I keep looking at this game and wondering who I got to fill in for me on the Black side.

It's not that the play was better or worse than the norm for me. It has to do with the way my kingside pawns advanced before the centre was closed -- and while my king was still on his original square. I'd gotten into similar scrapes before, but either I had them forced upon me or I thought they did so. I don't think I've ever maintained such a loose position for so long before -- or since.

1. e2-e4 d7-d6, 2. d2-d4 Ng8-f6, 3. Nb1-c3 g7-g6, 4. Bc1-g5 Bf8-g7, 5. Ng1-f3 c7-c6, 6. Bf1-d3 Qd8-c7, 7. Qd1-d2 h7-h6, 8. Bg5-f4 Nf6-h5, 9. Bf4-e3 Nb8-d7, 10. a2-a4 a7-a5, 11. d4-d5 g6-g5, 12. Nf3-d4 Nd7-e5, 13. h2-h3 Ne5xd3, 14. c2xd3 e7-e5, 15. d5xe6 f7xe6, 16. Ra1-c1 Qc7-f7, 17. Nd4-f3 e6-e5, 18. d3-d4 Nh5-f4, 19. Be3xf4 e5xf4, 20. d4-d5 Qf7-e7, 21. Qd2-d3 O-O, 22. d5xc6 b7xc6, 23. Qd3-c4+ d6-d5, 24. Nc3xd5 c6xd5, 25. Qc4xd5+ Bc8-e6, 26. Qd5-d3 Qe7-b4+, 27. Nf3-d2 Ra8-d8, 28. Qd3-e2 f4-f3, 29. g2xf3 Rf8xff3, 30. O-O Rf3xh3, 31. Rf1-d1 Rd8-d3, 32. f2-f3 Qb4-b6+, 33. Kg1-g2 Qb6-d6, 34. Nd2-f1 Rd3xd1, 35. Rc1xd1 Qd6-c7, 36. Rd1-d2 Be6-c4, 37. Rd2-d7 Bc4xe2, 38. Rd7xc7 Be2xf1+, 39. Kg2xf1 Rh3xf3+, 40. Kf1-e2 Rf3-b3, 41. Rc7-c6 Rb3xb2+, 42. Ke2-d3 Rb2-b3+, and White resigned.

After the previous game, I was feeling a bit overconfident. Fortunately, there was an A-class player around to demonstrate how far I still had to go.

1. e2-e4 d7-d6, 2. d2-d4 Ng8-f6, 3. f2-f3 Nb8-d7, 4. Nb1-c3 e7-e5, 5. Bc1-e3 Bf8-e7, 6. Bf1-c4 O-O, 7. Ng1-e2 c7-c6, 8. a2-a4 a7-a5, 9. O-O Qd8-e8, 10. Qd1-d2 Be7-d8, 11. d4-d5 Bd8-c7, 12. Kg1-h1 Nd7-b8, 13. g2-g4 Kg8-h8, 14. Ne2-g3 Bc8-d7, 15. d5xc6 b7xc6, 16. Ng3-f5 Bd7xf5, 17. g4xf5 Nb8-a6, 18. Rf1-g1 Na6-b4, 19. Qd2-g2 Rf8-g8, 20. Bc4-b3 d6-d5, 21. Be3-g5 d5-d4, 22. Nc3-a2 Nf6-h5, 23. Na2xb4 a5xb4, 24. Qg2-g4 f7-f6, 25. Bg5-d2 c6-c5, 26. Bb3-d5 Rg8-f8, and I believe Black lost on time here, but my position was hopeless in any case, as I'm losing at least a rook (27. Bd5xa8 Qd8xa8, 28. Qg4xh5).

In this game, I made a number of positional errors that should have cost me this game, even after my opponent left herself open to a tactical trick in the centre. If she hadn't been off by one square on her 28th move, my tactic, played right before the first time control (30 moves in 90 minutes), would have cost me the game within a few more moves. As I'd been down to a minute or two at the time I started the combination, I know I'd have 
stepped right into it if she had found the move, as it wasn't until it was time to play my 31st move that I noticed the counterthreat she'd put into place.

I spent 10 minutes (against a second time control of game in 30) trying to find a way out of my predicament, then another working up the nerve to play the "impossible" one required to do so. I'd been so pleased to find it, but two experts helped put it in perspective by spotting the move right away. One said, "It's a good move... but it's also the only move."

