C41 Philidor Defence (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Be2 O-O 7.O-O a6)

This game was played in the first round of the 2014 August Banded Quartets I 1700-1800 tournament. Our group number was 1 and it was the only group from the five groups that had five players in it. Other groups had only four players. Only the winner from each group advances and I was able to be one of the winners, so I advanced to the second round. I have added one mate in one, two mate in three, one mate in seven and one mate in eight puzzles today. Until tomorrow, my fellow chess enthusiasts!

Game number two. The game below was played in the 2014 September Grand Seven Fourteen III tournament at Red Hot Pawn. I am clinging on a very small chance of winning this tournament still but at any given time I may be out of the fight for the win as the current leader only needs to get two more points to get higher amount of points that I can gather in my remaining games.

Game number three. This one was played in a team match called "LEGENDS ARE FOREVER OPEN CHALLENGE 2016". It consists of 55 boards and it is between SHETOS and Chess School. I played on board 8 for Chess School and I was able to win both of my games against Silent_Venom. The current score in the match is 34 - 68 in favor of Chess School and therefore we have secured the win in the match quite nicely. SHETOS has lost 21 games so far on time and Chess School has lost 4 games due to timeouts.

The game below is a rather silly one in that for some reason I made my life harder by not taking the free piece on a5 after 15...f5. I do not know what was I thinking at the time or if I even was thinking at all... Sometimes my brain just goes to vacation without my permission. I was able to play reasonably well, but this could have been much easier for me had I kept my eyes open.

[Event "Banded Quartets"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.08.16"] [Round "1"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "gilaadm"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C41"] [WhiteElo "1876"] [BlackElo "1603"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 {C41 Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation} 5. Nc3 Be7 (5... a6 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O {1/2-1/2 (29) Blazek,M (1992) -Sunal,J (1740) Slovakia 2017}) 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O a6 {C41 Philidor Defence} 8. Be3 Nc6 $146 {1.04/20} (8... Re8 $11 {0.00/20 keeps the balance.