B50 Sicilian: 2...d6, Miscellaneous (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.h3)

This game is just one more addition to the countless games I have played where I give the advantage to my opponent and then at some point they are kind enough to give the advantage back. Of course they are not doing that on purpose and this does happen the other way around as well. I lost games last year that I should have won but did not because I could not see some one move threat that my opponents made against me. This year has not started mistake free either and already I have made idiotic blunders that I really should not make anymore. I have added 3 mate in two puzzles, one mate in 8 and one mate in three puzzle.

[Event "Corr game 15.11.2010-13.1.2011"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2010.11.15"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "stevemcc"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B50"] [WhiteElo "1831"] [BlackElo "1518"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "2010.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 {B50 Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin} Nf6 4. h3 { B50 Sicilian: 2...d6, Miscellaneous} e5 5. Bb5+ (5. Bd3 Be7 6. Bc2 O-O 7. d4 Nc6 8. dxc5 dxc5 9. Qe2 Qc7 10. O-O h6 11. Nh4 Re8 12. Nf5 Bxf5 13. exf5 e4 14. Nd2 Bd8 15. Nxe4 Nxe4 16. Bxe4 Qe5 17. Re1 Bc7 18. g3 Qf6 19. Qc2 Re7 {Hofmann, T (2259)-Lentjes,N (2239) Schwarzach 2016 1/2-1/2 (57)}) 5... Nc6 $146 (5... Bd7 6. Bxd7+ Nbxd7 (6... Qxd7 7. d3 Nc6 8. c4 Be7 9. Bg5 Nh5 10. Bxe7 Nxe7 11. g3 g6 12. Nc3 O-O 13. Nh4 Ng7 14. Qd2 Ne6 15. O-O Nd4 16. Kg2 f6 17. Ne2 g5 18. Nxd4 cxd4 19. Nf3 Ng6 20. Nh2 Kg7 21. Qa5 {Olle,P (2248)-Szalanczy,E (2354) Hungary 2010 1-0 (39)}) 7. d3 Be7 8. Be3 O-O 9. Nbd2 Qc7 10. g4 Nb6 11. c4 a6 12. Nf1 Nc8 13. Ng3 b5 14. b3 Rb8 15. g5 Nd7 16. h4 f6 17. Nh2 Qd8 18. Qg4 fxg5 19. hxg5 Rf4 20. Bxf4 {Popov,A (1791)-Gantsevich,A (1599) St Petersburg 2012 1-0}) (5... Nbd7 6. Qe2 Be7 7. d4 O-O 8. O-O a6 9. Bxd7 Nxd7 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Rd1 Qe8 12. c4 Bd8 13. Nc3 Nb8 14. Be3 b6 15. b4 cxb4 16. Nd5 Nd7 17. Nxb4 a5 18. Nd5 Ba6 19. Rab1 Rc8 20. Nd2 {Glek,I (2528)-Kondenko,A (2238) Voronezh 2010 1-0 (31)}) 6. O-O Qb6 {0.80/18} (6... Nxe4 $11 {0.00/23} 7. Re1 f5) 7. Qe2 {-0.23/22} (7. Na3 $16 {0.80/18}) 7... Bd7 {0.48/19} (7... Be7 $11 {-0.23/22}) 8. Na3 {0.00/23} (8. c4 $14 {0.48/19 is more appropriate.