My games: Jennifer Woods Grand Prix

I was asked to put my games on the blog, so I will oblige.

It was nice to take part in this tournament. It, indeed, was fighting chess time. Many mistakes were made, particularly when I tried to save time by playing fast in the crucial positions, but at the end I was lucky. This was true especially in the 4th game, where I had better position, then blundered into a losing position, then it was a drawing position but then finally my opponent both blundered and was running out of time.

I had no time to rest before each of the last 2 games. They followed one after another. It seemed that my games always were the last to finish and then it was time to start another.

Here is the link to the ratings report of the Jennifer Woods Grand Prix in Rochester August 18, 2007. http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?200708188511-12304570

I played the following players:

1. Daniel F. Johnston 1338->1371 Game lasted only 17 moves. Losing tempi and a lack of development did my opponent in in this game.

click here for the game

2. Master Laszlo B. Tapaszto 2297->2298 The final move was unnecessary. The move to play was 36.Nf5 and then it is an immediate draw because of the wrong colored bishop. Why I am mentioning that? The reason is: I played it to fast (in time trouble) to reach h1 with my K. But there was a danger. To my horror, I discovered later that if I played 36.Kf4??, I simplywould lose the game. We need to be careful even if everything looks simple.

click here for the game

3. Fide Master Isay Golyak 2222->2200 Final position is a complete win (figure it out after 49.Ka1 or 49.Kxa3.), but this was not the end of the game. We were in big time trouble and white played 49.Kb1 (impossible move), which I did not notice at the time, and we continued. We did not write the moves at that time. Near the end, I had 20 sec. while white had just 2. This was a 5 sec. time delay, however. I had K, Q, and P, while white had just the K. We played fast to the mate. Notice how 47.Qxb4 was a mistake, although looked strong.

click here for the game

4. Master Ben Dean-Kawamura 2156->2147 The last game. It was so tiring. My opponent just finished game with FM Igor A. Nikolayev who was the highest rated in the tournament 2409->2412. I was fine in our game until a big blunder on move 34.Kg2??. I had intended to play 34.Rd1 (maybe even better was 34.Nd4), but I was already in time trouble. Once I made this move I realized what I have done. It was too late. I had considered resigning, but as we all know, nobody won anything by resigning, so I played the best I could until move 51...Ba6?? Now I had my chance. On 54.Nd8+ black made impossible move 54...Nb4. He was already in big time trouble. We just continued. On 64.Kc6 black resigned in a completely drawing position but was in serious time trouble. So in the end, this game was pure luck for me to win.

click here for the game

All in all many blunders, but it was fighting chess.