Hi, it's a game where i played the Benko Gambit, i hopefully draw. I want to know if i could have won it, i'm black.

[Site "www.chesscube.com"]
[Event "ChessCube Game"]
[White "polga@chesscube.com"]
[Black "kraska@chesscube.com"]
[Date "2009.07.11"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. e3 bxc4 5. Bxc4 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. h3 Bg7 8. f4 O-O 9. Nf3 a5 10. a4 Ba6 11. Nb5 Qb6 12. Qd3 Nbd7 13. O-O Rfb8 14. Ra3 Bxb5 15. Bxb5 Qc7 16. Bd2 Nb6 17. Bc6 Ra7 18. Bc3 Nh5 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. g4 Nf6 21. Qc3 Kg8 22. Qd3 Nbd7 23. Bb5 Qb7 24. e4 Qb6 25. Qc4 Rc7 26. e5 Ne8 27. Re3 Qa7 28. b3 Nb6 29. Qe4 c4 30. Kg2 cxb3 31. Rxb3 Rbc8 32. Bc6 Nd7 33. Qb1 Rxc6 34. dxc6 Nc5 35. Rb7 Nxb7 36. Qxb7 Qxb7 37. cxb7 Rb8 38. Rb1 f6 39. e6 d5 40. Nd4 Nd6 41. Nc6 Rxb7 42. Rxb7 Nxb7 43. Nxe7+ Kf8 44. Nxd5 Nc5 45. Nxf6 Nxa4 46. Nxh7+ Ke7 47. Ng5 Nc3 48. Nf3 a4 49. Nd2 a3 50. Nb3 Kxe6 51. Kf3 Kd5 52. Ke3 Kc4 53. Na1 Na4 54. Kd2 Kd4 55. f5 gxf5 56. gxf5 Ke5 57. Kc2 Nc5 58. Kb1 Kxf5 59. Ka2 Kg5 60. Kxa3 Kh4 61. Nb3 Nxb3 62. Kxb3 Kxh3 1/2-1/2

Hi, it's a game where i made a dangerous queen sac, i want to know if it was sound or not. I'm white.

[Site "www.chesscube.com"]
[Event "ChessCube Game"]
[White "kraska@chesscube.com"]
[Black "mocki@chesscube.com"]
[Date "2009.08.09"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. f4 d6 4. Nf3 Nd7 5. Be3 c5 6. Nc3 a6 7. dxc5 Nxc5 8. Bd3 Nh6 9. h3 O-O 10. g4 Nxd3+ 11. Qxd3 Kh8 12. g5 Ng8 13. O-O-O Bd7 14. h4 b5 15. h5 b4 16. hxg6 fxg6 17. Rxh7+ Kxh7 18. Rh1+ Nh6 19. Nd5 Kg8 20. gxh6 Bh8 21. Ng5 Bf6 22. e5 Bf5 23. exf6 Bxd3 24. fxe7 Qc8 25. exf8=Q+ Qxf8 26. cxd3 Rc8+ 27. Kd2 a5 28. h7+ Kg7 29. Bd4+ 1-0

EDIT: TYPO
Hey Dennis, I was hoping that you could analyze this game and let me know where I went wrong and maybe show some other moves/variations which could have turned the game into a win instead of a draw...
Also, do you think the move 31. Rxf6 is a justified exchange sac or a blunder?

thanks,
ripper
[Event "Online Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2009.08.03"]
[Round "1"]
[White "2ipper"] "ripper"
[Black "kitgran"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1974"]
[BlackElo "2014"]
[TimeControl "1 in 3 days"]
[Termination "Game drawn by repetition"]

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 e6 5.Nc3 d5 6.a3 d4 7.Na4 e5 8.d3 a6 9.O-O Qc7 10.Bd2 Rb8
11.b4 cxb4 12.axb4 Nxb4 13.Nxe5 Nc6 14.f4 Nxe5 15.fxe5 Ng4 16.Qb3 Nxe5 17.Nb6 Bc5 18.Qa4+ Bd7 19.Nxd7 Nxd7 20.Bf4 Bd6
21.Bxd6 Qxd6 22.c5 Qxc5 23.Rac1 Qd6 24.Bxb7 O-O 25.Qxa6 Qe5 26.Bf3 Qe3+ 27.Kg2 Ne5 28.Rc2 Rbe8 29.Be4 Ng4 30.Rf4 Nf6
31.Rxf6 gxf6 32.Bf5 Qe5 33.Be4 f5 34.Bf3 Re6 35.Qa3 Rg6 36.Rc5 Qd6 37.Qb4 f4 38.g4 h5 39.g5 h4 40.Be4 f5
41.Bd5+ Kh7 42.Qxd4 Rxg5+ 43.Kh3 Rd8 44.Qc4 Rg7 45.Bf3 Rf8 46.Rc6 Qe5 47.Re6 Qa1 48.Qc6 Rg1 49.Re7+ Rg7 50.Re6 Rg1
51.Qb7+ Rg7 52.Qc6 Rg1 1/2-1/2

