(148) Eddins,S (1392) – Champion,W (1600) [B23]
MCC March Forward Swiss Natick, MA (1), 07.03.2006 [Eddins,Steve]
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.f4 Bg7 4.Nf3 Nc6 Out of my book. White’s king bishop usually goes to either c4 or b5 in this opening, depending on whether Black is ready to kick it on c4. Here Black isn’t ready to play d5 immediately, so I decided to put the bishop on c4. 5.Bc4 d6 6.d3 Nf6 7.0-0 Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 Diagram
9.Rxf3 I can’t remember why I didn’t want to retake with the queen here. 9…0-0 10.Ne2 Na5 11.Bd2? Diagram
I just didn’t see that the d-pawn was overworked here.11…Nxc4 12.dxc4 Nxe4 13.c3 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 Qc7 Diagram
I’ve come out the opening down a pawn. I decide that I have a temporary advantage material advantage on the king-side, and that my best chance is try a king-side attack.
Opening results: After Black’s 5… d6, White often castles next. There are four Short games in the database – his plan is O-O, d3, Qe1, and Bd2.
But Pickett and Swift say (page 40) that Black’s attempt to fianchetto on the second move allows White to play an immediate d4 with an advantage. 3 d4 cxd4 4 Qxd4 Nf6 5 Bb5. That’s what I’ll play next time.
15.f5 Be5 16.fxg6 hxg6 17.h4 Kg7 Diagram
I realized now that I’m in danger on the king-side, too. The half-open h-file and the potential queen-bishop battery on the h2-b8 diagonal could become real problems. But I still have another piece to get in the action.18.Raf1 f6 19.Nf4 I felt that this move almost forces Black to give up his bishop for the knight. Black can’t otherwise keep the knight out of both e6 and d5. 19…Bxf4 20.Rxf4 Rh8 21.Qd5 Qd7 22.Re1 Diagram
e7, e6, and f6 are the only weak spots in Black’s position, and I was trying to find ways to increase the pressure on those spots.22…Rh5 23.Qf3 Re8 24.Rfe4 e5 25.g3 Qc6 26.Rd1 f5 27.Re3 Qxf3 28.Rxf3 e4 29.Rf4 Re6 30.Rd5 e3 I thought this was premature, that Black wouldn’t be able to protect the e-pawn. 31.Kf1 e2+ 32.Ke1 Rh8 33.Rf2 Rhe8 34.Rd2 R8e7 35.Rfxe2 Kf6 Diagram
I felt forced to exchange one rook at this point. I felt that it was important to avoid exchange the second pair of rooks if it resulted in Black’s king advantageously placed. That would lose the game.36.Rxe6+ Rxe6+ 37.Kf2 Ke7 Diagram
Black’s move gives me an opportunity to offer a rook exchange that helps me place my king well.38.Re2 Re5 I can’t take Black’s rook now, because it would result in a protected passed pawn for Black. 39.Kf3 Kf6 40.Rd2 Ke6 41.Rd3 Re4 42.Re3 Re5 Black offered draw 43.Kf4 Kf6 Black offered draw. I accepted the draw the second time, because I felt there was no way for me to break through that wouldn’t result in an even better opening for Black. 1/2-1/2
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Eddins – Champion, March 2006
(148) Eddins,S (1392) – Champion,W (1600) [B23]
MCC March Forward Swiss Natick, MA (1), 07.03.2006
[Eddins,Steve]
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.f4 Bg7 4.Nf3 Nc6 Out of my book. White’s king bishop usually goes to either c4 or b5 in this opening, depending on whether Black is ready to kick it on c4. Here Black isn’t ready to play d5 immediately, so I decided to put the bishop on c4. 5.Bc4 d6 6.d3 Nf6 7.0-0 Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 Diagram
9.Rxf3 I can’t remember why I didn’t want to retake with the queen here. 9…0-0 10.Ne2 Na5 11.Bd2? Diagram
I just didn’t see that the d-pawn was overworked here.11…Nxc4 12.dxc4 Nxe4 13.c3 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 Qc7 Diagram
I’ve come out the opening down a pawn. I decide that I have a temporary advantage material advantage on the king-side, and that my best chance is try a king-side attack.
Opening results: After Black’s 5… d6, White often castles next. There are four Short games in the database – his plan is O-O, d3, Qe1, and Bd2.
But Pickett and Swift say (page 40) that Black’s attempt to fianchetto on the second move allows White to play an immediate d4 with an advantage. 3 d4 cxd4 4 Qxd4 Nf6 5 Bb5. That’s what I’ll play next time.
15.f5 Be5 16.fxg6 hxg6 17.h4 Kg7 Diagram
I realized now that I’m in danger on the king-side, too. The half-open h-file and the potential queen-bishop battery on the h2-b8 diagonal could become real problems. But I still have another piece to get in the action.18.Raf1 f6 19.Nf4 I felt that this move almost forces Black to give up his bishop for the knight. Black can’t otherwise keep the knight out of both e6 and d5. 19…Bxf4 20.Rxf4 Rh8 21.Qd5 Qd7 22.Re1 Diagram
e7, e6, and f6 are the only weak spots in Black’s position, and I was trying to find ways to increase the pressure on those spots.22…Rh5 23.Qf3 Re8 24.Rfe4 e5 25.g3 Qc6 26.Rd1 f5 27.Re3 Qxf3 28.Rxf3 e4 29.Rf4 Re6 30.Rd5 e3 I thought this was premature, that Black wouldn’t be able to protect the e-pawn. 31.Kf1 e2+ 32.Ke1 Rh8 33.Rf2 Rhe8 34.Rd2 R8e7 35.Rfxe2 Kf6 Diagram
I felt forced to exchange one rook at this point. I felt that it was important to avoid exchange the second pair of rooks if it resulted in Black’s king advantageously placed. That would lose the game.36.Rxe6+ Rxe6+ 37.Kf2 Ke7 Diagram
Black’s move gives me an opportunity to offer a rook exchange that helps me place my king well.38.Re2 Re5 I can’t take Black’s rook now, because it would result in a protected passed pawn for Black. 39.Kf3 Kf6 40.Rd2 Ke6 41.Rd3 Re4 42.Re3 Re5 Black offered draw 43.Kf4 Kf6 Black offered draw. I accepted the draw the second time, because I felt there was no way for me to break through that wouldn’t result in an even better opening for Black. 1/2-1/2