B92 Sicilian Najdorf: 6.Be2 (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Bg5 Nbd7 9.O-O Be7)

My second game against ACM MystOdyssey and my second win. This game was the fifth challenge game after the last tournament game I have played at the FIDE Online Arena and out of those five games I managed to win four and drew one, so no losses at that point in time! The game started to go wrong for MystOdyssey when my opponent played 13...Bc5. While I was already up a pawn, it was only after 13...Bc5 that my opponent lost the compensation for the material. I continued correctly with the move 14.Bxc5 and after my opponent took back with the knight, I should have played 15.a4 and I could have kept my extra pawn.

In the game I played 15.Nf3, which gave the initiative to my opponent starting with the move 15...b5. After that the compensation for the material should be quite clear. The next bad decision was seen on the board when MystOdyssey chose to take my knight on e2 with the bishop on move 20. MystOdyssey should have kept the pin on my knight, because it would have tied my pieces a bit. After the trade on e2, I do not really have any problems anymore. MystOdyssey then made a huge blunder and played 21...Qxd5?? My next move could have ended the game, had I played 22.Ne7+ that is and won the queen. It would have been a good point in time for my opponent to resign.

Once upon a time I might have been very embarrassed to show this game and especially this moment of the game when I played 22.Nxb4, instead of the simply winning 22.Ne7+, but these days it is just funny to me how bad moves I have played and I am not bothered at all with sharing these moments. MystOdyssey then moved the queen to e5 and then I made a huge blunder and took the a-pawn with my knight. The problem with the move was found by my opponent because MystOdyssey played 23...Qd6 and trapped my knight.

While I had two pawns for the knight at that point, it was nowhere near enough of a compensation and I should have been quite lost. I did not resign and thought that maybe I can get some counterplay going with my queenside pawns. For quite some time my position did not become significantly better, but on move 34 MystOdyssey made the mistake I had been waiting for, my opponent played 34...Nxe1.

Taking the rook with the knight was a horrible idea because it gave me precious time to push my a-pawn up the board without the fear of getting checked. When my pawn reached a7, it was me who had a winning advantage. I did not let my opponent back into the game and won the game a few moves later.

Game number two. This one was played in a team match called OCD and the Realm Rematch! It was played on 53 boards between ♞KNIGHTS of the REALM♞ and Obsessive Chess Disorder!! I played on board 10 for OCD and I faced International Master Bakr Hafez. The match ended with a score 48.5 - 57.5 in favor of OCD!! While I may have been in some trouble before, it was only after the move 20.Bd3 that the draw started to slip away from my grasp.

The game continued with the moves 20...b4 21.axb4 axb4 22.Ne2 Bxd3 23.cxd3 d5. My opponent did not play the most accurate moves and he gave me a chance to hold the draw with accurate play, had I replied correctly to the move 23...d5 that is. I should have played 24.f4, but I chose the move 24.Rc1 instead. I wanted to try to control the c-file, but this was not the best idea in that position. The final nail in my coffin was the move 29.Bh2, after which the game was hopelessly lost.

I continued my struggle for some time, but I resigned after 42...Re2 because at that point I had to admit that there is no way I can draw this game anymore.