Hi, Dennis. Any feedback on this game would be greatly appreciated. I felt my position was tenuous all through the opening, with which I was unfamiliar. Towards the end of the game there was a funny looking pin which I found amusing. Thanks very much.

[Date 2009.04.07]
[White Zachary Bence "bebopbrain"]
[Black Marcelo Terraza Herrera]
[Result 1-0]
[Time Control 1 move in 3 days]


1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Bg5 Bb4+ 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Nf3 Bg4 8.Qd3 Re8+ 9.Ne5 Nc6 10.f4 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 h6 12.Bh4 Qc8 13.Be2 Bxe2 14.Qxe2 Ne4 15.cxd5 Nxe5 16.dxe5 f5 17.e6 Nxc3 18.Qe5 Nxd5 19.Qxd5 Qxe6+ 20.Qxe6+ Rxe6+ 21.Kf2 c5 22.Kf3 b5 23.Rhc1 Rc8 24.Bf2 c4 25.Bxa7 c3 26.Rc2 Ra6 27.Bf2 b4 28.Rb1 Rc4 29.g3 Kf7 30.Rb3 g5 31.Be3 g4+ 32.Kf2 Ke6 33.Bc1 Kd5 34.a3 Kd4 35.Ke2 Re6+ 36.Kf2 Kd3 37.Rd2+ Ke4 38.Re2+ Kd5 39.Rxe6 Kxe6 40.Rxb4 Kd5 41.Rxc4 Kxc4 42.Ke3 Kb3 Black Resigns 1-0

[Event "Open Tournament"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.07.20"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Spelbreker"]
[Black "Opponent"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A56"]
[WhiteElo "2096"]
[BlackElo "2269"]
[PlyCount "74"]


1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e5 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 Be7 6. g3 Nbd7 7. Bg2 O-O 8. Nge2
Ne8 9. O-O Kh8 10. a3 g6 11. Bh6 Ng7 12. Qd2 Nf6 13. Rae1 Ng4 14. Bxg7+ Kxg7
15. h3 Nf6 16. Nc1 Nd7 17. Nd3 a6 18. f4 Bf6 19. Kh2 h5 20. f5 h4 21. g4 Bg5
22. Qe2 b5 23. b3 bxc4 24. bxc4 Qa5 25. Qc2 Rb8 26. fxg6 fxg6 27. Rxf8 Kxf8 28.
Rf1+ Kg7 29. Nb1 Nf6 30. a4 Bd7 31. Nc3 Be3 32. Ra1 Bd4 33. Ra3 Rb4 34. Nb2 Qb6
35. Ra2 Rb3 36. a5 Qb4 37. Ncd1 Qe1 0-1

I'd like to know were exactly white did go wrong.

[Event "rated blitz match"]
[Site "Free Internet Chess Server"]
[Date "2009.08.25"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Torrk"]
[Black "Whis"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1399"]
[BlackElo "1446"]
[ECO "B52"]
[TimeControl "600"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. O-O Nf6 6. d3 Nc6 7. b3 e6 8.
Bb2 Be7 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. h3 b5 11. a3 Nh5 12. a4 a6 13. axb5 axb5 14. Rxa8
Rxa8 15. Qe2 Nf4 16. Qe3 e5 17. Ra1 Rxa1+ 18. Bxa1 h6 19. Qe1 Nb4 20. Qd1 Qe6
21. Bc3 Qg6 22. g3 Nxh3+ 23. Kg2 Nf4+ 24. Kf1 Ne6 25. Bxb4 cxb4 26. Ng1 Nc5
27. Qf3 Bg5 28. Ke2 Qe6 29. Qf5 g6 30. Qxe6 Nxe6 31. Ndf3 Bd8 32. Kd1 Kg7 33.
Ne2 Bb6 34. Ke1 g5 35. Nh2 h5 36. f3 Kg6 37. Kd2 f5 38. exf5+ Kxf5 39. g4+
hxg4 40. Nxg4 Nd4 41. Nxd4+ Bxd4 42. Ke2 Kg6 43. Kd2 d5 44. Ke2 Kf5 45. Nh6+
Kf4 46. Nf7 Bc3 47. Nd6 e4 48. dxe4 dxe4 49. Nxe4 Bb2 50. Nd6 g4 51. fxg4
Kxg4 52. Nxb5 Kf5 53. Kd3 Ke6 54. Nd4+ Kd6 55. Ne2 Kc5 56. c4 bxc3 57. Nxc3
Kb4 58. Kc2 Bxc3 59. Kd3 Kxb3 {Neither player has mating material} 1/2-1/2