This is one reason Capablanca said, "The better player is always lucky," as they are better at determining which moves and plans deserve to be considered -- and will consider ideas the rest of us reject out of hand.

Still, finding that move in a game, rather than a problem, was an accomplishment for me. Had I seen it out before I played my 28th move, it may have been more of an accomplishment, but not as big as the one my opponent could have claimed if she'd intentionally countered the combination with her 28th move (though it would still have been a good move without the trap).

1. f2-f4 d7-d5, 2. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6, 3. e2-e3 g7-g6, 4. b2-b3 Bf8-g7, 5. Bc1-b2 Nb8-d7, 6. Bf1-e2 O-O, 7. O-O c7-c6, 8. Nf3-e5 Rf8-e8, 9. Be2-f3 Qd8-c7, 10. c2-c4 Nf6-e4, 11. d2-d4 Nd7xe5, 12. f4xe5 f7-f6, 13. c4xd5 c6xd5, 14. Nb1-d2 Bc8-f5, 15. g2-g4 Ne4xd2, 16. Qd1xd2 Bf5-e6, 17. Rf1-c1 Qc7-d7, 18. Qd2-g2 Ra8-c8, 19. g4-g5 f6xe5, 20. d4xe5 Rc8-c6, 21. Rc1xc6 b7xc6, 22. Ra1-c1 Be6-h3, 23. Qg2-g3 Re8-f8, 24. Bf3-g2 Bh3-f5, 25. Qg3-h4 Bf5-d3, 26. Bg2-h3? Bd3-f5, 27. Bh3-g2 Qd7-e6, 28. Qh4-d4 Bf5-g4?, 29. Rc1xc6 Qe6-f5, 30. Bg2xd5+ Kg8-h8, 31. Rc6-f6 Qf5-b1+, 32. Kg1-g2 Qb1-c2+, 33. Kg2-g3 e7-e6, 34. Bd5-c4 Bg4-f5, 35. Rf6xf8+ Bg7xf8, 36. Qd8-d8 Kh8-g8, 37. Bb2-a3, and Black resigned, as it's mate next move.

Everything remained on the board until my 25th move (probably a personal record), where I sacrificed a knight for two pawns in an attempt to storm the queenside. Optimistic with regards to my chances, I was blind to threats of infiltration in the centre, and faltered badly after White was ready to make his move.

1. e2-e4 d7-d6, 2. d2-d4 Ng8-f6, 3. Nb1-c3 c7-c6, 4. f2-f4 g7-g6, 5. Ng1-f3 Bf8-g7, 6. Bf1-d3 O-O, 7. O-O Qd8-c7, 8. Nc3-e2 e7-e6, 9. Ne2-g3 Nb8-d7, 10. c2-c3 Nf6-e8, 11. Nf3-g5 h7-h6, 12. Ng5-f3 f7-f5, 13. e4-e5 d6-d5, 14. Bc1-e3 b7-b6, 15. h2-h4 h6-h5, 16. Nf3-g5 Nd7-b8, 17. Qd1-e1 Bg7-h6, 18. Ng5-f3 Qc7-e7, 19. Rf1-f2 Ne8-c7, 20. Bd3-e2 Bc8-d7, 21. Be2-d1 Nb8-a6, 22. Rf2-d2 c6-c5, 23. Ng3-e2 c5-c4, 24. b2-b4 b6-b5, 25. Kg1-f2 Na6xb4, 26. c3xb4 Qd7xb4, 27. Rd2-c2 Qb4xe1+, 28. Kf2xe1 b5-b4, 29. Rc2-b2 a7-a5, 30. a2-a3 Nc7-a6, 31. a3xb4 a5xb4, 32. Rb2-a2 Bd7-b5, 33. g2-g3 Rf8-c8, 34. Ra2-a5 Rc8-b8, 35. Be3-d2 Bh6-f8, 36. Nf3-g5 Rb8-b6, 37. Ng5xe6 c4-c3, 38. Ne6xf8 c3xd2+, 39. Ke1xd2 Kg8xf8, 40. Ne2-c1 Ra8-c8, 41. Bd1-e2 Bb5xe2, 42. Nc1xe2 Na6-c7, 43. Ra5-c5 Kf8-e7, 44. Kd2-c2 Rb6-b5, 45. Rc5-c6 Ke7-f7, 46. Ra1-a7, and Black resigns, as the knight is lost to the double pin.
 

