This was a good game. I'm having some great fun the RHP Championship.
I've won 12 of my games so far.
I set a wee anti-castling trap which catches my opponent unaware.
I get Knights Fantasic on d4 and e4.
I sac a Bishop using the loose piece that took it to gain attacking tempo.
I thought I was getting a checkmate but there was wriggling involved
and I nearly ditched the Bishop sac idea.
Frustrating moments those, I had played the perfect game and no mate as a reward.
I sac the Bishop not really knowing what I was getting, just a very good postion.
OK I'm stubborn and refuse to let an idea go.
I knew I'd most likely get my bit back but when the smoke clears is it enough?
It eases out to an endgame plus for me.
My opponent had a chance to play a wee trap back at me.
(One good trap deserves another.) but I had seen it coming.
Good game, I love it when I get dragged to my board digging out tricks.
Jack Bertram - greenpawn34" RHP Ch. 2013
- 8
- a
- 7
- b
- 6
- c
- 5
- d
- 4
- e
- 3
- f
- 2
- g
- 1
- h

1. | e4 | e5 |
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2. | Nc3 | Nf6 |
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3. | f4 | d5 |
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4. | fxe5 | Nxe4 |
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5. | Nf3 | Be7 |
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6. | g3 | Nc6 |
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7. | d4 | Bg4 |
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8. | Bg2 | O-O |
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9. | O-O | Nxd4 |
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10. | Be3 | c5 |
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11. | Ne2 | Bxf3 |
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12. | Bxf3 | Nxf3 |
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13. | Rxf3 | d4 |
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14. | Bf2 | Ng5 |
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15. | Rb3 | c4 |
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16. | Rxb7 | Qd5 |
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17. | Rxe7 | Nh3 |
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18. | Kf1 | d3 |
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19. | Ng1 | Nxf2 |
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20. | Qf3 | Ne4 |
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21. | Rd1 | Qc5 |
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22. | Qxe4 | dxc2 |
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23. | Rc1 | Qxe7 |
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24. | Rxc2 | Rac8 |
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25. | Ne2 | Rfe8 |
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26. | Rxc4 | Rxc4 |
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27. | Qxc4 | Qxe5 |
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28. | b4 | h6 |
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29. | b5 | Qf5 |
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30. | Kg2 | Rc8 |
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31. | Qb3 | Rc2 |
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32. | Qf3 | Qxb5 |
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33. | Qa8 | Kh7 |
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34. | Qe4 | |
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1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 {Ahhh....the old Vienna, the strength is it threatens nothing thus lowering Black's guard.} 2... Nf6 3. f4 d5 {I know my theory in this opening, I played the Vienna for a while and often met it from players avoiding my Latvian.} 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Be7 {The plan being to 0-0 and play f6 and the game is even. It's all theory.} 6. g3 {I think White has his systems mixed up. You play g3 without f4. It may be playable or even theory. I just know I liked to see it.} 6... Nc6 {This natural looking move is part of a trap aimed to stop him castling.} 7. d4 Bg4 8. Bg2 O-O {Now please castle.} 9. O-O {Yabba Dabba!} 9... Nxd4 {If QxN then Bc5 wins the Queen.} 10. Be3 c5 {Look at those Knights. I am going to get a picture of that position and put it on a t-shirt.} 11. Ne2 {Time to give up the Knights but I get that g2 Bishop which gives him holes around his King.} 11... Bxf3 12. Bxf3 Nxf3+ 13. Rxf3 d4 14. Bf2 {Another pleasant surprise The Rook is short of squares.} 14... Ng5 15. Rb3 {All kinds of juicy ideas are popping out now. In the end I liked the look of unprotecting that b3 Rook} 15... c4 16. Rxb7 {Mouth watering. My intention here was 16...Nf3+ Kf1 17 Qc8! hitting the Rook and mate with Qh3. If 17.Kg2 then Qd5 and the discovered check mates him. The problem being I could not see how the discovered check mates him. after he takes my e7 Bishop.} 16... Qd5 {Cuts out g2 & h1 and I have a sly pawn push coming.} 17. Rxe7 {You can have that, I'll get it back thus...} 17... Nh3+ 18. Kf1 d3 {That's the sly pawn move. If 19.Nf4 Qh1+ mates.} 19. Ng1 {I had looked at 19.cxd3 and was looking forward to playing a Rook to that open c-file. I had to adjust my thinking. OK time to get my bit back.} 19... Nxf2 {Answering Kxf2 with Qc5+ picking up the Rook. Pretty good Eh?} 20. Qf3 {And when first looking at the e7 Bishop sac I was worried here that my Knight would not get out after Nxf2. Here if I play 20...Qc5 White can move the Rook. But.} 20... Ne4 {The fork on e7 works. You can imagine how often I checked this before offering the 47 Bishop. Except this differs because I had an open c-file on the board with 19.cxd3. This looks even better for me.} 21. Rd1 {To stop Ne2+} 21... Qc5 {If now 22 Rd7 then 22...dxc2 23.Rc1 Rad8 and Black blasts in Ne2+. } 22. Qxe4 dxc2 {Throw in a pawn steal. White not playing cxd3 allowed this. } 23. Rc1 Qxe7 {It's not quite what I had on my board when I was ringing out Qd5 saccing the Bishop on my board but it's OK. It's better! All I wanted was my piece back.} 24. Rxc2 Rac8 {So I come out an exchange and an exposed King ahead. It should be enough I just have to keep that Knight tethered. Queens and Knights are good partners. If the Knight starts sniffing around my Queen & Rooks forks will appear.} 25. Ne2 Rfe8 26. Rxc4 Rxc4 27. Qxc4 Qxe5 28. b4 h6 {Luft, I'm not getting muffed.} 29. b5 Qf5+ {First tie up the Knight.} 30. Kg2 Rc8 31. Qb3 Rc2 {That is the Knight shackled. White played 32.Qe3 Rxa2 and he resigned, I pick up the b-pawn then swap Q & R for Q & the pinned N and sail home in the ending. However I was expecting him to play instead of 32 Qe3....} 32. Qf3 {A TRAP!} 32... Qxb5 {Looks so good. It's a clear win. 33. Kf1 Qb8+ then Qxa7 and chop off everything on f2 and the outside passer (which you don't move till your King is closer to his pawns) wins. One wee flaw.} 33. Qa8+ Kh7 34. Qe4+ {I would have gone for setting the trap.}