He misplaces pieces and I win!

My second English of the season and I managed a decisive win as Black ... I think that I managed to encourage my opponent to misplace his pieces which led to the victory.
As usual, any comments welcome ...

English ...

1. c4 e5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 c6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. d4 exd4 6. Nxd4 Qb6 7. Nb3 Nf6 8. Be3 Qb4+ 9. N1d2 Qe7 10. c5 Na6 11. Nc4 O-O 12. Qd6 Qxd6 13. Nxd6 Nb4 14. O-O Nc2 15. Rab1 Nxe3 16. fxe3 Ne8 17. Rf3 Nxd6 18. cxd6 Be5 19. Nd2 Bxd6 20. Nc4 Be7 21. Rbf1 d5 22. Ne5 Be6 23. a3 Bd6 24. Nd3 Rae8 25. h3 Bf5 26. g4 Be4 27. Rf6 Be7 28. R6f2 Bh4 29. Nc5 Bxf2+ 30. Rxf2 Re7 31. Bxe4 dxe4 32. Rf4 f5 33. Kg2 b6 34. Nb3 c5 35. Nd2 Rd7 36. Nc4 b5 37. Ne5 Rd2 38. Kf2 fxg4 39. hxg4 Rxf4 40. exf4 Rxb2 41. Nd7 c4 42. Nf6+ Kg7 43. Nxe4 Ra2 44. f5 gxf5 45. gxf5 Rxa3 46. f6 Kf8 47. Nd6 c3 48. Nxb5 0-1

PGN Viewer courtesy of http://chesstempo.com/

Trap in the Scandinavian ...

Here is a Knight Fork Queen Trap.

Center Counter: 3.Nc3

Here is a Nc3 line for the Scandinavian ...

Center Counter: Line (1) - from a GM

Here is a solid way to treat the center counter ...

As usual, any comments welcome ...

3.d4 avoiding 3.Nc3 ...

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. d4 e5 4. Be3 Nc6 5. c4 Qa5+ 6. Bd2 Bb4 7. d5 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2! Qxd2! 9. Kxd2 Nd4 10. Nc3 f6 11. Re1 Ne7 12. f4!? exf4 13. Re4 Ndf5 14. Rxf4 Bd7 15. Bd3 (Varga vs Savic 2002) 15...  O-O-O 16. Nf3!? g5 17. Re4 Ng6 18. c5 (White is better) 0-1

PGN Viewer courtesy of http://chesstempo.com/

Weak Pawn Structures Proves Fatal!!

Yes - another Center Counter ... and a win for Black, but this time I was punished for my 4.b4 pawn sac. My opponent declined the pawn :( and left me with an inferior pawn structure including a boxed-in Bishop imitating a big, fat clumsy pawn !!! My opponent got great Bishop activity and I got absolutely none ... My next post will outline a different approach to the Center Counter. Some recommendations from a Grand Master that I ought to follow if I want to avoid this latest catastrophe ...

As usual, any comments welcome ...

Center Counter with Bishop Pairs ...

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. b4 Qe5+ 5. Qe2 Qxe2 6. Bxe2 c6 7. Bb2 Nf6 8. Nf3 Bg4 9. O-O e6 10. a3 Be7 11. Rfe1 O-O 12. Ne5 Bf5 13. d3 h6 14. Bf3 a6 15. Ne2 Nbd7 16. Nxd7 Nxd7 17. Ng3 Bg6 18. Bh5 Bh7 19. Bf3 Nf6 20. Rad1 Rad8 21. Nh5 Nxh5 22. Bxh5 c5 23. bxc5 Bxc5 24. d4 Ba7 25. c4 Bc2 26. Rc1 Ba4 27. c5 Bc6 28. h3 Bb8 29. Bg4 Bf4 30. Rc2 Bg5 31. Rc4 Bb5 32. Rb4? Bd2! 33. Rd1 Bxb4 34. axb4 Bc6 35. f4 Ra8 36. Ra1 Rfd8 37. Kf2 Rdb8 38. f5 exf5 39. Bxf5 Re8 40. g4 Re7 41. Bd3 Rae8 42. Kf1 Re3 43. Bc4 Rd8 44. Rd1 Rxh3 45. Rd2 Rh1+ 46. Ke2 Rh2 47. Kd3 Rxd2 48. Kxd2 Bd3 49. Re8 Be2 0-1

PGN Viewer courtesy of http://chesstempo.com/

Amateur Chess Goes Up-Market ...

If you want a taste of the high life and would like to take your chess to a new level, then you may be interested in entering the ACO World Amateur Chess Championship this year in Rhodes.  From what I can gather from looking at the website, the championship will be held in a very plush 4-star Hotel with a pool overlooking the beach!


http://www.amateurchess.com/world-amateur-chess-championship-rhodes-2014/