C20 King's Pawn Game (1.e4 e5)

My journey through different openings has led me to this very simple opening. From time to time I face certain players that play these sort of silly openings. That is of course good as long as they come up with something new that I have not covered yet... Arayn's second move h4 does not really make all that much sense in the position. In the opening one should concentrate on developing his or her pieces as fast as possible and take control of the center and the move 2.h4 does not do either. As fast development is important if you make unnecessary pawn moves that do not help in your development, your position will just get worse. The game below is from the first round of the 2014 September Glacial Super Casual I tournament that is still ongoing at Red Hot Pawn. I am currently on second place in my group, only a point behind the leader of the group, doozer2004. Theoretically all the eight players in the group have a chance of winning the group as the maximum possible score that everyone has is still better than the points that have been gathered by the current leader. That all might change quite quickly though with a couple of wins by either me or the current leader as then the player who currently is on sixth place will no longer have his maximum possible score higher than the person who would be leading the tournament at that point. If I look at the ratings of all the players in my group, there are some huge differences between the players. For example, currently my rating is 1905 and that enables me to be the highest rated player in the group, then the currently lowest rated player is organisedRegicide who has a rating of 973 at the moment. So there is a difference of over 900 points there. Funnily enough, the only game I have lost so far in this tournament is against that same lowest rated player... It was one of the embarrassingly many times that I have missed a mate in one in a correspondence game. Lately I have been more alert and things like that have not happened in my games anymore. I have added one mate in two, one mate in four, two mate in five and one mate in six puzzle today. Until tomorrow, my fellow chess enthusiasts and other people who have come to see this blog!

Game number two. This one is from a 2014 September Grand Seven Fourteen III tournament that is still ongoing at Red Hot Pawn. Not much has changed since the last time I typed about this tournament except that now there are only five players left who can still win the tournament, so one player has dropped from the battle for the win. I am still in that fight and try to keep myself there as long as possible and maybe get my first tournament win at Red Hot Pawn. I still have 14 games left to completely mess things up though, so anything can happen. This game was added May 1st 2015.

