Archived Games
Recent Games - August through December 2021
All games can be replayed using the PGN viewer by lichess.org (unless otherwise noted).
17. White Rook Captures Black's Last Bishop - Click the Diagram for Full Game.
November 5, 2021: Black to Move. White chose the English Opening [A22] in a recent casual online game shared by Josh. White opened with the Queen Bishop Pawn and captured both of Black's Bishops, arriving at the position in the diagram. We have been discussing the relative merits of Knights over Bishops recently; this game makes the case that two Knights are better than the Bishop pair in the endgame. The game wasn't "perfect" so the question is not settled [IMHO].
Can the White Bishops Prevail? Click on the first diagram above for a Lichess interactive Study of the game (and find a missed opportunity for White).
18. White Misses a Good Rook Move and Gives Up the Exchange - Full Game Below.
October 19, 2021: White to Move. Black chose the Sicilian Defense: Open Variation [B32] in a recent casual online game. White opened with the King Pawn and played competently (with a few less than stellar choices) until the position in the diagram. After this blunder, Black was relentless and drove White to resign (after a second particularly poor decision on move 26). Chess is a great teacher of humility! I am feeling pretty humble after this drubbing.
Note: Click "Open" to see the Lichess analysis of the game.
September 24, 2021. I played the Queen's Pawn Opening Advanced London System against Travis on chess.com recently. We have played a few games over the board recently. Travis is relatively new to the game but was able to capitalize on my blunders very effectively; my early decision to exchange a Knight for one of the Bishops did not turn out as I had hoped! See the diagram for the final position when I resigned.
Just click on the diagram above to see the entire game with the PGN viewer by Chess.com. Click on the arrows below the chessboard to replay the game (or download the PGN for the game to replay locally on your computer). To replay the game from Black's perspective, just click on the 'Analysis' button and choose the 'Flip Board' icon below the buttons. Note: You don't have to sign in to chess.com to replay the game. More information about PGN viewers available on a separate page.
White to Move - Full Game Below.
September 14, 2021: White to Move. White opened with the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation [A22] in a recent casual online game. White was able to get a draw in spite of making 6 mistakes and 2 blunders (to Black's 1 mistake and 4 blunders). They tied with a respectable 38 Average centipawn loss and roughly the same number of "inaccuracies". Reviewing the blunders and mistakes was very informative; we'll have to try harder next time!
See Rasic, Milovan vs Bjelanovic, Nemanja, ch-SRB Semi-Final 2021 for another English Opening game (which White won). Incidentally, this was Mark McPheters's favorite opening!
Note: Click "Open" to see the Lichess analysis of the game.
Recent Games - April through July 2021
All games can be replayed using the PGN viewer by lichess.org (unless otherwise noted).
White to Move - Full game analysis below.
July 5, 2021: White to Move. White opened with the London System [D02|A46|A48] in a recent casual in-person game. Black responded with the Czech Pirc Defense (see NM Robert Ramirez's video on the Info page for his explanation of this opening). Both players made a number of blunders according to Lichess, which means both players have room to improve. The good news is that we both enjoyed the game. Check out the new NM Nelson Lopez videos on the Info page for tips to avoid the blunders we made in this game! Arnold have beaten me with the Czech Pirc enough to make me reconsider that as my default opening for Black; I definitely need to find a better response to the London System.
Note: Click "hamburger" icon, then the "Open Study" icon for access to the Lichess Study of the game.
July 25, 2020: 2nd Maine State Correspondence Chess Championship! I played the B00 - Nimzowitsch Defense [2. Nc3-Nf6] against Peter Konieczko on chess.com last year. We have played many games over the board in the past and Peter always gave me a run for my money (winning most of the time). Not this time; he was winning until he made a mistake. Then Peter made a number of questionable moves (according to chess.com's helpful analysis); Black capitalized on each mistake and blunder, mating in only 13 moves! See the diagram for the final position. I did not win the tournament, but this game was considered the "Biggest Upset" raising my rating from 1138 to 1290. This was my favorite victory. After the regular drubbings I get nowadays I am probably back down around 1138 (and Peter still wins most of our games)!
Just click on the diagram above to see the entire game with the PGN viewer by Chess.com. Click on the arrows below the chessboard to replay the game (or download the PGN for the game to replay locally on your computer). To replay the game from Black's perspective, just click on the 'Analysis' button and choose the 'Flip Board' icon below the buttons. Note: You don't have to sign in to chess.com to replay the game. More information about PGN viewers available on a separate page.
