[Event "ChessCube Game"] [Site "www.chesscube.com"] [Date "2016.12.23"] [Round "-"] [White "g_seelan@chesscube.com"] [Black "bluechess12@chesscube.com"] [Result "0-1"] [BlackElo "1413"] [WhiteElo "1431"] [TimeControl "300"] 1. e4 e5 2. c4 Bc5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. a3 b6 5. b4 Bd4 6. Bb2 Bb7 7. f3 O-O 8. g4 Bxg1 9. Rxg1 a5 10. Nb5 Na6 11. Bxe5 Nxe4 12. fxe4 Qh4+ 13. Ke2 Bxe4 14. Qb3 d6 15. Bg3 Qxg4+ 16. Ke1 Rae8 17. Nd4 Bc2+ 18. Be2 Rxe2+ 19. Nxe2 Bxb3 20. h3 Qxc4 21. Rc1 Qe6 22. Kf1 axb4 23. Nf4 Qd7 24. Nh5 Qxh3+ 25. Kf2 Qxh5 26. Rb1 Nc5 27. axb4 Ne4+ 28. Ke3 Nxg3 29. Rxg3 Re8+ 30. Kf2 Qe2+ 31. Kg1 Qe4 32. Rbxb3 Qe1+ 33. Kg2 Re2+ 34. Kh3 Qxd2 35. Ra3 Qh6+ 36. Kg4 f5+ 37. Kf3 Qh5+ 38. Kf4 Re4# 0-1

[Event "ChessCube Game"] [Site "www.chesscube.com"] [Date "2016.12.23"] [Round "-"] [White "johns10@chesscube.com"] [Black "bluechess12@chesscube.com"] [Result "0-1"] [BlackElo "1400"] [WhiteElo "1564"] [TimeControl "120"] 1. g3 d5 2. Bg2 Bf5 3. Nf3 e5 4. d3 Nf6 5. O-O g6 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. Bxf6 Bxf6 8. c3 e4 9. dxe4 Bxe4 10. Nbd2 Qe7 11. Nxe4 Qxe4 12. Qd3 Nc6 13. Qxe4+ dxe4 14. Nd2 O-O-O 15. Nxe4 Be5 16. e3 f5 17. Ng5 h6 18. Bxc6 hxg5 19. Bg2 g4 20. Rfd1 Rde8 21. a4 c6 22. a5 a6 23. Rac1 Rh7 24. e4 f4 25. b4 f3 26. Bf1 Reh8 27. c4 Rxh2 28. Bg2 Rxg2+ 29. Kf1 Rh1# 0-1

[Event "unrated blitz match"] [Site "Free Internet Chess Server"] [Date "2017.01.20"] [Round "?"] [White "GuestLNMJ"] [Black "GuestZGGY"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "-"] [BlackElo "-"] [ECO "C42"] [TimeControl "300+1"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nc6 4. O-O Be7 5. c3 d6 6. d4 Bg4 7. d5 Na5 8. Bd3 b6 9. Ba6 Rb8 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. a4 c6 12. b4 Nb7 13. dxc6 {GuestZGGY resigns} 1-0

[Event "ICS unrated blitz match"] [Site "freechess.org"] [Date "2017.01.18"] [Round "-"] [White "GuestZCCT"] [Black "littleclarice"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "0"] [BlackElo "2203"] [TimeControl "360"] 1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 d6 6. f4 dxe5 7. fxe5 Bf5 8. Bc4 e6 9. Nc3 Nb4 10. Bb3 Nd3+ 11. Ke2 Qxd4 12. Nf3 Qf2# {GuestZCCT checkmated} 0-1

[Event "B-Rock Chess Club-English Rat (A41)"] [Site "The Club Room"] [Date "2017.01.17"] [White "Sharp Note"] [Black " The Intruder"] [Result "0-0"] [SourceDate "2017.01.17"] 1. d4 c6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. e4 Nf6 7. Bg5 Be7 8. Nf3 Nbd7 9. Rd1 Kc7 10. Be2 h6 11. Bh4 g5 12. Bg3 Bd6 13. a3 Ne8 14. b4 b6 15. 0-0 f6 16. Rd2 c5 17. Nb5+ Kc6 18. Nxd6 Nxd6 19. b5+ Kc7 20. Bd3 Bb7 21. Rfd1 Rhd8 22. Re2 Nf8 23. a4 Rd7 24. h3 Nxc4 25. Bc2 Rxd1+ 26. Bxd1 Rd8 27. Bb3 Nd6 28. Bc2 Nxe4 29. Bh2 Nd6 30. Rd2 Bxf3 31. gxf3 Nd7