}) (8... c5 9. Nb3 (9. Nf3 Nc6 10. a3 b5 11. Nd2 d5 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Qxd5 14. c4 bxc4 15. Bxc4 Qe5 16. Qf3 Bd7 17. Bd5 Rac8 18. Bf4 Qxb2 19. Nc4 Qf6 20. Nb6 Nd4 21. Qe3 Nf5 22. Nxd7 Nxe3 23. Nxf6+ Bxf6 {Both,G (1523)-Bernhardt,W (1463) Frankfurt 2018 1-0 (64)}) 9... b5 (9... Be6 10. f4 Nc6 11. f5 Bxb3 12. axb3 Rc8 13. Qd2 Ne5 14. Rfd1 Qd7 15. Bf4 {1/2-1/2 (15) Martins,J (2355)-Limp,E (2395) Rio de Janeiro 2008}) 10. a3 Bb7 11. e5 Ne4 12. Nxe4 Bxe4 13. exd6 Bxd6 14. Nxc5 Bxc5 15. Bxc5 Qg5 16. Bf3 Rd8 17. Qe2 Qxc5 18. Bxe4 Nc6 19. Bxc6 Qxc6 20. c3 Re8 21. Qc2 Re6 22. Rfe1 Rae8 23. Qd2 {Dreesbach,T (1455)-Zemella,J (1636) Dortmund 2005 1/2-1/2 (45)}) (8... Bd7 9. f4 Nc6 10. Bf3 Qc8 11. h3 Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Bc6 13. e5 Bxf3 14. Rxf3 dxe5 15. fxe5 Ne8 16. Rd1 Qe6 17. Nd5 c6 18. Nxe7+ Qxe7 19. Qb6 Qxe5 20. Bc5 Nf6 21. Bxf8 Rxf8 22. Qd4 Qe2 23. Rf2 {Blazek, M (1992)-Sunal,J (1740) Slovakia 2017 1/2-1/2}) 9. Nxc6 $16 bxc6 10. h3 { 0.23/22} (10. f4 $16 {1.14/20}) 10... Re8 {0.87/19} (10... Nd7 $11 {0.23/22 remains equal.}) 11. Bf3 {-0.37/23} (11. Bc4 $16 {0.87/19}) 11... Be6 {0.75/17} (11... Bb7 $15 {-0.37/23 keeps the upper hand.}) 12. e5 Nd7 {1.99/20} (12... Nd5 $1 $14 {0.52/21}) 13. exd6 {1.52/24} ({White should play} 13. Bxc6 $18 { 1.99/20} Rb8 14. b3) 13... cxd6 14. Bxc6 Qc7 $2 {4.13/18 [#]} (14... Rb8 { 1.65/22} 15. Rb1 Qc7) 15. Bxa8 $18 Rxa8 16. Qd2 Ne5 {4.50/21} (16... Rb8 { 3.20/21 keeps fighting.} 17. Bd4 Ne5) 17. Nd5 Bxd5 18. Qxd5 Rc8 19. c3 { White is clearly winning.} Rb8 20. Rab1 Rb5 21. Qa8+ Qb8 22. Qxb8+ Rxb8 23. b3 f5 24. Rfd1 Kf7 25. Rd5 Rb5 26. Rxb5 axb5 27. Rd1 h6 {8.10/20} (27... Ke6 $142 {5.19/24} 28. Kf1 g6) 28. Rd5 {Accuracy: White = 44%, Black = 18%.} 1-0 [Event "Grand Seven Fourteen"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.09.11"] [Round "1"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "rkmmax"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C41"] [WhiteElo "1914"] [BlackElo "1512"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "151"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 (1... d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 exd4 {1/2-1/2 (17) Pablo Marin,A (2379)-Vassallo Barroche,M (2423) Barcelona 2015}) 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 {C41 Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation} 5. Nc3 Be7 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O a6 {0.93/20 C41 Philidor Defence} (7... Bd7 $11 {0.18/20 remains equal.}) 8. Bf4 { 0.00/21} (8. Re1 $16 {0.93/20} c5 9. Nb3 b5 10. Bf3 Ra7 11. Bf4 Be6 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. exd5 Bf5 14. a4 Rb7 15. axb5 Rxb5 16. Na5 Bg5 17. Nc6 Qf6 18. Bxg5 Qxg5 19. b3 g6 20. Ra4 h5 21. h4 Qf6 22. Ne7+ Kh7 23. Rf4 {Tseshkovsky,V (2595) -Giorgadze,T (2540) Vilnius 1980 1-0}) 8... Bd7 {0.74/20} (8... Re8 $11 { 0.00/21} 9. Bg3 Bf8 10. Bh4 Be7 11. Bg3 Bf8 12. Bh4 Nc6 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. f4 Be7 15. Bf3 Nd7 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Qd2 Rb8 {1/2-1/2 (17) Pablo Marin,A (2379) -Vassallo Barroche,M (2423) Barcelona 2015}) 9. Bf3 $146 {0.00/22} (9. Qd3 $16 {0.74/20}) (9. Re1 Nc6 10. h3 Re8 11. Bf1 Bf8 12. Qd2 Nxd4 13. Qxd4 Bc6 14. Rad1 Qc8 15. Re3 Nh5 16. Bh2 g6 17. g4 Bg7 18. Qc4 