Bloomington Normal Chess Club

November 2020 Games

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[Event "JosephOAlford simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/5hhzjtrp"] [Date "2020.11.23"] [Round "4"] [White "Erickson, Darren, LaughingVulcan"] [Black "JosephOAlford"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C00"] [WhiteElo "826"] [BlackElo "1920"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2020.11.02"] [TimeControl "G/30; 5"] 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. exd5 {Equality, says Fritz. d4 would transpose into the usual French lines where White still has his first move advantage.} exd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bd3 Be7 6. Nge2 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 c6 10. Nb1 {Of no value here, the knight heads for f3} Re8 11. Nd2 Nf8 12. h3 Ng6 13. Bxg6 {Fritz says that’s the attacking bishop. Bg3 or Bf6} fxg6 14. Nf3 Bf5 {Fritz says don’t be in such a hurry to develop. g5 or Qb6. I considered both. I prefer the bishop move.} 15. Ne5 g5 16. Bg3 Bd6 17. f4 {White is trying to combine attack with defense. Fritz wants quiet development with c3 or Re1. I prefer White’s move.} gxf4 18. Rxf4 Be4 19. Qd2 {aiming at the king-side and threatening to double rooks on the f-file. Fritz says Black can answer with Qb6 pinning the d-pawn. Instead, I went for the win of a pawn.} Nh5 20. Rf2 Nxg3 21. Nxg3 Bxe5 22. Nxe4 Bxd4 23. Qxd4 Rxe4 24. Qd2 {Fritz says Qc5 is more active, restraining the pawns and threatening f8.} Qb6 25. Raf1 {b3 first, or c3 adds Fritz.} Rf8 26. Kh1 {Now if b3 then Ref and all the pieces get traded off and Black is a pawn up in an ending.} Rxf2 27. Rxf2 Qxb2 28. Rf5 Qb1+ {White is in time trouble. Getting his queen off the board is more important than taking a third pawn.} 29. Kh2 Re1 30. Qf2 Rh1+ 31. Kg3 Qe1 {White will get no more than a check.} 32. Rf8+ Kh7 33. Qxe1 Rxe1 34. Rb8 Rb1 {And White lost on time.} 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "JosephOAlford simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/Se6x6kMn"] [Date "2020.11.23"] [Round "4"] [White "Newman, Steven, quassialeaf"] [Black "JosephOAlford"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D30"] [BlackElo "1920"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2020.11.02"] [TimeControl "G/30; 5"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. e3 {A matter of taste. I prefer Bf4 to have the bishop outside the pawn chain where it has more scope.} Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 {Bb4+ Bd2; Bd2+ Qd2 just helps White develop.} 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Be2 {Bd3 is a little more aggressive, controlling central squares.} b6 7. cxd5 {Black was going to place a bishop on the long diagonal. White closes that diagonal.} exd5 8. O-O Bb7 9. Bd2 Nbd7 10. h3 Rc8 11. Nb5 {With the bishop on f4 and a rook on c1, this would be a threat. Now, the knight just gets chased back. Rc1 was correct.} a6 12. Nc3 Re8 13. Bd3 c5 14. Ne2 Bd6 15. Rc1 c4 {Locking the queen-side. White wants to form a battery of bishop and queen aimed at h7. Black must be careful about that.} 16. Bb1 Ne4 17. Be1 Nf8 18. Nd2 f5 19. Nc3 Bb8 {Black wants the same bishop and queen battery} 20. Ncxe4 fxe4 21. Rc3 {It took me a while to figure out this move. White is guarding e3 so he can move the f-pawn.} Rc6 {heading for the king-side. Also, I want this rook on the king-side before I play Qd6 or Qc7 which would block it in.} 22. f3 Qc7 {I don’t expect him to miss Qh2+. This is to encourage f4 when White has no attacking chances.