Game number three. It seems that some openings are only played by certain players. This particular opening variation has only featured one player in the three games I have posted and I remember one other post I have made where there are three games and they are played against the same opponent. If my memory serves me right, these two posts are the only examples of this at least so far. There might be others in the future and this post might also feature other players in the distant future when I have gone through more of my games. The game below was played in a tournament called 2014 October Long Haul Split I. This tournament started October 24th 2014 and it has a time control where you get 21 days for every move you make. It has been quite of a slow paced tournament as the move count in my games ranges from 9 to 15 moves... Admittedly it is my fault in part because I have taken quite a lot of time to make my moves. Maybe I will be able to move faster if I can get my game load down significantly. This game was added to this post May 6th 2015.

[Event "Glacial Super Casual"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.09.13"] [Round "1"] [White "Arayn"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "1267"] [BlackElo "1885"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "76"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] {[%evp 9,75,-95,-103,-136,-151,-183,-161,-180,-155,-193,-119,-145,-121,-261, -102,-118,-105,-98,29,-134,-142,-226,-182,-206,-191,-188,-79,-72,-74,-191,-106, -228,-153,-160,-151,-175,-131,-231,-254,-555,-563,-897,-541,-788,-775,-2604, -2328,-5230,-4289,-29986,-1919,-29971,-29970,-29986,-29976,-29965,-6840,-29990, -29990,-29990,-29991,-29992,-29993,-29993,-29994,-29998,-29999,-29999]} 1. e4 e5 {C20 King's Pawn Game} 2. h4 Nf6 3. g4 $146 (3. Na3 d5 4. Be2 Nxe4 {0-1 (4) Braga,J-Domenici Roberto,B Juiz de Fora 2014}) (3. Nc3 Bc5 4. Bc4 b5 5. Bxb5 c6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 cxd5 8. Bb5+ Nbd7 9. Bc6 Bxf2+ 10. Kf1 Ba6+ 11. d3 Bb6 12. Bxa8 Qxa8 13. b4 O-O 14. b5 Bb7 15. Ba3 d4 16. Ne4 Nxe4 17. dxe4 Bxe4 {Van Foreest,L (1891) -Van Foreest,J (2028) Rijswijk 2011 0-1}) (3. d3 Nc6 4. d4 exd4 5. Rh3 d6 6. Bg5 Bxh3 7. Nxh3 h6 8. Bf4 Be7 9. Bg5 hxg5 10. Nxg5 O-O 11. Bc4 Ne5 12. Bxf7+ Nxf7 13. Ne6 Qd7 14. Qd2 Qxe6 15. Na3 Qxe4+ 16. Qe2 Qxg2 17. O-O-O Qd5 {Schamschurko,A-Wilhelm,E Sebnitz 2006 1-0}) 3... Nxe4 4. d3 Nf6 5. g5 Nd5 6. a4 Nc6 {[%mdl 32]} 7. c3 d6 8. b4 {Black is clearly better.} Bf5 9. a5 Qd7 {-1.19/26} (9... a6 $19 {-1.93/21} 10. Bg2 Be6) 10. b5 Nd8 11. c4 { -2.61/22} (11. Bg2 $17 {-1.21/23} c6 12. a6) {[%tqu "En","","","","d5b4","",10] } 11... Ne7 $2 {-1.02/26 [#]} (11... Nb4 $1 $19 {-2.61/22 Threatens to win with ...d5.} 12. Nf3 d5 13. cxd5 Qxd5) 12. Nc3 $17 Bg4 13. f3 Bh5 {0.29/25} ( 13... Be6 $17 {-0.98/21 aiming for ...a6.} 14. f4 a6) {[%tqu "En","","","", "f1h3","",10]} 14. Be2 $2 {-1.34/23} (14. Bh3 $1 $11 {0.29/25} Ne6 15. Nge2) 14... Ne6 $36 {[%mdl 2048] Keeping White busy.} 15. Bb2 {-2.26/21} (15. f4 $17 {-1.42/23 might work better.} Bxe2 16. Ngxe2) 15... Nd4 16. f4 Nxe2 17. Ngxe2 exf4 {-0.79/25} (17... Nf5 $19 {-1.88/20 is more deadly. ...Nd4 is the strong threat.} 18. Qd2 a6) 18. Qd2 f3 19. Nd4 {-1.91/21} (19. Nf4 $17 {-0.74/24 was worth a try.} Bg4 20. a6) 19... O-O-O {-1.06/24} (19... c5 $19 {-1.91/21} 20. Nb3 h6) 20. Ne4 {-2.28/21} (20. a6 $17 {-1.06/24}) 20... Re8 {Strongly threatening ...d5.} 21. a6 {[#] Hoping for axb7+.} b6 22. O-O-O {[%tqu "En","", "","","d6d5","",10]} d5 $1 23. cxd5 {-2.31/22} (23. Ng3 $17 {-1.31/25} Bg4 24. Rde1) 23... Nxd5 $19 ({Don't take} 23... Qxd5 24. Rde1 $17) 24. Nc2 $2 { -5.55/25} (24. Nc6 {-2.54/25 is more resistant.