Two games

ALD - RMD, 12/4/2004 [A34]

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d3 Nf6 5.Bg5 Be7 6. g3 O-O 7. Bg2 d5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Bxe7 Ndxe7 10. O-O a6 [I could not find this specific position in the opening books, but it is a very typical position in this line of the English. Chances are even here.] 11. Na4 Qd6 [11. ... Qa5] 12. Rc1 Nb4 [12. ... Bg4] 13. Rxc5?! [13. a3] b5 14. Rxe5 [14. Nxe5 bxa4 15. d4] Bb7? [I don't understand why my wife didn't just grab the piece she had just won.] 15. Nc5 [15. Rxe7 Qxe7 16. Nc3 was better.] Bxf3 16. Bxf3 Qxe5 17. Bxa8? [Missing the intermediate 17. d4!] Rxa8? [17. ... Qxc5! 18. Bg2 Nxa2] 18. d4 Qd5 19. a3 Nbc6 20. e3 h6 21. Qd3 Qa2 [Odd.] 22. Qb3 Qxb3 23. Nxb3 a5 24. Rc1 a4 25. Nc5 g5 [25. ... Na5] 26. Nd7 Kg7 27. d5 Nb8 28. Nxb8 Rxb8 29. e4 Nc8 [29. ... Rc8] 30. f4 Nb6 31. Kf2 Nc4 32. Rc2 Kf6 [32. ... Rd8] 33. Kf3 [33. Ke2] h5 34. h3 Nd6?? [A blunder. Black had the cute 34. ... g4+ 35. hxg4 hxg4+ when White can not respond 36. Kxg4? because of Ne3+.] 35. e5+ Ke7 36. exd6+? [Missing the strong intermediate check 36. Rc7+!] Kxd6 37. fxg5 [It was essential to hang on to the strong passed pawn with 37. Ke4. The extra passed pawn in the center is generally a win (e.g., Rubinstein-Lasker, Saint Petersburg 1909, and Fischer-Ghitescu, Liepzig 1960). Now the position is drawish. ] Kxd5 38. Kf4 b4 39. Kf5 [This dissipates White's remaining advantage. Necessary was 39. Rc7.] bxa3 40. bxa3 Rb3 41. Rd2+ [Pretty much forced.] Kc4 42. g4 [42. Kf6] Rxa3 [With 42. ... h4 Black equalized; now White again has winning chances.] 43. gxh5 Rxg3 44. h6 a3 45. Kf6 Rd3 [Chessmaster recommends 45. ... Rh5, but I think a much stronger defense than either 45. ... Rd3 or 45. ... Rh5 is given by 45. ... Rg3.] 46. Ra2 [Otherwise 46. ... Kc3 with the threat of 47. ... Rd2.] Rf3+ 47. Kg7 Rg3 48. Rxa3? [Why? Now the position is a dead draw. After 48. Kxf7 Rxg5 49. Rxa3, White retains some winning chances.] Rxa3 49. h7 Rh3 50. h8=Q Rxh8 51. Kxh8 Kd5 52. Kg7 Ke6 53. Kf8 Kf5 54. Kxf7 Kxg5 1/2-1/2

RMD - ALD, 12/4/2004 [B45]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 e6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Be7 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Nc3 Qc7 8. O-O Nf6 [Another typical position in this line of the Sicilian. Chances are even.] 9. Qf3 [9. Re1] O-O 10. Be3 [10. Bf4] a5 [10. ... d5] 11. Rfe1 Ba6 12. Bb3 Bb4 13. Bg5 Qe5 14. h4 h6 15. Bxf6 Qxf6 16. Qxf6 gxf6 17. Re3 d5 18. Na4 [18. Rf3] d4 19. Rf3 Kg7 20. a3 Be7 21. Nb6 Ra7 22. Nc4 a4 23. Ba2 e5 24. c3 [24. Nd2] c5 25. Nb6 Rb7? [Chessmaster recommends 25. ... Rb8, but I prefer to save the pawn with 25. ... Bb7.] 26. Nxa4 Bb5 27. b3? [It's a subtle error, but this move gives back the extra pawn to 27. ... Ra8 28. cxd4 cxd4 29. Bb1 Bxa4 30. bxa4 Rb2 31. Ba2 Rxa4.] Bxa4? 28. bxa4 Ra7 29. Bb3 c4! 30. Bd1 d3 [=] 31. g4 [31. Rb1] Rb8 32. Kg2 Rb2 33. Rf5 Bc5 34. Kg3 Rd2 35. g5 hxg5 36. hxg5 Be7 [36. ... fxg5 37. Rxg5+ Kf8] 37. f4!? [37. Bh5] Rxd1? [Insufficient. Black had an edge; there was no reason to get "cute." The simple 37. ... exf4+ 38. Kxf4 fxg5+ 39. Ke3 Rh2 maintained the edge.] 38. Rxd1 Rxa4? [38. ... exf4+ was still correct. Now the advantage switches to White.] 39. gxf6+ Bxf6 40. fxe5 Be7 41. Rdf1 Bxa3? [41. ... Kf8] 42. Rxf7+ Kg8 43. e6 Ra6 [43. ... Ra8] 44. e7 Rg6+ 45. Kh3 Rh6+ 46. Kg4 Bxe7 47. Rxe7 [Time to resign.] Rd6 48. e5 Rd8 49. Re6 [Missing a mate in 7 with 49. Kh5 d2 50. Kg6 d1=Q 51. Rxd1 Kf8 52. Rf7+ Ke8 53. Rh1 Rd6+ 54. exd6 Kd8 55. Rh8#.] d2 50. Rd6 1-0 [50. ... Re8 51. Kg5 d1=Q 52. Rdxd1 Rc8 53. Rd6 Rc7 54. Rg6+ Kh8 55. Rh1+ Rh7 56. Rxh7+ Kxh7]