Crouse, Kendel (999) - Nelson, Mary [A46] Cheyenne Fall Fling, 1999 Comments by S. L. Svare 1.Nf3 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bg5 With this move white takes a Torre Attack formation. Black position lends it self to the King's Indian defence line of the Torre 3...Nc6 [3...g6 4.Nbd2! It is normal in the Torre to take two tempi to move e2 to e3 then to e4, but now white will play e4 in one move. 4...Bg7 5.e4 Now by whites fifth move we have reached the same position as in the game Kasparov-Martinovic, Baku, 1980. that game continued 5...0-0 6.c3 Nbd7 7.Be2 e5 White has kept his starting advantage but Black's formation is solid.] 4.Bxf6? [4.Nbd2 Bg4 5.e3 (5.h3 Bxf3 6.Nxf3 Ne4=) 5...e6 6.Bb5 h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.c3 White is better due to his superior piece mobility.] 4...gxf6 [4...exf6 5.e3=] 5.d5 It is my thought that this advance in the center is too early, I tend to like the Idea of creating a strong pawn formation and keeping the canter. for example... [5.e3 Bg7 6.Bb5 a6 7.Ba4 b5 8.Bb3 Bb7 9.c3] 5...Ne5 6.e4 Bg4 [6...c6 7.Nc3 Qb6 8.Rb1 (8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.Rb3 Nxf3+ 11.gxf3 Qa5 White dose not have sufficient compensation for the pawn.) 8...Bg7=] 7.Be2 e6 8.Nc3 f5 9.Nxe5 Bxe2 10.Nxf7&#plusmn; [10.Qxe2 dxe5 11.Qb5+ Ke7 12.dxe6 Kxe6 (12...fxe6 13.Qxe5 Rg8 14.Rd1 Qc8 15.Nd5++- White's Attack is overwhelming.) 13.Rd1 Bd6+- White has a clear winning advantage.] 10...Bxd1 11.Nxd8 Bxc2 12.Nxe6 Bxe4 [12...Kd7 Is more solid than the text. 13.Rc1 Bd3 (13...Bxe4 14.Nxe4 fxe4 15.Rxc7++-) 14.Nb5 c5] 13.Nxc7+! Forking king and rook and creating a winning position for white. 13...Kd7 14.Nxa8 Bxg2 15.Rg1 Be4 16.0-0-0 [16.Nxe4 Always trade down when you are ahead. To illustrate, let us say you are the coach a basket ball team, it you had to play a game with 4 players to 5, you might have a chance to win, but if you had to play a game with 1 player to 2, you are sure to loose. In chess we can take away players by exchanging pieces. so by all means do so! 16...fxe4 17.Rc1+-] 16...Bh6+ 17.Rd2 Bxd2+ Although winning the exchange Black should not want to seek exchanges while behind as far as Black is. Better would be... [17...Rxa8 18.Nxe4 fxe4 19.Kd1 Rc8+- The dark squared bishop must remain in place to stop the rook check. Rc8 frees the bishop to take it's rook query without loosing the Black's rook in the process.] 18.Kxd2 b6 [18...Rxa8 would have been a blunder here. due to ... 19.Rg7+! Kd8 20.Rg8+ Kc7 21.Rxa8 Winning even more material. Black would stand no chance now] 19.Rg7+ Kc8 20.Nb5 Bxd5 21.Nxd6+ [A better mating net is. 21.Nxa7+ Kb8 22.Nxb6 Bb7 23.Nb5 Be4 24.Nd4 h5 freeing black rook 25.a4 f4 26.a5! A) 26...Bb7 Would lead to mate. 27.a6 Ba8 (27...Bxa6 28.Nc6#; 27...Be4 28.a7#) 28.a7#; B) 26...Rh7 Giving up the rook is the only answer here. 27.Nc6+ Bxc6 28.Rxh7 Bb7 29.b4+- Ending in a resignable position.] 21...Kb8 22.Nc7 Rg8 23.Na6+ Ka8 24.Rxh7 [24.Rd7! Aiming at.. 24...Rg2 25.Nc7+ Kb8 26.Nxd5 Rxf2+ 27.Ke3 Rxh2 28.Rb7+ Ka8 29.Nc7#] 24...Rd8 25.Nb5?? Black must do whatever is necessary to stop the discover check! [25.Rh6 Bxa2 26.Ke3 Bb1 27.Kf4 Be4 28.Ke5 Bf3 29.b4 Be2 30.b5+- White has a solid win.] 25...Bg8+ 26.Ke2 Bxh7 27.a4 Kb7 28.Nb4 Bg8 29.Nd3 Bc4 0-1 Horan, Dan (1320) - Crose, Kendel (999) [A40] Cheyenne Fall Quad, 14.10.1999 Comments by S. L. Svare This game is a wonderful example of why you should play your games out. Even if you are at a disadvantage your opponent may still make a blunder that could lead to a draw, or even a win! 1.d4 c6 2.e3 [Black makes no attempt to control the center by pawn, and instead elects a supporting move for the advance of d5. 2.e4 There is no question this is the best move for white; white takes the opportunity to open the light squared bishop without having to block in his dark squared bishop. 2...d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 now 4...Bf5; 4...Nf6; 4...Nd7 would all be acceptable continuation for the Caro-Kann Defence.] 2...d5 3.Bd3 Nh6 "A knight on the rim is grim." The knight is better placed on f6. Always develop your units to attack the center using one tempi. From here the knight doesn't attack the center, and to do so it will need to move again. This is a wasted move that could give the opposition the needed time to launch a fatal attack. [3...Nf6 Attacking the center and preventing white's freeing move of e4! 