While I drew this game, it points out just how uncomfortable I was with playing Dutch Defense positions. I'd rarely get positions resembling those I'd studies and found that I had no idea how to proceed from such positions. In response, I went looking for lines that would transpose into Leningrad Variation lines, and found I was getting myself even more lost.

However, there are still lessons I can take from this opening to apply in how I play other, very different openings, just as lessons from the rest of this game need to be taken into other games. And while I made at least one major mistake (and a few of a more minor nature) in the first twenty moves, some of the queenside maneuvering that followed may have been well played. 

1. d2-d4 d7-d6, 2. Ng1-f3 f7-f5, 3. c2-c4 c7-c6, 4. Nb1-c3 g7-g6, 5. Bc1-f4 Ng8-f6, 6. e2-e3 Nb8-d7, 7. Bf1-d3 Qd8-a5, 8. Nf3-d2 Bf8-g7, 9. Nd2-b3 Qa5-c7, 10. d4-d5 Nf6-h5, 11. Ra1-c1 Nh5xf4, 12. e3xf4 Nd7-f6, 13. O-O O-O, 14. Rf1-e1 Nf6-g4, 15. h2-h3 Ng4-h6, 16. Bd3-f1 c6-c5, 17. Nb3-d2 a7-a6, 18. Nd2-f3 Nh6-f7, 19. h3-h4 Bg7-f6, 20. g2-g3 Qc7-d8, 21. Bf1-d3 Bc8-d7, 22. Kg1-g2 Kg8-g7, 23. Qd1-e2 Ra8-b8, 24. Nf3-g5 Qd8-e8, 25. Ng5-e6+ Bd7xf6, 26. Qe2xe6 b7-b5, 27. c4xb5 a6xb5, 28. h4-h5 Nf7-d8, 29. Qe6-e2 c5-c4, 30. Bd3-b1 Nd8-b7, 31. Re1-h1 Nb7-c5, 32. Rc1-e1 Qe8-d7, 33. Qe2-d2 b5-b4, 34. Nc3-e2 e7-e5, 35.d5xe6 Nc5xe6, 36. Re1-c1 Qd7-c6+, 37. f2-f3 d6-d5, 38. Rh1-d1 d5-d4, 39. Bb1-d3 c4-c3, 40. Qd2-c2 Qc6-d5, 41. b2-b3 Ne6-c5, 42. Bd3-c4 Qd5-d6, and draw agreed.

This is one of the few cases in which my opponent was the one driven to sacrifice the exchange for a chance of survival -- only to come out ahead instead. Black then overlooked a chance to improve the weaker of his two bishops at the cost of a pawn, trying to win material on the kingside instead. This allowed me to immobilize both of his bishops, but this left his queen free to antagonize my king. Black could have settled for a draw by force after this, but understandably tried for the full point. After my 38th move, it was probably within his grasp.

1. f2-f4 Ng8-f6, 2. Ng1-f3 g7-g6, 3. b2-b3 d7-d5, 4. e2-e3 Bf8-g7, 5. Bc1-b2 O-O, 6. Bf1-e2 c7-c5, 7. d2-d3 Nb8-c6, 8. O-O Rf8-e8, 9. Nf3-e5 Nc6xe5, 10. Bb2xe5 a7-a6, 11. c2-c4 e7-e6, 12. g2-g4 b7-b5, 13. c4xb5 a6xb5, 14. d3-d4 Qd8-b6, 15. d4xc5 Qb6xc5, 16. Be5-d4 Qc5-c6, 17. Nb1-c3 Bc8-a6, 18. Ra1-c1 Qc6-d7, 19. b3-b4 Re8-c8, 20. Qd1-d3 Rc8-c4, 21. Bd4-c5 Ra8-c8, 22. Qd3-d1 Nf6-e4, 23. Nc3xe4 Rc4xe4, 24. Be2-d3 Rc8xc5, 25. Bd3xc4 Rc5xc1, 26. Qd1xc1 d5xe4, 27. Rf1-d1 Qd7-e7, 28. Qc1-c6 Qe7-h4, 29. Qc6-e8+ Bg7-f8, 30. Rd1-d8 Qh4xg4+, 31. Kg1-f2 Qg4-f3+, 32. Kf2-g1 Qf3xe3+, 33. Kg1-g2 Qe3-f3+, 34. Kg2-g1 Qf3-g4+, 35. Kg1-h1 Qg4-f3+, 36. Kh1-g1 Qf3-e3+, 37. Kg1-g2 Qe3-e2+, 38. Kg2-h3 Qe2-f3+, 39. Kh3-h4 Qf3xf4+, 40. Kh4-h3 Qf4-h6+, 41. Kh3-g3 e4-e3, 42. Rd8-d7 Qh6-g7, 43. Kg3-f3 h7-h5, 44. Kf3xe3 Qg7-c3+, 45. Ke3-f2 Qc3-f6+, and draw agreed

Funny thing about this game: I'd played the same opening against the same opponent two years and a day earlier.