} 23. f4 Rg6 24. Bh4 Bc8 25. Kh2 Rh6 26. g3 {weakening h3. Qe1 or Bg5} Ng6 27. Rg1 Nxh4 28. gxh4 Rxh4 29. Rg3 Re6 30. Qg1 Reh6 31. Qg2 {Fritz says the pawn can’t be saved and it’s time to run with Kg2. But White is still in serious trouble. White is also in time trouble. Since I was playing two games, I gave each opponent 30 minutes and I gave myself 45, so I still had plenty of time,} Qd7 32. Nf1 Rxh3+ 33. Rxh3 Rxh3+ 34. Kg1 Qe7 35. Rc2 Rh6 36. Rf2 Rg6 37. Ng3 Qh4 38. Kf1 Bh3 39. Qxh3 Qxh3+ 40. Rg2 Rxg3 41. Bc2 Qxg2+ 42. Ke1 Rxe3+ 43. Kd1 Qf1+ 44. Kd2 Qe1# 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "JosephOAlford simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/2FUBTUso"] [Date "2020.11.17"] [Round "2"] [White "JosephOAlford"] [Black "Blumberg and Smith, Allies"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B18"] [WhiteElo "1920"] [BlackElo "0000"] [PlyCount "121"] [EventDate "2020.11.02"] [TimeControl "G/30; 5"] 1. e4 {The allies are Luke Blumberg (1270) and Josh Smith, a new member. This is one of two simultaneous games.} c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nf3 Nd7 7. Nh4 Ngf6 8. Nxg6 hxg6 9. h3 {Overly cautious. Fritz likes c3 or Qe2} Qb6 10. Bc4 {c3 first.} Qb4+ 11. c3 Qxc4 12. Ne2 {allowing 0-0 and also allowing b3} O-O-O 13. O-O e5 14. b3 Qe6 15. Re1 Nh5 16. a4 {looking to weaken Black’s castle.} Be7 17. a5 f5 18. a6 b6 19. dxe5 Nxe5 20. Nd4 Qd5 21. f4 Bh4 {The bishop should move to f6 or d6 to recapture on e5.} 22. Rxe5 Qd6 23. Qf3 Bf6 24. Re1 {Not Re6 because Bd4+ loses the rook. Fritz says Ba3 Qc7; Re6 Rd4; Rc6 Re4; Rc7} Bxd4+ 25. cxd4 Nf6 {Equality, but Fritz says Black is better after Qd4+; Be3 Qd5} 26. Bb2 Ne4 27. Rac1 Qd5 28. Rxc6+ Qxc6 29. Rc1 Qc2 {mouse error. He meant Qc1+. Simul rules do not allow for mouse errors. My next move was made to allow them to trade the rook.} 30. b4 Qxc1+ 31. Bxc1 Rxd4 32. Qb3 Rhd8 33. Qe6+ R8d7 34. Bb2 R4d6 35. Qg8+ Kc7 {The allies are short of time. Rd8 was needed.} 36. Be5 Rd8 37. Qxg7+ Kc6 38. Bxd6 Rxd6 39. Qxa7 Rd8 40. Qb7+ Kb5 41. a7 Nd6 42. Qd5+ Kxb4 43. a8=Q Rxa8 44. Qxa8 b5 45. Qg8 Kc3 46. Qxg6 Nc4 47. Qxf5 b4 48. Qb5 b3 49. f5 b2 50. f6 Nd6 51. Qe5+ Kc2 52. Qxb2+ Kxb2 53. g4 Nf7 54. h4 Kc3 55. g5 Kd4 56. g6 Nh8 57. h5 Ke5 58. f7 Nxg6 59. hxg6 Kf6 60. f8=Q+ Kxg6 61. Kg2 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "JosephOAlford simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/xyqPqoAm"] [Date "2020.11.16"] [Round "2"] [White "JosephOAlford"] [Black "Laughing Vulcan & quassialeaf, allies"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C66"] [WhiteElo "1920"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2020.11.02"] [TimeControl "G30; 5"] 1. e4 {The allies are Darren Erickson (826) and Steven Newman} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. dxe5 Nxe5 7. Bxd7+ Nexd7 8. Re1 Qe7 {Intending to 000. The queen-side castle is usually harder to protect than the king-side castle. Fritz prefers Be7 to allow 0-0 or Ne5 to trade pieces.} 9. Nc3 O-O-O 10. Qd4 Nb6 {removing a piece from the center and providing White with a target. Fritz agrees with me that Kb8 or a6 would be better. There is no danger in a queen on a7 as long as the knight can go to b8.} 11. a4 c5 12. Qd3 a6 {Further weakening the castle. Fritz likes h6 to prevent Bg5 or Nbd7} 13. a5 Na8 {Nbd7. The knight looks very sad on a8} 14. b4 {opening lines} cxb4 15. Qc4+ Nc7 16. Qxb4 Nd7 {Very bad. Fritz says d5 would trade off some of the attackers.} 17. Rb1 {Note the mate threat. It explains much of the rest of the game.} Nc5 18. Bf4 {Fritz is not impressed. Be3 or Bg5 f6; Be3} N7e6 19. Nd5 Qe8 20. Nb6+ Kb8 21. Na4 {If NxB then NxN renews the mate threat. And what if QxN, asks Fritz. Oops.} Qc6 22. Nxc5 Nxc5 23. Nd4 Qc8 24. e5 {Nf5 is quite a bit better, says Fritz.} Ka8 25. e6 fxe6 26. Nxe6 Nxe6 27. Rxe6 {the rook is immune because of the mate threat.} d5 28. Qe1 {And here Fritz would prefer to remain on the b-file with Qb2 or Qb3. The rook is still immune.