2021.12 2021.12 Uploads: 2021.12.06 2021.12.13 2021.12.20 2021.12.27 [Event "Casual Correspondence game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/mNI0vcqK"] [Date "2021.12.27"] [Round "?"] [White "Newman, Steven, bitterroot88"] [Black "JosephOAlford"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C51"] [WhiteElo "1125"] [BlackElo "1500"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2021.12.06"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 {The Evans Gambit was popular in Morphy’s time. Not so much now.} Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. O-O d6 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3 Bg4 10. Bxf7+ {There is no justification for this sacrifice.} Kxf7 11. Nd5 Nxd4 {Fritz says that’s a blunder. Black needs Bd4} 12. Nxb6 Nxf3+ 13. gxf3 Bh3 {Another blunder, says Fritz. Black is looking for a quick mate and is giving up too much for that chance. Black should take the knight.} 14. Qb3+ {Fritz says Black should take the rook. Now White should play Be6 with advantage.} Kf8 15. Nxa8 Qf6 {I was feeling pretty good now. I’m down a rook, but both of Black’s rooks are attacked and I am threatening Qg6+ leading to mate. White has a good response.} 16. f4 {Suddenly I’m the one in trouble. Qa1; Qh3 or Qg6+; Qg3 In either case I am down a piece.} Bxf1 17. Bb2 Bc4 18. Qc2 Qg6+ 19. Kh1 d5 {Fritz says Qf7. I did not yet realize how much trouble I’m in.} 20. Rg1 {Better to play Qf7 and give up queen for rook and bishop, leaving rook and two minor pieces against queen and one minor.} Qc6 21. Bxg7+ Kf7 22. Bxh8 dxe4 {I still think I’m attacking. This is resignable. Ne7 or Kf7 are also bad.} 23. Rg7+ Kf8 24. Rg2 {Bad only because Rc7 is so much better.} Ne7 25. Qc3 e3 {Trying to open attacking lines, but even winning the rook leaves me a piece down.} 26. fxe3 Qd5 {Qe4 or Qf3 would be better. for example, Qf3; Qc4 Qd1+; Rg1 Qf3+ with a draw.} 27. Qf6+ Qf7 {Because Ke8 loses to a knight fork.} 28. Qxf7+ Kxf7 29. Rg7+ Kf8 30. Nxc7 Bxa2 31. Rxh7 Bb1 32. Rxe7 {Well played! Black’s connected passed pawns are easily stopped by White’s extra piece.} Kxe7 33. Nd5+ Kd6 34. Nc3 Bd3 35. Bd4 a5 36. Kg1 b5 37. h4 b4 38. Na4 Bc2 39. Nc5 a4 40. h5 a3 41. h6 Bh7 {Else White plays e4 and the h-pawn queens.} 42. e4 Ke7 43. f5 Kf7 44. Kf2 Ke7 45. Ke3 Kd6 46. Ne6 b3 47. Bc5+ Ke5 48. Bxa3 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [Event "Casual Correspondence game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/pQgzHo3i"] [Date "2021.12.20"] [Round "3"] [White "Newman, Steven, bitterroot88"] [Black "JosephOAlford"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C51"] [WhiteElo "1125"] [BlackElo "1500"] [PlyCount "128"] [EventDate "2021.12.06"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 {The Evans Gambit. Not quite sound, but the old saying is that All gambits are sound over the board.} Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. d4 {0-0 first. The point of the gambit is to get better development. That doesn’t happen here.} exd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+ {That’s why you castle first.