My 6th move might have been overly optimistic, but Black's reponse to it invited disaster. We both followed that up with a number of missteps that eventually wound up in my favour. Circumstances set up a handy little combination for me that started on move 20, winning me a piece. A few moves later, he launched his queen into the middle of my forces, with disastrous results.

1. f2-f4 b7-b6, 2. Ng1-f3 Bc8-b7, 3. e2-e3 e7-e6, 4. b2-b3 Nb8-c6, 5. Bc1-b2 d7-d5, 6. Bf1-d3 f7-f6, 7. Nf3-h4 Qd8-e7, 8. Bd3-g6+ Ke8-d7, 9. O-O Bb7-a6, 10. Rf1-f2 Kd7-c8, 11. d2-d3 Qe7-d7, 12. Bg6-h5 Kc8-b7, 13. Nb1-d2 Bf8-c5, 14. d3-d4 Bc5-e7, 15. Bh5-e2 g7-g5, 16. Nh4-f3 h7-h5, 17. c2-c4 Rh8-h6, 18. a2-a3 Ra8-e8, 19. Qd1-f1 Kb7-b8, 20. f4xg5 f6xg5, 21. c4xd5 Ba6xe2, 22. d5xc6 Qd7xc6, 23. Qf1xe2 Ng8-f6, 24. Nf3-e5 Qc6-c2, 25. Qe2-a6 Nf6-d5, 26. Nd2-c4, and Black resigned, as the price to avoid mate (by 27. Ne5-c6+ Kb8-a8, 28. Qa6xa7#) is ruinous.

A Dutch-style defense might not be the best response to the English Opening. My loss here was due to more than a mishandled opening, however, though the 4th move was a particularly bad choice. Aimless middle game play -- my 21st move was a prime example -- was also a major culprit.

Somehow, though, by move 33, matters weren't looking as grim as I'd have expected from my play earlier in this game. I was still at a disadvantage, but missed a fighting chance (for a draw) on move 41.

1. c2-c4 d7-d6, 2. Nb1-c3 f7-f5, 3. e2-e4 Ng8-f6, 4. Bf1-d3 g7-g6, 5. e4xf5 g6xf5, 6. Ng1-e2 Nb8-c6, 7. Ne2-g3 e7-e6, 8. Bd3-c2 Nc6-d4, 9. Bc2-a4+ Bc8-d7, 10. d2-d3 Bd7xa4+, 11. Nc3xa4 c7-c5, 12. Na4-c3 Qd8-d7, 13. Bc1-e3 Nd4-c6, 14. Be3-g5 Bf8-g7, 15. Nc3-e2 O-O, 16. Qd1-d2 Qd7-f7, 17. O-O Rf8-e8, 18. Rf1-e1 Nf6-d7, 19. Ne2-c3 Nd7-b6, 20. Nc3-b5 Nb6-c8, 21. Bg5-h6 a7-a6, 22. Qd2-g5 Qf7-g6, 23. Qg5xg6 h7xg6, 24. Nb5-c7 Nc8-b6, 25. Bh6xg7 Kg8xg7, 26. Nc7xa8 Nb6xa8, 27. Ng3-e2 Na8-c7, 28. h2-h4 b7-b5, 29. Ra1-d1 e6-e5, 30. f2-f4 Re8-e6, 31. Kg1-f2 b5xc4, 32. d3xc4 e5-e4, 33. g2-g4 Nc6-b4, 34. Ne2-c1 Nb4-c2, 35. g4xf5 e4-e3+, 36. Kf2-f3 Nc2xe1+, 37. Rd1xe1 g6xf5, 38. Re1xe3 Re6xe3+, 39. Kf3xe3 Kg7-h6, 40. Nc1-e2 Nc7-e6, 41. b2-b3 Kh6-g6, 42. Ke3-f3 Kg6-h6, 43. Ne2-c3 Ne6-c7, 44. a2-a3 Kh6-h5, 45. Kf3-g3 Kh5-g6, 46. b3-b4, and Black resigned.

