My last two tournaments have not been great. I’ve managed to lose three games to improving juniors.
This has had the effect of dropping my rating around 40 points. While I’m not that upset about the rating since ratings fluctuate, I am incredibly annoyed with the way I have played as I have thrown away promising positions quite often during this streak.
Yesterday I played a game which I hope is the start of a turnaround, although I still missed a huge opportunity and was lucky to get a second chance.
Here is the game.
[Event "Sultry Summer Riverwalk Swiss"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2017.09.07"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Gill, Govenor"]
[Black "Wainscott, Chris"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A45"]
[WhiteElo "1507"]
[BlackElo "1756"]
[PlyCount "64"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d6 3. e3 g6 4. Nc3 {This is clunky as it blocks the c-pawn.
Not a huge issue, but why not strive for precision when playing these sorts of
level openings.} (4. Nf3) 4... Bg7 5. h3 O-O 6. Bd3 Nbd7 7. Nf3 Re8 8. e4 {I
was somewhat impressed with this move. This keeps White from having to give
up the bishop pair.} (8. O-O e5 9. Bg5 ({Of course not} 9. Bh2 {as White drops
material after} e4) 9... h6 10. Bxf6 Nxf6 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. e4) 8... e5 9. dxe5
{Without this pawn exchange White will have a hard time holding on to his
e-pawn. For example} (9. Be3 exd4 10. Nxd4 Nc5 11. Qf3 Qe7 12. O-O Ncxe4 13.
Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Rae1 d5) 9... Nxe5 {I decided to get a pair of knights off the
board to lessen the chance of the e5 pawn becoming a burden to defend.} ({I
felt that White would have too much pressure after} 9... dxe5 10. Bh2) 10. Nxe5
dxe5 11. Be3 {Another good move. Having played h3 earlier many players would
automatically retreat to h2, but here it makes no sense.} c6 12. Qd2 Nd7 {I
chose to start with this move as I wanted to keep the option of putting my
queen on either c7 or e7. If I were to play Qe7 first then that runs in to} (
12... Qe7 13. Bg5 {and while I’m still OK after} Be6 14. O-O {this is a less
flexible move order. Thus I chose to begin by moving my knight to maintain
the widest net of possibilities.}) 13. g4 {This seems too commital. White can
adopt his own more flexible plan with something like} (13. O-O-O Nf8 14. Kb1
Ne6 15. g3) 13... Nf8 14. O-O-O Ne6 15. Qe2 Qe7 16. Bc4 {Here’s an interesting
moment. After White played g4 I was fixated on the hole created on f4.
Therefore I didn’t have d4 on my radar.} Bd7 {I played this move because I
wanted to get my rook on a8 over to d8. Therefore I decided that …Bd7 was a
useful waiting move, when in reality it misses a huge opportunity.} 17. h4 {
I’m now given a second chance to strike! Exchanging with} (17. Bxe6 Bxe6 18.
h4 h6 {would have completely leveled the position.}) 17... Nd4 {This time I
don’t miss the chance!} 18. Bxd4 ({Just as problematic is} 18. Qd2 Bxg4 19.
Rdg1 Bh5 20. Rg3) 18... exd4 19. Nb1 Qxe4 20. Qxe4 Rxe4 21. f3 Re7 ({More
agressive is} 21... Re3 22. Nd2 Rae8 {however, the issue here is that I had
thought for some reason that White could play} 23. Nf1 {but of course this
would just drop the f pawn.} Rxf3) 22. Nd2 b6 ({White is threatening to put
the knight on b3 and pressure my pawns. I can stop this directly with} 22...
c5 {but then I think it would be harder to convert after} 23. Bd5 Be6 24. Rde1
Rae8 25. Bxe6 Rxe6 26. Rxe6 Rxe6 27. Ne4 {This is still winning for me, but
White’s knight is better than my bishop.}) 23. Ne4 {White’s position is so bad
that losing this pawn in exchange for the bishop pair is just as reasonable as
anything else.} (23. Nb3 {Of course this is no longer an issue since I can
lock everything down with} c5) 23... Bxg4 24. fxg4 Rxe4 25. g5 (25. Rdf1 Rf8
26. g5 Be5 27. Kd1 {Now there is a slight trap in the position if I go pawn
hunting after} Bg3 28. Rh3 Bxh4 29. Bd3 Rg4 30. Be2 Re4 31. Bd3) 25... Rae8 26.
Rdf1 R8e7 27. h5 Be5 28. Rxf7 $4 Rxf7 29. Rf1 Bf4+ ({Also possible is} 29...
Ref4 30. Re1 R4f5) 30. Kd1 b5 31. Bb3 Kf8 32. Bxf7 Kxf7 0-1
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Til Next Time,
Chris Wainscott
