Aabear and myself are suppose to play in about 90 minutes (6:30pm ninja time).

Just a quick note to congratulate RIP for a good win vs aabear. RIP got a huge advantage out of the opening, winning the exchange, but aabear battled back to make it close before a losing blunder...

Well done, both of you!! I was very impressed by the quality of chess overall...

Rust In Peace - Aabear
1-0

I'll post up the game w/ comments later. I must say thought that this was my best game of the tournament yet, with a lot of wild tactical possibilities which got me into MAJOR time trouble, but thanks to a blunder on Aabear's part, I got the win.

RIP played extremely well; I cannot say the same about me after two blunders. The second one may be forgiven because I felt I was lost after my attack on his king was unlucky (thanks to an extraordinary defence, by the way). It was fun, after all, because I even had a chance of getting something out of nothing (my situation was really bad once the opening phase was over).

[Event "Friendly Game, 30m + 0s"]
[Site "Play And Watch"]
[Date "2003.07.22"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rust In Peace"]
[Black "aabear"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A40"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[TimeControl "1800"]

1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Bg7 {
[%emt 0:00:04]} 3. c3 {[%emt 0:00:13]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 4. Nbd2 {
[%emt 0:00:19]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 5. e4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:16]}
6. b3 {[%emt 0:01:19]} a6 {[%emt 0:01:17]} 7. Ba3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Nf6 {
[%emt 0:00:50]} 8. e5 {[%emt 0:02:11]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:00:44]} 9. Bd3 {
[%emt 0:00:58]} f6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 10. exf6 {[%emt 0:00:40]} Nxf6 {
[%emt 0:00:11]} 11. Nf1 {[%emt 0:01:28]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:01:28]} 12. Ng3 {
here I moved hastily and regretted it almost immediately. Qc2 was MUCH more
aggresive and unless black played Ne7, it resulted in a mate after Bxg6+!
[%emt 0:00:12]} Ng4 {[%emt 0:00:38]} 13. Qc2 {too late now! [%emt 0:00:14]} Qf6
{[%emt 0:01:06]} 14. h3 {[%emt 0:00:43]} Nh6 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 15. O-O {
[%emt 0:01:14]} Bf8 {[%emt 0:00:32]} 16. Bc1 {intending Bg5 regardless of the
next move.. I was determined not to let him castle easily! [%emt 0:00:45]}
O-O-O {whoops... [%emt 0:00:06]} 17. Bg5 {[%emt 0:00:23]} Qf7 {[%emt 0:00:32]}
18. Bxd8 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Nxd8 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 19. Ne5 {[%emt 0:01:23]} Qf6 {
[%emt 0:00:28]} 20. c4 {
hoping to open up the c file for the final attack [%emt 0:00:34]} Nf5 {
[%emt 0:00:07]} 21. Nxf5 {[%emt 0:01:04]} gxf5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 22. cxd5 {
[%emt 0:00:07]} Rg8 {[%emt 0:00:37]} 23. Nxd7 {having dismissed the threat on
the g-file as an empty one, and after spending over four and a half minutes on
this move, I decided that Nxd7 was my best option, as after dxe5, I was
winning the f5 pawn and leaving his king all but naked. [%emt 0:04:35]} Kxd7 {
[%emt 0:00:05]} 24. dxe6+ {[%emt 0:00:07]} Ke8 {
this was unexpected.. I was banking on Nxe6 [%emt 0:00:04]} 25. Rfe1 {
[%emt 0:01:07]} Qg5 {[%emt 0:00:41]} 26. g3 {[%emt 0:00:47]} Bd6 {WHOOPS! I
mpletely missed this, as well as f4 a couple moves later. had I forseen this
before, I wouldn't have ignored the buildup of heavy pieces on the g-file
[%emt 0:00:25]} 27. h4 {[%emt 0:02:24]} Qxh4 {ick, tunnel vision makes a
mandatory appearance at the most unfortunate time.. [%emt 0:00:22]} 28. Re3 {
[%emt 0:00:33]} f4 {[%emt 0:00:21]} 29. Bxh7 {scrambling to save my king, and
getting quite worried about his well-being, i attempt to simply the position
as much as I can [%emt 0:02:47]} fxe3 {[%emt 0:01:40]} 30. Bxg8 {
to my surprise, aabear agrees [%emt 0:00:11]} exf2+ {[%emt 0:00:29]} 31. Qxf2 {
at this point, I have a little over 2 minutes on the clock. I expected
something like the following variation: [%emt 0:00:13]} Qh5 {[%emt 0:00:57]} (
31... Qxg3+ 32. Qxg3 Bxg3 {the way I see it, I have the game won. however
being in serious time trouble, this more than likely would've ended in a draw,
if not a loss}) 32. Bf7+ {[%emt 0:00:37]} Ke7 {
the final nail in the coffin. [%emt 0:00:25]} 33. Bxh5 {
aabear resigns (Lag: Av=1.17s, max=2.5s) [%emt 0:00:09]} 1-0

Good game, aabear.

