Challenge Companion #2

March 2-4, 2001










 

Queen's Gambit Declined/Ragozin SystemD38/09

C. Carroll (1299) - J. Kimpel (UNR)

Challenge Companion #2 (Round 1, 40/90 20/30)
Logansport, Indiana USA - March 2, 2001


Black, playing in his first tournament, plays a solid opening but runs into some trouble in the middle game.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nc6 7. a3 Bd6 8. Bd3 b6 9. O-O a5 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Nb5 Bg4 12. Be2 Be7 13. h3 Be6 14. Bf4 Nh5 15. Nxc7 Rc8 16. Nxe6 fxe6 17. Be5 Bd6 18. Bxd6 Qxd6 19. Rc1 Ne7 20. Ne5 Rxc1 21. Qxc1 Nf5 22. Bxh5 Qb8 23. Nd7 Qd8 24. Nxf8 Qxf8 25. Qc6 Qd8 26. Qxe6+ Kf8 27. Qf7# 1-0










 

Queen's Gambit Declined/Neo-Orthodox Variation/Early ...h6D53/14

C. Carroll (1299) - G. Kamber (1808)

Challenge Companion #2 (Round 2, 40/90 20/30)
Logansport, Indiana USA - March 3, 2001


A fairly quiet, solid game.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. e3 h6 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Bd3 c5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. O-O cxd4 11. Nxd4 Nc6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Rc1 Rb8 14. b3 Bd7 15. Na4 Qe7 16. Nc5 Be8 17. Rc2 Be5 18. Re1 Bd6 19. Qc1 f5 20. f4 Bxc5 21. Rxc5 Bd7 22. g3 Rfe8 23. Kf2 Kh8 24. Qc3 Rb6 25. b4 Reb8 26. a3 Re8 27. Ra5 Bc8

I looked at 28. Qc5 but couldn't see that I gained much if Black decided not to trade queens. Even with the queens off the board, I thought the position looked drawish--I might get a bit more play, but with the pin on Black's g-pawn released he can defend his f-pawn with ... g6, so I lose the pressure there. I decided to go for the quick draw.

28. Rc5 Bd7 29. Ra5 Bc8 30. Rc5 Bd7 1/2-1/2










 

French Defense/Tarrasch/Open Variation/4. c3C07/02

F. Owens (1455) - C. Carroll (1299)

Challenge Companion #2 (Round 3, 40/90 20/30)
Logansport, Indiana USA - March 3, 2001


1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Ngf3 Nf6 6. exd5 exd5 7. Bb5 Bd6 8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 Bg4 10. Qc2 cxd4 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Nxd4 c5 13. Nf5 Re8! 14. Rxe8+ Qxe8 15. Nxd6 Qe1+ 16. Nf1 Be2 17. h3 Qxf1+ 18. Kh2 Qxf2 19. Bd2?

White wants to get his rook over to defend, but this move prevents the queen from helping in the defense. Without this move, Black will have trouble maneuvering his queen and bishop without losing one or the other.

19... Bf3 20. Rg1 Ng4+ 21. Kh1

21. hxg4? Qh4#

21... Qg3 22. Bf4 Qxh3+ 0-1










 

French DefenseC00/01

B. Parham (2051) - C. Carroll (1299)

Challenge Companion #2 (Round 4, 40/90 20/30)
Logansport, Indiana USA - March 4, 2001


My reward for scoring 2.5 in the first three rounds of the tournament was to face a former Indiana State Champion. Here he shows why he has a reputation as a tactical player.

1. e4 e6 2. Qh5

In Indiana, 1. e4 followed by 2. Qh5 is half-jokingly known as the "Parham Attack."

2... Nf6 3. Qh4 d5 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Qg3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. f4 b6 8. Nf3 Bb7 9. d4 Qe7 10. Na3 a6 11. Bd2 c4 12. Bxc4!

Opening lines.

12... dxc4 13. Nxc4 Qd8

I've played the French enough to know that I can't allow a white knight at d6. But White gains tempi as he maneuvers the knight over to the kingside.

14. Ne3 Qc7 15. Ng5

Preventing 15... O-O-O

15... b5 16. O-O Nb6 17. f5

The final assault begins.

17... Bc8 18. Rf2 h6 19. fxe6 Bxe6 20. Nxe6 fxe6 21. Qg6+ Kd8 22. Qxe6 Qd7 23. Qg6 Nd5 24. e6 Qd6 25. Nf5 Qc7 26. Raf1 Nde7 27. Nxe7 Qxe7

27... Nxe7 28. Rxf8+

28. Rf7 Ne5

29. dxe5 Qc5+ 30. Kh1 Be7

29. Qe4! 1-0










 

Dutch Defense/Staunton Gambit/Staunton Varation/4... Nc6A83/10

C. Carroll (1299) - R. Blaine (1700)

Challenge Companion #2 (Round 5, 40/90 20/30)
Logansport, Indiana USA - March 4, 2001


Here I lose a piece in the early going of a Staunton gambit, which I only recently started playing, and don't have much to offer in the way of a defense afterwards.

1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nc6 5. Bxf6 exf6 6. Nxe4?

Too soon.

6... Qe7 7. Qh5+ g6 8. Qe2 Nxd4 9. Nxf6+ Kd8 10. Qxe7+ Bxe7

When I played 6. Nxe4 I had seen up to 10. Qxe7+, but then only looked at 10... Kxe7 11. Nd5+ followed by 12. Nb4 or(12. Ne3) stopping the fork at c2. I had missed the possibility of 10... Bxe7, winning a piece.

11. O-O-O Bxf6 12. c3 Nc6 13. Bb5 d6 14. Ne2 Bf5 15. Bd3 Bxd3 16. Rxd3 Re8 17. Re1 Bg5+ 18. Kc2 Ne5 19. Rg3 Bh4 20. Rh3 Bxf2 21. Rf1 Ng4 22. Kd2 Be3+ 23. Ke1 h5 24. Rh4 Bg5 25. Rh3 Kd7 26. Rhf3 Nxh2 27. Rf7+ Re7 28. Rxe7+ Kxe7 29. Rh1 Ng4 30. Rh3 Rf8 31. Rd3 Ne3 32. g3 Rf1+ 33. Kd2 Rd1# 0-1


Crosstable Index Palview Home ">Email