The 2nd Maine State Correspondence Chess Championship tournament ran from July 25, 2020 through June 13, 2021. The three winners should sound familiar (and you may see some of their games here on this site)!
Black to Move - Very painful moment for the Black Queen Full Game Below.
June 1, 2021: Black to Move. White opened with his favorite Ware Opening [A00] in a recent online game. Black was holding up his end until he failed to notice that his Queen was living on borrowed time. Looking back over the game, the threat is so obvious! White has just played Nb6+. How did Black miss the threat! Checkmate ensues in short order on move 27.
White to Move - How should White respond to the Black King Knight Pawn Advance? Full Game Below.
May 24, 2021: White to Move. White has played reasonably well against the Caro-Kann Defense: De Bruycker Defense [B12] at a recent online club Monday evening meeting. White has just advanced his Queen to g4, attacking the pawn on g7. Black responds by advancing the threatened pawn to g5; see how White lost the initiative (and the game) with his next move.
Black to Move - White defended his Knight Pawn and Prepares an Attack on Black's Queen!. Full Game Below.
May 10, 2021: Black to Move. White opens with the Saragossa Opening [A00] at a recent online club Monday evening meeting. White is "out of book" on his second move with the signature Rook Pawn move! Black develops in the center and gets into White's territory early, fending off an early Queen-side attack; see how this intense struggle continued. Did that early Rook Pawn cost White the game? Exciting chess. We'd like to see more games between these two opponents.
White to Move - White puts the Squeeze on Black's King!. Full Game Below.
April 20, 2021: White to Move. Black responded strongly to the Ware Opening [A00] at a recent online club Tuesday evening meeting. White locked up the center and developed quickly while Black focused on a solid pawn chain; see how Black continued to put up a good fight in spite of being tied in knots (from the position in the diagram). And let us expect better luck from White's opponent next time.
Black blunders with Knight move. Full Game Below.
April 4, 2021: White to Move. I started playing the Pirc Defense in an online game with a random opponent chosen by Lichess, but we both made a lot of inaccuracies and blunders; I even made more mistakes than my opponent, but I was able to capitalize on his final mistake to win the game. Check out the Pirc Defense [B00] on Chess.com (a.k.a. the King's Pawn Opening according to 365Chess.com). White avoided playing moves that would have suited my preparation, but both players blundered too often! I intend to keep trying this opening for Black.
January through March 2021
All games can be replayed using the PGN viewer by lichess.org (unless otherwise noted).
Black Bishop Snatches a Pawn Early. Full Game Below.
March 11, 2021: White to Move. I started playing the London System in an online game, but my opponent responded with very unorthodox moves, characterized as Queen's pawn game [A45] by 365Chess (a.k.a. the Indian Defense according to lichess). White missed a series of strong early mating attacks and eventually lost the initiative [mostly by not recognizing attacking opportunities]. Both players blundered often, but Black prevailed in the end. Heart breaking for me, playing White! Can you spot the early victory I missed?
Black Bishop ready to pounce. Full Game Below.
March 8, 2021: White to Move. Arnold played the Ware Defense [B00] (a.k.a. the Corn stalk defence) at the online club meeting Monday evening. White gave up a Bishop for a Knight right away, but allowed Black's Bishop to tear into the castled King's pawn shelter very early. Exchanging Queens shortly afterwards led to an exciting middle game. In the diagram, White is about to get invaded by the Bishop and Queen. Hope springs eternal for White (even down two pawns), but in spite of some tantalizing possibilities, he once again goes down in flames.
Jan 14 - Feb 24, 2021: Correspondence Game! Glenn Snyder and I playing another instructive game on chess.com this year. Another attempt by me to use the London System: D00 - Queens Pawn Opening Accelerated London System. We both made a number of questionable moves (according to chess.com's helpful analysis in the diagram above); as you can see, White has a clear advantage by moving first. Looking back over the game, I found a number of moves that seemed to be at odds with the opening's philosophy. At the time, cramping the Queen's Knight and opening the Queen file seemed like a good idea. In the event, these choices probably ceded the initiative to Black. And a few of the moves were clearly just mistakes. Against a solid player like Glenn Snyder, you really can't afford to relax your concentration for a moment!
