Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromficsis dos hermanas tomorrow already? I'm not good enough to play, but I'll be probably watching.
True ... I guess I'm not all here today. I have a bad sinus headache. 🙁
Is anyone here playing in the big ICC tournament tomorrow? I'm registered for that one. It's worth cash prizes!!!
Hi Paul.
I very rarely play the open Sicilian unless I know for sure I'm getting a Najdorf.
which I think is quite difficult for Black to play at blitz.
So if they play 2...e6 to avoid my Bb5 stuff, I play b4.
Even in OTB I play 3.b4
as I do v The French. 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5 c5. 4.b4
In the posted game to be honest, I know me and you have to be honest
with yourself.
Moving quickly I would have practised what I preach, spotted 20.Bc7+ and
instantly cut off the flight sq by 20.Bxa6. Threatening mate in one.
"When King Hunting cover the flight squares, the checks take care of themselves."
I saw that first in the game the moment it appeared so I doubt wether I would
have back tracked my thinking and played 20.Bc7+ and 21.Bxa6 mate.
It threatens mate in one which for me is easier to see at speed than a mate in two.
And of course I always have a duck on e5 in every game I play.
Hi Paul.
Sweet game.
To be honest in a blitz game with me it's see a trick and play a trick.
Here White to play.
I'm sure I would have seen the trap before the mate and played 21.Qg3
Threatening Ng6+ winning the unprotected Queen on c7.
I had some 'brilliancy' luck a few weeks back at 4/0.
I (Black) had just played 16...Ne2-d4 thinking if 17.Qxh4 then 17...Nxf3 is mate.
(the greenpawn one move trick)
When I went for this trick about two moves previously I thought it would be
OK because if he played 17.Bxd4 I can play 17...Qxd4.
I then realised with the postion infront of me and the time he was taking to move,
that 17.Bxd4 Qf4+ mates!
After 1 minute he resigned!!
If he had quickly played 17.Bxd4 without thinking about it I may very well
have played 17...Qxd4 because that is what I intended 2-3 moves previous.
A case of where taking your time did more damage than good.
17.Bg2 the only other try is busted beautifully with a Queen sac.
(Though I suspect he thought I might play the crude 17...Nxf3+)
I'd like to say I saw this when I played 14...Nf3+ but I didn't.
I only caught it when wating to see what he would play.
Here is the game. It has a bit of history. We had played 4/5 Latvians with me Black
(I usually always take Black at blitz) and winning them all so he switched to a
Scotch via a Danish.
His 9.h3 to stop N/Bg5 was clumsy. Added 17.Bg2 for effect.