1. Nf3 d5 2. d3 Nf6 3. Nbd2 e6 3... Nc6 threatens ...e5. 4. Ne5 This foray invites exchanges. 4. e4 4... Bd6 5. f4 Loosens the kingside. 5. Ndf3 5... Bxe5 5... Nh5 punishes White for his indiscretions. 6. g3 (6. Ndf3 f6) 6... Nxf4 6. fxe5 Ng4 7. Nf3 d4 8. c3 Nc6 8... c5 9. cxd4 Nxd4 9... O-O 10. Qa4+ Nc6 This standard defense does not work here because of the loose Ng4. 11. Qxg4 g6 Whites extra piece, the black squared bishop, now becomes a monster. 11... Kf8 12. Bg5 Qd5 13. Qc4 A dance of the queens ensues, where White a piece up wants to trade and Black doesnt. 13... Qa5+ 14. Qc3 Qb6 15. a3 O-O Black castles into danger. 15... h6 16. Bf6 This sets up a powerful mating net, which White could have sealed by getting his queen on the c1-h6 diagonal. Observers at this point thought the game would be over very shortly. 16... a5 16... h6 17. Rb1 17. Qd2 17... Na7 18. Qc4 18. Qd2 18... Nb5 19. Qh4 19. Qf4 19... h5 20. Qg5 20. Qf4 leaves g5 available the the knight. 20... Kh7 21. Ng5+ Kg8 22. Nxe6 20... Kh7 21. g4 Nxa3 22. gxh5 22. Be7 22... Rg8 23. Rg1 23. hxg6+ Rxg6 24. Qh5+ Rh6 25. Qxf7# 23... Nc2+ 24. Kd1 24. Kd2 24... Ne3+ 25. Kd2 Nf5 26. Bh3 26. hxg6+ fxg6 27. Rg4 26... Qb4+ 27. Kd1 Qa4+ 28. Ke1 Qb4+ 29. Kf2 Nh6 30. Qc1 A very stong move, freeing g5 for the Nf3 and keeping the queen in play from a distance. 30... gxh5 31. d4 Rg6 32. Qc2 32. Rxg6 fxg6 (32... Kxg6 33. Qg5+) 33. Qxc7+ 32... Bd7 33. Rxg6 fxg6 34. Qxc7 34. Ng5+ Kg8 35. Qxg6+ Kf8 36. Nh7# 34... Qb5 35. Qd6 35. Ng5+ Kg8 36. Bxe6+ Kf8 37. Qd6+ Ke8 38. Qe7# 35... Re8 36. Ng5+ Kg8 37. Bxe6+ 37. Rc1 37... Bxe6 38. Nxe6 White has reached a lull in the attack, and now Black can start some counterplay. 38... Ng4+ 39. Kg3 With this misplacement of the king Blacks counterattack becomes unstoppable. 39. Kf1 39... Qb3+ This wins back the piece, but 39... Qxe2 !! wins the game! 40. Rh1 Qf2+ 41. Kh3 Ne3 40. Kh4 Nxf6 40... Qxe6 41. exf6 41. Ng5 clears an attack diagonal for the Qd6 and pins the Nf6 to mating threats. 41... Qxe6 41... Rxe6 fails to 42. Qd8+ Kf7 43. Qd7+ 42. Qxe6+ Rxe6 43. Kg5 Kf7 The king cannot help so Black should play 43... Rxe2 44. Rc1 ! This tactically secures the powerful f6 pawn. 44... Rxe2 44... Rxf6 45. Rc7+ Ke6 46. d5+ Ke5 47. Re7+ 45. Rc7+ Ke8 46. Kxg6 46. Rxb7 preserves the g6 pawn, which gives White the powerful threat of Kh6-g7. 46... Rxh2 47. d5 Rd2 48. Kh6 Kf8 49. d6 Rxd6 50. Kxg6 Rd8 51. Rh7 46... Rg2+ 47. Kxh5 Rxh2+ 48. Kg6 Rg2+ 49. Kf5 Rxb2 After all the preceding fireworks, this game will be decided from a roughly even endgame. 50. Ke6 50. d5 is more dir ect since the king cannot easily improve its position reletive to the Black rook. 50... Rb6+ 50... Re2+ 51. Kd6 Rb2 is another approach. 51. Ke5 a4 52. Rc1 52. Rc8+ Kf7 53. Ra8 Ra6 52. d5 a3 53. Rc8+ Kf7 54. Rc7+ 52... a3 53. d5 a2 54. Ra1 It seems odd to pacify the rook this way, but it can still get free later, with mating threats. 54... Ra6 54... Rb2 tries to keep the rook available to harrass the king from behind. 55. d6 b5 56. Ke6 Re2+ 57. Kd5 b4 58. Kc4 Rb2 59. Rf1 Rf2 is also equal. 55. d6 b5 55... Ra3 also holds. 56. Ke6 Ra7 ?? This is the losing move. The rook cannot respond to Whites coming attack. 