I was still hoping to compete in a national championship, and due to my mindset of missing my last chance of competing for the national championship (k-9), (even though these national championships are grossly populated in the south which would be an investment to travel to Texas which is a little unfair in my opinion PUT SOME IN THE NORTH LIKE CHICAGO OR CINCINNATI) ahem where was I,oh yea so long story short I convinced my Mom for the national game 60 in CHICAGO. So anyway 1st round featured a matchup of a 1549 easy right? wrong
1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
6.Bg5
I like this line in the Najdorf with all of the pins.
6...e6
7.Qd2
Be7
8.0-0-0
castling early to help plan my attack
8...b5
planning his attack as well
9.a3
Bb7
a new line that I have not seen before and struggled to adapt to.
10.f3
Nbd7
11.Re1
Nc5
12.h4
Rc8
at this point I think black has a big advantage
13.g4
Qb6
14.b4
I didn't want to give him 2 open lines [14.Be3
b4
15.axb4
Qxb4
]
14...Ncd7
15.Be3
Qc7
16.Nd1
Ne5
now instead of winning black is crushing with the activity of his pieces.
17.g5
Nxf3!
A great move
18.Nxf3
Nxe4
19.Qd3
Ng3
20.Rg1
Be4
21.Qb3
Qxc2+
22.Qxc2
Rxc2+
23.Kb1
Rf2+
24.Ka1
Rxf3
25.Bg2
ah ha a saving move
25...Nf5
26.Bxf3
Bxf3
27.Bf2
Kd7
28.Ne3
Nxe3
29.Rxe3
Bd5
30.Rc3
Rc8
31.Rxc8
Kxc8
I decided to take this option because the c-file can be easily defended.
32.Kb2
Kd7
33.Rd1
Bc4
34.Bd4
f6
35.gxf6
Bxf6
36.Bxf6
gxf6
37.Rg1
ah ha another pawn pickup and slowly getting back in the game
37...e5
38.Rg7+
Ke6
39.Rxh7
e4
40.Kc3
f5
41.Kd4
Bd3
42.Ke3
Ke5
43.Re7+
Kf6
44.Re8
d5
45.Rf8+
Ke5
46.h5
d4+
47.Kd2
Kf4
48.h6
Bc4
49.h7
e3+
50.Ke1
d3
51.Rd8!
can't get a queen just yet [51.h8Q
d2+
52.Kd1
Bb3+
53.Ke2
d1Q#
]
51...d2+
52.Rxd2
exd2+
53.Kxd2
Kg3
54.h8Q
f4
and due to time I couldn't keep score anymore. 1-0