Tried to create superior minor pieces. I felt like this should have been 0-1, perhaps you can also shed some light on the ending, it was a classic B vs N lots of pawns type thing.

[Event "Bezirksliga B SKJE - SC Diagonale"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.02.13"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Cotaru"]
[Black "Sossidi"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B34"]
[WhiteElo "1824"]
[BlackElo "1539"]
[Annotator ",lni"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "2009.02.05"]
[SourceDate "2009.02.06"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. Nd2 Bg7 7. Be2 O-O 8.
O-O d5 9. Bf3 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 (12... Nxf2 13.
Qxd8 Rxd8 14. Bc3 Ng4) 13. Bxe4 Be6 14. Qf3 Rc8
15. c3 Qc7 16. Rfc1 Rfd8 17. b3 b6 (17... b5 maybe better) 18. c4 Qe5
19. Rd1 h5 20. h3 Rd6 21. Rac1 Rcd8 22. Rxd6 Rxd6 23. a4 a5 (23... Bxh3 24.
Bxg6 fxg6 25. Qxh3) 24. Kf1 Qd4 25. Qc3 Kf6 26. Ke2 Ke5 27. Bb7 Qxc3 28. Rxc3
Kd4 29. Re3 Kc5 30. h4 Kb4 (30... Bf5 31. Rxe7 Bc2 32. Rxf7 Bxb3) 31. Be4 Rd4 32. g3 Rxe4 33. Rxe4 Kxb3 34. Kd3 Bf5 0-1

This is a game I played half a year ago which probably isnt too amazing in terms of having big tactical shots or extremely complicated midgame variations but I am really interested in the endgame if my opponent wouldnt have just blundered the game away after I sacced my exchange.
Basically we were in timetrouble playing 2h/40 30mins/rest and I figured I
was the only one being able to play for a win after the sacc. The question(s) is
1. Is this evaluation correct afterall? (I am actually pretty positive about that, but I am by far no master)
2. Is the position after Kxb3 won for black, even if white puts up a fight or cant I get more than a draw (or if my assumption was wrong even lose the game)?
3. Would it be smarter to not sacc the exchange but try to utilize my better positioned king in some way?

I analyzed and annotated some stuff earlier this year when I played the game, I took out some stuff, but left in some of the variations I calculated/looked at during the game, but didnt play. If that is not wanted, plz ignore them.
And yes I probably should analyze this endgame myself, but my endgame knowledge is very limited when it comes to details, so I would really appreciate if you could go over this endgame (or even more if you like) in one of your next videos.

Sincerely

Hi Dennis,
Here is a game of mine (I am white) in which though I won, I had some problems in finding good plans in the middle game. Eventually due to my lazy middle game play my opponent offered a queen sacrifice for a strong attack and I got into trouble, but I was able to win with some counter sacrifices at the end.

[Event "North East Open 2009"]
[White "Hari Krishnan"]
[Black "Michael Bogaty"]
[WhiteElo "1812"]
[BlackElo "1701"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. Bg5 Nf6 3. Bxf6 exf6 4. e3 Bd6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 c6 7. Ne2 Bf5 8.
O-O Na6 9. a3 Nc7 10. Nd2 Ne6 11. c4 dxc4 12. Nxc4 Bc7 13. Qb3 Rb8 14. Nc3 Re8
15. Rfd1 Ng5 16. Nd2 Re7 17. Qa4 Bb6 18. b4 Nh3+ 19. Kf1 Qxd4 20. Ne2 Qd8 21.
Nc4 Qc7 22. Nd6 Bd7 23. Rac1 Ng5 24. Qc2 a6 25. Nf4 Qd8 26. Nf5 Re8 27. Nd6 Re7
28. Nf5 Re8 29. Nxg7 Kxg7 30. h4 Ne6 31. Nh5+ Kh8 32. Rxd7 Qc8 33. Rxf7 Nf8 34.
Nxf6 1-0

Intresting

Hi Dennis, I was black in this game and really struggled with the fact that we seemed to go straight into the endgame after the opening. I couldn't come up with a reasonable plan. Where did I go wrong?