} 8. Nbd2 {Fritz says Bd2 is equal. White has a pawn worth of development.} Nf6 {Fritz suggests Bc3, but then Bf7+ Kf7; Qb3+ recovers the pawn} 9. O-O O-O 10. e5 d5 11. exf6 dxc4 12. Nxc4 {fg first. The c-pawn isn’t going anywhere.} Qxf6 13. Bg5 Qg6 14. d5 Be7 15. h4 Bxg5 16. hxg5 Ne7 17. Nce5 {Black could now win a pawn with Qd6. White needed Re1 or Rc1} Qe4 18. d6 cxd6 19. Qxd6 Nf5 20. Qc7 Nh4 21. Nxh4 Qxh4 22. Nf3 Qh5 23. Qg3 {Fritz again calls for activating a rook (either) to d1.} Bg4 24. Ne5 Be6 25. f4 Rac8 26. Rf2 Rfd8 27. f5 Rd1+ 28. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 29. Rf1 Qd4+ 30. Kh2 Bxa2 31. f6 g6 32. Nf3 Qd8 33. Qh3 Be6 34. Qh6 Qf8 35. Nd4 Qxh6+ 36. gxh6 Bd5 37. Rf2 Kf8 38. Nb5 a6 39. Nd4 b5 40. Nc2 a5 41. Ne3 Be6 42. Rd2 b4 43. Rd6 a4 44. Nd5 Bxd5 45. Rxd5 Rb8 46. Kg3 b3 47. Ra5 b2 48. Rxa4 b1=Q 49. Rf4 Qe1+ 50. Kh2 Rb3 51. Rf3 Rxf3 52. gxf3 Qh4+ 53. Kg2 Qxf6 54. Kg3 g5 55. Kg2 Qxh6 56. Kg3 Qh4+ 57. Kg2 h5 58. Kf1 Qg3 59. Ke2 h4 60. f4 gxf4 61. Kf1 h3 {But not f3 which is stalemate!} 62. Ke2 h2 63. Kf1 h1=Q+ 64. Ke2 Qe3# 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [Event "Casual Correspondence game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/htikzm9P"] [Date "2021.12.21"] [Round "3"] [White "JosephOAlford"] [Black "Newman, Steven, bitterroot88"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "1500"] [BlackElo "1125"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "2021.12.20"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Nc3 {After c4 c6 Black has compensation for his pawn in the backward White d-pawn.} Nxd5 4. Bc4 c6 5. Nf3 e6 6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 O-O 8. d4 Nd7 9. Qe2 N5f6 {Wrong knight. Now White sacrifices to win.} 10. Bxe6 Re8 {If fe; Qe6+ Kh8; Qe7 Re8; Qd8. Fritz likes Bd6 with some play for Black along the e-file.} 11. Bxf7+ Kxf7 12. Qe6+ {Very good, but Fritz points out Ng5+ when Kg8 is met with Qe6+ with a mating attack. And Kf8 is met with Ne6+ winning the queen.} Kf8 13. Ng5 Ne5 {Startling, to say the least. Further, Qe5 loses to Bd6 because of the back rank mate. Actually, loses may be a bit strong. Qe5 Bd6; Nh7+ Kg8 (NxN; QxR+ wins or Kf7; Ng5+ with a draw) Kg8; Nf6+ and White should win. Life is so much easier with unlimited time.} 14. Qb3 {I like that move. It maintains the mate threat and the attack on the knight. Also, Qd4 is met with Re5. Fritz has totally different idea: de Be6; Ne6+ recovering the queen} Nd5 {Ouch. My mate is cut off and my knight is attacked. Steven suggested RxN. It is not a good idea to suggest moves to your opponent, especially good moves.} 15. Rxe5 Bd6 16. Nxd5 Bxe5 17. Nb6 {The rook attack is nothing. White also threatens mate on f7 and Qe7 is met with Nh7+ mate!} Qc7 18. Nxh7+ {White must be wary of Bh2+ followed by Re1+ mate!