Eastgate March Swiss

"One bad move nullifies forty good ones." -- I.A. Horowitz. Black plays a strong game until he blunders at move 34.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 h6 6. Bf4 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bd7 8. a3 O-O 9. Bd3 Na5 10. cxd5?!

With three of Black's minor pieces dominating the queenside, the minority attack which typically comes from this exchange would be difficult.

10... exd5 11. O-O Bd6 12. Bxd6 cxd6 13. Rc1 Rc8 14. b4 Nc4 15. Bxc4 dxc4 16. e4

Preventing defense of the passed pawn at c4 with ... d5.

16... Bc6 17. d5 Bd7 18. a4

Likewise stopping ... b5.

18... Re8 19. Re1 Nh5 20. Nd2 Nf4 21. Re3 Nd3 22. Rb1 Ne5 23. Qe2 Ng4 24. Rg3 Qh4 25. h3 Ne5 26. Nf3 Qf6 27. Nxe5 Qxe5 28. Rc1 f5! 29. Re3 f4 30. Rf3 g5 31. g4 fxg3 32. Rxg3 Qf4 33. Rc2 Bf5 34. Qf3 Bxe4??

Black forgets his g5 pawn is pinned.

35. Qxf4 Bxc2 36. Qxd6 Re1+ 37. Kg2 Be4+ 38. Nxe4 Rxe4 39. Qg6+ 1-0

White loses a piece in the opening and never recovers.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7

Through 5. Bb5 this game is the same as the one we had played just four days previously. In that game I allowed White to double my pawns with 5... a6 I wasn't too fond of that position so I varied here.

6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. c4? dxc4

Black's bishop now has free reign along the long diagonal.

8. Be3?? cxd4 9. Nf3 dxe3 10. Qxd8+ Rxd8 11. O-O Bc5 12. Rc1 exf2+ 13. Kf1 Bb5

Threatening 14... c3#

14. Nc3 Ba6 15. Ng5 Ne7 16. Nge4 Rc8 17. Nxc5 Rxc5 18. Kxf2 Rxe5 19. Re1 Rxe1 20. Rxe1 O-O 21. Ne4 Rd8 22. Nc5 Rd6 23. Re4 g6 24. Nxa6 Rxa6 25. Rxc4 Rxa2 26. Rc7 Rxb2+ 27. Kg3 Nf5+ 28. Kh3 a5 29. g4 Ne3 30. Kh4 Rxh2+ 31. Kg5 Kg7 32. Rxb7 Rg2 33. Kf4 Nxg4 34. Kf3 Rg1 35. Rb5 a4 36. Rb4 a3 37. Ra4 h5 38. Rxa3 h4 39. Kf4 Rg3 40. Ra2 f5?

40... Kf6

41. Kg5 Ne5+ 42. Kxh4 Rg4+ 43. Kh3 Kf6 44. Ra7 g5 45. Ra8 Rh4+ 46. Kg3 f4+ 47. Kf2 Kf5 48. Rf8+ Ke4 49. Rf6? Ng4+ 0-1

A fairly even game until white finds a winning combination.

1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Bg5 b6 7. Bd3 c5 8. d5 Nbd7 9. O-O Re8 10. Re1 e6 11. Nb5 exd5 12. exd5 Ne5 13. Bf4 Nxd3 14. Qxd3 Bf5 15. Qd1 Rxe1+ 16. Qxe1 Ne4 17. Qe2 a6 18. Na3 Qd7 19. Re1 Re8 20. Nb1 Kf8 21. Nbd2 Nxd2 22. Bxd6+! Kg8 23. Qxe8+ Qxe8 24. Rxe8+ Bf8 25. Bxf8 1-0

My first time playing Alekhine's defense in a tournament game. I lose a piece in the opening, but for the second time in this tournament, win when my opponent forgets that the piece defending his queen is pinned.

1. e4 Nf6 2. Bc4 b6? 3. e5 Ne4??

3... Ng8 is required to avoid losing a piece.

4. Bd5 Nxf2 5. Kxf2 Nc6 6. d4 e6 7. Bxc6 dxc6 8. Nf3 Be7 9. Nc3 h6 10. Be3 g5 11. h3 f5 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. Ne5 Bxe5 14. Qh5+ Ke7 15. dxe5 Qf8+ 16. Qf3 Qg7 17. Qxc6 Rf8+ 18. Ke2 Ba6+ 19. Nb5 Qxe5 20. Qxc7+?? Qxc7 21. Kd2 Bxb5 0-1