Just click on the diagram above to see the entire game with the PGN viewer by Chess.com. Click on the arrows below the chessboard to replay the game (or download the PGN for the game to replay locally on your computer). To replay the game from Black's perspective, just click on the 'Analysis' button and choose the 'Flip Board' icon below the buttons. Note: You don't have to sign in to chess.com to replay the game. More information about PGN viewers available on a separate page.
White Positioned To Triumph. Full Game Below.
January 18, 2021: White to Move. Don and Arnold played the English Defense [A40] (signaled by b6, preparing to fianchetto the Bishop) at the online club meeting Monday evening. White started playing the London System, but got knocked off course in his move order responding to Black's Nf6. Exchanging his light-square Bishop led to early material advantage for White. In the diagram, White is in a commanding position (but failed to capitalize on his situation). This early mistake turned out to be very costly (not to mention later mistakes).
Black to Move - This is what premature Queen development looks like!. Full Game Below.
January 4, 2021: Black to Move. Black responded to the Nimzo-Larsen Attack (Modern Variation) [A01] at a recent online club Friday evening meeting. Black sacrificed a Knight for an early attack, but did not follow through, leaving his Queen in a box; see how Black continued from the position in the diagram (and send condolences to me for losing my Queen so early in the game).
October through December 2020
All games can be replayed using the PGN viewer by lichess.org (unless otherwise noted).
Black to Move - Black is up a Pawn, White has exchanged the dark Bishops; how should Black continue?. Full Game Below.
December 28, 2020: Black to Move. Black responds to e4 with the Pirc Defense [B00] at a recent online club Friday evening meeting. Black loses momentum by not being sufficiently aggressive; how should Black have continued from the position in the diagram?
White to Move - The Bishop just captured a Knight; how should White respond?. Full Game Below.
December 15, 2020: White to Move. Black responds to e4 with the French Defense: Knight Variation [C00] at a recent online club Friday evening meeting. White develops his Knight before the Queen Pawn and shuts off the fianchettoed Bishop with e5. Black makes some unorthodox moves (beginning with a6), putting his Queen in a strange place while White lines up his attack. The momentum of the game shifts to Black soon; how should White have continued from the position in the diagram?
Black to Move - Black throws in the towel on move 20!. Full Game on Chess.com.
December, 2020: Black to Move. Black fumbles repeatedly against the Ponziani Opening [C44] at a recent online tournament. White takes charge early and moves relentlessly (without making any errors) until Black folds on his 20th move. What a game! I pulled the PGN into a Lichess Study and requested a Computer Analysis; it is instructive to see how Black's inaccuracies and mistakes led to such an early demise. I have not played the Ponziani Opening much, but I think I might give it a try now.
Black to Move - Can the Bishop Pawn Be Saved?. Full Game Below.
November 30, 2020: Black to Move. Arnold played White with the Crab Variation of the Ware Opening [A00] at a recent online club Friday evening meeting. I chopped the Knight early; in this position, the isolated Pawn is a sitting duck. I failed to respond to the e4 Pawn attack on the f5 Pawn (which allowed him to trade Rooks and let his King evade my defenses to win the game)! I think I might have fared better if I had pinned the Bishop instead.
White has a Queen vs. Two Rooks to Start the MiddleGame. Full Game Below.
November 13, 2020 [Friday the 13th]: Black to Move. Arnold played White with the Ware Opening [A00] at a recent online club Friday evening meeting. Things start to get interesting for Black in this position; White has traded off his Rooks for the Queen and a Black King stuck in the middle with no castling prospects. I now regret snatching a Pawn with my Knight, which allowed him to make a quick end to my chances of survival! I think it is fair to start wondering at this point if I am ever going to discover a reliable response to Arnold's favorite opening.
Kiss the Queen Goodbye. Full Game Below.
October 26, 2020: Black to Move. Don and Arnold played the Van't Kruijs Opening [A00] at a recent online club Monday evening meeting. At roughly the halfway mark in the game, playing Black, I felt that I had scored a significant blow against Arnold's Queen; I thought exchanging two minor pieces for a Queen would lead to a fairly easy endgame. I was wrong about that!
Exchanging Light Square Bishops. Full Game Below.
October 5, 2020: Black to Move. Don and Arnold played the Queen's Pawn Opening: the London System at the online club meeting Monday evening. Every once in a while (when the stars are in perfect alignment) I play a solid game and Arnold misses the critical move somehow; my extra pawns were too much for him. That said, he has an 8:1 advantage in our games so far! I still have much to learn. He defeated me in our next two games.