[Event "Challenge 28997578"] [Site "online arena"] [Date "2015.04.15"] [Round "1"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "MystOdyssey"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B92"] [WhiteElo "1695"] [BlackElo "1604"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 {Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation} e5 7. Nb3 Be6 (7... Be7 8. O-O O-O { Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Traditional Line}) 8. Bg5 (8. O-O Be7 {Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Modern Line}) 8... Nbd7 9. O-O Be7 {B92 Sicilian Najdorf 6.Be2} 10. Nd2 (10. Nd5 Bxd5 11. exd5 O-O 12. c4 Qc7 13. Be3 a5 14. Nd2 Rfe8 15. Nb1 Ne4 16. f3 Nec5 17. Nc3 h6 18. Nb5 Qb6 19. Kh1 Bg5 20. Bg1 Bf6 21. Qc2 Re7 22. Rab1 Ra6 { 1/2-1/2 (22) Saskowski,J (2265) -Kuczynski,R (2500) Katowice 1992}) 10... O-O $146 {Black has a cramped position} (10... Rc8 11. Kh1 (11. Re1 O-O 12. Nf1 Qb6 (12... h6 13. Bxf6 Nxf6 14. Ne3 b5 15. f3 Qb6 16. Bf1 b4 17. Ncd5 Nxd5 18. exd5 Bg5 19. dxe6 Bxe3+ 20. Kh1 fxe6 21. Qd3 Bd4 22. Rab1 a5 23. c3 Bc5 24. Qe4 Rf4 25. Qg6 Rf6 26. Qe4 Rf5 27. c4 {Polonsky,P (2103)-Bochkov,A (1969) Rybinsk 2008 0-1 (57)}) 13. Rb1 Bc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. Ne3 Rc6 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. Ncd5 Qd8 18. f3 Qd7 19. b3 b5 20. Qe2 Rfc8 21. Nb4 Rb6 22. Red1 a5 23. Nbd5 Nxd5 24. Nxd5 Rbb8 25. Rd3 Bf8 {Papandreou,G (1893)-Loukeris,A Ermioni Argolidas 2005 1-0 (47)}) 11... h6 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. f4 Qc7 14. f5 Bd7 15. a4 Bc6 16. Bc4 O-O 17. b4 b5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Bb3 Qb6 20. Qf3 Qd4 21. Qd3 Qxb4 22. Rf3 Qc5 23. Rg3 Rfd8 24. Nf1 b4 25. Na4 {Feliz Segura,R (1895)-Polanco Nunez,Y (2205) Santo Domingo 2016 0-1 (31)}) 11. Bc4 d5 (11... Rc8 $5 {has some apparent merit } 12. Bb3 b5 $11) 12. exd5 Bf5 13. Be3 Bc5 (13... b5 14. Bb3 $11) 14. Bxc5 $16 Nxc5 15. Nf3 (15. a4 $142 $5 $16) 15... b5 $11 {Black prepares e4} 16. Bb3 ({ Inferior is} 16. Nxe5 bxc4 17. Nxc4 Nce4 $17) 16... Nxb3 (16... Bg4 17. Qd2 b4 18. Na4 Nxb3 19. axb3 (19. cxb3 $143 Bxf3 20. gxf3 Qd6 $17) 19... Bxf3 20. gxf3 $11) 17. cxb3 b4 18. Ne2 (18. Na4 Bg4 (18... Qxd5 $143 19. Qxd5 Nxd5 20. Nxe5 $16) 19. h3 Bxf3 20. Qxf3 Qxd5 $14 (20... Nxd5 $2 21. Rfd1 e4 22. Qf5 $18)) 18... e4 {Black threatens to win material: e4xf3} 19. Nfd4 {White threatens to win material: Nd4xf5} Bg4 (19... Qxd5 $5 20. Nxf5 Qxf5 $11) 20. Nc6 $14 Bxe2 $2 (20... Qd6 $142 $5 $14 {might be a viable alternative}) 21. Qxe2 $16 Qxd5 $4 { the pressure is too much, Black crumbles.} (21... Qd6 22. Rac1 a5 $16) 22. Nxb4 {White forks: d5+a6} (22. Ne7+ $142 {and White has prevailed} Kh8 23. Nxd5 Nxd5 24. Qxe4 $18) 22... Qe5 23. Nxa6 $4 {hands over the advantage to the opponent} (23. Rfd1 $142 $16) 23... Qd6 $19 24. b4 Qxa6 (24... Rxa6 $142 25. Rfd1 Qb6 $19 ) 25. Qe3 $2 (25. Qxa6 $142 Rxa6 26. a4 $17) 25... Rfe8 26. a4 Nd5 27. Qb3 { White intends b5} (27. Qd2 {doesn't get the cat off the tree} Qd3 28. Rfd1 Qxd2 29. Rxd2 Nxb4 $19) 27... Qd3 28. Qxd3 (28. Qa3 {is no salvation} Qxa3 29. bxa3 Rxa4 $19) 28... exd3 29. b5 Nb4 30. Rfd1 Rad8 (30... Re2 {keeps an even firmer grip} 31. b6 Nc2 32. Rab1 $19) 31. a5 (31. Kf1 d2 32. g3 $19) 31... d2 32. a6 ( 32. Rab1 {the only chance to get some counterplay} Nc2 33. g3 $19) 32... Nc2 33. Rab1 Re1+ 34. Rxe1 Nxe1 (34... dxe1=Q+ $142 {and Black takes home the point } 35. Rxe1 Nxe1 $19) 35. a7 $18 Nc2 36. Rd1 Nb4 37. Rxd2 $3 {Deflection: a8.