56... b4 holds with the idea of sacrificing the rook for the unstoppable passed pawns. 57. f7+ (57. Rc1 Rxd6+ 58. Kxd6 Kf7 59. Ke5 b3 60. Rc7+ Kg8 61. Rc8+ Kh7 62. Rc7+) 57... Kf8 58. Rg1 Rxd6+ 59. Kxd6 Kxf7 looks winning for Black with the unstoppable pawns, but White could still draw by combing repetition and mate threats. 60. Rf1+ Kg6 (60... Ke8 61. Ke6 b3 62. Rh1 Kf8 63. Kf6 Kg8 64. Rg1+) 61. Ke6 b3 62. Rg1+ Kh5 63. Kf5 Kh4 64. Kf4 Kh3 65. Kf3 Kh4 (65... Kh2 66. Ra1) 66. Kf4 57. Rh1 White rehabilitates his rook with dramatic effect. Now everything happens with check and the a2 pawn cannot help. 57... Rf7 58. Rh8+ Rf8 59. d7+ 1-0 [Bauer,R]

1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 2. e5 accepts the Alekhine Defense. 2... e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 Now we have transposed into a Classic Four Knights Game. 4. a3 A very rare move in a position where it is very hard to determine Whites best. The most popular are 4. d4 The Scotch Four Knights. 4. g3 A very modern move. 4. Bb5 The Spanish Four Knights. 4... h6 5. b4 a6 6. Be2 Be7 6... d5 7. Bb2 b5 Both sides seem to be defending the Ruy Lopez. This is what happens when two counterpunchers do battle. 7... O-O 8. O-O O-O 9. d3 Bb7 10. Nd5!? White offers pawn structure for space. 10. h3 d6 would get us back to symetry. 10... d6 11. Nd2 Nxd5 12. exd5 Nd4 12... Nb8 13. c4 13. c4 Nxe2+ 13... Bg5 14. Qxe2 c6!? With this break, Black balances the game. 15. dxc6 Bxc6 16. Rac1 16. f4 16... Rc8 Here a long maneuvering battle ensues. Nothing seems to happen for the next twenty moves. It takes good nerves to play these kinds of positions. 17. Rc2 f5 18. Rfc1 Qd7 19. Re1 Bf6 20. f3 Rfe8 21. Qf2 Qb7 22. Ba1 Kf7 23. Rcc1 Re7 24. d4 Qa7 25. dxe5 Qxf2+ 26. Kxf2 dxe5 27. cxb5 axb5 28. Rc5 Bd7 29. Nb3 Rxc5 30. Nxc5 Be6? This drops the e-pawn. 31. Bxe5 and the unavoidable exchanges that follow give White a winable ending. 31... Bxe5 32. Rxe5 Bc4 33. Rxe7+ Kxe7 34. Ke3 This classic endgame drew a lot of attention at the club. 34... g5 35. g3 Kd6 36. Kd4 Bd5 37. f4 gxf4 38. gxf4 h5 38... Bc6 39. h4 39. a4 would have nice to get in at this point. After this, Black makes it more difficult. 39... Bc6 40. Nd3 Bd7 41. Ne5 41. Nc1 Be6 42. Ne2 Bf7 43. Nc3 (43. Ng3 Bg6) 43... Be8 41... Be6 42. Nd3 Bd5 43. Nc5 Bc6 stoping a4. 44. Nb3 44. Kc3 Kd5 45. Kb3 Kd4 46. a4 bxa4+ 47. Nxa4 Ke4 48. Nc3+ Kxf4 49. b5 Bxb5 44... Bd5 45. Na5 Ba8 46. a4!? White finally plays it as a gambit. A very strong idea that should have won. 46... bxa4 47. Nc4+ Kc6 47... Kc7 48. b5 48. Na3 48. Kc3!? Bb7 (48... Kd5 49. Nb6+) 49. Ne3 Bc8 50. Kb2 Kb5 51. Ka3 Bd7 52. Nd5 Bc6 53. Nf6 48... Kd6 48... Kb6 49. Ke5 Be4 50. Kf6 Kc6 51. Kg5 Bf3 52. Kxf5 Kd5 49. Nb5+ Kc6 50. Kc4 Kb6 51. Na3 51. Nc3 would have won the pawn and the game. 51... Bc6 (51... a3 52. Kb3) 52. b5 51... Kc6 52. b5+? This move blows the win that White so nicely constructed. Now the knight and pawns can no longer block out the black king. 52... Kd6 53. Kd4 53. Kb4 allows the Black king to penetrate to the kingside. 53... Kd5 54. Nc4 Ke4 and Blacks chances would be slightly better. 