July through September 2020
All games can be replayed using the PGN viewer by lichess.org (unless otherwise noted).
Brilliant Queen Sacrifice or Great Recovery? Full Game Below.
August 31, 2020: Black to Move. Steve and Don played the A17 - English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System at the online club meeting Monday evening. Black lost the Queen about halfway into the game. What followed was a cat and mouse game (rearranging attacking and defending pieces) until White's Queen got greedy, letting Black roar back to victory!
White Has Commanding Lead - what could go wrong? Full Game Below.
August 24, 2020: White to Move. Arnold played the A00 - Ware Opening - against Don this time. Don responded with an unorthodox pawn structure (losing material in the process), but finding a silver lining ultimately in an exciting finish.
Full Court Press!. Full Game Below.
August 17, 2020: Black to Move. Johnny pressed Arnold relentlessly in this B00 - Owen's Defense (Black moves pawns on the wings to fight for the center with his Bishops). In the diagram, Black's Bishop is now under attack, but there is good tension and White brings a resolution worth watching for the next fifty moves! Only to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, by stalemate.
White to Move [12]: How will he press his attack? Full Game Below.
August 10, 2020: Arnold played his A00 - Ware Opening - against Johnny this time. This game was played on chess.com at our online chess club meeting after lichess.org mysteriously kicked Arnold and Don off right in the middle of their games and did not permit them to logon again; we all switched to chess.com and only lost about 20 minutes of play [but lichess.org did not seem to notice that they were locked out and penalized them with game losses - on time]! Unfortunately there is no recourse when this sort of thing happens; they view the problem as 'your computer or internet connection was defective' (so the ratings were docked, 85 points in Don's case).
PGN viewer by chess.com Click on the arrows below the diagram above to replay the entire game. To replay the game from Black's perspective, just click on the chasing arrows icon in the toolbar. You can also click on the share icon or the analysis icon at the far left of the toolbar if you want to download the PGN or have chess.com analyze the game.
Black Faces Tough Decision Halfway Through Game. Full Game Below.
July 27, 2020: Black to Move. Don Ellis gave Arnold a run for his money in this A00 - Ware Opening (possibly Arnold's favorite opening); unlike most openings, the minor pieces sit on their initial squares for the first four moves. Unorthodox is a good way to describe this opening. Many of us have had trouble deciding how to respond to it. In the diagram, Don is even in material and needs to choose wisely to keep White from capitalizing on his passed pawn.
White Traps the Black Queen. Full Game Below.
July 22, 2020: White to Move. It looks like White has died and gone to heaven (Bishop has trapped Black's Queen) but does Black find compensation for losing the exchange? B20 - Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation.
Older Games - April 17th through June 2020
All games can be replayed using the PGN viewer by lichess.org (unless otherwise noted).
June 28, 2020: White to move [23]. Wyatt Hendrix, Maine Chess Association Secretary, has annotated this game between Bill Hartt and Tommy Owen from the MSSICC HS internet tournament. "In this position, White is about to capture the Bishop pawn ("[t]hrowing away a nice opportunity"). Check out Wyatt's analysis showing that the game might have ended very differently by clicking on the diagram. The first ten moves are an example of [B19] the Caro-Kann classical Spassky variation opening; 365chess.org shows White having a definite advantage at this stage.
GameKnot iChess viewer. Click on the diagram above to see the full game. For the most aesthetic experience, click on the "Interactive" link near the top of the page, then scroll down (on the viewer page that opens in a new window) for controls (or use the arrow keys) to walk through the game. Note: You don't have to sign in to GameKnot to replay the game. More information about PGN viewers available on a separate page.
White Delivers Tough Choice with Bishop. Full Game Below.
June 22, 2020: White to Move. Gaining a slight advantage with a nasty skewer, White wins the exchange (bishop for rook) and eventually wears down Black with superior fire power. B40 - Sicilian Defense: French Variation.
Black Pressures White Knight. Full Game Below.
June 15, 2020: White to Move. I started off by locking up the center and castling early, but Arnold fought back on the Queen side, maneuvering me into the position shown in the diagram. I was on the defensive pretty much from then on, making a series of exchanges that really didn't help (and cost me a Bishop and eventually the game). A41 - Old Indian Defense.