[Event "corr-5"] [Site "corr-5"] [Date "1965.??.??"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "?"] [Result "0-1"] [White "Yakov Estrin"] [Black "Hans Berliner"] [ECO "C57"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "84"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 b5 6.Bf1 Nd4 7.c3 Nxd5 8.Ne4 Qh4 9.Ng3 Bg4 10.f3 e4 11.cxd4 Bd6 12.Bxb5+ Kd8 13.O-O exf3 14.Rxf3 Rb8 15.Be2 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 Qxd4+ 17.Kh1 Bxg3 18.hxg3 Rb6 19.d3 Ne3 20.Bxe3 Qxe3 21.Bg4 h5 22.Bh3 g5 23.Nd2 g4 24.Nc4 Qxg3 25.Nxb6 gxh3 26.Qf3 hxg2+ 27.Qxg2 Qxg2+ 28.Kxg2 cxb6 29.Rf1 Ke7 30.Re1+ Kd6 31.Rf1 Rc8 32.Rxf7 Rc7 33.Rf2 Ke5 34.a4 Kd4 35.a5 Kxd3 36.Rf3+ Kc2 37.b4 b5 38.a6 Rc4 39.Rf7 Rxb4 40.Rb7 Rg4+ 41.Kf3 b4 42.Rxa7 b3 0-1

[Event "unrated blitz match"] [Site "Free Internet Chess Server"] [Date "2017.01.18"] [Round "?"] [White "GuestPBWGapp"] [Black "GuestTKWB"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "-"] [BlackElo "-"] [ECO "B15"] [TimeControl "420+3"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6 4. a4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bf5 6. Ng3 Bg6 7. Nf3 e6 8. c3 Bd6 9. Qb3 Qc7 10. Nh4 Ne7 11. Bg5 Nf5 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. Nxf5 gxf5 14. h3 f4 15. c4 c5 16. d5 f6 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. dxe6 Nc6 {GuestPBWGapp resigns} 0-1