Thanks

[Event "OU v Northampton"]
[Site "Northampton"]
[Date "2009.04.01"]
[White "Dixon, Simon"]
[Black "Ramesh, Raghav"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B21"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Nf6 5. Qxd4 Qxd5 6. Qxd5 Nxd5 7. Nf3 Nc6
8. Bc4 Nb6 9. Bb5 Bd7 10. O-O e6 11. Nbd2 Be7 12. Ne4 O-O 13. Be3 Nd5 14. Bc5
b6 15. Bxe7 Ndxe7 16. Rfd1 Rfd8 17. Rd2 a6 18. Ba4 b5 19. Bb3 Be8 20. Rad1 Nf5
21. Nc5 Rxd2 22. Rxd2 g6 23. Ne4 Kg7 24. h3 Na5 25. Nd6 Nxb3 26. Nxe8+ Rxe8 27.
axb3 Rc8 28. Rd7 Nh6 29. g4 Rc5 30. Nd4 Re5 31. Kf1 Ng8 32. Ra7 Nf6 33. Rxa6
Ne4 34. Rb6 h5 35. Rxb5 Nd2+ 36. Kg2 Rxb5 37. Nxb5 hxg4 38. hxg4 Nxb3 39. Kf3
Kf6 40. Ke3 e5 41. Nd6 Ke6 42. Ne4 f5 43. gxf5+ gxf5 44. Nd2 Nc5 45. b4 Nb7 46.
c4 Kd6 47. Kd3 Nd8 48. Nb3 Ne6 49. Ke3 f4+ 50. Ke4 Ng5+ 51. Kf5 Nh3 52. f3 Ng1
53. Ke4 Ne2 54. c5+ Ke6 55. Nd2 Ng3+ 56. Kd3 Kd5 57. Nb1 e4+ 58. fxe4+ Nxe4 59.
Nc3+ Nxc3 60. Kxc3 Ke4 61. c6 f3 62. c7 1-0

Hi Dennis,

Would love your thought on this game, It's one of the best I've managed to play in a long time, but I'm sure I missed a lot of ideas alaong the way.

[Event "Len Hammond Memorial Shield"]
[Site "Snodland"]
[Date "2009.10.01"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Lettington, David"]
[Black "Hollands, George"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "1626"]
[BlackElo "1570"]
[PlyCount "106"]
[EventDate "2009.10.01"]
[SourceDate "2009.10.01"]
[WhiteTeam "Snodland"]
[BlackTeam "Maidstone"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Bc4 a6 7. Bb3 Bg7 8. Be3
Nbd7 9. Nde2 b5 10. a3 Bb7 11. f3 Rc8 12. Nf4 Nb6 13. Qe2 Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15.
Rd1 Nd7 16. O-O O-O 17. Bd2 Ne5 18. Kh1 Rc8 19. Nd3 Nc4 20. Rb1 Nxa3 21. bxa3
Bxc3 22. Bxc3 Rxc3 23. a4 Qd7 24. axb5 axb5 25. Rfd1 Qc6 26. Nb4 Qc4 27. Qf2
Ra8 28. Qb6 Bc6 29. Nxc6 Qxc6 30. Qxc6 Rxc6 31. Rxb5 Rxc2 32. Rb7 Raa2 33. Rg1
Kf8 34. Rb8+ Kg7 35. Rb7 Kf6 36. h4 Rd2 37. Kh2 h5 38. Kg3 Rac2 39. Rd7 Ke6 40.
Rb7 Re2 41. Ra7 Rc3 42. Kf4 Kf6 43. Ra6 e5+ 44. Kg3 Ke6 45. Kh2 Rxf3 46. Rd1
Rf4 47. Raxd6+ Ke7 48. Rd7+ Kf8 49. Kg3 Re3+ 50. Kh2 Rxh4+ 51. Kg1 Rf4 52. Rd8+
Kg7 53. Re8 Rexe4 0-1

I decided to post this one because it includes a queen ending, which I'm interested in learning more about. I'd also like to ask if you think the Bd3 move is sound, and what white should do after Qxd4 to take advantage of his development advantage.

