BRAG - went to the used bookstore at the library and found someone dumped about 40 issues of Chess Life from 2002-2006 - priced at a quarter apiece, so I bought them all for about 12 bucks.

BEAT - I just lost to an opponent who played 1. b4

RB

I'm sure one of those issues has a refutation to 1.b4. Also, Silman's site has a good article on meeting b4. When I'm home later, I'll post a link if someone else doesn't first.

Here's the link:

http://www.jeremysilman.com/chess_bits_ ... h_grb.html

actually, I came out of it great and even picked up a minor piece from the exchange but I let myself get caught in a K/Q knight fork - pure carelessness - been happening a lot lately - missing tactics that can be used on me - it's like I started drinking again or swallowed a stupid pill - dropped 150 rating points in the last couple weeks back to 1300 -



RB

My opponent was so gun ho about trying to mate me that he forgot that he left his King out in the open!!!



I figured that I'd throw a mate threat in there to develop my Queen and then stop his threat with either e4 or Rf2 and play Nh4 after g4 making his Queen stuck and his "attack" dead, but as you can see, it wasn't needed as I was able to make a very comical looking mate.

Brag- I finally beat Armis (after many, MANY embarassing butt-whippings) in 15 0..
Beat - He had a better position throughout and lost on time. lol

game replay w/analysis soon to come!

Brag: I was able to buy Ideas Behind the Chess Openings: Algebraic Edition for 31 cents on Amazon! ($4.30 after shipping!)

Beat: After calculating out that the Bishop sac wouldn't lead to an easy mate but at least a better position for me I get stupid and overlook his Ne3 threatening perpetual check, and then after I realize I've walked into a forced draw I freak out and walk into mate!

Hi Robo,

I think you had a win: 14. Qg6 Kg8 (forced else 15. Qh7#) 15. Ne5 and now White is threatening either 16. Qf7+ Kh8 17. Ng6# or 16. Qh7+ Kf8 17. Ng6#.

If 15... Ne7 16. Qh7+ Kf8 17. Qh8+ Ng8 18. Ng6#
If 15... Rf8 17. Qh7#.
If 15... Qf6 16. Qh7+ Kf8 17. Ng6+ Qxg6 18. Qxg6 and White wins easily.
If 15... Qe7 (or 15... Re7) 16. Qh7+ Kf8 17. Qh8#.
If 15... Qxg5 16. Qxg5 and White wins easily.

Oh well... I hope I got that right... It is 2:45 AM... Time for bed...

L8erz...
=wild=

Thanks Wild. I moved 14. Ne5 too fast unfortunately and didn't realize that it hung my f5 knight. I think I was still winning up until I played Rg1?? which gives him a perpetual. Also, Qxc8 wasn't so great either... I was certain I wanted to get my rook involved but couldn't think of a way besides letting him take on g2. Oh well, live and learn. I really couldn't help but laugh after I walked into that mate though trying to avoid the draw.

You didn't exactly walk into mate because it would have been mate anyways.

23. Ka1 Nc2+ 24. Kb1 Na3+ 25. Ka1 Qb1+ 26. Rxb1 Nc2 mate

Not sure if the sac on h7 would have worked after 10...Kh6 or maybe even Kg6 instead of Kg8

Good points all, Kidefence. In general, after a "Greek Gift" (I think that's what it's called...) bishop sac on h7, retreating ...Kg8 after Ng5+ is usually not a good idea. ...Kg6 is often the correct move, particularly if there's a bishop on c1 protecting the knight on g5.

Thanks for commenting Kidefence. I didn't see the smothered mate, nice call. Of course, given that he played Ne3+ instead of Na3++ I don't think he did either.

I wasn't sure if it would work or not after Kh6 or Kg6 either, and in fact expected him to play that so I could find out (probably the hard way) because it was really unclear after Kh6/g6 Qg3. Probably bad for White, but I wanted to find out.

Of course, 14. Ne5 can't be too bad, since in the game after 16. Qxc8 you're completely winning (threatening 17. Qxb7 and 18. Qxa8). I might suggest 21. Ng5+ (or maybe 21. Qh8+!? Kg6 22. Ne5+) as a minor improvement over 21. Rhg1??, though!

This one isn't really a brag as much as a hilarious incident that occured tonight. The chat is what makes it great I'll put that underneath in place of annotation which isn't needed. (I'm not usually this unpleasant to people, he just kind of pissed me off with his comments.)



2...c6 NN: move (I took a couple of minutes to try and remember what happens in a Slav as I'd never played it.)

Robofriven: I'm thinking...hence the fact that this game is a 30 5. Be patient.

NN: u thank slow

Robofriven: You spell poorly.

NN: u must be old

4...Qb5 (NN Resigns) Robofriven: Perhaps if you'd looked at that move for more than 15 seconds you wouldn't have lost your Queen.

NN: Shut the *%$@ up!

Robofriven: Don't worry, I never plan to say anything to you ever again. Have a nice day. (Then shortly after I added him to my censor and noplay list.

I found this to be extraordinarily funny for some reason and thought I'd share it. I don't think I'd ever won a game in 4 moves before.

Hah. Nice game. I feel like your opponent was one of those people who rarely plays standard but decided to give it a whirl and then realized he doesn't have the attention span for a long online game. The same thing happens to me every once and a while (although I don't act like a goober...like your opponent did here).