Nf6 19. a4 Nxg4 20. hxg4 Bxc3 21. Be2 Bxb2 22. c3 Ba3 23. e5 Bc5 {Stoev,T (1723)-Valchev,S Sofia 2009 0-1}) 9... Nc6 10. Nb3 {-0.37/18} (10. Nxc6 $14 {0.40/19} Bxc6 11. Qd2) 10... Rb8 11. Nd5 {-0.54/20} (11. h3 $11 {0.00/22}) 11... Nxd5 12. exd5 Ne5 13. Be2 { -0.53/21} (13. Re1 $11 {0.00/21}) 13... Bf6 {0.07/23} (13... b5 $15 {-0.53/21}) 14. c3 $11 Ng6 {0.08/20} (14... h6 $15 {-0.50/20}) 15. Be3 {-0.92/22} (15. Bg3 $11 {0.08/20}) 15... c5 {0.55/18} (15... Bg5 $1 $17 {-0.92/22} 16. Bd2 Re8) 16. dxc6 $1 $14 Bxc6 17. Nd4 {-0.15/24} (17. Qd2 $16 {0.98/18}) 17... Bxd4 $11 18. Qxd4 {-0.08/22} (18. cxd4 $14 {0.35/21} Bd5 19. Bd3) 18... d5 $2 {1.47/21} ( 18... Nh4 $1 $11 {-0.08/22}) 19. Rad1 {0.87/21} (19. Rfe1 $142 {1.47/21}) 19... Qc7 {1.46/19} (19... Re8 $142 {0.87/21}) 20. Bf3 {0.63/22} ({White should try} 20. Rfe1 $16 {1.46/19}) 20... Rbd8 $14 21. Qc5 {0.44/21} (21. b3 $16 {1.34/20}) 21... Ne5 {[#] White must now prevent ...d4.} 22. Bxd5 $2 {-1.88/22} (22. Be2 $1 $16 {0.98/23 and life is bright.}) 22... Nd7 $4 {1.89/23} (22... b6 $1 $19 { -1.88/22} 23. Qxb6 Qxb6 24. Bxb6 Rxd5 25. Rxd5 Bxd5) 23. Qd4 $2 {-0.23/24} (23. Qb4 $18 {1.89/23}) 23... Bxd5 $2 {1.52/21} (23... Nf6 $1 $11 {-0.23/24} 24. c4 (24. Bf4 Qc8 $15) 24... Nxd5 25. cxd5 Rxd5) 24. Qxd5 $16 Nf6 {1.84/21} (24... Rfe8 $16 {1.23/22} 25. Qf5 Re6) 25. Qf3 Rxd1 26. Rxd1 h6 {2.60/19} (26... Rd8 $142 {1.64/25} 27. Rxd8+ Qxd8) 27. Bxh6 $1 $18 gxh6 $2 {4.30/19} (27... Rd8 { 2.67/25}) 28. Qxf6 {Endgame KQR-KQR} Qc6 29. Rd6 Qe4 {[#]} 30. g3 Qb1+ 31. Kg2 Qxa2 {10.56/25} (31... Re8 $142 {4.62/26} 32. Qf3 Qxb2 33. Rxh6 Qe2 34. Qxb7 Qxa2) 32. b4 $2 {3.58/26} (32. Qf5 {10.56/25} Kg7 33. Qg4+ Kh7 34. Qh5) 32... Qe2 33. Rd4 {And now h3 would win.} Qe6 34. Qf4 Qc6+ 35. Qf3 Qxf3+ 36. Kxf3 { KR-KR} Rc8 {2.28/22} (36... Ra8 $142 {1.70/28} 37. c4 a5 38. bxa5 Rxa5) 37. Rd3 Rc7 38. Kg4 {1.33/27} (38. Ke4 $18 {1.85/23}) 38... Kg7 39. Kf5 {1.24/25} ({ Better is} 39. h4 $18 {1.71/24}) 39... Re7 {2.21/23} (39... b6 $16 {1.24/25}) 40. f4 Rc7 41. Ke5 {1.35/27} (41. Re3 $18 {1.77/26}) 41... f6+ $2 {3.53/21} ( 41... h5 $16 {1.35/27} 42. Ke4 Rc4+ 43. Kf5 b6) 42. Kd6 {1.63/24} (42. Ke6 $142 {3.53/21 Rd7+ is the strong threat.} Rc6+ 43. Kf5) 42... Rc4 $2 {3.52/23} ( 42... Rc6+ {1.63/24 was called for.} 43. Ke7 Kg6) 43. Kd5 Rc7 {3.57/23} (43... Rc6 {2.37/25 was necessary.} 44. c4 Kf7) 44. c4 Kf7 45. Re3 Rd7+ 46. Ke4 Re7+ { 2.21/25} (46... Kg6 $142 {1.71/25} 47. Rd3 Re7+ 48. Kf3 Rc7) 47. Kd3 Rxe3+ $2 { 12.79/21} (47... Rd7+ {2.03/25} 48. Kc3 Kg6) 48. Kxe3 {KP-KP} Ke6 49. Ke4 b6 50. f5+ Kd6 51. Kd4 h5 52. h3 $2 {3.59/26} (52. c5+ {18.33/28} bxc5+ 53. bxc5+ Kd7 54. h3) 52... Kc6 $2 {65.23/26} (52... a5 {3.59/26} 53. bxa5 bxa5) 53. g4 hxg4 54. hxg4 a5 55. bxa5 {White mates.} bxa5 {K3P-KPP} 56. Kc3 Kc5 57. Kb3 a4+ 58. Kxa4 Kxc4 59. g5 $1 fxg5 {KP-KP} 60. f6 g4 61. f7 g3 62. f8=Q Kd3 63. Qf3+ Kd4 64. Qxg3 Ke4 65. Qd6 Kf5 66. Qe7 Kf4 67. Kb4 Kf3 68. Kc3 Kf4 69. Kd4 Kf5 70. Qe5+ Kg6 71. Qf4 Kg7 72. Ke5 Kg6 73. Qf6+ Kh5 74. Qg7 Kh4 75. Kf4 Kh3 76. Qg3# {Accuracy: White = 30%, Black = 18%.