}) 24... Qxb5 25. Rde1 Nb4 26. Nxb4 Bxb4 27. Nd6+ Bxd6 28. Bxg7 Rhg8 29. Rxe8+ Qxe8 {-19.19/25} (29... Rxe8 $142 {-#14/25} 30. Re1 Re2 31. Rxe2 fxe2 32. Qc3 Bb4 33. Bh8 e1=Q+ 34. Qxe1 Bxe1 35. g6 hxg6 36. Kc2 Be2 37. Kc1 Bxd3 38. Bb2 Qb3 39. Bh8 Qc2#) 30. Re1 Qc6+ 31. Bc3 Re8 32. Rxe8+ Qxe8 33. Qa2 Bf4+ {Black mates.} 34. Kb1 Qb5+ 35. Kc2 f2 36. Qa1 Be2 37. Qh1 Bxd3+ 38. Kd1 Qb1# {Precision: White = 21%, Black = 31%.} ({Better is} 38... Qb3# {-#1/127}) 0-1 [Event "Grand Seven Fourteen"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.09.11"] [Round "1"] [White "Arayn"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "1263"] [BlackElo "1895"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "114"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] {[%evp 9,113,-93,-103,-95,-11,-151,-143,-275,-231,-320,-161,-176,-84,-194,-127, -170,-66,-45,-29,-190,-174,-243,-254,-424,-433,-410,-115,-127,-60,-174,-89, -137,-106,-301,-142,-162,-152,-234,-165,-160,-103,-109,-116,-172,-175,-168, -161,-381,-163,-645,-623,-811,-807,-783,-770,-841,-863,-1395,-1402,-1059,-932, -2387,-2013,-2494,-1509,-1966,-1711,-2120,-1387,-5329,-5296,-12837,-11730, -29977,-29977,-29983,-29984,-29984,-29984,-29985,-29986,-29986,-29987,-29990, -29990,-29991,-29990,-29991,-29992,-29992,-29993,-29993,-29994,-29994,-29995, -29996,-29995,-29995,-29996,-29996,-29997,-29997,-29998,-29998,-29999,-29999]} 1. e4 e5 {C20 King's Pawn Game} 2. h4 Nf6 3. d3 (3. Na3 d5 4. Be2 Nxe4 { 0-1 (4) Braga,J-Domenici Roberto,B Juiz de Fora 2014}) 3... Nc6 4. g4 $146 (4. d4 exd4 5. Rh3 d6 6. Bg5 Bxh3 7. Nxh3 h6 8. Bf4 Be7 9. Bg5 hxg5 10. Nxg5 O-O 11. Bc4 Ne5 12. Bxf7+ Nxf7 13. Ne6 Qd7 14. Qd2 Qxe6 15. Na3 Qxe4+ 16. Qe2 Qxg2 17. O-O-O Qd5 18. Rh1 Qxa2 {Schamschurko,A-Wilhelm,E Sebnitz 2006 1-0}) 4... h6 5. g5 hxg5 6. Bxg5 Be7 {-0.11/24} (6... d5 $17 {-0.95/21} 7. Nd2 dxe4 8. dxe4 Be6) 7. f3 {-1.51/23} (7. Nc3 $11 {-0.11/24}) 7... d5 $17 8. Be2 {-2.75/23} (8. Nc3 $17 {-1.43/24 was called for.}) 8... Be6 9. Nc3 dxe4 {-1.61/26} (9... d4 $142 {-3.20/24} 10. Nb5 Nh5 11. Bxe7 Qxe7) 10. fxe4 $19 Qd7 {-0.84/26} (10... Nd4 $19 {-1.76/21} 11. Qd2 c6) 11. a3 {-1.94/24} (11. Qd2 $17 {-0.84/26}) 11... O-O-O {-1.27/26} (11... Nd4 $19 {-1.94/24} 12. Qd2 Ng4 13. Bxe7 Qxe7) 12. Nf3 { -1.70/23} (12. Kd2 $17 {-1.27/26}) {[%tqu "En","","","","f6g4", "",10]} 12... Ng8 {-0.66/28} (12... Ng4 $1 $19 {-1.70/23 Strongly threatening ...Nd4.} 13. Bxe7 Qxe7) 13. Bxe7 $15 Ngxe7 {[%mdl 32]} 14. b4 $2 {-1.90/24 [#]} (14. Qd2 $11 {-0.29/26 and White stays safe.}) 14... Ng6 15. h5 {-2.43/23} (15. Qd2 $142 { -1.74/26}) 15... Nf4 $19 16. Ng5 $2 {-4.24/24} (16. Kd2 {-2.54/23}) 16... Nd4 17. Nxe6 Ndxe6 $2 {-1.15/24 [#]} ({Not} 17... Ndxe2 18. Nxe2 Nxe6 19. Qd2 $15) (17... Qxe6 $19 {-4.10/23 and Black stays clearly on top.} 18. Bg4 f5 19. Bxf5 Nxf5) 18. Bg4 $17 Qd4 {-0.60/27} (18... g6 $17 {-1.27/23} 19. h6 Rh7 20. Bxe6 Qxe6) {[%tqu "En","","","", "c3e2","",10]} 19. Qd2 {-1.74/24} (19. Ne2 $1 $15 { -0.60/27} Ng2+ 20. Kd2 Qxe4 21. Bxe6+ fxe6 22. Qg1) 19... Kb8 {-0.89/28} (19... c5 $19 {-1.74/24} 20. bxc5 Kb8) 20. Bxe6 {-1.37/26} (20. O-O-O $142 {-0.89/28}) 20... Nxe6 21. h6 $2 {-3.01/24} (21. O-O-O $17 {-1.06/27 might work better.}) 21... gxh6 {-1.42/30} (21... c5 $19 {-3.01/24 is more deadly.