}) 8... a6 {0.58/20} ( 8... Be7 $11 {0.00/23}) 9. Bc4 {0.12/22} (9. Ba4 $14 {0.58/20}) 9... Be7 10. Nc2 {-0.51/21} (10. d3 $14 {0.50/21}) 10... Qc7 {0.60/20} (10... Na5 $1 $15 { -0.51/21}) 11. a4 {-0.11/22} ({White should try} 11. Ne3 $14 {0.60/20}) 11... O-O {0.70/18} (11... Na5 $11 {-0.11/22}) 12. d4 {-0.56/19} (12. Ne3 $14 { 0.70/18}) 12... cxd4 {0.19/20} (12... Na5 $15 {-0.56/19} 13. dxe5 dxe5) 13. cxd4 $11 exd4 {0.09/22} (13... Rae8 $15 {-0.46/21}) 14. Ncxd4 Ne5 {0.52/19} ( 14... Bd8 $11 {-0.24/23}) 15. Bb3 $14 b5 {0.88/20} (15... Rfe8 $11 {0.11/21 remains equal.}) 16. axb5 axb5 17. Rxa8 Rxa8 18. Bd2 {0.15/22} (18. Nxb5 Nxf3+ 19. gxf3 Qc5 $17) (18. Nf5 $16 {1.00/20} Bxf5 19. exf5) 18... Qb7 {0.70/19} ( 18... Nc4 $11 {0.15/22}) 19. Re1 {0.29/22} (19. Bg5 $14 {0.70/19}) 19... Re8 $11 20. Bg5 {0.09/24} (20. Nxe5 $14 {0.64/21} dxe5 21. Nf3) 20... Bd8 21. Nh4 { -0.74/18} (21. Nxe5 $14 {0.35/24 stays ahead.} Rxe5 22. Bxf6 Bxf6 23. Bd5) 21... h6 {0.09/23} (21... Nc4 $1 $17 {-0.74/18} 22. Qf3 d5) 22. Bxf6 Bxf6 23. Nhf5 Qb6 24. Qe3 $2 {-1.95/19} (24. Rd1 $11 {0.09/27}) 24... Nc4 $19 25. Bxc4 { -2.33/21} (25. Qd3 $142 {-1.79/24}) 25... bxc4 26. Re2 {-3.23/18} (26. Nc2 $142 {-2.22/26} Qxb2 27. Nxd6 Qxc2 28. Nxe8 Bxe8 29. Rc1) 26... Ra8 {-1.58/23} ( 26... d5 $1 $19 {-3.23/18} 27. f3 (27. exd5 Rxe3) 27... Kh7) 27. f4 {-2.74/20} (27. Nf3 $17 {-1.58/23} Ra1+ 28. Kh2) 27... Bxf5 $2 {-0.09/24} ({Black should play} 27... Ra2 $19 {-2.74/20} 28. Nf3 Qxe3+ 29. Rxe3 Bxb2) 28. Nxf5 $11 Qxe3+ 29. Nxe3 $19 {Endgame KRB-KRN} Bd4 30. Kf2 Re8 31. Kf3 Bxe3 32. Kxe3 $14 {KR-KR } d5 33. Kd4 dxe4 34. Rxe4 Rb8 35. Re2 $1 (35. Kxc4 $6 Rxb2 36. g3 g6 $11) 35... Rc8 36. Rc2 g5 $2 {3.06/21} (36... Rd8+ $16 {0.89/28 was necessary.} 37. Kxc4 Rc8+ 38. Kd3 Rb8) 37. f5 $2 {0.85/30} ({But not} 37. Rxc4 $6 Rb8 $18) (37. b4 $18 {3.06/21 has better winning chances.}) 37... Kg7 $2 {3.65/20} (37... Rb8 $16 {0.85/30}) 38. b4 $18 ({Not} 38. Rxc4 Rd8+ 39. Kc3 Kf6 $16) 38... Kf6 39. g4 ({Don't do} 39. Rxc4 $6 Rd8+ 40. Kc5 Rc8+ 41. Kd5 Rd8+ 42. Kc6 Rc8+ 43. Kb5 Ra8 $18) 39... h5 {4.96/22} (39... Rb8 {3.25/25 might work better.} 40. Rxc4 Rd8+ 41. Kc5 Rc8+ 42. Kb5 Ra8 43. Rc6+ Ke5 44. Rxh6 Kd5) 40. b5 hxg4 41. hxg4 Ke7 42. Rxc4 Rd8+ 43. Ke5 {[#] And now Rc7+ would win.} f6+ 44. Ke4 Rd6 { 15.12/21} (44... Rd1 $142 {5.04/27} 45. b6 Rb1) 45. Rb4 Rb6 46. Kd5 Kd7 47. Kc5 Kc7 48. Re4 {[#] White wants to mate with Re7+.} Rb8 49. Re7+ {Accuracy: White = 30%, Black = 14%.} 1-0