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.0-0 e6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.h3 Black has a solid defense and good development. The chances are equal, but in the opening you should strive for equality until you have completed you development. ] 4.Nf3 The development of the other kingside unit is best here. Not only does it free the king to castle early but it also attacks the vital e5 square. [4.e4 Would be result in an equal position after... 4...dxe4 5.Bxe4 Bf5=] 4...Bg4 5.Nbd2 Qb6 The Queen is somewhat misplaced here. Better is [5...e6 6.0-0 Bd6 7.e4! freeing white's game and creating a fluid pawn center. 7...0-0 (7...dxe4 8.Nxe4 Nf5 9.c3 gives white a slight advantage with his more active piece play.) 8.Re1 Nd7 9.c4 Qc7 10.Qc2 dxe4 11.Bxe4 Nf6 12.Bd3= The position holds equal chances, but I think Whites pieces are less awkwardly placed. ] 6.0-0 Na6 Again knights should develop to attack the center, Nd7 would be a better candidate for the knight. 7.Qe1 White's idea here is to relieve the pin on the queen to allow Ne5 but white would do better to wait and play... [7.c3 Stopping the knight from moving to the intended square of b4 and strengthening white's center position. 7...e6 A) 8.Qe1 white original idea. 8...0-0-0 9.Ne5 Bd6 10.f4 Bf5 11.e4! (11.Bxf5 exf5 12.c4! would also be good for white.) 11...Bg6 12.a4 Starting the expansion on Black's castle side. In situations like this where players castle to opposite sides, it is very important to start your pawns moving to storm the king and open lines. The faster player wins in most of these cases. ; B) 8.e4! 8...0-0-0 9.h3 Bh5 10.Qe2 Nc7 11.Re1 Svare-Chesica Comp, This is not much better than equal although white's units are placed to coordinate with one another better.] 7...Nb4 This would seem to be a waste of tempo but it is the best move on the board for black. It improves blacks knight as well as attacks one of whites best attacking pieces. White is unable to move the bishop so black is assured the exchange of his Bad Knight for the good White Bishop. 8.Qe2 Returning the tempo. 8...e6 9.c3 Nxd3 10.Qxd3 Bd6 11.Ne5 Bf5 12.Qe2 Qc7 Absolutely the best square for the queen in this position. 13.f4 0-0-0 14.Ndf3? Removing pressure from e4 is not in whites best interest. Better is ... [14.e4! dxe4 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 16.Qxe4 Nf5 Black is only slightly better because of his good bishop.] 14...f6 15.Nd3 Be4 Black center control as well as having both the good bishop and the active bishop give a definite edge. 16.Bd2 Nf5 17.g4 White is in no position to be weakening the king side. 17...Ne7 18.Be1 Bg6? the bishop was placed on a beautiful forward station, with no enemy units attacking it. There really is no reason for this move. Black should be storming the weakened White king position. [18...h5! Shattering whites king side. 19.g5 Not (19.gxh5 Rxh5 20.Nd2 Rdh8 21.Bg3 Bxd3 22.Qxd3 Nf5!?+ Black has a game commanding attack.) 19...Rdf8 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.dxc5 Bxf3! 22.Rxf3 fxg5 23.fxg5 Qe5 Black still has a strong attack.] 19.Bg3 h6 20.Nc5 Bf7 [20...Bxc5 This is my recommendation here. It does two things - one, it stops any assault White might try on Black's king - two, it allows black an easy continuation of his attack. 21.dxc5 Qd7 22.Rad1 h5! 23.g5 Nf5 24.Bf2] 21.Kg2 Rde8 22.Nd3 Qd7 23.e4 e5 [23...dxe4 is better. and does not allow white the chance to stuff Blacks attack. 24.Qxe4 f5 25.Qe2 Not (25.gxf5 exf5 26.Qe2 Nd5 27.Nde5 Qe7?+) 25...fxg4 26.Nfe5 Bxe5 27.Nxe5 Qd5+ 28.Kg1 Bh5 29.Rfd1 Nf5] 24.f5 A defensive move?? The position is right for White to go on the offensive. The better continuation is ... [24.fxe5 Utilizing the pressure White has on e5 and creating a half-open file for his rook. 24...dxe4 (24...fxe5 25.Nfxe5 Bxe5 26.Nxe5 Qe6 27.Nxf7+-) 25.Qxe4 Bd5 26.Qf4] 24...dxe4 25.Qxe4 Bd5 26.Qe3 e4 27.Nfe5?? The only way to minimize the loss is to remove any chance for black to check ... [27.Kg1 exf3 28.Bxd6 Nxf5 29.Qf4 Nxd6-+ still in black's favor but better than the text.] 27...exd3+ 28.Kg1 fxe5 29.dxe5 Ng8 [29...Bb8 After winning material always consider consolidating your position, Lost material may lead the chance for an attack on the opposing king. 30.e6 Qd8 31.Bxb8 Kxb8-+] 30.Qxa7 Bb8 31.Qa8 Qd8 32.e6 Nf6?? Black misses seeing the mate on b8. He could have handled this threat by using the check at b6 to gain the needed time. [32...Qb6+ 33.Rf2 Qa7 When you are ahead in material seek exchanges when ever possible. 34.Qxb8+ (34.Qxa7 Bxa7?+ Leaving the white rook pined to king!) 34...Qxb8 35.Bxb8 Kxb8+ black position is still winning.] 33.Qxb8# 1-0