxd5 38. Bxd5 Re2 39. Bxa5 Rxf2+ 40. Kg1 Rxc2 41. Nb4 Rc1+ 42. Kf2 Rf1+ 43. Kg2 Rf5 44. Nxa6 Rxd5 45. b4  Black has a slight edge, but everybody better get over there!) 28. Bxc5 Qxc5 29. Nc4 Bxc4 30. bxc4 Qxc4 31. Rxd6 Rxd6 32. Rxd6 Nf8 33. Bf1 Qc5 34. Rd1 Rb8 35. Kg2 Ne6 {Black has the edge but it’s all still real tough to quantify!)
26… d5!?world open 6-6This sets an obvious trap! The queen has one escape square, so taking on d5 really isn’t an option!  On the other hand I could have tried the straight forward Bd4, but I knew he was going to chop it just to relieve the pressure! The other factor plays out in analysis that sooner or later I have to give back a piece for some pawns. So it would just be equal anyway and I couldn’t see any advantage in that. The piece is active and I want to keep it for a while. (26… Bd4 27. Rxd4 exd4 28. Rxd4 c5 29. Rd1 Ne5 30. Qf5 c4 31. Nd2 or (31. f4? This traps the queen! Nfg4+ 32. hxg4 g6 33. Qxd7 Nxd7 34. bxc4 ) 31… cxb3 32. Nxb3 Qc7 33. Bb2 Bc4 34. Nd4 Qb6 35. Ndb5 Be6 36. Qf4 Rc8 holding on to a nagging advantage!) 27. Bh1?? This is not good better would have been (27. Ne3 d4 28. Nf5 Kh7 29. Ne2 Nf8 30. Bxf8 Rxf8 Finally compelling him to part with a bishop would have been good for now!) ( 27. exd5 {?? The trap} e4 28. Qf5 Re5 29. Qxd7 Nxd7 30. dxc6 Nf6 31. Bd6 Qe8
32. Bxe5 Qxe5 {He didn’t fall for it. Ne3 isn’t that easy to see either until
you realize that black’s pawn is pinned and you’ve got the kingside threats of
Nf5 and Nh6 and Qf6 until black breaks the pin! That’s why I always say, ” On
your turn spend time looking to see what you can do to them 1st!! Then look
and see what they can do to you!}) 27… Bd4 28. Bb2? Mistakes come in pairs!! Red8? Sometimes triples!?} (28… Bxf1 29. Rxf1 Nxe4 30. Rxd4 exd4 31. Nxe4 dxe4 32. Qg4 Ne5 33. Qxe4 c5 34. Qf4 Rde7 35. Ba3 Qb6 36. Bg2 {and I’d have gotten what I call, ” The static exchange” I got him to exchange rook for bishop, but there’s no other obvious advantage.) 29. Ba1 Qc7?! world open 6-7This gives back a lot, but I just liked everyone where they were. The trap is gone and now ed is the best move. That’s funny. lol 30. Qg2?? (30. exd5 cxd5 31. Nb5 I’d always considered he’d take the Bishop too.  (31. Rxd4 exd4 32. Nb5 Bxb5 33. axb5 This is a must move in both lines. The knight going back to d4 is definitely a better blockader than the Bishop! Qxc2 34. Bxd4 Ne4 35. Bg2 Ng5 36. Qd3 Qxd3 37. Rxd3 Ne6) 31… Bxb5 32. axb5 Bxa1 33. Rxa1 Ne4 34. Qd3 Nxd2 35. Qxd2 Another static exchange!) 30… Bxc3 31. Bxc3 Nxe4 32. f3?? or (32. Qf3 f5 (32… Nxd2 33. Bxd2 c5 34. Qc3 Bxf1 35. Rxf1 Ra8 36. Qd3 e4 37. Qe2 Ne5 38. f3 exf3 39. Bxf3 Nxf3+ 40. Rxf3 is winning.) 33. Re1 Rd6 34. Rdd1 f4 35. Nd2 Qb6 36. gxf4 Nxc3 37. Qxc3 Qxf2+ 38. Bg2 Nxf4 39. Qf3 Qh4 40. Qg4 Qf6 works for me too!) 32… Nxc3 33. Re1 e4 34. Rf2 Nh4world open 6-8A move from the Philidor campaign as late as move 34!! At this point, it’s time to take as much material as I can and then exchange down to a won ending.} 35. Qg1 exf3 36. Bxf3 Ne4 37. Bxe4 dxe4 38. Re3 Nf3+ 39. Rexf3 exf3 40. Rxf3 Bxf1 41. Rxf1 Rd2+ 42. Kh1 Qd6 43. Qa7 Qd5+ 44. Kg1 Qg2# It was a game right out of the Philidor campaign. This brought me to 5.5 out of 6! Still got 3 games left.  Time for my CBD and a nap to get ready for round 7.