B17 Caro-Kann: Modern Line (4...Nd7) (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Ng3 e6 7.Bd3)

This was the game that raised me to my peak rating of 2197 at Queen Alice Internet Chess Club. It is the highest rating that I have ever had anywhere. It did not last a long time there as I drew the next game only some moments later after this game had finished. I have added one more puzzle to the following pages: mate in one, two, four, five and six. I had 300 games in progress for a few hours on January 12th 2015 but now I only have 288 games in progress so maybe my game load will start to ease up with a nice pace. I hope this will continue in the following days and weeks. Especially if the results keep going as well in the last 12 games, I got 11 wins and one draw out of them. I know there are a few games that I am quite likely losing, so there will be some dives at some point. Today my rating at Red Hot Pawn climbed to its peak and now the rating there is 1873.

[Event "Challenge"] [Site "http://www.queenalice.com/gam"] [Date "2014.11.27"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Aspayne"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B17"] [WhiteElo "2191"] [BlackElo "1976"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "45"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Ng3 {B17 Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation. Modern Variation Kasparov Attack} e6 7. Bd3 { 0.00/19 B17 Caro-Kann: Modern Line (4...Nd7)} (7. a4 $14 {0.43/17 deserves consideration.}) 7... Qb6 {1.27/18} (7... c5 $11 {0.00/19}) (7... b6 8. O-O Bb7 9. Qe2 Be7 10. Re1 c5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. Ne4 Bxe4 13. Bxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 O-O 15. Bg5 Be7 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Rad1 Nf6 18. Qe2 Rfd8 19. c3 Rxd1 20. Rxd1 Rd8 21. Ne5 Rd6 22. Nc4 {Sharashenidze,A (2238)-Zubov,A (2479) Artek 1999 0-1 (58)}) 8. O-O {0.64/20} (8. a4 $16 {1.27/18}) 8... Bd6 $146 {1.68/18} (8... c5 $14 { 0.64/20} 9. c3 cxd4 10. cxd4 (10. Nxd4 Be7 11. Re1 O-O 12. Qc2 Nc5 13. Ngf5 Bd8 14. Nh6+ Kh8 15. b4 Nxd3 16. Qxd3 gxh6 17. Bxh6 Rg8 18. Re5 Ng4 19. Rb5 Qc7 20. Rh5 Nxh6 21. Rxh6 Rg6 22. Rh5 Bd7 23. Rd1 Bf6 24. Qh3 Rg7 {Villanueva Garciacano,M (2000)-Padilla Liceaga,J (2165) Mexico 1999 0-1 (38)}) 10... g6 11. Qe2 (11. Rb1 Bg7 12. Bd2 O-O 13. a4 Qd8 14. b4 b6 15. Bf4 Bb7 16. Qe2 Nd5 17. Bg5 Qe8 18. Rfc1 Rc8 19. Bd2 N7f6 20. Bb5 Qe7 21. Bc4 Rfd8 22. Ne5 Nd7 23. Nf3 N7f6 24. b5 Qd6 25. Ne5 Nc7 {Luna Cortes,L-Bravo,A Spain 1999 1-0 (33)}) 11... Bg7 12. Rd1 O-O 13. Bc4 Nd5 14. Ne4 N7f6 15. Ne5 Qc7 16. Bg5 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 f6 18. Rac1 Qd6 19. Bh4 fxe5 20. Bg3 Nf6 21. Qh4 Qb6 22. Bb3 exd4 23. Be5 Nd5 {Cuevas Silva,A (2025)-Bravo Carvajal,A (1990) Barcelona 2001 1/2-1/2 (55)} ) 9. Ne2 $2 {-0.03/23 [#]} ({Better is} 9. c4 $18 {1.68/18}) 9... O-O $11 { The position is equal.} 10. c4 {-0.16/20} ({White should try} 10. Ng3 $14 { 0.65/19}) 10... c5 {0.33/21} (10... Qd8 $11 {-0.16/20}) 11. b3 {-0.11/18} (11. Bc2 $1 $14 {0.33/21}) 11... e5 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Bxe5 14. Rb1 Rd8 15. Qc2 {-0.78/24} (15. Ng3 $11 {-0.29/23}) 15... g6 $2 {1.28/24} (15... Qd6 $17 { -0.78/24 keeps the pressure on.} 16. f4 Bd4+ 17. Kh1 b6) 16. Bf4 $2 {-0.36/24} (16. f4 $1 $16 {1.28/24} Nd5 17. fxe5) 16... Rxd3 $2 {1.76/21} (16... Bxf4 $15 {-0.36/24 stays ahead.} 17. Nxf4 Qc7) 17. Bxe5 $18 ({Worse is} 17. Qxd3 Bf5 $11 ) 17... Bf5 {[#] Strongly threatening ...Rd7.} 18. Qb2 {0.48/23} (18. Rbe1 $1 $16 {1.60/19}) 18... Ne8 $2 {2.04/21} (18... Nd7 $14 {0.48/23}) 19. Rbc1 Rad8 { 1.96/20} (19... f6 $16 {1.37/21}) 20. Nf4 Rd2 21. Qa3 {1.40/23} (21. Qa1 $18 { 1.96/21}) 21... Qc6 {2.46/20} (21... Nc7 $16 {1.40/23 might work better.} 22. Rfe1 Be6) 22. Nd5 ({Weaker is} 22. Qxa7 R2d7 $16) 22... Be4 $2 {11.19/17} ( 22... R8xd5 {2.38/24} 23. cxd5 Rxd5) 23. Ne7+ {Accuracy: White = 27%, Black = 22%.} 1-0