[Date "2009.10.22"]
[White "xitvono"]
[Black "tbirdas"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Bd3 e6 6. Nf3 Nd7 7. O-O h6 8. Qe2 Be7 9. Bf4 Qb6 10. c3 g5 11. Nd6+ Bxd6 12. Bxd6 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Ne7 14. Bxe7 Kxe7 15. b3 g4 16. Nd2 Rag8 17. Rfe1 Kd8 18. Qg3 Qc7 19. Nc4 Qxg3 20. fxg3 Kc7 21. Rf1 Rg7 22. Rf4 h5 23. Raf1 f5 24. Re1 Rh6 25. Rf2 b5 26. Ne5 Nxe5 27. Rxe5 Kd6 28. Rfe2 Rf6 29. c4 a6 30. cxb5 cxb5 31. Rc5 Rc7 32. Rec2 Rff7 33. Kf2 Rxc5 34. Rxc5 Rc7 35. Rxc7 Kxc7 36. Ke3 Kc6 37. h4 b4 38. Kf4 Kd5 39. Kg5 Kxd4 40. Kxh5 e5 41. Kg6 e4 42. h5 e3 43. h6 e2 44. h7 e1=Q 45. h8=Q+ Qe5 46. Qd8+ Ke4 47. Qa8+ Ke3 48. Qa7+ Ke4 49. Qb7+ Ke3 50. Qb6+ Ke2 51. Qxa6+ Kf2 52. Qb6+ Kxg3 53. Qxb4 Qe6+ 54. Kg5 Qg8+ 55. Kxf5 Qf7+ 56. Ke5 Qg7+ 57. Ke4 Qg6+ 58. Ke3 Qe6+ 59. Kd2 Qd5+ 60. Kc1 Qxg2 61. a4 Qf1+ 62. Kb2 Kh8 63. Qc3+ Qf3 64. Qh8+ Kg2 65. a5 g3 66. Qe5 Kf1 67. Qb5+ Kg1 68. a6 g2 69. Ka3 Qf8+ 70. Ka4 Kf2 71. Qb6+ Kf1 72. Qb5+ Ke1 73. Qe5+ Kf1 74. Qb5+ Kf2 75. Qb6+ Kg3 76. Qg6+ Kh2 77. Qh5+ Kg3 78. Qg5+ Kf2 1/2-1/2

Hello Dennis,

in your last ChessVideos show you mentioned that you'd like the next one to be dedicated to viewers' games and I though I'd submit my recent game. I you found time to look at it, I'd be very grateful!

It was played last Friday (the 23rd of October) in the first round of a local rapid (1 hour per game, no increment) tournament. I played the black side of a Dutch. While I played somewhat inaccurately in the opening, my opponent played quite poorly, and soon I won a Knight for a Pawn. I could've won the other one, which basically would've won me the game, but instead I played a blitzing-zombie-like move rushing to simplify which left his remaining Knight active, blundered the exchange and found myself a Pawn down in a Knight+Bishop vs. Rook ending, which I lost after some more errors. Even though I surely contributed to losing the ending, I'm not sure it could objectively be saved anyway, since my opponent had much better Pawns.

I think the game is pretty interesting for a rapid one, and can serve as a good example of losing a completely won position (the fight my opponent put up is also to be praised). If you pick up this game, I (and probably most other viewers) am mostly curious if the ending, as interesting as difficult, could be saved.

I know why I didn't win the whole game in the first place (i.e. how I managed to blow what basically was an advantage of two Knights), and I know where the (numerous on both sides) blunders are. I don't know, however, what I should've done in the ending, if there was anything to be done. I feel that what I failed to do is understand deeply the position at the beginning of the endgame and come up with a general plan for my Bishop and Knight against my opponent's Rook. Since computers don't really understand chess, I don't think Frybka could be of much assistance, so a human master is who it takes to tell me what went wrong (or that I'm right about this endgame being lost no matter what).

Thanks in advance!