How Should White Continue? Full Game Below.
June 8, 2020: White to Move. I started off with the London System, as usual, Steve was able to capitalize on my structural weakness. I waited too long to castle and didn't challenge his Bishop when I could have. Before long I was down material and tortured into submission. A40 - the Modern Defense; follow the link for a game from 2007 that started the same but ended in a draw (because White didn't allow that white-square Bishop to exchange on e2)!
Is Black's Queen taking a poisoned pawn?
June 1, 2020: White to Move. Don Ellis took me to the woodshed in last week's Waterville Chess Club meeting on lichess.org; I can't blame a mouse slip for this game. I decided to respond by playing B30 - the Sicilian Defense. We exchanged dark square Bishops early, then moved into very sharp play. Unfortunately (for me), I got the sharpest end of the stick and made a few self-inflicted wounds, too. Time to slow down my game and look over the board more carefully before moving.
May 30, 2020: White to move [24]. Wyatt Hendrix, Maine Chess Association Secretary, has annotated this game between Eli Slaughter and Tristan Cousineau from the first round of the Claude E Webber Memorial Cup internet tournament. "In this position, White is a bit better and has a large advantage after b3 here for example, but at this point he starts to slip and Black plays very strongly." (Look here for examples of other London System games in the chessgames.com database).
GameKnot iChess viewer. Click on the diagram above to see the full game. For the most aesthetic experience, click on the "Interactive" link near the top of the page, then scroll down (on the viewer page that opens in a new window) for controls (or use the arrow keys) to walk through the game. Note: You don't have to sign in to GameKnot to replay the game. More information about PGN viewers available on a separate page.
May 21, 2020: White wins the endgame with seconds to spare! Isaac and Don played two games during the week on chess.com; Isaac won both games in spite of struggling with the clock. This game showcased a strong gambit for Black: B01 - the Scandinavian Defense: Blackburne Kloosterboer Gambit. I have been reading Eric Schiller's Gambit Opening Repertoire for Black and exploring the Scandinavian Defense for a while now (not always with success). I thought I was holding my own until my 23rd move (failing to prepare for the attack on my Rook Pawn). Losing that pawn was the beginning of the end for Black.
PGN viewer by chess.com Click on the diagram above to replay the entire game. Click on the arrows beside the chessboard to go to a board with more options on chess.com (including the option to download the PGN for the game). To replay the game from Black's perspective, just click on the analysis button and choose the 'Flip Board' icon below the buttons. Note: You don't have to sign in to chess.com to replay the game.
May 18 - June 28, 2020: Correspondence Game! Glenn Snyder and I have been playing three games simultaneously on chess.com since mid-May; not sure how that happened. This is the first one to end [with a thud for Black]. This is another game that showcases a strong gambit for Black: B01 - the Scandinavian Defense: Blackburne Kloosterboer Gambit. The Scandinavian Defense is supposed to be strong for Black, but this game shows that I have a ways to go before I can play it well. I made a number of questionable moves (3 inaccuracies, 1 mistake and 2 blunders, according to chess.com's helpful analysis); in the diagram above, I lose the exchange when my Queen captures the Rook, giving check. Against a solid player like Glenn Snyder, you really can't afford to make such rookie errors!
PGN viewer by chess.com Click on the diagram above to replay the entire game. Click on the arrows beside the chessboard to go to a board with more options on chess.com (including the option to download the PGN for the game). To replay the game from Black's perspective, just click on the analysis button and choose the 'Flip Board' icon below the buttons. Note: You don't have to sign in to chess.com to replay the game. More information about PGN viewers available on a separate page.
May 11, 2020: Draw by repetition! Arnold and Don played six games in the Waterville Chess Club meeting on lichess.org; Arnold won most of the games [4] but lost one and drew this one. I don't usually find myself in C00 - the French Defense: Normal Variation. I was down in material, but discovered a very neat way to avoid losing.
May 4, 2020: Ware Opening defeated! Every once in a while, the fickle finger of fate has its way. This is Don's first game in the Waterville Chess Club; he made a strong showing against Arnold's favorite opening: A00 - the Ware Opening. I never seem to be able to win against this opening; maybe the extra Queens is the secret.
April 25, 2020: Online Camden Chess Club Tournament. I won 2 games, but lost all 4 games against Evan in this online tournament. We played 15|10 games for about two hours. This is my first game: B00 - King's Pawn Game: Nimzowitsch Defense. I think I really goofed on my 18th move. What do you think?