World Open Game 5!!

Posted on by

[Event “2019 World Open U 1800”]
[Site “Richmond”]
[Date “2019.07.05”]
[Round “5”]
[White “Jiri janko”]
[Black “mike c”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “C30”]
[WhiteElo “1789”]
[BlackElo “1741”]
[Annotator “Scholarship,Chess”]
[PlyCount “86”]

This game holds a special place for me in that it’s a King’s Gambit Declined.
Over and over you will hear me say, “If it’s the King’s Gambit, decline it, if
it’s the Queen’s Gambit, accept it! your opponent will never remember the
theory!!”! The fun part about playing the King’s Gambit Declined is that
technically speaking it’s a counter gambit not a declination! He said go
ahead take on f4 I dare you and I said, not a chance, I dare you to take on e5.
When I see the move, I actually get a little insulted. The King’s Gambit has
been played for centuries, how dare you imply that I don’t know anything about
this most fundamental of openings. Since you want to test me, how about I
test you!!} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 This system is not, nor has it ever been in
fashion. I saw a book on it back in the 80’s from Chess Digest. I wish I had
bought it. It was a thematic tournament from the early 20th century. No book
I’ve ever seen on the King’s Gambit has ever been able to give a detailed
theoretical explanation of the ideas, piece placements, or strategies behind
the opening. This is one of the most complicated games I’ve ever analyzed.  You will need 2 boards to watch this game.  To help you out, I put the main sidelines in Italics.  How can my opponents be prepared?!} 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 a6!?N

world open 5-1Believe it or not, black has already equalized and stolen the initiative. The bishop will remain an annoying pest until white finds a way to trade it off or close the diagonal. The pawn they will actually have to gambit will be the d or b pawns to get equality. In the meantime black will make sure that safety on the queenside is also questionable!} 5. Bc4 (5. d4 exd4 6. Nxd4 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. Be3 Bb4 9. O-O Bxc3 10. bxc3 Nxe4 11. Bf3 Re8
is good for black!) or  (5. fxe5 dxe5 6. Nxe5 Nf6 7. Ne2 Nxe4 8. d4 Bb4+ 9. c3 Bd6
10. Bf4 Nc6 11. Ng3 Nxg3 12. hxg3 Qe7 13. Qh5 g6 14. Qe2 Bxe5 15. dxe5 O-O 16.
O-O-O Be6 leaves black with a slight lead in development.) or (5. b4 Ba7 6. d4
exd4 7. Nxd4 Nf6 8. Be2 O-O 9. Be3 Qe7 10. Qd2 Bxd4 11. Bxd4 Nxe4 12. Nxe4 Qxe4
13. O-O Nc6 14. Bc3 {is equal again!) 5… Nf6 6. d3 Not in the spirit of the gambit at all! Nc6 7. h3 O-O 8. Qe2? Nh5 9. Qd1 Ng3 10. Rh2

world open 5-2

10. ..Nh5? (Better is 10… Nd4!?  {This was the 1st time during a tournament game I’d gotten this type of advantage. I didn’t fully take in that white’s king side castling option was forever gone when I calculated this move. If there is a next time, this analysis will leave me better prepared. The analysis is very interesting!} 11. f5 b5 12. Bb3 c6 13. h4 or (13. Nxd4 exd4 14. Qf3 dxc3 15. Qxg3 d5 16. bxc3 Bxf5 17. exf5 Re8+ 18. Kf1 Qe7
with a nice attack!!) or (13. Qd2 a5 14. a3 d5 15. h4 h6 16. Rh3 Nh5 17. Qd1 Nf6
and this retains all of the advantage!) 13… a5 14. Nxd4 exd4 15. Nd5 cxd5
16. Bxd5 Rb8 17. Qf3 Nxf5 18. exf5 Re8+ 19. Kf2 Re5 20. g4 h5 21. gxh5 Rxd5 22.
Qxd5 Bb7 23. Qb3 Qe8 24. Bf4 a4 and that wins!) 11. f5 Nd4 12. h4 Nf6 13. Bg5
c6 14. a3 b5 15. Ba2 a5