53... Bd5 54. Nc2 54. Nc4+ Ke6 55. b6 Bxc4 56. b7 54... Bb3 55. Na3 Be6 56. Nc2 1/2-1/2 [Bauer,R]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. d3 Bb4 4. Bg5 4. Bd2 is more thematic. The absolute pin on c3 is worth more than the relative pin on f6. 4... d6 This winds up costing Black a tempo. I would have played ...h6, but after seeing this game would strongly consider ...d5. 4... h6 4... d5 5. Qc2 Nc6 6. e3 d5 7. Bxf6 gxf6 7... Qxf6? 8. cxd5 8. cxd5 Qxd5 9. a3 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 I would have played 10. Qxc3 but Fritz strongly approves of Whites choice, making the very debatable assessment of a slight edge for White. 10... Be6 11. Rb1 O-O-O 12. Nf3 12. Qb2 12... Bg4 12... Rhg8 13. Nd2 13. Be2 Bxf3 13... f5 14. d4? White has played very solidly up to this point in a classic pawn structure vs activity game. Most people would prefer Black, most computers White. 14. Qb2 b6 15. h3 Bh5 16. Qb5 would keep things unclear. 14... exd4! But here Black can blast open lines in the center. 14... f4 as I recomended, does not do the trick because of. 15. e4 15. cxd4 f4! 16. Rb5?? Diagram # This looks reasonable, but Black destroys it. 16... Nxd4!! 17. exd4 17. Rxd5 Nxc2# 17... Rhe8+ 0-1 [Bauer,R]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 The Scotch Gambit. 4... Nf6 The Two Knights Defense. 4... Bc5 5. O-O Nf6 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ is the Max Lange Attack, and looks like what White was trying to follow. 5. e5 d5 6. exf6? This doent work as well without O-O Bc5 thrown in. There is no rook check and the Bf8 guards g7. 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 6... dxc4 7. fxg7 Qe7+! White is faced with the upleasant choice of trading queens a pawn down or giving up castling. 8. Kf1?! 8. Qe2 8... Bxg7 9. Bf4 Be6 10. Na3 c3! going for the jugular! 11. Nb5? Bc4+ 12. Kg1 Bxb5 13. bxc3 O-O?! With a big edge in material, Black wants his king in the safest possible place, but 13... O-O-O keeps all the material and the initiative without exposing the king to any real danger. 14. cxd4 14. Nxd4 14... Be2! 15. Qd2 15. Qe1 15... Bxf3 16. gxf3 Nxd4 17. Kg2 Qe2 18. Qd3 18. Qd1 18... Qxd3 19. cxd3 Ne6 20. Be3 Bxa1 21. Rxa1 f5 22. Rg1 Kf7 23. Kh3 Rg8 24. Rb1 b6 25. f4 Rg6 Black transitions easily into mate mode. 26. Rb2 Rag8 27. f3 Rh6# 0-1 [Bauer,R]

An intense rivalry has developed between these two that has helped lift both of their games.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 French Defense. 3. exd5 exd5 Exchange Variation. 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. Nf3 5. c3 makes it a bit harder for Black to develop the Bc8. 5... Bg4 6. c3 Nf6 6... Bd6 and Nge7, Qd7 keeps the kingside pawns available for a pawn storm. 7. O-O Be7 8. Bg5 O-O 8... Qd6 retains the option of queenside castling. 9. Nbd2 Qd7 10. Qc2 White breaks the pin and his pieces seem just a bit better coordinated with his pawns. 10... h6 11. Bxf6 White could have avoided this exchange, but it is OK since the two bishops are not advantagious with the locked pawn structure. 11... Bxf6 12. Rfe1 Rfe8 13. Rxe8+ Rxe8 14. h3 Be6?! Black starts to block in his pieces. 14... Bxf3 15. Nxf3 is equal. 