1. e4 e5 2. f4 d6 2... Bc5 is a more active way to decline the Kings Gambit. White cannot capture e5 immediately due to the check on h4. 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. Bc4 4. Bb5 keeps up the pressure on e5. 4... h6 4... Be7 would cover g5 with a developing move. 5. O-O Nf6 6. d3 White has a slight edge due to his activity. 6... Bg4 7. Nc3 7. c3 stops the coming incursion. 7... Nd4 This counterplay gives Black equality. 8. Be3 8. fxe5 8... Nxf3+ 9. Rxf3 White sacs an exchange rather than double the pawns. This sacrifice is not fully justified. 9. gxf3 9... Bxf3 There is no reason to capture right away since the pin styfles Whites play. 9... Be7 10. Qxf3 c6 11. Rf1 Be7 12. fxe5 dxe5 13. Qf5 Qd6 14. Ne2 O-O Castling into trouble. 14... g6 15. Qf3 Rh7 15. d4 Qd7 16. Qg6 Qg4 16... Kh8 17. Bxf7 Ng4 18. Bd2 exd4 17. Rxf6 I saw this wild position on the board and noticed the resource that Black misses. 17... Qxg6 17... Qxe2 18. Bxe2 fxg6 when Black is better! 18. Rxg6 Kh7 19. Rg3 Bd6 20. Rf3 exd4 21. Bxd4 Rae8 22. Ng3 Re7 and the extra piece eventually spelled victory for White. 1-0

This game is a bit one-sided.

1. Nf3 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. c4 c5 5. d5 e6 6. Be2 exd5 7. cxd5 Nf6 8. Nc3 a6 9. O-O 9. a4 is the typical reaction here to keep Blacks queenside at bay. 9... O-O 9... b5 10. h3 10. a4 10... b5 11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. Bf4 Qc7 13. Rfe1 Rb8 13... Re8 14. Rab1 Re8 15. b3 losing the e-pawn. 15. Bf1 15... b4 16. Na4 Rxe4 17. Bh2 Bb7 18. Bc4 Rbe8 19. Rxe4 Nxe4 20. Re1 Ndf6 21. Bd3 dropping a second pawn. 21... Bxd5 22. Nd2 22. Bxa6 22... Nxd2 22... Qc6 23. Nc4 23. Rxe8+ Nxe8 24. Qxd2 Qc6 25. Bf1 Bd4 26. Qe2 a5 26... Nf6 27. Qe7 Be6 27... c4 28. Qd8 Kg7 29. Qxa5 Nf6 29... Bxh3 30. gxh3 Qf3 30. Qd8 30. Qa6 30... Ne4 31. Qh4 dropping the queen. 31. Bf4 31... Bxf2+ 32. Kh1 for nothing. 32. Qxf2 Nxf2 33. Kxf2 c4 32... Bxh4 0-1

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 The Ruy Lopez. 3... a6 Morphy 4. Ba4 b5 4... Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 is a better way to get to the same place. 5. Bb3 Nf6 6. O-O 6. Ng5 d5 7. exd5 Nd4 doesnt accomplish anything but 6. d4 exd4 7. e5 Ne4 8. Bd5 Nc5 9. Nxd4 looks good for White. 6... Be7 Back to the main line. 7. Re1 O-O 8. c3 d5 The Marshall Gambit 9. exd5 e4 9... Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 is the modern line. 10. dxc6 exf3 11. Qxf3 11. d4 fxg2 12. Qf3 is the subtle move order that works best. 11... Bg4 12. Qe3 ? Surprisingly, this move loses material. 12. Qg3 12... Re8 13. d4 13. f3 Bc5 13... Bd6 14. Qd2 Bf4 ! White starts to exploit the weak back rank that is so critical in the Marshall. 15. Rxe8+ ? The longer White tries to hold his material advantage, the worse it gets for him. 15. Re3 Bxe3 16. fxe3 gives Black a clear advantage. 15... Qxe8 16. Qd3 Qe1+ 17. Qf1 Bxh2+ 0-1