April 17, 2020: Online Camden Chess Club Tournament. I lost my first blitz game to Evan in this online tournament (which consisted of two games between the two of us on lichess.org)! I played my standard response to e4 and held my own for a time, but failed to take advantage of his doubled pawns. B01 - Scandinavian Defense: Blackburne Gambit. I think I missed an opportunity on my 18th move. What do you think?
Most Games Before April 17, 2020 are shown using the GameKnot iChess viewer
Click on the diagrams below to see the full game using the GameKnot iChess viewer. For the most aesthetic experience, click on the "Interactive" link near the top of the page, then scroll down (on the viewer page that opens in a new window) for controls (or use the arrow keys) to walk through the game. More information about PGN viewers available on a separate page.
April 11, 2020: Black to move. In a rare moment for him, Arnold left his Bishop exposed in this online A00 - Ware Opening game on lichess.org. You won't be surprised to learn that I lost all the other games we played that day. But it was fun to win for a change.
To replay the entire game, click on the image above to see my lichess game study of the game. Note: You don't have to sign in to use the controls beneath the list of moves. More information about PGN viewers available on a separate page.
April 6, 2020: Black to move (spitefully). John 2 and I have continued our texting tournament with this game (a B01 - Centre Counter Defence). We were trying to use chess.com to play, but a technical problem on John's end started a game for me with another opponent. So I wound up playing a simultaneous exhibition (losing both games, in case you are curious)! I updated a ScidvsMac window on my computer with John's text moves and swapped to the chess.com window to play Arnold75 (who was in serious trouble before I made a series of blunders trying to pay attention to both games simultaneously). A large part of the problem for me was logging in and out of my cell phone because the screen locked me out after 1 minute [I have subsequently figured out how to increase the time to 5 minutes]. Even though I lost the game, I'll have to admit the mate was nice. The fork felt pretty good at the time, too.
March 30, 2020: White to move. John 2 had trouble joining our Zoom meeting on 03/30/2020, so we played a game by texting until about 10:30 pm; we adjourned and resumed the game by email over the next couple of days. It turned out to be quite an exciting game! We started off with a [A45] Queen's Pawn Game (Various Indian Systems) opening. White took two pawns early, then settled into a long protracted guerilla war. Black has just blocked a double attack by the Queen. White to move in the diagram above; what would you do?
March 11, 2020: Black to move. Taking a little time out from playing table tennis the last Wednesday before the restaurants were closed, John 2 did not let me get away with my bad move in the middle game. We started off with a Scandinavian Centre Counter Defense, which eventually morphed into a B12 - Caro-Kann, advance variation! At the time, of course, I had no idea that's what I was doing. But John played his Queen Bishop to f4 and we were in uncharted territory [all the games I looked at had Black winning handily, but I made a mistake after a few more decent moves and ultimately had to resign].
March 5, 2020: Black to move. This game is from Thursday, March 5th. I decided to take Bob up on his offer to play during the day. He has quite a setup at Jorgensen's (including food, coffee and his extensive record collection). Unfortunately, all the restaurants are closed because of the Coronavirus pandemic for the time being! Bob and I talked (and talked smack) while we played our second game; we even had an audience (though he claimed to know nothing about chess). Bob offered a draw fairly early (which I declined) and we wound up playing for over an hour before he resigned. I'm not sure he really needed to resign (maybe he was just tired or had to leave for an appointment), but I'll let you be the judge. We started off with what Shredder13 calls "D06 - Queen's Gambit" [but 365Chess.com sees this as D15 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 4.Nc3]. In the diagram above, Black must decide how to save his Knight. Click on the diagram [taken with the ScidVsMac program] to see how the game finished. Do you notice anything funny about the diagram?
February 26, 2020: White wins the exchange early. Wednesday night, John 2 and I played one of our longest games (78 moves to mate, with lots of twists and turns along the way). John spurned my offer of the Queen Pawn and we would up playing the Scandinavian "B01 - Centre Counter Defence". At various points in the game, it looked like one side or the other had the upper hand, but with deft play on both sides the tension persisted until nearly the end. In the diagram, White wins the exchange by a double-attack on Queen and Rook. Black fought back and forced White to work hard for his victory. Click on the diagram to see how the game finished.