15. Re1 a6 16. Nf1!? and White takes advantage with an excellent knight maneuver, reminiscent of the Ruy Lopez. 16... b5 16... g6 17. Ng3 Na5 17... Be7 18. b3 Nb7 19. Nh5 Be7 19... Qd8 20. Ne5 The white knights are dominating the black bishops! 20... Qc8 21. Nf4 Bd6 This loses, but it is hard to find anything better. 21... g6 22. Bxg6 22. Bh7+ Kf8 22... Kh8 23. Nxe6 Qxe6 24. Ng6+ 23. Nxe6+! 23. Nfg6+ is Fools Gold. 23... fxg6 24. Nxg6+ Kf7 23... fxe6 Black has three ways to recapture and they all lose! 23... Rxe6 probably the best. 24. Bf5 23... Qxe6 24. Ng6+ 24. Ng6+ Kf7 25. Re3! Whites last piece joins the attack on the black king. 25... Be7 26. Ne5+ Kf8 26... Kf6 27. Qg6# 27. Qg6 Black Resigned here rather than allow the elegant smother mate. 1-0 27... Nd6 28. Qf7+ 28. Rf3+ also mates 28... Bf6 29. Rxf6+ gxf6 30. Qxf6+ Nf7 31. Qxf7# 28... Nxf7 29. Ng6# 1-0 [Bauer,R]

1. c4 c5 Symetrical English 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 d5 6. d4 This creates a type of a Catalan, which is trickier to play with the Nc3. 6. cxd5 transposes into either 6... Nxd5 (6... exd5 7. d4 the Tarrasch or) 7. O-O Nc6 8. d4 the Semi-Tarrasch 6... dxc4 6... cxd4 7. Nxd4 7. O-O 7. Qa4+ was the last chance to easily win back the pawn. The Catalan can also be played as a gambit. 7... O-O 8. Be3?! Now Black can develop with tempi against Whites center. 8. dxc5 8... cxd4!? I would have been tempted by the Be3 to play ...Nd5 or ...Ng4, but this is simpler and probably better. 9. Bxd4 9. Nxd4 e5 10. Ndb5 Nc6 9... Nc6 10. Be3 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Qa4 would win back the pawn, but Black would retain the two bishops and gain time against the forward queen. 10... a6 10... Nd5!? 11. Nd4 11. Nd2!? 11... Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Qc7 Black has secured his extra pawn 13. Qc2 Bd7 and developed his queenside. Now White is just down a pawn. 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. Bxe4 h6 15... f5!? 16. Rfc1 16. Qc3 16... Rac8 16... e5 17. Qc3 f6 18. Qf3 b5 19. a3 f5!? With spirited play, Black takes control of the game. 20. Bb7 Bc6 21. Bxc6 Qxc6 22. Qh5 White runs away from the bad endgame, but faces an equally bad middlegame. 22... Rcd8 23. Be3 e5 24. f4 e4 24... Bc5 would be even stronger. 25. Rc2 Bc5 26. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 27. Kg2 a5?! This loosen s up the queenside, giving White badly needed counterplay and puting the issue back in doubt. 27... Qe3 28. Rac1 28. a4!? b4 29. Rac1 Rd4 30. e3 is the best chance. 28... Kh7 28... a4 would lock up the queenside. 29. g4 White breaks up the pawns on the wrong side of the board, and Black ends the game with brutal efficiency. 29. a4 29... g6 30. Qh4 fxg4 31. Qxg4 Qe3!? 32. Qe6 Qxf4 33. Qb6 Qg5+ 34. Kh1 e3! Now the Black mating attack takes precedence over everything else. 35. Qc7+ Kh8 36. Rg1 36. Qg3 36... Qd5+ 37. Rg2 Rf1# 1-0 [Bauer,R]