[Event "Portsmouth Open"] [Site "Portsmouth, NH"] [Date "2017.01.14"] [Round "2"] [White "Carter, David"] [Black "(GM) Ivanov, Alexander"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A70"] [WhiteElo "2230"] [BlackElo "2564"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2017.01.14"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "4"] [EventCountry "USA"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 {This is an Old Indian which is a sound opening, but not seen much.} 4. d5 ({The inviting} 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Bg5 c6 7. O-O-O+ Kc7 {is a well-known position that white scores less than 40% from in Mega_DB_2015.}) 4... Nbd7 5. e4 Nc5 6. Qc2 a5 7. Be2 {This was the first critical position. Will GM Ivanov play ...Be7 and keep the game in less chartered waters or play ...g6 and head to regular King's Indian Defense positions.} g6 {Whew, glad to see book.} 8. Nf3 Bg7 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 h6 11. Be3 {I have reached this position 6 times in OTB play, once in postal and many times in blitz. The normal way of arriving at this position is 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.d5 [More common is for White to play 7.0-0 when Black usually plays 7…Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 with three main moves for White 9.Ne1, 9.Nd2 and 9.b4] 7…Nbd7 (or 7…Na6) 8.0-0 Nc5 9.Qc2 a5 10.Bg5 h6 11.Be3 is the position in the game.} Nh7 {Now Black has the traditional KID idea of moving the Nf6 and pushing the kingside pawns as Ivanov did in this game. Other moves with this idea are 11…Nd7 or even 11…Ne8. The moves 11…Nh5 almost forces White to play 12.g3, but has the downside of making 12…f5 more challenging because the knight on h5 can be left hanging if Black wants to respond to 13.exf5 with gxf5.} (11... Ng4 {leads a position where white is a bit weak on the dark squares, but has a mobile pawn center and a lead in development after} 12. Bxc5 dxc5 13. h3 Nf6 14. Nxe5 Nxd5 15. cxd5 ({ In my only time facing ...Ng4, I played} 15. Rad1 $6 {1-0 (33) Carter,D (2175) -Asaro,J (2000) South Burlington 2012}) 15... Bxe5 16. f4 Bd4+ 17. Kh2 { 1-0 (42) Gligoric,S-Langeweg,K/Amsterdam 1970/MCL}) (11... b6 {The last real possibility is 11…b6 which shores up the knight on c5 allowing the center strengthening …bxc5 if White ever captures there. However, this move allows} 12. Nd2 {and White's pieces are well positioned and cannot be hassled from g4 or h5 without allowing White to rid himself of his "bad bishop" and reduce Black's attacking pieces on the kingside.} Bg4 ({The other try is} 12... Ng4 13. Bxg4 Bxg4 14. b3 {Only 7/93 games in Mega 2015DB;} ({I did not think} 14. a3 {was as good as 14.b3, after} a4 15. Bxc5 bxc5 16. Nxa4 Qg5 17. f3 Bd7 18. Nc3 h5 19. Nb5 Bh6 20. Nb1 $14 {with a plus for White, but not that easy a move to find OTB.}) 14... Bd7 15. a3 f5 16. f3 ({I was surprised to see Rybka liked} 16. exf5 {slightly better than 16.f3} Bxf5 (16... gxf5 17. f3 $14) 17. Nde4) 16... f4 17. Bf2 g5 18. b4 Nb7 19. c5 $6 {Too fast. Better to build up with Rfc1 or perhaps Nb3} bxc5 $2 ({Black should have played} 19... axb4 20. axb4 dxc5 21. bxc5 Nxc5 22. Bxc5 bxc5 23. Na4 $11) 20. bxc5 {Now the a-pawn becomes weak} Nxc5 21. Bxc5 dxc5 22. Na4 $16 {1-0 (44) Carter,D (2225)-Pader,D (2203) Club Swiss 2015}) {Now after 13...Bg4} 13. f3 Bd7 14. b3 Nh5 15. g3 f5 16. exf5 (16. Bf2 Nf6 17. a3 fxe4 18. Ndxe4 Ncxe4 19. Nxe4 Nxe4 20. fxe4 Bh3 21. Rfe1 Qg5 22. Bf1 Bxf1 23. Rxf1 h5 24. Qe2 $11 {a draw was agreed: 1/2-1/2 (30) Carter,D (2163)-Wood,C (1929) Keene, NH 2015}) 16... gxf5 17. f4 Qe8 18. Rae1 $11 {1/2-1/2 (36) Veingold,A (2450)-Suetin,A (2500) Tallinn 1980}) (11... Nh5 12. g3 Bd7 (12... f5 $6 13. Nh4 Nf4 14. Bxf4 g5 15. Bxg5 Qxg5 16. exf5 $16) (12... Bh3 13. Rfe1 {yields nothing}) 13. Nd2 $11 {but I like White's game}) 12. Nd2 f5 13. f3 (13. Bxc5 dxc5 14. exf5 gxf5 (14... Bxf5 15. Bd3 $16) 15. f3 $14 {Black has a damaged pawn structure and weak kingside, but also has 2 bishops}) 13... f4 14. Bf2 Bd7 $14 {Rybka} 15. b3 {The race is on!} g5 16. a3 h5 17. b4 Na6 {In a similar position, I played Qb3 to protect the b-pawn, but later analysis showed that was unnecessary after} 18. c5 $1 g4 ({The pawn is poison} 18... axb4 19. axb4 Nxb4 20. Qb3 Rxa1 ({if} 20... Na6 21. c6 $18 { decides matters}) 21. Rxa1 dxc5 22. Bxc5 $18) 19. c6 g3 ({After} 19... bxc6 { I had planned} 20. dxc6 Be6 21. b5 Nc5 22. Bxc5 dxc5 23. Na4 $16 {which looked very good}) 20. hxg3 {GM Ivanov begins to throw everything at me} fxg3 21. Bxg3 Qg5 22. cxd7 $6 ({This gives away a decisive advantage; the computer gives} 22. cxb7 {as best, but without the Bd7, how am I going to get mated?}) 22... Qxg3 23. Bxa6 Bh6 $1 {A good shot} 24. Qd3 $1 Bf4 $2 {Moderate time pressure here} ( {Against} 24... Ng5 {I had planned} 25. f4 Nh3+ 26. Kh1 Nf2+ 27. Rxf2 Qxf2 28. Bxb7 {with a big edge}) ({The best try is simply} 24... Rxa6 25. Ne2 Qg7 26. b5 Raa8 27. Rac1 Qxd7 {but with a backward pawn on an open file, a weaker king with heavy artillery on the board and a possible knight post at f5 looming gives White a good advantage.}) 25. Ne2 Qh2+ 26. Kf2 Qh4+ 27. g3 Qh2+ 28. Ke1 Bxg3+ 29. Nxg3 Qxg3+ 30. Ke2 Ng5 31. Qe3 {This solidifies everything} Kh7 32. Bxb7 Rab8 33. Bc6 axb4 34. axb4 Rxb4 35. Ra8 Rbb8 36. Rxb8 Rxb8 37. Qa7 Rd8 38. Qxc7 Nf7 39. Qb6 Qg2+ 40. Qf2 Qg5 41. Rg1 Qf6 42. Qh2 Qh6 43. Qh3 {In response to "What's your best game?" Spassky replied (at least) once, "My next one." Well, I'm not sure I can play much better than I did here. GM Ivanov was not at his best, of course, but after 11 losses it felts very good to win one.} 1-0