My 6th move of this game was premature, but Black overlooked a tactical threat it created. I don't know if I've ever brought the f-pawn (originally my g-pawn in this case, but filling the role via lateral promotion counts, even if you pause briefly to cover your old job before retirement) to the far end of the board before or since this game, but every step beyond the fourth rank was very satisfying. Black tried to rally with mating threats (a reasonable strategy in this position), but allowed a moment of greed to interfere with this ambition.

This marks the end of the only tournament played with regular time controls that I've finished without loss of a single game. I'm aiming to soon change that "only" to a "first".

1. f2-f4 d7-d5, 2. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6, 3. e2-e3 Bc8-f5, 4. b2-b3 c7-c5, 5. Bc1-b2 e7-e6, 6. Nf3-e5 a7-a6, 7. Bf1-e2 Bf8-e7, 8. O-O O-O, 9. g2-g4 Bf5-g6, 10. f4-f5 e6xf5, 11. g4xf5 Be7-d6, 12. Ne5-g4 Nf6-e4, 13. f5-f6 Bg6-h5, 14. f6xg7 Bh5xg4, 15. g7xf8(Q)+ Kg8xf8, 16. Be2xg4 Qd8-h4, 17. Qd1-e2 Bd6xh2+, 18. Qe2xh2 Qh4xg4+, 19. Qh2-g2 Ne4-g3, 20. Rf1-f3 Ng3xe2+, 21. Kg1-f1 Qg4xg2+, 22. Kf1xg2 d5-d4, 23. Kg2-f2 Ne2-c3, 24. d2xc3 d4xe3+, 25. Rf3xe3 Nb8-c6, 26. Nb1-d2 Ra8-d8, 27. Nd2-f3 f7-f6, 28. c3-c4 Kf8-f7, 29. Ra1-e1 h7-h5, 30. Re3-e6 Nc6-d4, 31. Re6-e7+ Kf7-f8, 32. Nf3xd4 c5xd4, 33. Bb2-a3 Kf8-g8, 34. Re1-g1+ Kg8-h8, 35. Rg1-g7 Rd8-e8, 36. Rg7-h7+, and Black resigned to avoid 36. ... Kh8-g8, 37. Re7-g7#.

On the 9th move, my opponent missed what I feel was a good chance to increase his pressure. Two moves letter, he lost a piece because its defender was captured by a move that threatened the defender's more valuable defender. A tactical shot on move 23 (set up two moves earlier) let me widen the lead by a pawn and set up a promising post for my knight. However, after I picked up a second pawn on my 28th move, White came one move short of regaining at least some of his lost resources. The loss of a second piece on move 33 came as a result of this oversight, but it wasn't until his queen was trapped by my next move that he resigned.

1. e2-e4 d7-d6, 2. d2-d4 Ng8-f6, 3. Nb1-c3 g7-g6, 4. Ng1-f3 c7-c6, 5. e4-e5 d6xe5, 6. Nf3xe5 Bf8-g7, 7. Bf1-c4 O-O, 8. Bc1-g5 Nf6-d5, 9. Bc4xd5 c6xd5, 10. Ne5-g4 Nb8-c6, 11. Bg5-h6 Bc8xg4, 12. Qd1xg4 Bg7xh6, 13. O-O e7-e6, 14. Nc3-e2 Qd8-g5, 15. Qg4-h3 Bh6-g7, 16. c2-c3 b7-b5, 17. f2-f4 Qg5-e7, 18. g2-g4 f7-f5, 19. g4-g5 Kg8-f7, 20. Ne2-c1 Rf8-h8, 21. Qh3-f3 b5-b4, 22. Nc1-d3 b4xc3, 23. b2xc3 Nc6xd4, 24. Qf3xd1 Nd4-c6, 25. Qd1-c2 Nc6-a5, 26. Ra1-e1 Rh8-e8, 27. Nd3-b4 Qe7-c5+, 28. Kg1-h1 Qc5xc3, 29. Qc2-a4 Na5-c4, 30. Qa4-d7+ Re8-e7, 31. Qd7-c6 Nc5-b6, 32. Qc6-d6 Nb6-c8, 33. Qd6-d8 Qc3xb4, 34. Re1-c1 Nc8-b6, and Black, unable to save his queen, resigned.