world open 5-3

The king side pawns are faster than they look. My opponent underestimated them! 16. Nb1? (16. g4! This move would have definitely been a game changer. One of us would have lost on time trying to figure out this mess. This is where analysis pays off! I will go over this position over and over again! It will help me fully understand the
workings of f5, h4 and the unprotected g4 push. There are landmines all over
the place in the complications that follow. In some lines black must part
with his queen to keep the advantage!! That’s true King’s gambit swashbuckling style!! Black’s advantage can be made minimal in some lines, some are totally unclear!. 16. …Ra7!?  This rook has to get protected and in the game! (16… Bb7?! 17. Rh3 Re8 18.
Bxf6 Qxf6 19. Ng5 Re7 20. Nxh7 Qh6 21. Ng5 Kf8 22. Qd2 Kg8 23. O-O-O Rd8 and white is back in the driver’s seat!) or (16… a4 17. Kf1 Bb7  or (17… Nxg4 18. Nxd4 Nxh2+ 19. Kg2 Qc7 20. Nxc6 Qxc6 21. Bd5 Qa6 22. Bxa8 Qxa8 This is almost equal even with white down a pawn!) 18. Rg2 Ba6 19. Bxf6 Qxf6 20. g5 Qe7 21. h5 Kh8 22. Nxd4 exd4 23. Ne2 Qe5 24. Qd2 d5 25. Ng3 dxe4 26. Nxe4 Qxf5+ 27. Qf2 Qxf2+ 28. Rxf2 Be7 with equal play as well!) 17. Rg2 Re8 18. Bxf6 Qxf6 19. g5 Qe7Analysis Diagram

world open 5-4

Both of the coming moves 20. g6!!, and 20. f6! are going to cause black to give up his queen to keep the advantage. I only want to study like this, but know I can play like this if I have to!} 20. g6!! best! (20. f6 Qd8 21. fxg7 Kxg7 22. h5 With no way for white to infiltrate the dark squares, blacks position should hold. Kh8 23. h6 d5 24. exd5 cxd5 25. Bxd5 (25. Nxd5?? e4 26. Nxd4 Bxd4 27. dxe4 Rxe4+ 28. Kf1 Bh3 29. Qf3 Bxg2+ 30. Qxg2 Rae7 31. Nxe7 Rf4+ 32. Ke2 (32. Ke1 Qxe7+ 33. Kd1 Bb6 34. Be6 fxe6 35. Kc1 Rf2 36. Qh3 Qxg5+ 37. Kb1 Bd4 38. Qb3 a4 39. Qd3 e5 40. Qxb5 Qg8 41. Qd3 Qf7 42. Kc1 Qb7 43. b4) 32…Qxe7+ 33. Kd1 Bb6 34. Be6 Rd4+ 35. Kc1 Qxe6 {White is toast again}) 25… b4
26. axb4 axb4 27. Rxa7 bxc3 28. g6 Qxd5 29. Ng5 Qxg2 30. Nxf7+ Kg8 31. gxh7+
Kxh7 32. Ng5+ Kxh6 33. Rh7+ Kxg5 34. Rg7+ Kf6 35. Rxg2 The threats of 36. Rh8 and 36. cxb leave black winning.) 20… hxg6 21. Rxg6 Nxf5 22. Ng5 Nxh4 23. Bxf7+ Qxf7 24. Nxf7 Rxf7 25. Qh5 Nxg6 26. Qxg6 Re6 27. Qg5 Bf2+ 28. Kd2 Rh6 Analysis Diagram

world open 5-5

With an incredible battle on the horizon!!)