1. d4 I was pleasantly surprised to get white in this game. We were both due for the other color based on color alternation. But we had both received forfeit wins during the tournament and he had had one more white than I had. 1... c5 Another pleasant surprise. Bourque usually plays the Kings Indian Defense (KID). I like to play against the Benoni even more. 2. d5 e5 3. e4 d6 4. Nc3 I see no point to playing c4 in this position. It can be a useful square for a knight and the control of the b5 square seems even surer without it - no Benko like sacrifices! 4... a6 This avoids an annoying check on b5. A big part of the strategy for both sides in this locked pawn structure is the attempt to trade off the respective bad bishops. 4... f5 5. Bb5+ 5. a4 Be7 This was the point of delaying ...Nf6. 5... f5 6. exf5 Bxf5 7. Bd3 6. Nf3 This stops ...Bg5 but the knight blocks the f-pawn. The plan of Nf3-d2-c4 will be effective. 6. f4 Was the line I played before, and what Black expected, but I have gotten into trouble on the black squares after 6... exf4 7. Bxf4 Bg5 6... Nf6 6... f5 7. exf5 Bxf5 8. Bd3 7. Be2 O-O 8. Nd2 Delaying castling maintains the threat of a pawn storm on the kingside. 8... Ne8 9. Nc4 f5?! 9... g6 10. Bh6 Ng7 10. a5!? Now Black must choose between the displacement of his Ra8 and the natural protection of f5 with the Bc8. 10... fxe4 10... Nd7 11. exf5 Rxf5 12. Bg4 10... f4 11. Nb6 Ra7 12. Nxc8 Qxc8 13. Bg4 11. Nb6 Ra7 12. Nxc8 otherwise ...Bf5. 12... Qxc8 13. Bg4 Qd8 14. Nxe4 b5!? A good move which brings the Ra7 back into play along Blacks second rank. 15. axb6 Qxb6 16. O-O To avoid queen checks. 16... Kh8!? 16... Nf6 17. Be6+ Kh8 18. Ng5 17. Ra3!? The rook prepares to attack the Kh8! 17... Qb4 18. Re1 Nf6 19. Rb3 FM Nelson Casteneda (NC) would have left out this zwissenzug. 19. Nxf6 Bxf6 20. Rh3 19... Qa4 20. Nxf6 Bxf6 Mark actually spent quite some time on 20... gxf6 but it is awful. 21. Bf5 21. Rh3 g6 22. Be6 Nelson also wanted to do without this move, but that is not so easy as the Qa4 harrasses the Bg4. 22... Re7 A nice concept. Black considers sacrificing on e6 or playing ...Nc6. 22... Nd7 23. Qd3 23. Qd3 Qe8 23... Nc6!? is playable since. 24. Qxg6 fails to(24. Bh6 is better.) 24... Bh4 25. Qd3 24. Re4 Nc6 24... Rxe6 25. dxe6 Qxe6 26. c4 is approximately equivelent. 25. Rg4 25. dxc6 Rxe6 26. Qd5 25... e4!? Black finally strikes back, opening the diagonal for his bishop and the key e5 square for the knight. 25... Nd4 26. Rxg6 Nxe6 27. dxe6 e4 28. Qxe4 Rxe6 29. Rg8+ Kxg8 30. Qxh7# 26. Qxe4 26. Rxe4 (NC) is simpler. 26... Bd4 26... Nd4 27. Rxg6 Ne2+ (27... Nxe6 28. dxe6) 28. Kf1 Nxc1 29. Rgh6 Rff7 30. Bxf7 27. Be3 27. Rf4!? (Nelson Casteneda) is a strong alternative that I didn't even consider. 27... Bxe3 It is hard to decide which way to recapture on e3. 28. Rxe3 28. Qxe3 looks best now. 28... Ne5 29. Re4 Rf6 28. fxe3 Ne5 29. Rf4 28... Nd4 Now Black appears to get some play against e6, but 29. Rf4! This is a key move that holds the extra pawn for White. 29... Rxf4 29... Nf5 (Bourque) 30. Qf3 (Fritz) 29... Nxe6 30. Rxf8+ Qxf8 31. dxe6 doesn't work either. 30. Qxf4 Qa4?? Setting up two strong threats (...Qa1 and ...Ne2) but leaving White with the move and a rather compelling threat of his own. Mark saw his blunder right away, but maintained a perfect poker face while waiting for my move. He did not have to wait long. 30... Nxc2 31. Re4 Nd4 32. Qxd6 does not hold much hope. 31. Qf8# 1-0 [Bauer,R]