Two Games

RMD - ALD, 12/26/2004 [C50]

1. Nf3 Nc6 2. e4 e5 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Bd5 [6. d3] Re8 7. d3 d6 [7. ... Nd4] 8. Ng5 [8. Bg5] Nxd5 9. Nxd5 [=] Ne7? [A mistake; 9. ... h6 is correct. - RMD] 10. Qh5! [I had only seen 10. Qf3. Had I seen this I would not have played 9. ... Ne7.] f6??? [10. ... Nxd5 does not work, but 10. ... Ng6 hangs on although White is obviously much better.] 11. Qxh7+? [Misses a mate in three with 11. Nxe7+! Rxe7 12. Qxh7+ Kf8 13. Qh8#.] Kf8 12. Qh8+? [Missing the much stronger 12. Nxf6! when Black's best is 12. ... d5 (to free up the square d6 for the King's escape) 13. Qh8+ Ng8 14. Qxg8+ Ke7 15. Qxg7+ Kd6 16. exd5 with a strong attack.] Ng8 13. Nf3 [13. b4!? was worth considering.] c6 14. Nc3 [White has won a pawn, but the attack has dissipated.] Bg4 15. Nh4 Kf7 16. Qh7 [16. Nf5] Ne7 17. Nf5? [Now this is a mistake; 17. Bh6!] Bxf5 18. exf5? Rh8! White resigns

As my wife and I occasionally do, we agreed to re-play this game from White's 15th move since my wife was not happy with 15. Nh4, although I did not see anything wrong with it.

RMD - ALD, 12/26/2004 [C50]

1. Nf3 Nc6 2. e4 e5 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Bd5 Re8 7. d3 d6 8. Ng5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 Ne7 10. Qh5 f6 11. Qxh7+ Kf8 12. Qh8+ Ng8 13. Nf3 c6 14. Nc3 Bg4 15. h3 [I think the original 15. Nh4 was better.] Bxf3 16. gxf3 Kf7 [16. ... d5] 17. Qh4 [17. Qh5+ Kf8 18. f4] Ne7 18. Qg3 Rh8 19. Na4 [I thought my wife was shifting her attention to the queenside, but she did not follow up this move. She didn't even trade the knight for my bishop. I think continuing on the kingside with 19. f4 was better.] Qd7 20. Kg2 Rh7 21. Be3 Bxe3 22. fxe3 Rah8 [22. ... Rh6] 23. Rh1 Ng6 24. Rh2? [24. Rag1] Nh4+ [Missing 24. ... Rh5! (threatening ...Rg5) 25. h4 Nxh4+ winning back the pawn with the better position.] 25. Kf2 f5 [25. ... Rh6 - RMD] 26. Rah1 [26. Nc3] Kf6 27. f4 [27. Rg1] exf4 28. exf4 Re8 29. Qg5+ Kf7 30. Nc3 g6 [30. ... Qc7] 31. a4 [Another move which does not follow from or lead to anything else in the game.] Rh5 32. Qg3 Re6 [Wasted move; 32. ... Qd8.] 33. Re1 Re8 [33. ... fxe4 34. dxe4 d5] 34. Rhh1 b6 35. e5!? [35. Rhg1] dxe5 36. Rxe5 [36. Qe3] Qd4+ [36. ... Rxe5 37. fxe5 f4] 37. Qe3 Qxe3+ 38. Rxe3 Rxe3 39. Kxe3 Ng2+ [39. ... g5!?] 40. Kf3 Nh4+ 41. Kg3 Kf6 42. d4 [42. Ne2] g5 43. Ne2 [43. fxg5+] gxf4+ [43. ... Ng6] 44. Kxf4 [44. Nxf4] Ng6+ 45. Kf3 Rh8 46. Nf4 [46. b4] Nxf4 47. Kxf4 Rh4+48. Ke3 Re4+ 49. Kd3 Kg5 50. Kc4 [50. c4] Kh4 [50. ... f4!] 51. c3 [51. Rf1 to take advantage of the fact that I did not push the f pawn.] Re3 52. Rf1 Kxh3 [This was the pivotal decision of the game; I believe 52. ... Kg5 was stronger. - RMD] 53. Rxf5 Re7 54. b4 [54. a5!?] Kg4 55. Rf8 Kg5 [55. ... Rc7] 56. a5 bxa5 57. bxa5 Rc7 58. a6 Rh7 59. Rc8 Kf5 60. Rxc6 Ke4 61. d5 Rd7 [Chessmaster suggests 61. ... Kf5, but after 62. Re6 Black's chances in the endgame aren't any better than in the actual game.] 62. d6 Ke5 63. Kc5 Ke6 [63. ... Rd8] 64. c4 Ke6 [64. ... Rg7] 65. Kb4? [65. Kc7 Rxd6 66. Re7+ Re6 67. Rxe6+ Kxe6 68. Kc6 and White wins.] Kd4? [I was scared to trade rooks, but the only drawing chance lay in 65. ... Rxd6 66. Rxd6 Kxd6. Now White's win is just a matter of (very simple) technique.] 66. c5 Kd5 67. Rc7 Rd8 68. Rxa7 Kc6 [68. ... Rf8] 69. Rb7 [69. Kc4] Rf8 70. Rc7+ Kd5 71. a7 Ra8 72. Kb5 [72. d7] Ke6 73. Kc6 Rd8 74. Kb7 0-1