} Bc5 29. Qe2 Rhe8 {And Black achieves equality. Unfortunately, the allies are very short on time.} 30. Rxe8 Rxe8 31. Qd3 Rf8 32. Be3 d4 33. Bd2 {and the allies ran out of time. I gave them an hour and gave myself 90 minutes since I was playing two games.} 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "Gonji simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/jYyvRcbE"] [Date "2020.11.10"] [Round "0"] [White "Bloomberg, Luke, Gonji"] [Black "Alford, Joseph, JosephOAlford"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C80"] [WhiteElo "1270"] [BlackElo "1920"] [PlyCount "107"] [EventDate "2020.11.02"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 {d4 is often played here to keep the knight from going to c5 and to free the White bishop.} d5 7. Nxe5 Bd6 8. Qh5 {I’ve never seen that before. White has threats on f7 and on c6} Qf6 {But I have a mate threat on f2.} 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Nf3 O-O 11. d3 Nc5 12. Bg5 Qg6 13. Qxg6 fxg6 14. Be7 {I expected Nbd2. White is trading into an ending where Black has two sets of doubled pawns.} Re8 15. Bxd6 Rxe1+ 16. Nxe1 cxd6 17. Nc3 Bf5 18. Nf3 Re8 19. b4 Ne6 20. Re1 Kf8 {Kf7, says Fritz.} 21. Na4 {Fritz does not approve of this wandering away from the battle. h3} Rb8 22. a3 c5 {Playing on the wrong side of the board, says Fritz. Kf7 or g5 to give the bishop an escape square.} 23. h3 h5 24. Nh4 Kf7 {Too late, says Fritz. Now bc Nc5; Nc5 dc; Nf5 gf; Re5 wins a pawn.} 25. Nc3 {But after this move Black takes charge.} cxb4 26. axb4 Rxb4 27. Nxf5 gxf5 28. Nxd5 Rb2 29. Re2 {c3 is much stronger} Nd4 30. Re7+ Kf8 31. Ra7 Rxc2 32. Rxa6 Rd2 33. Rxd6 Rxd3 34. Nf4 {Looking for Rd4 Rd4; Ne6+ but Black strikes first.} Ne2+ 35. Nxe2 Rxd6 36. f4 g6 37. Kf2 Rd2 38. Ke3 Ra2 39. Kf2 Kf7 40. Kf3 Kf6 41. g3 Ra3+ 42. Kf2 h4 43. gxh4 Rxh3 44. Nd4 Rxh4 45. Kg3 Rg4+ 46. Kf3 Rg1 47. Kf2 Ra1 48. Kf3 Ra3+ 49. Kf2 g5 50. fxg5+ Kxg5 51. Kg2 Ra4 52. Nf3+ Kf4 53. Nd2 Ra2 54. Kf2 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "Gonji simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/YC3BolGG"] [Date "2020.11.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Blumberg, Luke, Gonji"] [Black "Smith, Jeff, UKWildcat"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C43"] [WhiteElo "1270"] [BlackElo "1435"] [PlyCount "51"] [EventDate "2020.11.02"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Bb4+ {Fritz says this is a blunder. After c3 Black has two pieces attacked} 5. Bd2 Bxd2+ 6. Nbxd2 Nd5 7. Nxd4 O-O 8. Qf3 Qe7 {That’s an oops. Nb4 is best} 9. Qxd5 d6 10. O-O-O dxe5 11. Re1 Rd8 {Fritz says Re8 is better.} 12. Qxe5 Qxe5 13. Rxe5 Kf8 {Rd4; Re8 is mate} 14. Nb5 Na6 15. Bc4 c6 16. Nc3 b5 17. Bb3 c5 {The bishop needs to move, but where? If Bb7 then Rae threatens a deadly Re7. If Black trades off rooks then he is just a piece down in an ending.} 18. a4 {Nb5} c4 19. Ba2 Nb4 20. Rhe1 a6 21. axb5 Nxa2+ 22. Nxa2 axb5 23. Nb4 Ra1+ 24. Nb1 Ra4 {Bb7 or Bd6. the White knight must be kept from c6} 25. Nc6 Rd6 26. Re8# 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "Gonji simul"] [Site "https://lichess.org/lqftuMyK"] [Date "2020.11.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Blumberg, Luke, Gonji"] [Black "Newman, Steve, quassialeaf"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C22"] [WhiteElo "1270"] [PlyCount "76"] [EventDate "2020.11.02"] [TimeControl "G/60; 5"] 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qa4 Bc5 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 O-O {Fritz is not happy with moving into a castle with a big hole in the wall. He prefers d6 or Qe7} 9. Nbd2 d6 10. O-O-O a5 {And this allows Nb3. Fritz prefers Bd7 or Ng4} 11. h4 {But this is premature, allowing g4 keeping the lines closed. Fritz prefers e5 or Nb3 both working on the pin of the d-pawn.