} Ke7 19. Bg5+ {Here comes the cavalry} Kd6 20. dxe5+ Rxe5 21. Rd1+ Kc5 22. Nxa8 {Steven pointed out Na4+ mate} Be6 23. Qc3+ Kb5 24. Nxc7+ Kb6 25. Na8+ Kb5 26. Qxe5+ Ka6 27. Qxe6 g6 28. Qc4+ Ka5 29. Rd3 {Bd2+ is mate} b5 30. Ra3# 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [Event "Casual Correspondence game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/ooIZ781o"] [Date "2021.12.13"] [Round "2"] [White "JosephOAlford"] [Black "Newman, Steven, bitterroot88"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B44"] [WhiteElo "1500"] [BlackElo "1125"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2021.12.06"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 a6 7. N5c3 Nf6 8. Be2 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Be3 Bd7 11. Nd2 Rc8 12. Rc1 {This is why I don’t like the Sicilian Defense. White has a better grip on the center and better placement for his pieces.} Ne5 13. f4 Ng6 14. e5 {Over the next few move White manages to destroy his powerful center and lose two pawns. h3 or Nf3. Fritz prefers Qb3 or Na4} dxe5 15. fxe5 Nxe5 16. Nde4 {Wrong knight and there goes a second pawn} Nxc4 17. Nxf6+ Bxf6 18. Bxc4 Rxc4 19. Qd3 {Qe2 White is already looking for a sacrifice on f6 followed by a queen check on Q3. Fritz says do the sacrifice now while the black queen is tied to the bishop. Rf6 gf; b3 (to allow Qg4+) Rc6; Bh6 f5 (preventing Qg5+) and Bf8 which just did not look like enough to me.} b5 {Bb5 Black, 2 pawns up, wants trades.} 20. Rcd1 {Again, Fritz likes the immediate Rf6 Qf6; Qd7} Bc6 21. Qe2 Qc7 22. Rd3 {g4 is covered, so White looks for a check on g3} Rc8 {Bc3 would be good or Be4. Fritz also likes b4. White is in very bad shape.} 23. Rxf6 {Too late for this sacrifice, says Fritz.} gxf6 24. Bh6 Qe5 {Game losing mistake. Kh8 would allow the rook to cover the g-file protecting g7 and attacking g2} 25. Rg3+ Kh8 {Black must sacrifice queen for rook} 26. Bg7+ Kg8 27. Bxf6+ Kf8 {Last chance for QxR} 28. Bxe5 {It occured to me while doing these notes that Qe5 would be a lot better. Fritz agrees.} Ke7 29. Rg4 {When ahead, trade. Actually, Qf2 is better.} f6 30. Rxc4 {Certainly good enough, though Fritz suggests that Rg7+ is faster.} bxc4 31. Bd4 Bd7 32. Nd5+ Kf7 33. Qh5+ Kf8 34. Nxf6 Bb5 35. Qxh7 Rc6 36. Nd7+ Ke8 37. Ne5 Rd6 38. Bc5 Rd1+ 39. Kf2 Rd2+ 40. Ke1 Rxb2 41. Qe7# 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [Event "JosephOAlford simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/YOH3xU15"] [Date "2021.12.07"] [Round "1"] [White "JosephOAlford"] [Black "Thompson, Kevin, kevthompson97"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B13"] [WhiteElo "1500"] [BlackElo "1500"] [PlyCount "114"] [EventDate "2021.12/06"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 dxc4 5. Bxc4 Nf6 6. Nf3 Bg4 {This allows a little trick that I used just last week.} 7. Bxf7+ {Note that Ne5 (threatening mate) is not better after Qa5+} Kxf7 8. Ne5+ Ke8 9. Nxg4 Nc6 10. Be3 {Fritz prefers to simplify the position with Nf6+ first} Qa5+ 11. Qd2 {I did not realize until I was making these notes that this drops a piece! Nc3 is better} Nxg4 12. O-O Qxd2 13. Nxd2 e6 14. h3 Nxe3 15. fxe3 Bb4 16. Nf3 h6 17. a3 Ba5 18. b4 Bb6 19. Rad1 {I want to move the knight, but then Black plays Nd4; ed Bd4+ picking off the rook} Rf8 20. b5 {overly aggressive. White gets what he wants, but is left with a position full of targets.