1. c4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 e6 3... c5 4. Nf3 d5 We are now in a Queens Gambit Declined where Black has fianchettoed his king bishop. He has also taken the time to open two diagonals for his king bishop. (f8-a3, f8-h6) 5. Bg5 f6 6. Bf4 a6 6... Ne7 7. e4 Ne7 7... dxe4 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Nxd5 9. exd5 9... Nxd5 10. exd5 Qxd5 11. Bxc7 White has won a pawn, but Black gains some counterplay against d4. 11... O-O 12. Be2 12. Rc1 is premature. 12... Re8+ 13. Be2 Qxa2 12... Nc6 13. O-O 13. h3 13... Bg4 14. Bb6 f5 15. h3 Bh5 16. b3 16. Rc1 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Qxa2 16... Kh8 17. Bc4 Qd7 18. Qd3 18. d5 Bxf3 18... Bxf3 19. Qxf3 Rfe8 19... Nxd4 regains equality. 20. Rad1 Nxd4 but it is a bit riskier here. 21. Qd3 Re4 21... Ne2+ 22. Qxe2 Qc6 23. Be3 f4 24. Bd5 Qc7 25. Rc1 Qe7 wins back the piece but leaves Black down a pawn. 22. f3 Ne2+ winning a full rook. 22... Rf4 was the only move. 23. g3 Qc6 24. gxf4 Qxb6 22... Rh4 is refuted by 23. f4 23. Qxe2 Rxe2 24. Rxd7 Rxa2 25. Rfd1 1-0 [Bauer,R]

1. e4 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 White intends to play a Closed Sicilian with the c-pawn in front of the Nc3. Black takes a firm grip on d4. The alternative would be to play for an early ...d5. 3... e6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 e6 6. Nge2 Nge7 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 a6 8... d6 may be a bit better. Black will then continue with Rb8, b6 and Bb7. 9. Be3 Nd4 10. Rb1 10. Qd2 is a bit more popular. 10... Nec6 11. a3 d6 12. b4 Bd7? a simple blunder of the b-pawn. 13. f4 After long thought Dave declines my generousity. He explained that Black gets counterplay that leads to an unclear position. When it comes to snatching material, I reverse the "burden of proof" and take it unless I see a clear reason not to. 13. bxc5 dxc5 14. Rxb7 Ne5 was the problem he saw, but White could then make a promising exchange sacrifiice. 15. Nxd4 cxd4 16. Bxd4 Bc6 17. Bxe5 Bxb7 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. d4 13... Qe7?! 14. Bf2 14. bxc5 dxc5 15. Rxb7 Rfb8 gives Black some play on the b-file. 14... Rab8 15. Nxd4 Nxd4 15... Bxd4 16. Ne2 Nxe2+ 17. Qxe2 Rfc8 18. Rfd1 b5 19. e5 a very strong move that unleashes the two bishops on Blacks queenside. 19... cxb4 20. axb4 20. Ba7 bxa3 20... Bc6 21. c5 Bxg2 22. Kxg2 22. cxd6 Qb7 22... dxe5 23. fxe5 Qc7 23... Qb7+ 24. Kg1 Qd5 25. d4 24. d4 a5 25. bxa5 Qxa5 White is now better due to the weak b-pawn, but he misses the oportunity to double rooks on it. 26. Be1 26. Rb2 26... Qc7 27. Kg1 27. Rb4 27... Qc6 28. Ra1 f6 This break gives Black equality. 29. exf6 Bxf6 30. Ra7 Ra8 with his Rd1 tied to the defense of d4, White cannot maintain the rook on a7. 31. Rxa8 Rxa8 32. Qg2 Qxg2+ 33. Kxg2 Kf7 33... Ra2+ 34. Rd2 Rxd2+ 35. Bxd2 Kf7 (35... Bxd4 36. c6 Bb6 (36... Be5 37. Ba5) 37. Bf4) 34. Kf3 Ra2 35. Ke4 35. h3 35... Rxh2 See my previous note about grabbing material. It is clear here that the c5 pawn will be a real problem, but my pawn grabbing on the kingside gives me just enough counterplay. 36. Ra1 g5 36... Rc2 37. Ra7+ Be7 38. Kd3 Rc4 39. Bd2 37. Ra7+ Kg6 38. Kd3 This strong move keeps White in control. I was hoping for 38. c6 Re2+ 39. Kd3 Rxe1 38... Rh1 39. Bd2 Rg1 40. c6 Rxg3+ 41. Be3 Bd8 42. Rd7 42. c7 Bxc7 43. Rxc7 h5 would seem to give Black the better winning chances, so... 42... Ba5 43. Ra7 1/2-1/2 [Bauer,R]