February 24, 2020: Black to move. In a casual game with Arnold last week, I responded to his Queen Pawn advance with c5 and we wound up playing what Shredder13 calls "A00 - Irregular Opening". I couldn't agree more. It was a very strange game; Arnold started off with his new Traveling Bishop Opening. In the diagram above, Black must decide whether or not to capture White's Knight. Click on the diagram to see how the game finished.
February 17, 2020: White to move. In a casual game with Barry last week, he responded to my Queen Pawn with c5 and we wound up playing "A43 - Old Benoni Defence"; we rapidly left theory and broke new ground with White's third move. It was a very verbal game; we started off with a 30-minute game, but when his clock ran out with about 12 minutes left on my side, we agreed to continue the game without the clock. In the diagram above, White must decide how to respond to Black's Bishop attack. Click on the diagram to see how the game finished (this was not my best performance over the board).
February 12, 2020: White to move. In a casual game with John 2 mid-week, I opened with the London System (which somehow morphed into what Shredder classified as "A45 - Various Indian Systems", but what 365Chess.com just calls "Queen's pawn game"). This game shows the importance of concentration. In the diagram above, White is about to "improve" his Knight, forgetting that his Knight was guarding a vital square against an attack by Black's Bishop [an unforced error]. Click on the diagram to see how the game finished.
January 22, 2020: Black to move. Glenn challenged me to a correspondence game on chess.com. The game started in late January and lasted until March. I thought I was doing pretty well, but blundered [more than once, as it turned out] and Glenn gave me a good thrashing. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that we played the Sicilian Defense Bowdler Attack [B20] (which I had never heard of). White got off to a quick start in development, castling before Black had developed a single piece. By move 26, Black was doing fairly well. How would you have continued as Black in the diagram above?
2.Bc4 (the Bowlder Attack), though once played at the highest level, is popular today only among club players or beginners who are unfamiliar with the Sicilian and are looking either to attack the weak f7 pawn or to prepare for a quick kingside castle. However, after a move such as 2...e6, Black will soon play ...d5 and open up the center while gaining time by attacking the bishop. Anderssen-Wyvill, London 1851 continued 2..e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.a4 Nc6 5.d3 g6 6.Nge2 Bg7 7.0-0 Nge7 8.f4 0-0 9.Bd2 d5 10.Bb3 Nd4 11.Nxd4, and now Soltis recommends 11...cxd4! 12.Ne2 Bd7!
- Caissa's Web
January 20, 2020: Black to move. I faced the Nimzowitsch-Larsen attack, Indian variation against Steve on the 20th of January. My motor was cold in my first game of the evening, but Steve was ready to take advantage of my foolish response to his pawn capture. In the diagram above, Black should stay focused on defending material! Click on the diagram to see what actually happened in this game.
January 6, 2020: Black to move. I played the Scandinavian Defense against Isaac on the 6th of January. On White's third move, he could have opted to not defend the d5 Pawn (which is unavoidably due to be returned), instead focusing on development with moves like Nf3, d4, or possibly interposing some interference with Black's development by using Bb5 before retreating [Be2] and then developing Nf3, d4, etc. In the diagram above, Black takes the Queen Pawn immediately instead of attacking it again with the Rook; White punishes the premature capture and wins material!
January 6, 2020: White to move. Arnold and I played an unusual London System game on the 6th of January; Shredder calls this game an "Irregular Opening" and 365Chess has no record of any games arriving at the position in the diagram above! According to John Bartholomew, with the London System you can pretty much ignore what Black is doing and just develop your pieces. Arnold chose to erect a wall of pawns and hold off on his own development until I tipped my hand. I didn't handle the pawn break very well (missing a really powerful Knight fork at move 19. Ng5); Arnold completed his development and went on to win the game. Click on the diagram above to see the full game (using the GameKnot iChess viewer; click on the "Interactive" link near the top of the page, then scroll down on the viewer page [that opens in a new window] for controls (or use the arrow keys) to walk through the game).
December 30, 2019: Black to move. Pete and I played one final game in 2019. It turned out to be one of our best (and longest) games of the year! Click on the diagram above to see the full game (using the GameKnot iChess viewer; click on the "Interactive" link near the top of the page, then scroll down on the viewer page [that opens in a new window] for controls (or use the arrow keys) to walk through the game).