From highest rated to lowest (1472), though this was the game that gave me the most trouble I faced all tournament, and I should have lost it after my 18th move. (There were a few close calls earlier, but that one was an outright blunder.)

1. f2-f4 e7-e5, 2. f4xe5 d7-d6, 3. e5xd6 Bf8xd6, 4. Ng1-f3 g7-g5, 5. d2-d4 g5-g4, 6. Nf3-g5 Ng8-f6, 7. e2-e4 h7-h6, 8. e4-e5 Qd8-e7, 9. Qd1-e2 Nb8-c6, 10. c2-c3 Nc6xe5, 11. d4xe5 Qe7xe5, 12. Qe2xe5 Bd6xe5, 13. Bf1-b5+ c7-c6, 14. Ng5xf7 Ke8xf7, 15. Bb5-c4+ Kf7-g7, 16. O-O Be5-c7, 17. Bc1-e3 b7-b5, 18. Rf1xf6 Kg7xf6, 19. Be3-d4+ Bc7-e5, 20. Bd4xe5+ Kf6xe5, 21. Bc4-b3 Rh8-d8, 22. Nb1-a3 Rd8-d2, 23. Ra1-e1+ Ke5-d6, 24. c3-c4 Bc8-d7, 25. c4xb5 c6xb5, 26. Na3-c2 a7-a5, 27. Nc2-e3 Kd6-c7, 28. Ne3-d5+ Kc7-d6, 29. Nd5-f6 Rd2xb2, 30. Re1-d1+ Kd6-e7, 31. Nf6-d5+ Ke7-f8, 32. Nd5-b6 Bd7-c6, 33. Nb6xa8 Rb2xg2+, 34. Kg1-f1 a5-a4, 35. Bb3-e6 h6-h5, 36. Na6-c7 Rg2xh2, 37. Rd1-d8+ Kf8-e7, 38. Rd8-h8 g4-g3, 39. Be6-d5 g3-g2+, 40. Kf1-g1 Rh2-h1+, 41. Kg1xg2 Rh1-c1, 42. Rh8xh5 Rc1-c2+, 43. Kg2-g3 Ke7-d6, 44. Bd5xc6 Kd6xc6, 45. Nc7xb5 Rc2xa2, 46. Kg3-f3 Ra2-b2, 47. Kf3-e3 Rb2xb5, 48. Rh5xb5 Kc6xb5, 49. Ke3-d3 Kb5-b4, 50. Kd3-c2 a4-a3, 51. Kc2-b1, and draw agreed, as Black can't gain control of the promotion square.

At 1603 CFC, this was my highest rated opponent in the event. I started off playing for a Pirc, but avoided playing ... Ng8-f6 when the opportunity came to keep the long diagonal clear for my dark square bishop -- and then I closed it with 7. ... f7-f6 in a bid to win a piece. The idea was risky, leaving me in a messy position, but White had a harder time sorting through the complications.

1. e2-e4 d7-d6, 2. Nb1-c3 g7-g6, 3. d2-d4 Bf8-g7, 4. Bf1-g5 c7-c6, 5. Bf1-c4 Qd8-a5, 6. Qd1-d2 Nb8-d7, 7. Qd2-f4 f7-f6, 8. Bg5-h4 g6-g5, 9. Qf4-g4 Nd7-e5, 10. Qg4-h5+ Ne5-g6, 11. Ng1-f3 Qa5-b4, 12. Bc4-b3 g5xh4, 13. Nf3xh4 Ke8-f8, 14. Nh4xg6+ h7xg6, 15. Qh5xg6 e7-e6, 16. d4-d5 c6xd5, 17. e4xd5 e6-e5, 18. O-O-O Bc8-g4, 19. f2-f3 Qb4-f4+, 20. Kc1-b1 Bg4-f5, 21. Qg6-g3 Qf4xg3, 22. h2xg3 Rh8xh1, 23. Rd1xh1 a7-a6, 24. Nc3-a4 Ng8-e7, 25. Na4-b6 Ra8-d8, 26. g3-g4 Bf5-g6, 27. Bb3-a4 Ne7-c8, 28. Nb6-a8 b7-b5, 29. Ba4-b3 Rd8-d7, 30. a2-a4 Rd7-a7, 31. a4xb5 a6xb5, 32. Rh1-e1 Bg7-h6, 33. Re1-h1 Kf8-g7, 34. g2-g3 Ra7xa8, 35. Rh1-f1 Nc8-b6, 36. f3-f4 Nb6-c4, 37. Rf1-f2 e5xf4, 38. g3xf4 Nc4-e3, 39. f4-f5 Ne3xg4, 40. Rf2-f1 Ng4-e3, 41. Rf1-f3 Bg6xf5, 42. Rg3-g3+ Bh6-g5, and White resigned.
 