[Date "2009.10.23"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Opponent"]
[Black "Wandowicz, Kajetan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A85"]

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e3 Bg7 5.Bd3 O-O 6.f4 d5 7.Nf3 b6 8.b3 Ba6 9.Qe2 c5 10.dxc5 Ne4 11.Bxe4 dxe4 12.Nd4 bxc5 13.Ne6 Bxc3+ 14.Kf2 Qb6 15.Nxf8 Bxa1 16.Bb2 Bxb2 17.Qxb2 Qf6 18.Qxf6 exf6 19.Ne6 Bc8 20.Nc7 Bb7 21.Nxa8 Bxa8 22.Rd1 Nc6 23.Rd5 Kf7 24.Rxc5 Ke6 25.Rb5 Kd6 26.Rd5+ Ke6 27.Rd2 Ke7 28.a3 a5 29.Ke2 Bb7 30.Kd1 Bc8 31.Kc2 Be6 32.Kc3 g5 33.g3 h5 34.c5 h4 35.gxh4 gxf4 36.exf4 Bf7 37.Rd6 Na7 38.Ra6 Nb5+ 39.Kd2 Bxb3 40.Rxa5 Nd4 41.h5 Bf7 42.h6 Bg6 43.Ra7+ Kf8 44.Rg7 Bh5 45.Rg3 Ne6 46.h7 1-0

[Event "PCO"]
[Site "Cridland Family"]
[Date "2008.07.20"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Cridland, Graham"]
[Black "Liou, Arthur"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B33"]
[WhiteElo "1794"]
[BlackElo "1809"]
[Annotator "Matthew,Graham"]
[PlyCount "165"]
[TimeControl "240+2"]