} Ne7 21. Ne5 Rxf1+ 22. Kxf1 Nd5 {e3 and c3 are both trouble spots} 23. Nc4 Rc8 {losing a piece. The bishop should retreat} 24. Nd6+ Kd7 {This allows White to take the bishop with check later} 25. Nxc8 Nxe3+ {Fritz says Kc8 leaves Black with two pieces against rook and pawn.} 26. Ke2 Nxd1 27. Nxb6+ axb6 28. Kxd1 Kd6 29. Kd2 Kd5 30. Kd3 g5 {g6 to keep the White king out} 31. g3 e5 32. dxe5 Kxe5 33. Ke3 Kd5 34. a4 {The Black king will have to take 4 moves to capture the pawns and a 5th move to get out of the way and then 5 moves to queen. In 10 moves I can queen also.} Kc4 35. Ke4 Kb4 36. Kf5 Kxa4 37. Kg6 Kxb5 38. Kxh6 Kc5 39. Kxg5 b5 40. h4 (40. Kf4 {Fritz says this should also just draw} b4 41. Ke3 Kc4 42. h4 Kc3 {The point of the line – Black’s king has to step onto the diagonal and get checked. But it’s still a draw} 43. h5 b3 44. h6 b2 45. h7 b1=Q 46. h8=Q+ Kb3) 40... b4 41. h5 b3 42. h6 b2 43. h7 b1=Q 44. h8=Q Qc1+ 45. Kg4 Qc4+ 46. Kg5 Qd5+ 47. Kf4 Qd4+ 48. Qxd4+ Kxd4 49. g4 b5 {With Kd5 Black can attempt to blockade the White pawn, but lines similar to the last note arise and the game is still drawn.} 50. g5 b4 51. g6 b3 52. g7 b2 53. g8=Q b1=Q 54. Qd8+ Kc3 55. Qc8+ Kd2 56. Qd7+ Qd3 57. Qxd3+ Kxd3 1/2-1/2 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [Event "JosephOAlford simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/SD5y6JKg"] [Date "2021.12.07"] [Round "1"] [White "JosephOAlford"] [Black "Newman, Steven, bitterroot88"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B30"] [WhiteElo "1500"] [BlackElo "1837"] [PlyCount "93"] [EventDate "2021.12/06"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 e5 {Fritz claims, I believe correctly, that d5 is the best move here.} 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 d6 {A little too passive. Now Black’s king gets stuck in the center. Fritz says trade on c3 or d4} 7. dxe5 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 dxe5 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. Bb5 {My original plan was Bg5+ f6; 000+ and then Be3 with development.} f6 11. Ba3 Nge7 12. O-O Kc7 13. Rfd1 Be6 14. Bd6+ Kb6 15. Be2 a6 16. Rab1+ {Off my game tonight. Fritz shows Be7 Ne7; Re6+} Ka7 17. Bc5+ Kb8 {The point is to keep Black’s rook blocked in.} 18. Rb2 Nc8 19. Rdb1 Na5 20. Bb6 {Fritz prefers Bb4 Nc6; Bf8 when the mate threat wins some pawns.} Nxb6 21. Rxb6 Bxa2 22. Ra1 Bc4 23. Kf1 {Avoiding back rank mates and bringing the king to the defense.} Bxe2+ 24. Kxe2 Nc4 25. Rb4 Rc8 26. Rab1 Rc7 27. Nd2 Nxd2 28. Kxd2 Ka7 29. f3 b5 30. R1b3 Rd8+ 31. Ke2 Rcd7 32. Rb2 Rd1 33. c4 bxc4 34. Rxc4 Ra1 {Rooks belong behind passed pawns. Also, Black’s pawns are now vulnerable. Either rook should move to d7.} 35. Rc7+ {White now has the advantage.} Ka8 36. Rxg7 {Rbb7 is a draw, but I am still hoping for a mistake.} a5 37. Rbb7 {That secures the draw.} a4 38. Ra7+ Kb8 39. Rab7+ Kc8 40. Rbc7+ {Rgc7 is mate} Kb8 41. Rb7+ Ka8 42. Ra7+ Kb8 43. Rgb7+ Kc8 44. Rc7+ Kb8 45. Rcb7+ Kc8 46. Rxh7 a3 {Kb8 is still drawn} 47. Ra8# 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.