When has Obi1's game been scheduled?

I would like to follow it.

Have I mentioned recently that I hate -- and I mean really loathe -- playing against the King's Gambit?

Nice win to WSFF in our Round 7 matchup. I had half expected the KG or the Evan's Gambit, so I boned up on the theory prior to our match (along with doing some work on the Latvian Gambit, which I obviously never got a chance to use). I was okay for the first 10 or so moves then walked into an elementary pawn fork, losing a knight. I held out for another dozen moves or so (including offering a rook for excellent drawing chances at one point), but WSFF played it safe and smart, and the extra material won out in the end.

Well done, WSFF. I can hardly wait to play you in the next tournament!

rondino

Here is our game:

WillSurfForFood - rondino (1527) [C39]
Friendly Game, 30m + 0s Play And Watch, 23.07.2003

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 Nf6 6.d4 d6 7.Nd3 Nxe4 8.Bxf4 Qe7 9.Be2 Nc6 10.c3 Bf5 11.Na3 a6 12.Nc4 h5 13.Ne3 Qe6 14.d5 Qf6 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.0-0 Bd7 17.Be5 Qh6 18.Bf4 Qe6 19.Qb3 d5 20.Qc2 Bh6 21.Rae1 Kd8 22.Bd1 c5 23.b4 cxb4 24.cxb4 Bb5 25.Qxc7+ Ke8 26.Nc5 Nxc5 27.Nxd5 rondino resigns (Lag: Av=0.49s, max=0.8s) 1-0

How did you know to prepare for the kings gambit? I've been avoiding playing it on gameknot or talking about it in any way on the boards because I wanted it to be a suprise. I've just started playing it in blitz on ICC in the last couple of months but I know not many ninjas go there. I planned to break it out against RIP but he played the Sicilian, the I was so suprised that D'art played 1 .. e5 that I forgot to play it.

Anyway Rondino had to be better out of the opening, I think maybe next time I'm going to play 6. Nxg4 because I didn't like how that opening went. As black I play the Fischer defense against it which is 3. .. d6 but I think I'm going to start playing 3. .. g5, that seems more unpleasant for white. I would feel pretty silly trying to comment on this game much without the help of a puter but I will say a few things.

I was a little suprised by 11. .. a6, seems like if Rondino keeps to developing like O-O-O, he is ready to roll and I'm left trying to figure out how to get out of this bind. 17. .. Qh6 was a good move. Chess is funny because I think Rondino played better than me most of the game, but it just takes one bad move to ruin it.

Thanks for the game and good luck in the next tournament, after this game I kind hope I don't run into you again in the next one.

Heh.. if I knew you'd play the KG, I would've played e5.

Hehehe...I have spies out, watching your every move!!

Either that or a little bird told me.

Nah, I only thought it might be a possibility. It was just that I knew you to be a gambit player, and inasmuch as the KG is the grandpa of all gambits, I thought you might spring it on me.

My reasoning was as follows: 1. In your game with RIP he met e4 with c5 and you sprang d4 on him (is that the Smith-Morra or the BDG? I always get those confused). You and gambits go together like cumin and kidney beans. Or something like that. A perfect match. 2. I knew you to be an Evan's Gambit devotee. I like the Rousseau Gambit, which has the advantage of moving into the lines that I am familiar with a move prior to the Evan's Gambit. However, knowing that you know me as a Rousseau player I thought you might prepare specifically for that line (huh? ). So I spent a couple of days learning the black side of the Latvian Gambit, which takes an e4, Nf3 player (like you, or so I thought) out of comfortable territory as early as move two. Pretty sneaky, huh? My only concern was that you might try to outsneak sneaky ol' me by playing the KG, rendering my preparations moot. So I spent about an hour prior to our game cramming the main lines into my wee noggin. To no avail, it should be noted.

Anyway, you are a deserved winner. I dispute your notion that I played better than you for the bulk of the game. I tried hard to complicate matters after my blunder, but you found the correct response every time. It was truly a pleasure playing you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm off to drink myself silly.

Cheers,

rondino