December 16, 2019: If you have ever sat across the board from Arnold, you will recognize his signature response to White's opening move in the center. Click the diagram above to see the full game (using the GameKnot iChess viewer; scroll down on the viewer page for controls or use the arrow keys to walk through the game).
Unfortunately, the Caissa's Web tool [which was originally used] to replay our chess games no longer works in modern browsers, so I have replaced it with the ChessTempo PGN Viewer.
Diagram 12/09/2019 - White to move
December 9, 2019: After White gave up a Bishop for a Pawn early in the opening, the juicy looking Rook seems like a great way to win back some material. But White should think carefully before taking that Rook. What would you do in this position? Full game below.
Queen's Pawn [Irregular] Opening. Arnold taught me some more valuable lessons at the club on Monday night (as most of his games do). I am still trying to master the London System [and tried to stick with it] but Arnold's responses to my planned moves are always a challenge. I slipped up a few times in this game; sacrificing material in the beginning was clearly unwarranted. Replaying the game with Shredder, the analysis engine suggested moves much different than the ones I played!
Diagram 11/18/2019 - Black to move
November 18, 2019: Black has played aggressively to this point in the game. Material is even. What would you do in this position? Full game below.
The Queen's Gambit Declined, Marshall Defense. Anna and I played an instructive game at the club on Monday night. I am still working on developing a repertoire for Black, so I was pleased with my performance; we got off to a vigorous start, but I think I tried to be a little bit too clever by not trading Rooks right away. This game is a good example of proper King and Pawn play by White.
October 11, 2019: The Englund Gambit. Ben and I played several games on Veterans Day; I worked on playing Black openings all night. This is the only one we recorded. I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I was trying to play the Scandinavian Defense (but did not really notice that he played d4 instead of e4)! In spite of this egregious blunder, I got lucky when Ben missed the fork that netted Black an extra piece early in the middle game. This game is a perfect example of why taking the time to look over the entire position before making your move is so important.
October 10, 2019: The London System. My first game with Kevin was a comedy of errors! We both missed some extremely important and obvious captures. Sometimes we can get carried away with excitement or following a preconceived plan, not noticing how a change in circumstances opens up opportunities we should not miss. This game is a perfect example of not taking the time to look over the entire position before making your move.
August 12, 2019: Mark's favorite opening is the English Opening. He definitely took me to task in this game.
July 22, 2019: John won this Caro-Kann advanced variation game handily. See if you can spot where I get into trouble and how John capitalized on my mistakes to win the game.
Click on the diagram below to see the full game using the GameKnot iChess viewer. For the most aesthetic experience, click on the "Interactive" link near the top of the page, then scroll down (on the viewer page that opens in a new window) for controls (or use the arrow keys) to walk through the game.
July 14, 2019: Black to move. We didn't record any of the three games Kevin and I played last Monday the 14th, so I found an interesting game from last July to share today: my opponent chose to play the Petrovs Defense Urusov Gambit against me. In the diagram, Black is down two pawns but manages to eke out a victory. This was an online game on chess.com (where my handle is moviebuffc48f).
June 24, 2019: Ed won this Queen's Gambit Declined, Marshall defence game; after savoring Ed's victory, click the Start button, then the Flip button to see the game from my perspective [I lost the game]. See if you can spot where I get into trouble and how Ed capitalized on my mistakes to win the game.
Interesting Positions
Black to move. It was Friday the 13th. I played White against Don O. at the Camden Chess Club and took a picture of this position with my camera. I was feeling pretty good about my situation and wound up winning the game. Unfortunately we did not record the game. But how would you have played as Black in this position?
White to move. At the last club meeting before we stopped meeting on Monday nights, I had a lot of pressure on Arnold in this position. I decided to snap a picture (because I thought I would shortly be celebrating a crushing victory) and we weren't recording the game. Unfortunately I blundered shortly afterwards (losing my Queen for nothing)! It is just one more reminder of how important it is to look around the board very carefully before making your move.
Unfortunately we didn't record this game, but Black fought off tremendous pressure on the King Knight's file with a Queen sacrifice to win the game. We don't remember whose move it was in this position (but White moved his Rook to g2 to load up his battery before the sacrifice). Reminder: record your games if you ever want to review them!
Diagram 11/25/2019 - White to move
November 25, 2019: White recently lost his Bishop and is now being squeezed by Black's Rook and Knight. White resigned. Do you see a Hail Mary for White?
