Two Speed Chess Games

RMD-ALD [C55], 1/6/2005

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.O-O O-O 6.Nd5? {Loses a pawn for no compensation. Correct is 6.d3=.} Nxe4 7.d3 Nf6 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Bxf6 {9.Nxe7+ Qxe7 10.Re1 (10.Qd2 d6 ...0-1, Cebasek Jaka 1700 - Panic Veljko 1605, Tomo Zupan 1994) d6 ...0-1, Rosebrook G - Hawley T, Ann Arbor 1991} Bxf610.c3 d6 11.d4 exd4 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 14.cxd4 {14.Qxd4 Qxd4 15.cxd4} Re8 15.b3 Bf5 16.f3 Re7 {Tiger recommends (and during the game I looked at) 16...d5 17.Bxd5 Rad8 18.Bc4 Rxd4 but I did not want to solve White's isolani for her.} 17.g4 {At this point it seemed to me that due to the slowly increasing pressure White was having trouble finding good moves. 17.Qd2 is better.} Be6 18.Rc1 {18.Bxe6 (the in-between move) Rxe6 and only then 19.Rc1 prevents what would have been a strong reply from Black (18....d5!).} Bxc4 19.Rxc4 d5 20.Rb4 {Better is 20.Rc2 since the rook is very poorly placed on b4.} c6 21.Qd2? {21.Ra4} Rae8 {21...b5! would really point out the ridiculous situation of the rook.} 22.Qc3 Re2 23.Rxb7? {This allows a mate in three.} {23.f4!} Rxa2? {Allowing White to set matters straight and settle in for a long drawn-out endgame. The move was 23...Qh4!} 24.Rc7? {24.Re1} Qh4! 0-1

ALD-RMD [C54], 1/6/2005

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.O-O {5.d3=} Nxe4 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb6 {7...d5!} 8.Re1 Qe7? 9.Ng5? {9.Bxf7+! Qxf7 (9...Kf8 10.Bd5) 10.Rxe4+ Ne7 11.Bg5 O-O 12.Rxe7 winning a piece in all variations.} Nxd4? {9...f5 is the best defense, although Black already stands worse.} 10.Nxe4? {Again missing 10.Bxf7+ Kf8 11.Rxe4} O-O 11.Bg5 {11.Nbc3 continuing my development was stronger.} Qb4 12.Ned2? {12.b3 was the obvious move. Now White goes from a winning position to an inferior position.} Qxb2 13.Bxf7+? {13.Na3 was the best of a lot of bad choices.} Rxf7 14.Re8+? {14.Na3 still} Rf8 15.Qh5? {Wow! Mistake is just following mistake. Although White is lost in any event, better is 15.Rxf8+ Kxf8 16.Na3 Qxa3} d6 16.Be7 Be6 17.Bxf8? {17.Rxf8+ Rxf818.Bxf8 Kxf8 19.h3} Rxe8 18.Qxe8? {This allows a mate in three.} h6? {Black gives back some of her advantage with this move. 18...Qc1+! 19.Nf1 Ne2+ 20.Kh1 Qxf1#} 19.Nb3? {Better is 19.Bxd6+ and I have no idea why I didn't play this, since it's what I had in mind when I played 18.Qxe8. Now Black is in control again.} Nxb3 20.Qxe6+Kxf8 21.Qf5+ Kg8 {This is a subtle mistake, giving White additional chances. In a thicket of almost indistinguishable variations, it is very easy for Black to go astray and allow White to deliver perpetual check. 21...Ke7!} 22.Qh3?? {Not only does this not try for the draw by perpetual check, but it actually allows mate in one. 22.Qe6+! Kf8! (22...Kh7?? 23.Qf5+ g6 (23...Kh8 24.Qf8+ Draw; 23...Kg8 24.Qe6+ Kh7 25.Qe4+ Kh8 (25...g6 26.Qe7+ Draw) 26.Qe8+ Draw) 24.Qf7+ Kh8 (24...Qg7?? loses) 25.Qf8+ Draw) 23.Qf5+ Ke7 24.Qe4+ Kd8 and there are no more checks.} Qxa1? {Missing the obvious 22...Qc1#} 23.Qxb3+ Kh8 0-1