} 1-0 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.01.11"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Silent_Venom"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C41"] [WhiteElo "1838"] [BlackElo "1795"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 {C41 Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation} 5. Nc3 Be7 (5... a6 6. Be2 {1/2-1/2 (29) Blazek,M (1992)-Sunal,J (1740) Slovakia 2017}) 6. Be2 a6 (6... O-O 7. O-O {1/2-1/2 (45) Dreesbach,T (1455)-Zemella,J (1636) Dortmund 2005}) 7. O-O O-O {C41 Philidor Defence} 8. Be3 {0.00/21} ({White should try} 8. Bf4 $16 {0.77/18}) 8... b5 $146 {1.19/20} (8... Re8 $11 {0.00/21}) (8... c5 9. Nb3 (9. Nf3 Nc6 10. a3 b5 11. Nd2 d5 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Qxd5 14. c4 bxc4 15. Bxc4 Qe5 16. Qf3 Bd7 17. Bd5 Rac8 18. Bf4 Qxb2 19. Nc4 Qf6 20. Nb6 Nd4 21. Qe3 Nf5 22. Nxd7 Nxe3 23. Nxf6+ Bxf6 { Both,G (1523)-Bernhardt,W (1463) Frankfurt 2018 1-0 (64)}) 9... b5 (9... Be6 10. f4 Nc6 11. f5 Bxb3 12. axb3 Rc8 13. Qd2 Ne5 14. Rfd1 Qd7 15. Bf4 {1/2-1/2 (15) Martins,J (2355)-Limp,E (2395) Rio de Janeiro 2008}) 10. a3 Bb7 11. e5 Ne4 12. Nxe4 Bxe4 13. exd6 Bxd6 14. Nxc5 Bxc5 15. Bxc5 Qg5 16. Bf3 Rd8 17. Qe2 Qxc5 18. Bxe4 Nc6 19. Bxc6 Qxc6 20. c3 Re8 21. Qc2 Re6 22. Rfe1 Rae8 23. Qd2 { Dreesbach,T (1455)-Zemella,J (1636) Dortmund 2005 1/2-1/2 (45)}) (8... Bd7 9. f4 Nc6 10. Bf3 Qc8 11. h3 Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Bc6 13. e5 Bxf3 14. Rxf3 dxe5 15. fxe5 Ne8 16. Rd1 Qe6 17. Nd5 c6 18. Nxe7+ Qxe7 19. Qb6 Qxe5 20. Bc5 Nf6 21. Bxf8 Rxf8 22. Qd4 Qe2 23. Rf2 {Blazek,M (1992)-Sunal,J (1740) Slovakia 2017 1/2-1/2} ) 9. a3 {0.44/22} (9. Bf3 $1 $16 {1.19/20}) 9... c5 $14 10. Nf5 {White is better.} Bb7 $2 {2.60/20 [#]} (10... Bxf5 $14 {0.37/21} 11. exf5 Ra7) 11. f3 { 1.17/21} (11. e5 $18 {2.60/20} dxe5 12. Qxd8 Bxd8 13. Bxc5) 11... Nc6 {2.18/21} (11... Re8 $16 {1.17/21 keeps fighting.}) 12. Nd5 {0.85/20} (12. Qd2 $18 { 2.18/21 is more deadly.}) 12... Nxd5 $16 13. Qxd5 ({Much worse is} 13. exd5 $6 Ne5 $11) 13... Na5 $2 {2.45/18} (13... Qc7 $1 $14 {0.56/20} 14. Qd2 Ne5) 14. Nxe7+ $2 {0.93/20 [#]} (14. Qd2 $1 $18 {2.45/18 has better winning chances.}) 14... Qxe7 15. Qd2 $36 {Keeping Black busy.} f5 $2 {4.75/17} (15... Nc4 $16 { 0.94/25 is more resistant.} 16. Bxc4 bxc4) 16. Bf4 $2 {1.10/22} (16. Qxa5 $18 { 4.75/17 Hoping for Qd2.} fxe4 17. Qd2) 16... Rad8 $2 {4.29/21} (16... fxe4 $16 {1.10/22} 17. Bxd6 Rfd8) 17. Bg5 Qc7 18. Bxd8 Qxd8 19. exf5 Rxf5 20. Rad1 d5 21. b4 cxb4 22. axb4 Qb6+ 23. Kh1 Nc4 24. Bxc4 bxc4 25. c3 Qg6 26. Qd4 h6 27. Rfe1 {White is clearly winning.} Rh5 {7.66/22} (27... Kh7 $142 {4.44/25} 28. Re7 Bc6) 28. Re5 Kh7 29. Rxh5 Qxh5 30. Re1 Qg5 31. Kg1 h5 32. Kf2 h4 33. Re5 { Accuracy: White = 39%, Black = 13%.} 1-0