12 Feb 09
1 edit
Hello all. This round, Case Western Reserve University's A-Team had to play one of the strongest chess colleges in the country, University of Texas at Dallas. I had to play a guy rated ~2350 USCF, and about 2250 FIDE (I'm not even going to try to remember how to spell his name, it's quite difficult). I was Black, and was fairly unsuccessful at finding any of his games. All I knew was that he played the Fianchetto and Samisch variations against the KID. I did a lot of work on the Samisch variation a while back and felt confident that if he played it, I would do well. That's exactly what happened, and I was able to quickly play about 20 moves in ~3 minutes confidently, while he ate up nearly half his time (the game was 90" 30'😉. Watch in horror as you witness my last move of the game!
Some thoughts:
12. 0-0 seems inaccurate. A while back Kramnik preferred the obvious 12. a4, which seems much better. There's no point in allowing me to play 12...b5.
14. Bh6 seems a little silly as well. The queen is misplaced on h6, and Black isn't all that upset to give up the bishop, since White loses so much time. There's no chance of a kingside attack here for White, so it's no big deal. It's easy to see that after these two opening inaccuracies that Black takes over the initiative.
17...Qa6 seems better than taking on e2 myself. After 18. Bxb5 Qxb5, White is forced to find some way to deal with the problematic Nc1, since my queen guards the squares it would really like to go to. He gives 19. Rf2 a punt.
20...c4 seems compulsory, else White continues with 21. b3, and it's harder for Black to continue on the queenside. Black is much better anyway, since his pieces are better places, he has one less pawn island, and White will have to deal with the backwards a-pawn for the rest of the game, but still, 20...c4 places a lot of pressure on White.
21...Qb6!? I thought this move slightly improved my position. White has very little choice other than to play 22. Kh1, which places his king farther away from the action should this go to an ending. The queen is also better placed on the g1-a7 diagonal, so I inserted these two moves.
23. b3 seems like a big mistake. It's better to leave the tension between the queenside pawn duos and make me figure out how I want to make progress there. After 23...c3 White's pieces are completely innactive and tied down.
25...Kh8 was a move I really liked. The point is that it threatens 26...Ng8 27. Qf4 Nd3, winning the e3 knight if he does nothing. It also takes some sting out of White's Ng3-f5 plan. I'm not sure 26. Nd1 was the best move, but if it's the best way for White to deal with my threats, the 25...Kh8 was quite strong! Once again, I just thought White couldn't do anything, so it's a slight improvement of my position at no cost.
Compare the pieces after White's 27th move. Tell me I haven't completely outplayed this guy!
28...Nfd7 Maneuvering the knight around to the c5 square to smack on b3, ending the game.
Anyways, after 29. Kg1, I thought the ending after 29...Qb6 would be easily winning for me, since White has no way to stop ...Nc5xb3. Unfortunately, if you mouse-slip and hang your queen in one before reaching said technically won ending, you'll never win! DOH!!!
Anyways, turns out that 29...Qb6 is inaccurate on account of 30. f4! (I think), but 29...Nc5 wins easily, since there's the cute 30. Qd4 Nxb3! 31. Nxb3 Rxb3 32. f4 Qd3! -+. Oh well!
What's even more heartbreaking was that our last board (out of 4 boards) won as Black, and our top board drew IM Igor Schneider after we cooked up some slick preparation for Schneider's Classical French. We forfeited on 3rd board, so my board decided the result! Instead of just beating this fool, I mouseslipped and we lost the match! Oh well......😀
Hope you all enjoy the game and my troubles.....
12 Feb 09
Originally posted by !~TONY~!Thats the "Heart Attack" attack. Its a tactic I employ in my games, where I use a huge blunder hoping the my opponent will will suffer coronary explosion at the site of a hung piece. Albeit it hasn't worked yet, but when it does I'll post the score sheet. I will need algebraic notation for "opponent suffers heart attack" . Hopefully I post a won game. That would be an embarrassment to lose a game when your opponent suffers a heart attack or worse still a stroke during the game.
