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I'm currently playing (not well) a pretty serious chess tournament in Berkeley, CA. I thought it would be fun for like 5 people on the site if I posted some games from the event with brief (I need to sleep) comments. To make up for the brief nature of comments I will try to answer some questions if people have them. I'm going to give the games in algebraic notation and give a few key diagrams.
Round 1:
In the first round I had white against one of the strongest junior players in the country. I didn't have a long time to prepare for the game, so I played a sharp variation of the slav defense that I did have a chance to look at.
[Round "1"]
[White "MoreFaSho."]
[Black "Round 1 Opponent"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D17"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 (this is the position that defines the opening as a slav instead of a semi-slav, black gives up some of the center to develop his pieces) 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Nb6 8. Ne5 a5 9. f3 Nfd7 10. e4 Nxe5 11. exf5 Ned7 12. d5 (this was the position I had prepared before the game) g6!? (this move was a surprise to me) 13. Be3 Bg7 14. Qd2 O-O (diagram 1) (It's hard to figure out exactly what the best course of action is here, white has some initiative, but it's fizzling, and if he gets no concessions out of black he will be worse due to the weaknesses on the queenside) 15. Rd1 Qc7 16. dxc6 bxc6 17. Be2 Ne5 18. Qc2 Nec4 19. Bf2 Nxb2 20. Rd4? (diagram 2, panic, instead Rc1 would have left white fine, he's down a pawn, but as compensation his pieces will be active and he has 2 bishops) Bxd4 21. Bxd4 Qd8 22. Be3 N2c4 23. Bh6 Qd4 24. Ne4 Ne3 25. Qc1 Nxf5 26. Bd2 Nd5 0-1
diagram 1:
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/qV8Hs.jpg)
diagram 2:
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/OBMHb.jpg)
[Date "2011.01.02"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Round 2 Opponent"]
[Black "MoreFaSho"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 a6 5. a4 Bf5 6. Nf3 e6 7. Be2 h6 8. Qb3 Qc7 9. a5 Nbd7 10. O-O Be7 11. Bd2 Ne4 (this is where I embark on a plan that is just a bad idea, forutnately it's not bad enough that I'm losing) 12. Rfc1 Bg4 13. Be1 Nxc3 14. bxc3 dxc4 15. Qxc4 (the problem here is that I'm passive, I'd like to get in the e5 break, but I'm a little behind in development so it's hard to orchestrate) O-O 16. h3 Bf5 17. Nd2 Nf6 18. Bf3 Rfc8 19. e4 Bg6 20. Qe2 e5 21. Nc4 exd4 22. cxd4 Rab8 23. Bc3 Re8 24. d5 Bc5 25. Qb2 Nxe4 26. Bxe4 Bxe4 27. Be5 Qd8! (a strong move with my next move in mind) 28. Bxb8 Qg5! (a miraculous move to have!) 29. Ne3 Bxe3 30. fxe3 (diagram 3) Qxe3+?? (the losing move, after all my work) 31. Kh2! (I missed that this was possible, I thought Qf2 was forced) Rxb8 32. Qe5 (white will play Re1 next move winning the bishop that's oddly pinned in the opposite direction, black resigns) 1-0
diagram 3:
What would you play as black?
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/G5SVD.jpg)
Let me know any questions you have. I would prefer questions about the games, but if they're just questions about chess in general I will try to answer them if I have time. Hopefully I will play better tomorrow.
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I'm no master at Chess but what would I play as Black?
Maybe, Qxe3+, he moves King, and Rxb8?
Even though you said this was a serious tournament, any chances of you doing something like Danish Gambit next time? 
What would be the most uncommon opening you're considering on using?
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Sick post - thanks bro. Nice games.
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On January 03 2011 17:27 don_kyuhote wrote:I'm no master at Chess but what would I play as Black? Maybe, Qxe3+, he moves King, and Rxb8? Even though you said this was a serious tournament, any chances of you doing something like Danish Gambit next time? What would be the most uncommon opening you're considering on using?
Are you mixing up the queen and king? Or...idk. But that move would lead to a queen trade and black would be down one bishop.
EDIT: I live in Berkeley. Where is this held, and what is it for? What organization, I mean?
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On January 03 2011 18:55 wherebugsgo wrote:Show nested quote +On January 03 2011 17:27 don_kyuhote wrote:I'm no master at Chess but what would I play as Black? Maybe, Qxe3+, he moves King, and Rxb8? Even though you said this was a serious tournament, any chances of you doing something like Danish Gambit next time? What would be the most uncommon opening you're considering on using? Are you mixing up the queen and king? Or...idk. But that move would lead to a queen trade and black would be down one bishop. EDIT: I live in Berkeley. Where is this held, and what is it for? What organization, I mean?
Well, Black is already down in material in diagram 3.