world open 5-6Game position after 16. Nb1

16… Re8?! (16… h6 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. g4 I didn’t play 16. h6 in an attempt to avoid this
position. After 18…d5 the queen has lots of room on the 6th and the center
can be busted open!! I’m humbly blown away! 18. …d5! 19. g5 Qd6 20. Nbd2 see diagram below where you see the Italics again! (20. gxh6 Qxh6 21. Nxd4 Bxd4 22. c3 Qf4 23. Rg2 Qxh4+ 24. Ke2 Bb6 25. Qe1 Qh5+ 26. Kd2 dxe4 27. Qg3 (27. dxe4 Qf3 28. Re2 Ba6 29. b4 Rfd8+ 30. Kc2 Bb7 31. Kb2 axb4 32. cxb4 Bd4+ {he’s toast!}) (27. Qxe4 Bxf5 28. Qe2 Qh6+ 29. Kc2 Rad8 30. Rg3 Rxd3 31. Rxd3 Rd8 32. Bxf7+ Kxf7 33. Qf1 Qg6 34. Nd2 Rxd3 35. Re1
Can’t believe how the center collapses and the way the other pieces are out of
the picture.) 27… Qh6+ 28. Qg5 Qxg5+ 29. Rxg5 Rd8 30. f6 Rxd3+ 31. Kc2 g6
32. Rxg6+ Kf8 33. Rg7 Ra7 34. Rh7 Rh3 35. Rxh3 Bxh3 Wow! this is winning!) or  (
20. Rg2 Bxf5!! 21. exf5 (21. Nxd4 Bxd4 22. c3 dxe4 23. cxd4 Qxd4 24. dxe4
Qxe4+ 25. Qe2 Qxh4+ 26. Qf2 hxg5 {That’s a lot of pawns!}) 21… Nxf5 22. Qd2
Ne3 23. Rg1 hxg5 24. hxg5 e4 25. dxe4 Qf4 26. Qc3 dxe4 27. g6 Nc4 28. Bxc4 (28.
Nd4 Qc1+ 29. Kf2 Qf4+ 30. Ke1 fxg6 31. Bxc4+ bxc4 32. Qxc4+ Rf7 33. Kd1 Qf2 34.
Re1 Bxd4 {The tactics here are instructive and inspiring!}) 28… Qc1+ 29. Ke2
exf3+ 30. Kxf3 Qxg1 31. gxf7+ Kh7 32. Qe5 Qf2+ 33. Kg4 Qg2+ 34. Qg3 Qe4+ 35.
Qf4 Qxf4+ 36. Kxf4 bxc4 37. Kg3 Bd6+ 38. Kh3 Rxf7 This is so much fun to watch)

world open 5-7

20… Bxf5!! This one recurring sacrifice makes the whole system make sense.  After white’s f5, I must be ready to sac my c8 bishop at the right time if I can keep his king in the center!! 21. exf5 e4 22. dxe4 Qg3+ 23. Kf1 Nxf3 24. Nxf3 dxe4 25. Rg2 Qf4 26. gxh6 exf3 27. Rxg7+ Kh8 28. b4 axb4 29. axb4 Bb6 30. Qd3 Rxa2 31. Re1 Qxh4 32. Qxf3 Rxc2 33. Rg3 Rd8 34. h7 Qh2 35. Rg8+ Kxh7 36. Rg7+ Kh8 37. Re8+ Rxe8 38. Rg8+ Rxg8 39. Ke1 Rg1+ 40. Qf1 Rc1#) 17. Bxf6?! {White should redevelop
and hold on to this Ace to make me calculate it again, again, and again each
turn in the hope of me playing h6. The pawns are more and more dangerous the
closer he gets to being fully redeveloped! (17. g4 d5 18. c3 Nxf3+ 19. Qxf3
Ba6!?  This move is the only move I found easy to play. all the others give the game back!?