Hello all. This round, Case Western Reserve University's A-Team had to play one of the strongest chess colleges in the country, University of Texas at Dallas. I had to play a guy rated ~2350 USCF, and about 2250 FIDE (I'm not even going to try to remember how to spell his name, it's quite difficult). I was Black, and was fairly unsuccessful at finding any o ...[text shortened]... ch! Oh well......😀
Hope you all enjoy the game and my troubles.....
12 Feb 09
Originally posted by EmLaskerHaha, no, it's Texas! UTD actively recruits strong chessplayers for their teams. It's common for Case to have to play a group of 30 year old GM's that UTD offered free degrees to.
I thought Harvard was where all the nerds at...
UMBC also recruits, and has incredibly strong teams. I don't know about Harvard though. 😀
14 Feb 09
Originally posted by !~TONY~!Do you have some referee supervising you ? Against cheating...
No. There is a tournament held twice a year on the ICC that pits college chess teams against each other. OTB would be impossible, since no college has enough money to send their players anywhere else. Well, at least my college doesn't (or wouldn't).
15 Feb 09
Originally posted by !~TONY~!come on, we both know how easy it would be to cheat with some pocket pc and even mobile phone these days...or just to analyze on some extra board and it is not fair
No, we don't. ICC takes more strict procautions in these games, not allowing the players to receive any messages or tells from other players, they don't get to see anything in chat or console windows, etc....and ICC obviously can tell if you have an engine open with their playing software.
I think you should play in some school room and to have someone supervising you
15 Feb 09
Originally posted by vipiuI don't appreciate your tone. It's a tournament with nothing on the line, and you can tell from the quality of play and time used that not too many players take it seriously. If you have a problem with the level of supervision of these games, then contact ICC. Why aren't you complaining about RHP Blitz, regular RHP, or any normal blitz game played over the internet? This is an issue that's going to plague chess for the rest of it's existence, it's rather silly to bring it up now.
come on, we both know how easy it would be to cheat with some pocket pc and even mobile phone these days...or just to analyze on some extra board and it is not fair
I think you should play in some school room and to have someone supervising you
16 Feb 09
Originally posted by !~TONY~!I like this game Tony, 6..c5 is very interesting pawn sacrifice really to my taste and apparently black has done quite well after 6...c5, 7.dxc5 dxc5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Bxc5 Nc6, this opens the game real early and may not be to a committed Seamisch players taste. natural alternatives of course were 6..e5, 7.Nge2 c6, 8.Qd2 Nbd7, 9.Rd1 (Karpovs move to improve on 9.0-0-0 or 9.d5) ...a6, 10. dxe5 Nxe5, 11.b3 b5, 12.cxb5 axb5, 13.Qxd6 (winning a pawn although behind in development)...Nfd7 the black bishop comes to life and black gets some piece play for the pawn.
I don't appreciate your tone. It's a tournament with nothing on the line, and you can tell from the quality of play and time used that not too many players take it seriously. If you have a problem with the level of supervision of these games, then contact ICC. Why aren't you complaining about RHP Blitz, regular RHP, or any normal blitz game played over the ...[text shortened]... oing to plague chess for the rest of it's existence, it's rather silly to bring it up now.
anyhow i thank you for your analysis, quite insightful and also for the game, i feel it was an injustice that your mouse slipped as it did, this often happens when we have to pick up and drag pieces, anyhow thanks and regards Robbie.
16 Feb 09
Originally posted by !~TONY~!my tone was not offensive.
I don't appreciate your tone. It's a tournament with nothing on the line, and you can tell from the quality of play and time used that not too many players take it seriously. If you have a problem with the level of supervision of these games, then contact ICC. Why aren't you complaining about RHP Blitz, regular RHP, or any normal blitz game played over the ...[text shortened]... oing to plague chess for the rest of it's existence, it's rather silly to bring it up now.
I thought it was ELO rated, but now I think that my supposition was wrong. I was surprised how can they rate online played games without a supervisor.
I was only considering the arguments with ICC does this or that silly. A better reason would be for me something like: "we have trust in the honesty of the involved people"
By the way, I also play long games online in some league