This game was played in the first round of the Calgary Chess Club's "Class" Open, in which I was the highest rated player (52 points above the second ranked, 183 points above the lowest ranked, and 126 points above the average of all my opponents). Black declined a dubious sacrifice offered on my 7th move, unable to determine if he could successfully navigate the resulting complications. He soon found himself in a far worse position, which allowed me to return two pieces he'd lost earlier in order to win more material by overworking one of his rooks with my 24th move.

I'm a little stunned to realize that my king never moved from his starting square, though it lacked for any sort of pawn cover for nearly half the game. He sat there for eleven moves after I'd finally cleared the way to castle, as my rook on h1 never moved either, but there was always something more important to do. Another curious detail: my f-pawn, the first unit moved, never moved again, remaining on f4 to watch the rest of the show from a good seat.

1. f2-f4 f7-f5, 2. e2-e4 f5xe4, 3. d2-d3 Ng8-f6, 4. Nb1-c3 b7-b6, 5. d3xe4 d7-d6, 6. Bf1-d3 Bc8-b7, 7. e4-e5 Nf6-d5, 8. e5-e6 Qd8-c8, 9. Qd1-h5+ Ke8-d8, 10. Nc3xd5 Bb7xd5, 11. Qh5xd5 c7-c6, 12. Qd5-f5 c6-c5, 13. Bd3-e4 Nb8-c6, 14. Qf5-d5 Nc6-d4, 15. c2-c3 Ra8-b8, 16. c3xd4 g7-g6, 17. Ng1-f3 Bf8-g7, 18. Bc1-e3 Rh8-f8, 19. Ra1-c1 Rf8-f6, 20. Nf3-g5 h7-h6, 21. Ng5-f7+ Kd8-c8, 22. Nf7xd6+ e7xd6, 23. Qd5xd6 Rf6xe6, 24. Be4xg6+ Re6xg6, 25. Qd6xg6+ Ke8-f8, 26. d4xc5 Rb8-b7, 27. c5xb6 Qc8-a8, 28. Qg6-f5+ Rb7-f7, 29. Rc1-c8+, and Black resigned.

And so we come to the end of another Canadian Open. In this game, I converted Bird's Opening into something of a reversed Dutch Stonewall, which shouldn't have put Black in much difficulty. Somehow, though, this game kept my opponent in a reactive state from the 9th move until I won a pawn on move 15. He might have been able to find some compensation for that (and the state of his queenside pawn structure) because I'd left myself weak on the light squares to win the pawn, but he allowed me to simplify the position favourably instead on my next move.

To my opponent's credit, he adapted well to the circumstances and initiated a counterattack on the queenside that turned a liability (his doubled a-pawns) into a useful resource. He made a slight misstep on move 20 and again on move 22, but it was his 25th move that cost him the game.

1. f2-f4 d7-d5, 2. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6, 3. e2-e3 g7-g6, 4. b2-b3 Bf8-g7, 5. Bc1-b2 O-O, 6. Bf1-e2 c7-c5, 7. O-O Nb8-c6, 8. Nf3-e5 Bc8-d7, 9. Be2-f3 e7-e6, 10. Bb2-a3 Nc6-b4, 11. d2-d4 Qd8-c7, 12. c2-c3 Nb4-a6, 13. Bf3-e2 Rf8-c8, 14. Be2xa6 b7xa6, 15. Ba3xc5 Nf6-e4, 16. Ne5xd7 Qc7xd7, 17. b3-b4 a6-a5, 18. Qd1-d3 a5xb4, 19. c3xb4 a7-a5, 20. Nb1-d2 Ne4xc5, 21. b4xc5 Rc8-b8, 22. Qd3-c2 Rb8-b7, 23. c5-c6 Rb7-c7, 24. c6xd7 Rc7xc2, 25. Rf1-c1 Rc2-c4, 26. Nd2xc4 d5xc4, 27. Rc1xc4 Ra8-d8, 28. Rc4-c8 Bg7-f6, 29. Ra1-b1, and Black resigned, as 30. Rb1-b8 will win more material.