So I would take the pawn above his bishop and check.
If he blocks with queen, trade it, and take his bishop with rook.
If he just moves the king, then still take his bishop with rook.
Black will end up down in material anyway, but i don't know. It's the best I can think of. (but I'm chess newbie)
Edit: oh, thats exactly what OP did and it was bad....sry, i didn't see through the game cuz I'm lazy...so nvm.
So I guess move should have been just rook takes bishop?
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Are there any prizes ($$) for high finishes in this tournament?
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In diagram three as black I would resign and shake hands.
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On January 03 2011 17:27 don_kyuhote wrote:I'm no master at Chess but what would I play as Black? Maybe, Qxe3+, he moves King, and Rxb8? Even though you said this was a serious tournament, any chances of you doing something like Danish Gambit next time? What would be the most uncommon opening you're considering on using?
Well, if you look at the notes to the first game, Qxe3+ is a mistake. The problem is that after Kh2 Rxb8 Qe5 he simultaneously pins my bishop and attacks my rook. Instead I should just play Rxb8 and the position is probably dynamically equal, but there is still some play left for both sides.
The Danish Gambit is actually not so bad, but there is a known line to reach easy equality with black which is why it is very uncommon. After 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2 d5 6. Bxd5 Nf6 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qxd8 Bb4+ 9. Qd2 Bxd2 There is still play left in the position, but as white you generally need to strive for positions with an advantage.
As for uncommon openings I'm considering, I've played the Evans gambit for a long time so I always have that option, but I've been playing more 1. d4, but I have some pet lines I try sometimes. Against the benko I play a weird timing of f3: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. f3!? so I dont' try to hold on to the pawn, but try to get a good version of a benoni. I should probably learn a better line though. There are plenty of very rich positions even in the main lines so there's no reason to try to avoid them for "more interesting" lines that are probably worse in many cases.
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On January 03 2011 19:17 don_kyuhote wrote:
Are there any prizes ($$) for high finishes in this tournament?
Prizes are about $3000 for first place, but the entry fee was pretty expensive and I have no chance at it. Chess does not have a lot of money outside the very top top of chess, where chess professionals (not me) make their money is mostly by teaching lessons doing videos, writing books, articles, etc.
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On January 03 2011 22:25 Slayer91 wrote:
In diagram three as black I would resign and shake hands.
Well, by playing Qxe3 (we were both very low on time) I essentially did that, but after Rxb8 we could probably shake hands and make a draw instead, no sense giving up half points.
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In diagram1, a possible plan may be to play dxc6 Be2 0-0 then attack the pawn down the c-file? You've also may be able to get good control of the c5 square.
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Rxb8 is a clear win for white after d5 x c6 you can't even take back.
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On January 04 2011 03:05 Slayer91 wrote:
Rxb8 is a clear win for white after d5 x c6 you can't even take back.
I thought this was the case, but then black plays Qxe3+. If Qf2 then Qxf2 then Bxc6 and black can hold the endgame.
If Kh2 Qf4+ g3 (forced since the b8 rook is now protected) Qd6. If the pawn advances to c7, black can capture it by Rc8 and Bc6 to block off the pawn's defence. If white exchanges on b7, black is not worse despite the small material deficit (exchange for a pawn down) since white's king position is not good.
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Qxe3+ K-h1?
Ah, okay. Qxh3+
Maybe black can hold for a draw then.
Honestly when I first said black should resign I didn't notice the white bishop was hanging.
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On January 04 2011 03:18 Azzur wrote:Show nested quote +On January 04 2011 03:05 Slayer91 wrote:
Rxb8 is a clear win for white after d5 x c6 you can't even take back. I thought this was the case, but then black plays Qxe3+. If Qf2 then Qxf2 then Bxc6 and black can hold the endgame. If Kh2 Qf4+ g3 (forced since the b8 rook is now protected) Qd6. If the pawn advances to c7, black can capture it by Rc8 and Bc6 to block off the pawn's defence. If white exchanges on b7, black is not worse despite the small material deficit (exchange for a pawn down) since white's king position is not good.
Yea, to clarify, Rxb8 dxc6 Qxe3+ and if Kh2 Bxc6 IS possible because Rxc6 is a bad move after Qf4+ g3 bxc6!, the queen is hanging, but so is his and the rook is now defended. Black will end up at least one pawn.
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Where in Berkeley? Its been a long time since I have been to a chess tournament here.
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Fritz thinks diagram 3 is a draw after Rb8. After dxc6 Qxe3 Qf2 Qxf2 Kxf2 Bxc6 black can seen to hold the endgame.
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On January 04 2011 13:15 ghote wrote:
Where in Berkeley? Its been a long time since I have been to a chess tournament here.
At the Berkeley Chess School, open to the public if you want to watch me do poorly.
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EPT