[Event "ChessCube Game"] [Site "www.chesscube.com"] [Date "2013.07.08"] [Round "-"] [White "ppsush@chesscube.com"] [Black "dcp@chesscube.com"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1742"] [BlackElo "1585"] [Time "11:59:24"] [TimeControl "300"] 1. c3 e5 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. d3 Nf6 5. Qb3 Bc5 6. Nd2 Be6 7. a3 O-O 8. Qxb7 Nbd7 9. Qxc6 Rc8 10. Qa4 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. b4 Bb6 13. Qc2 d4 14. c4 e4 15. Nxe4 Nxe4 16. Bxe4 Re8 17. Bf3 Bg6 18. h4 f5 19. h5 Bf7 20. Qd2 Bc7 21. h6 g6 22. Qb2 Qf6 23. Bf4 g5 24. Bxc7 Rxc7 25. c5 Ne5 26. Qd2 Nxf3+ 27. Nxf3 g4 28. Nh4 Bh5 29. f3 gxf3 30. Nxf3 Bxf3 31. Rh2 Rce7 32. O-O-O Qa6 33. Qb2 Rd8 34. Re1 Bc6 35. Kd2 Kf8 36. Qb3 Ke8 37. Rh5 Kd7 38. Rxf5 Kc8 39. Ra1 Rde8 40. Rf2 Bd7 41. a4 Qxh6+ 42. Kc2 Rxe2+ 43. Rxe2 Rxe2+ 44. Kb1 Qh1+ 45. Qd1 Qxd1# 0-1

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 e6 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. b3 d6 8. Bb2 Bd7 9. Qc1 Qc7 10. d4 Rfd8 11. Rd1 Rac8 12. e4 cxd4 13. Nb5 Qb8 14. Nfxd4 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 b5 16. Ba3 b4 17. Bb2 d5 18. exd5 exd5 19. Qe3 dxc4 20. Qxe7 Re8 21. Qxd7 Nxd7 22. bxc4 Nf6 23. Nf5 Rcd8 24. Rdc1 Rd2 25. Bd4 Re6 26. Be3 Rd8 27. Nd4 Rxd4 28. Bxd4 a5 29. c5 Qc7 30. Be3 Nd7 31. Bf4 Ne5 32. c6 Re7 33. Rc5 f6 34. h4 Qc8 35. Rxa5 Qd8 36. Rd5 Qc7 37. Rad1 g6 38. Rd8+ Kg7 39. R8d7