{319MB, Fritz10.ctg, SUZANNE} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3
e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. g3 {A specialty
of mine since I tried it out cold turkey to avoid theory in Cridland-Laura
Ross, USATE 2004 (It earned me a draw). It doesn't really offer White very much, but it is
relatively simple to play and White can pretty much go to sleep until move 15
while Black makes difficult move-order decisions.} Bg5 {Possibly best,
preserving the bishop, although it is far from clear that White wants to
exchange it anyway. Many of White's winning chances rely on getting a good
knight-bad bishop ending.} 12. Bg2 O-O (12... Bb7 13. O-O Ne7 14. Nxe7 Bxe7 15.
Qd3 O-O 16. c4 {Cridland-Ross, USATE 2004. Ended 1/2-1/2.}) 13. O-O Ne7 14.
Nxe7+ Bxe7 {Provoking this exchange is one of White's main ideas, so that after
} 15. c4 {Black cannot place a knight on the weakened d4 square.} Rb8 16. Qd3 {
Defending c4, connecting the rooks and discouraging ...f7-f5.} bxc4 {Committal,
but Black gets the b-file for his Rook. Maybe ...Qb6, ...Qd7, or ...Qa5 makes
more sense, just defending the b5 point and preventing White's access to c4.}
17. Nxc4 Be6 18. b3 Qd7 19. Ne3 Rb5 {Creative; this may not be best but the
active rook is useful. If Black isn't going to play f7-f5 before the knight
arrives on e3, perhaps an active plan on the queenside makes sense.} 20. Rfd1
Rd8 21. h4 {Now both f7-f5 and ...Bg5 are out. Unfortunately, as I discovered
in my earlier game in this line, that does nto assure White an advantage.} a5
22. Bf1 Rb4 $6 {But this does. The rook is exposed and White gains an edge.
In the game, this takes the form of an outside passed pawn.} (22... Rc5 23.
Rac1 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 d5 $11) 23. Nd5 Rd4 24. Qb1 (24. Qe2 {Is obvious and
correct. In the game I was concerned that the light squared bishop would not
find a home.} Rxd1 25. Rxd1 a4 26. Qb5 $1 {The point.} Qxb5 27. Bxb5 Bxd5 28.
Rxd5 axb3 29. axb3 $14) 24... Bxd5 25. Rxd4 exd4 26. exd5 Bf6 27. Qe1 {
I didn't realize that Black's plan was to play ...a5-a4 anyway, so I plyed
this to force it, and the passed pawn.} (27. Qd3 Rc8 28. Re1 g6 {
with a microscopic advantage.}) 27... a4 28. Rb1 axb3 29. axb3 g6 30. Bd3 Re8
31. Qd1 Re5 32. Qf3 Kg7 33. b4 Qb7 34. b5 Bd8 35. Bc4 (35. Rc1 {
Is Fritz's improvement.}) 35... Bb6 36. Qd3 Qc8 37. Ra1 Qc5 38. Kg2 Re7 {
I had played all the simple, position improving moves I could find, and the
pawn is blockeded, though advanced. I needed a distraction to break the
blockade.} 39. g4 {And this is what I came up with. Thinking that opposite
colored bishop games are won by mating attacks, not passed pawns, I start by
moving forward on the kingside, the goal being to get some squares near the
king without allowing Black's pieces to get active.} (39. h5 {(Fritz)} Re5 40.
hxg6 hxg6 41. Rh1 Re8 {This doesn't appear to go anywhere.}) 39... Qc8 40. Kg3
(40. g5 {
Is Fritz's suggestion which I did not even consider, because it allows Qg4+.}
Qg4+ 41. Qg3 Qxg3+ 42. Kxg3 Rc7 43. Bd3 Rc3 44. Rd1 f6 45. Kf4 $14) 40... Rc7
41. Ra4 Qe8 42. Ra6 Qe5+ 43. Kh3 Bc5 44. Ra2 (44. Qf3 h5 45. gxh5 Qxh5 46. Qxh5
gxh5 $14) 44... Qe1 45. Kg2 Qe7 46. g5 h6 47. Re2 Qd8 48. Qg3 hxg5 49. hxg5 Bb6
$14 {Suddenly White is in business on the Kingside. Not necessarily mate, but
his pieces are working together better than Black's.} 50. Bd3 Rc5 $2 51. Qh4 $1
Qh8 $4 {Fritz says mate in 10, but unfortunately...} 52. Qxd4+ Kh7 53. Qh4+ $4
{Throwing away the win with} (53. Bxg6+ $1 Kxg6 (53... fxg6 54. Re7+) (53...
Kg8 54. Re8#) 54. Qxh8 {etc.}) 53... Kg7 54. Qf4 $16 {White is still better.}
Qd8 55. Bc4 Rc7 56. Re1 Ra7 57. Qh4 Qh8 58. Qg3 Qd8 59. f4 (59. Rh1) 59... Kg8
60. Rh1 Bd4 61. Qd3 Bg7 62. Re1 Qd7 63. Qg3 Rc7 64. Re4 Qc8 65. Be2 Rc5 66. b6
Rxd5 67. Qe3 Bf8 68. Re8 Qd7 69. Bf3 $2 {Having won the game a second time,
White throws it away, to enter a drawn (I think) ending.} (69. Rb8 Qc6 70. Kh2
Qc5 71. Qxc5 Rxc5 72. b7 Rc2 73. Rxf8+) 69... Rb5 70. b7 Rxb7 71. Bxb7 Qxb7+
72. Qf3 Qxf3+ 73. Kxf3 {Maybe White can win (I assumed this was winning until
this point) but even spending virtually all my remaining time I could not find
the win.} Kg7 74. Ke4 Kg8 75. f5 gxf5+ 76. Kxf5 Kg7 77. Rd8 Be7 78. Re8 Bf8 79.
Rb8 d5 80. Rd8 Bb4 81. Rxd5 Bc3 82. Ke4 Bb2 83. Kf5 1/2-1/2

I'm black in the following game. In the early middle-game I speculatively sacrificed a rook (22...Be6) and ended up getting a nice mating attack. I'm interested to see whether Dennis thinks the sacrifice is sound. I have my own analysis too -- I can post it later if that is helpful.

[White "Saxby_1945"]
[Black "Jones_1919"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "120+12"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d6
6. Nbd2 Nc6 7. c3 Qe8 8. O-O h6 9. Bh4 e5 10. dxe5 dxe5
11. Bb5 Nh5 12. Qc2 g5 13. Bg3 Nxg3 14. hxg3 a6 15. Bd3 f5
16. e4 f4 17. gxf4 Rxf4 18. Nc4 Qh5 19. Ne3 g4 20. Nd2 Kh8
21. Be2 Qg5 22. g3 Be6 23. gxf4 exf4 24. Nf5 Be5 25. Rfd1 Bxf5
26. exf5 f3 27. Kf1 fxe2+ 28. Kxe2 Re8 29. Qe4 Re7 30. Qd3 Bd6+
31. Ne4 Qxf5 32. Kd2 Rxe4 33. Rf1 Ne5 34. Qc2 Re2+ 0-1

Thanks!