world open 5-8.jpg(19… Bb7?! 20. Nd2 b4 21. Bxf6 (21. Kf1?! bxa3 22. bxa3 d4 23.
Rb1 Ba6 24. cxd4 Qxd4 25. Ke2 Nd5!! 26. exd5 e4 27. Nxe4 Rxe4+ 28. Kd2 Rae8)
21… Qxf6 22. g5 Qd6 23. f6 bxa3 24. bxa3 Bxa3 25. fxg7 Kxg7 26. Rf2 Rf8 27.
Qf6+ Qxf6 28. gxf6+ Kg6 29. exd5 cxd5 30. Bxd5 Bxd5 31. Rxa3 and the board is still a mess! Black has retained the initiative.) (19… Ra7?! 20. Nd2 d4 21. cxd4 Bxd4 22. O-O-O a4 23. Rg2 Qe7 24. Bxf6 Qxf6 25. g5 Qd6 26. g6 hxg6 27. Rxg6 Be6 28. Bxe6 Rxe6 29. Rxg7+ Kxg7 30. fxe6 Qxe6  Looks equal but I don’t trust it. That passer looks really mean!) 20. Bxf6 Qxf6 21. g5 Qd6 22. h5 b4 23. h6 The computer likes it but I think it gives
control of all the colors of the board to black. g6 24. fxg6 Qxg6 25. Nd2 bxc3
26. bxc3 Rad8 27. c4 Bxa3! (27… d4?! 28. Rf2 Rb8 29. Qg3 Bc8 30. Qh4
Qd6 31. Bb3 Re7 32. Kf1 Reb7 33. Bd1 Qe6 34. Kg2 Rb2 35. Bh5 R8b7 36. Qg3 a4
It’s equal with a slight initiative and that’s it!) 28. cxd5 Bb4 29. Rc1 (29.
Re2 cxd5 30. Bxd5 Kh8 31. Rg2 Rxd5 32. exd5 Bxd3 33. Qe3 e4 Even this late, a king in the center is a bad thing!) 29… cxd5 30. Bxd5 Rxd5 31. exd5 Bxd3 32. Rc6 Qe4+ 33. Qxe4 Bxe4 34. Rb6 Bxd5 Hay makers all over the place but black keeps an edge.) 17… Qxf6 18. Ng5 ( 18. g4 Over and over again, this turns out to be the move to be feared and prepared for! This time it appears to be too little too late. d5 19. c3 Nxf3+ 20. Qxf3 Qd6 21. Nd2 Rd8 22. g5 b4 23. f6 bxc3 24. bxc3 Bxa3 25. Rb1 Rb8  Not at all like before. Very instructive!) 18… d5 19. c3 (19. g4 And again!
h6 20. Nxf7 Qxf7 21. c3 Qc7 22. cxd4 exd4 23. Rf2 Bd6 24. Kf1 Bg3
g4 was the way out, now it’s just the last hope!) 19… h6 20. cxd4 Bxd4?
( 20… exd4 21. Qh5 Bxf5 22. Qxf7+ Qxf7 23. Nxf7 Kxf7 24. Kf2
Blacks winning again!) 21. Nc3 hxg5 22. Qh5 g6?? This would have put a
nail in the coffin and I missed it. Both of us are in serious time trouble.
I still should have taken more time to just realize that keeping the files
closed ends the attack! (22… g4 23. Nd1 b4 24. Rc1 bxa3 25. bxa3 Ba6 26. Qg5
Bxd3 27. exd5 cxd5 28. Bxd5 Qd6 29. f6 g6 30. Nf2 Rac8 and we may not make it to the time control!!) 23. hxg5 gxh5 24. gxf6 b4 25. Ke2 Bxf5 {!!} 26. exf5 e4 27. Rxh5 Bxf6 28. Na4 bxa3 29. g4 axb2 30. Rah1 Bg7 31. g5 f6 {Diagram # I was feeling pretty bad here. I knew I was on the defense, but I had no Idea how much I’d blown, or how bad it was. We are both just glued to the table and trying to hold on before we run out of time! 32.
gxf6?? Bxf6 33. Rg1+ Kf8 34. Rh7 exd3+ 35. Kxd3 Re7 36. Rh6 Rf7 37. Rgh1 Ke7
38. Nc5 Rg8 39. Re1+ Kd8 40. Ne6+ Kc8 41. Nc5?? Always get up and walk off
the time control. He doesn’t and makes a mistake.} Rg3+ 42. Kc2?? or 2 (42.
Ke2 Kc7 43. Bb1 a4! 44. Reh1 a3 45. Ne6+ Kd7 46. Rd1 Rg2+ 47. Ke3 Be5 48.
Rg6 Rc2 49. Bxc2 a2 50. Nc5+ Kc7 51. Nb3 Rh7 52. Rgg1 Rh3+ 53. Ke2 Rh2+ 54. Kd3
c5 55. Nxc5 a1=Q 56. Rxa1 bxa1=Q 57. Rxa1 Bxa1 58. Ne6+ Kd6 {
With a long but theoretically won ending.}) 42… Rc3+ 43. Kxb2 Rxc5+
All I can say is, “What a game!!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 0-1