} Nb4 12. hxg5 Bd7 13. Qb3 a4 14. Qc3 {Fritz says Qc4 Be6; Qe2 Na2+ and then hg with Black’s attack better than White’s.} Nxa2+ 15. Kb1 Nxc3+ 16. bxc3 hxg5 17. Nxg5 c6 {Bringing the queen into the attack. Fritz prefers Ng4 attacking f2 or Nh5 when Rh5 meets Bg4} 18. e5 Qb6+ 19. Ka1 a3 {This does not work out – a comment I will have to eat later.} 20. Rb1 {Fritz perfers Nc4} Qa5 21. Rb3 a2 {Fritz likes Nd5 or Ng4 or Bf5} 22. exf6 Rfe8 {Fritz claims equality, but prefers Bf2 when the queen attacks g5} 23. Bd3 Re7 {A finger-fumble? Fritz likes Be6 or even Re6; Ne6 Be6 with a terrific attack.} 24. fxe7 Re8 {Second choice for Fritz who prefers Be3 when the queen is again attacking g5} 25. Nc4 {Fritz likes this, but prefers either Nh7 or Ne4, both threatening Nf6+} Qa7 26. Bxd6 Bxd6 {White threatened Bh7+ Kh8; Be5+} 27. Nxd6 Rxe7 28. Rxb7 Qc5 {The queen needed to go to a3 or a5. Here it is subject to a knight attack.} 29. Rb8+ Be8 30. Bh7+ Kf8 31. Nge4 {Fritz rates White as ahead now.} Qa7 32. Rxe8+ {The trades do not benefit White. Rc8 or Rb2 waiting for Nf6 to gang up on e8} Rxe8 33. Nxe8 Kxe8 34. Nd6+ Kf8 35. Ne4 {White has more than enough for the queen. He needs to consolidate his position. Fritz suggest Bd3 or Be4.} Qb7 36. Rd1 Kg7 37. Bf5 Qb6 38. Rd4 {That’s an oops, but it is hard to suggest a good move for White. Fritz is not impressed. g4 and Black is the one searching for a move.} Qb1# 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

[Event "Casual Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/uI2btzCz"] [Date "2020.11.03"] [Round "1"] [White "JosephOAlford"] [Black "allies"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C38"] [WhiteElo "1920"] [BlackElo "1435"] [PlyCount "96"] [EventDate "2020.11.03"] 1. e4 e5 2. f4 {The allies are Jeff Smith and Steve Newman. Jeff likes to play the King’s Gambit against me.} exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. d4 g4 6. O-O {The Muzio Gambit. Fritz does not approve. US Champion Frank Marshall used to play this piece sacrifice a lot, but eventually had to give it up. A piece is just too much. On the other hand, all gambits are sound over the board.} gxf3 7. Qxf3 {Fritz likes Rf3 to retain the d-pawn. I thought Black would lose time taking the pawn and then retreating. Fritz also suggested gf closing the f-file, but opening the g-file. I never considered that.} Bxd4+ 8. Kh1 Qf6 9. Nc3 Nc6 {Fritz says Black should trade. The white knight is much too dangerous} 10. Nd5 Qd8 {Not Qd6; Bf4} 11. Bxf4 {Fritz says this is equal, but Qf4 favors White!} d6 12. e5 {I want to play Bg5 (which Fritz says is correct), but I did not like the reply Ne5. In a sacrificial opening when things aren’t going well it is often time to sac some more. This pawn sac is designed to keep the black knight from e5. If Ne5 then Be5 threatens mate. If Be5 or de then Bg5} Be6 13. Nxc7+ {Fritz says this second sacrifice of a knight is no more sound than the first.} Qxc7 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. Bg5 {Trying to prevent Black from castling and threatening to win a rook with Qf8+} Nge7 16. exd6 Qxd6 17. c3 O-O-O {Two pieces up, Black returns a piece to break the attack.} 18. cxd4 Qd5 19. Qf6 Rhg8 {Note the mate threat on g2. Things go rapidly downhill from here.} 20. h4 Rg6 21. Qf3 Qxf3 22. Rxf3 Rxd4 23. Rf7 Nf5 24. Rxh7 Rg7 25. Rh8+ Kc7 26. Bf6 Rgd7 27. Bxd4 Rxd4 28. Rh7+ Kb6 29. Re1 e5 30. h5 Rh4+ 31. Kg1 Ng3 32. Kf2 Rxh5 33. Rg7 Nf5 34. Rg6 Nfd4 35. Kg3 Kc5 36. Kg4 Rh7 37. Kg5 Re7 38. Rc1+ Kd5 39. a3 e4 40. Re1 Re5+ 41. Kf4 Rf5+ 42. Kg3 Nc2 43. Rd1+ N6d4 44. Rg7 Kc6 45. Re7 e3 46. Rxd4 Nxd4 47. Rxe3 Rb5 48. b4 Nf5+ 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.