} Nd5 (37... Rxd2 38. a8=Q+ {Mate attack Deflection}) (37... -- $140 38. Rxd8# { Mate threat}) 38. Rxd5 $1 {Deflection: a8} (38. Rxd5 Rc8 39. f3 Rc1+ 40. Kf2 Rc2+ 41. Ke3 Rc8 42. b6 f6 43. b7 Re8+ 44. Kf2 Kf7 45. b8=Q f5 46. Rxf5+ Ke7 47. Qb7+ Kd6 48. Rd5+ Ke6 49. Qd7+ Kf6 50. Qf5+ Ke7 51. Rd7#) 1-0 [Event "OCD and the Realm Rematch! - Board 10"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2015.11.13"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Hafez_Bakr"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B92"] [WhiteElo "1823"] [BlackElo "1843"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "84"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 {Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation} e5 7. Nb3 Be6 (7... Be7 8. O-O O-O { Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Traditional Line}) 8. Bg5 (8. O-O Be7 {Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Modern Line}) 8... Nbd7 9. O-O Be7 {B92 Sicilian Najdorf: 6.Be2} 10. Nd2 { Black has a cramped position} (10. Nd5 Bxd5 11. exd5 O-O 12. c4 Qc7 13. Be3 a5 14. Nd2 Rfe8 15. Nb1 Ne4 16. f3 Nec5 17. Nc3 h6 18. Nb5 Qb6 19. Kh1 Bg5 20. Bg1 Bf6 21. Qc2 Re7 22. Rab1 Ra6 {1/2-1/2 (22) Saskowski,J (2265)-Kuczynski,R (2500) Katowice 1992}) 10... O-O $146 (10... Rc8 11. Kh1 (11. Re1 O-O 12. Nf1 Qb6 (12... h6 13. Bxf6 Nxf6 14. Ne3 b5 15. f3 Qb6 16. Bf1 b4 17. Ncd5 Nxd5 18. exd5 Bg5 19. dxe6 Bxe3+ 20. Kh1 fxe6 21. Qd3 Bd4 22. Rab1 a5 23. c3 Bc5 24. Qe4 Rf4 25. Qg6 Rf6 26. Qe4 Rf5 27. c4 {Polonsky,P (2103)-Bochkov,A (1969) Rybinsk 2008 0-1 (57)}) 13. Rb1 Bc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. Ne3 Rc6 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. Ncd5 Qd8 18. f3 Qd7 19. b3 b5 20. Qe2 Rfc8 21. Nb4 Rb6 22. Red1 a5 23. Nbd5 Nxd5 24. Nxd5 Rbb8 25. Rd3 Bf8 {Papandreou,G (1893)-Loukeris,A Ermioni Argolidas 2005 1-0 (47)}) 11... h6 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. f4 Qc7 14. f5 Bd7 15. a4 Bc6 16. Bc4 O-O 17. b4 b5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Bb3 Qb6 20. Qf3 Qd4 21. Qd3 Qxb4 22. Rf3 Qc5 23. Rg3 Rfd8 24. Nf1 b4 25. Na4 {Feliz Segura,R (1895)-Polanco Nunez,Y (2205) Santo Domingo 2016 0-1 (31)}) 11. Nc4 {Attacks the backward pawn on d6. White threatens to win material: Nc4xd6} Qc7 12. Ne3 Rfd8 13. Kh1 {White has an active position} (13. Ncd5 Bxd5 14. Bxf6 Nxf6 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Qxd5 Rac8 $14) 13... h6 {Black threatens to win material: h6xg5} (13... Rac8 14. Kg1 $11) 14. Bh4 {White has an active position} (14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Ncd5 Qc5 $14) 14... Nb6 ( 14... Re8 15. Kg1 $11) 15. Bg3 (15. a4 $5 $14 {is worth looking at}) 15... Rac8 16. Qd2 (16. Bd3 d5 17. Nexd5 Nfxd5 18. exd5 Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Rxd5 $11) 16... Nc4 (16... d5 17. exd5 Nfxd5 18. Ncxd5 Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Bxd5 20. Bd3 $17) 17. Nxc4 ( 17. Bxc4 Bxc4 18. Rfe1 b5 $11) 17... Bxc4 $15 18. Rad1 b5 19. a3 a5 20. Bd3 ( 20. Nxb5 Bxb5 21. Bxb5 Nxe4 $17) 20... b4 $17 21. axb4 axb4 22. Ne2 Bxd3 (22... d5 23. exd5 Rxd5 24. Qe1 $17) 23. cxd3 d5 (23... Qc2 24. f4 $17) 24. Rc1 (24. f4 Qc2 25. fxe5 Qxd2 26. Rxd2 Nh5 27. exd5 Bg5 $15) 24... Qb8 25. Qe3 (25. exd5 $5 Rxd5 26. d4 $17) 25... dxe4 26. dxe4 Rxc1 (26... Qb5 27. h3 $17) 27. Rxc1 Qd6 (27... Nh5 28. Qf3 g6 29. Ng1 $17) 28. h3 {Covers g4} (28. Ng1 Qd2 29. Bxe5 Nxe4 30. Qxd2 Rxd2 $15) 28... Nh5 $17 29. Bh2 $4 {another step towards the grave} (29. Ra1 $142 $17) 29... Bg5 $19 30. f4 Nxf4 31. Rf1 (31. Nxf4 exf4 32. e5 $19) 31... Nxg2 $1 {Discovered attack: f4, Bg5xe3} 32. Qf3 (32. Kxg2 Bxe3 { Discovered attack}) 32... Nf4 $1 {the end of the story} 33. Nxf4 (33. Nxf4 exf4 {Passed pawn}) (33. Bxf4 exf4 {Passed pawn}) 33... exf4 ({Inferior is} 33... Bxf4 34. Bxf4 exf4 35. e5 $19) 34. Bxf4 (34. h4 {praying for a miracle} Bxh4 35. Qxf4 $19) 34... Bxf4 35. Qxf4 Qxf4 36. Rxf4 Rd2 37. Rf5 (37. b3 {otherwise it's curtains at once} Rd3 38. Kh2 Rxb3 39. Rf5 $19) 37... Rxb2 38. Rb5 b3 ( 38... Kf8 $5 {seems even better} 39. Rb6 $19) 39. Rb4 Kh7 40. Rb6 f6 41. Rb5 Kg6 42. Kg1 Re2 (42... Re2 43. Rxb3 Rxe4 $19) 0-1