} 22. b5 Rxh6) 22. O-O-O Nf4 23. Rhf1 {-2.34/25} (23. Kb1 $17 {-1.52/28}) 23... Rd6 24. Kb1 { White wants to play Nb5.} Rc6 {-1.03/29} (24... Rb6 $142 {-1.60/23} 25. Na4 Rg6 ) 25. Nb5 Qb6 26. a4 {-1.72/27} (26. Nc3 $17 {-1.16/27 keeps fighting.}) 26... a6 27. Na3 Qd4 $36 {[%mdl 2048] Black is really pushing.} 28. Ka2 $2 {-3.81/25} (28. Nc4 {-1.61/30 was necessary.}) 28... h5 {-1.63/27} (28... Rg8 $142 { -3.81/25 ...Rg2 is the strong threat.} 29. Rf2 Rg3) 29. Rxf4 $2 {-6.45/25} (29. Nc4 {-1.63/27}) 29... exf4 $19 {[%mdl 32]} 30. c4 f3 31. Nc2 Qg7 32. c5 Qg2 33. d4 Qxd2 34. Rxd2 {[%mdl 4096] Endgame KRR-KRN} Rg6 35. Rf2 Rg2 36. Rxf3 Rxc2+ 37. Kb3 Re2 38. e5 Rh7 39. Kc4 h4 40. Rh3 Rg2 41. b5 axb5+ {Black mates.} 42. axb5 Rg3 43. Rh2 h3 44. c6 Rg2 45. Rh1 h2 46. d5 Rg1 47. d6 cxd6 48. exd6 Rxh1 49. d7 Rc1+ 50. Kb4 Rh8 51. Ka5 bxc6 52. bxc6 Rxc6 53. Kb5 Kc7 54. d8=Q+ Rxd8 55. Kb4 Rb8+ 56. Ka5 h1=Q 57. Ka4 Qa1# {Precision: White = 15%, Black = 24%.} 0-1 [Event "Long Haul Split"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.10.24"] [Round "1"] [White "Arayn"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "1204"] [BlackElo "1914"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "92"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] {[%evp 9,91,-97,-100,-131,-72,-143,-112,-203,-201,-307,-212,-246,-231,-389, -354,-943,-933,-915,-823,-861,-832,-846,-840,-872,-793,-905,-909,-882,-850, -1372,-989,-961,-977,-1091,-1049,-1062,-1076,-1119,-1083,-1232,-1095,-1325, -1066,-1108,-1041,-1111,-1096,-1290,-1275,-1336,-1329,-29974,-29975,-29975, -29976,-29979,-29979,-29981,-29982,-29982,-29983,-29983,-29984,-29986,-29984, -29985,-29986,-29988,-29987,-29988,-29989,-29989,-29989,-29989,-29990,-29993, -29994,-29994,-29995,-29997,-29996,-29998,-29999,-29999]} 1. e4 e5 {C20 King's Pawn Game} 2. h4 Nf6 3. g4 $146 (3. Na3 d5 4. Be2 Nxe4 {0-1 (4) Braga, J-Domenici Roberto,B Juiz de Fora 2014}) (3. Nc3 Bc5 4. Bc4 b5 5. Bxb5 c6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 cxd5 8. Bb5+ Nbd7 9. Bc6 Bxf2+ 10. Kf1 Ba6+ 11. d3 Bb6 12. Bxa8 Qxa8 13. b4 O-O 14. b5 Bb7 15. Ba3 d4 16. Ne4 Nxe4 17. dxe4 Bxe4 {Van Foreest, L (1891)-Van Foreest,J (2028) Rijswijk 2011 0-1}) (3. d3 Nc6 4. d4 exd4 5. Rh3 d6 6. Bg5 Bxh3 7. Nxh3 h6 8. Bf4 Be7 9. Bg5 hxg5 10. Nxg5 O-O 11. Bc4 Ne5 12. Bxf7+ Nxf7 13. Ne6 Qd7 14. Qd2 Qxe6 15. Na3 Qxe4+ 16. Qe2 Qxg2 17. O-O-O Qd5 { Schamschurko,A-Wilhelm, E Sebnitz 2006 1-0}) 3... Nxe4 4. d3 Nf6 5. g5 Nd5 6. h5 Nf4 {-0.72/24} ({Better is} 6... Nc6 {-1.31/22} 7. Bg2 Nb6) 7. Nh3 {-1.43/22 } (7. Nf3 $142 {-0.72/24}) 7... Nxh3 8. Rxh3 {-2.03/23} (8. Bxh3 $17 {-1.12/28} Nc6 9. Nc3) 8... d5 $19 9. c4 {-3.07/23} (9. Rg3 $142 {-2.01/24}) 9... dxc4 10. Qa4+ Nc6 11. Qxc4 $2 {-3.89/23 [#]} (11. Rg3 {-2.31/26}) 11... Bxh3 12. Nc3 $2 {-9.43/27} (12. Bxh3 {-3.54/27} Be7 13. Nc3) 12... Bxf1 13. Kxf1 Qd4 14. Be3 Qxc4 15. dxc4 O-O-O 16. a3 Be7 17. b4 Nd4 18. Nd5 Rhe8 19. c5 Nc2 20. Nxe7+ Rxe7 21. Rc1 Nxe3+ 22. fxe3 Rd3 23. Ke2 Rxa3 24. b5 Rd7 25. Rf1 Ra2+ 26. Kf3 f6 27. gxf6 gxf6 28. Ke4 Rb2 29. Rxf6 Rxb5 30. Kxe5 Rxc5+ {Black mates.} 31. Kf4 b5 32. e4 Rxh5 33. e5 Rd4+ 34. Ke3 Ra4 35. e6 Re5+ 36. Kd3 Rae4 37. Rf8+ Kb7 38. Rf7 Rxe6 39. Rxh7 b4 40. Rh2 Re3+ 41. Kd2 b3 42. Kc1 Re2 43. Rxe2 Rxe2 44. Kd1 Rc2 45. Ke1 b2 46. Kd1 b1=Q# 0-1