Hi I was your 6th round opponent in the Leningrad Dutch game, before the tournament I found this page and found that you wrote up a lot of your tournament games, (I also used it to prep against you, a novelty, but you varied from it on move 4 and transposed to a mainline leningrad for which I am heavily prepped on) so decided after the tournament to see. I would like to say you actually played very well and I felt lucky to have somehow pulled away with the win. In fact, I was seriously considering accepting the draw offer on move 25 because I felt you were too strong and would probably be able to turn the tables on me especially if I got into time trouble. Just for a little bit of understanding in these positions from move 7 once we got into the mainline warsaw, you can actually opt for many different setups, with 8. b3 being one of the most popular. The idea of course is what Andras Toth had said, which is 9. Ba3 Qxd1 10. Raxd1 Re8 and endgame chances are about equal although engine gives white a slight advantage. I am also surprised the engine gives about equal after Bd6 Qf7, where I thought that your control of the d-file and powerful bishop were too much for me. However I also felt like I had the imbalances on my side because my dark squared bishop is extremely strong (or will be once it's uncovered) and the space-gaining and cramping e3-, g5-, and f5-pawns are good because although it seems like I am under developed, the bishop on c8 is very strong after f4, and the knight and bishop on g2 and h3 are completely dead. After my tactical defense of the e3-pawn, it turned out the game was approximately equal and I had actually expected you to play Qc1, the top engine move. After Nd1, which was the alternative move I had calculate, I now had an advantage that I was somehow, luckily able to convert. Also after 18...f4, you played 19. Nxf4 which was a complete shock to me (I had calculated many many lines in 19. g4 (top engine move) and 19. gxf4 however in both I found that I would either get a small material edge or a huge space advantage which would be completely cramping. Anyways it was a great game that was very complex and hard for me to calculate, enjoyed it a lot
Wow, thanks for this response, Toby! Sorry I didn't ask for a post-mortem after the game; I usually do but I was so drained by the end of it I just wanted to sit down and take a nap!
I figured my blog could be used by people to prep against me, but my general plan is to play broadly, and have a wide repertoire to counteract this risk; but I think writing these out helps keep me honest and analyze my own games and keep me accountable! I can still outplay people if I try, even if I get prepped for!
Re: 15.Bd6, now I think that I should have played f3 right away and saved Bd6 for another time. It's a nice idea to have as a threat and I don't have to execute it right then and there.
Once you played f4, I realized that your bishop on c8 was in fact already developed and that I was in some trouble. I considered 19.g4 for a long time before deciding on Nxf4 going first. I didn't like the idea of 19...Qg6 where my rook on d3 is somewhat pinned, but then maybe I have Qc1 anyway.
Also, I had considered 18.Qc1 instead of Nd1, but I was thinking about whether the knight on c3 was a bit loose on the diagonal.
Once I dropped the exchange I felt like the position was falling to pieces, but especially after 25.Nd6 Qe6! I knew it was just a matter of time! You played great and deserved the win!
This game was extremely complex (like all the other games I played against your fellow kids!) and there were so many options in an unfamiliar position that I had a headache immediately following the game! It never feels good to lose, but I lost to two prize-winners in the Reserve section including you (congratulations again, btw) and I can't really complain about that! I'm flattered you think of me as a strong player and that I played well, because I really think the same thing about you. Not sure what part of the country you're in, as I've never seen you at the Sacramento Chess Club before, but maybe some day I'll be able to keep up with you long enough to get a rematch one more time.
Thanks again for commenting Toby, hope you're enjoying your prize money!
I actually live in the bay area, so had to travel a little bit to go to sacramento. The prize money was less than the entry fee so not that exciting for me, but at least I got my money nearly back xD. Maybe we will get a rematch some day, and I expect if so it will be another great match. Thank you for the kind words, good luck on becoming a master!
Interesting mate in game 2!
Hi I was your 6th round opponent in the Leningrad Dutch game, before the tournament I found this page and found that you wrote up a lot of your tournament games, (I also used it to prep against you, a novelty, but you varied from it on move 4 and transposed to a mainline leningrad for which I am heavily prepped on) so decided after the tournament to see. I would like to say you actually played very well and I felt lucky to have somehow pulled away with the win. In fact, I was seriously considering accepting the draw offer on move 25 because I felt you were too strong and would probably be able to turn the tables on me especially if I got into time trouble. Just for a little bit of understanding in these positions from move 7 once we got into the mainline warsaw, you can actually opt for many different setups, with 8. b3 being one of the most popular. The idea of course is what Andras Toth had said, which is 9. Ba3 Qxd1 10. Raxd1 Re8 and endgame chances are about equal although engine gives white a slight advantage. I am also surprised the engine gives about equal after Bd6 Qf7, where I thought that your control of the d-file and powerful bishop were too much for me. However I also felt like I had the imbalances on my side because my dark squared bishop is extremely strong (or will be once it's uncovered) and the space-gaining and cramping e3-, g5-, and f5-pawns are good because although it seems like I am under developed, the bishop on c8 is very strong after f4, and the knight and bishop on g2 and h3 are completely dead. After my tactical defense of the e3-pawn, it turned out the game was approximately equal and I had actually expected you to play Qc1, the top engine move. After Nd1, which was the alternative move I had calculate, I now had an advantage that I was somehow, luckily able to convert. Also after 18...f4, you played 19. Nxf4 which was a complete shock to me (I had calculated many many lines in 19. g4 (top engine move) and 19. gxf4 however in both I found that I would either get a small material edge or a huge space advantage which would be completely cramping. Anyways it was a great game that was very complex and hard for me to calculate, enjoyed it a lot
Wow, thanks for this response, Toby! Sorry I didn't ask for a post-mortem after the game; I usually do but I was so drained by the end of it I just wanted to sit down and take a nap!
I figured my blog could be used by people to prep against me, but my general plan is to play broadly, and have a wide repertoire to counteract this risk; but I think writing these out helps keep me honest and analyze my own games and keep me accountable! I can still outplay people if I try, even if I get prepped for!
Re: 15.Bd6, now I think that I should have played f3 right away and saved Bd6 for another time. It's a nice idea to have as a threat and I don't have to execute it right then and there.
Once you played f4, I realized that your bishop on c8 was in fact already developed and that I was in some trouble. I considered 19.g4 for a long time before deciding on Nxf4 going first. I didn't like the idea of 19...Qg6 where my rook on d3 is somewhat pinned, but then maybe I have Qc1 anyway.
Also, I had considered 18.Qc1 instead of Nd1, but I was thinking about whether the knight on c3 was a bit loose on the diagonal.
Once I dropped the exchange I felt like the position was falling to pieces, but especially after 25.Nd6 Qe6! I knew it was just a matter of time! You played great and deserved the win!
This game was extremely complex (like all the other games I played against your fellow kids!) and there were so many options in an unfamiliar position that I had a headache immediately following the game! It never feels good to lose, but I lost to two prize-winners in the Reserve section including you (congratulations again, btw) and I can't really complain about that! I'm flattered you think of me as a strong player and that I played well, because I really think the same thing about you. Not sure what part of the country you're in, as I've never seen you at the Sacramento Chess Club before, but maybe some day I'll be able to keep up with you long enough to get a rematch one more time.
Thanks again for commenting Toby, hope you're enjoying your prize money!
I actually live in the bay area, so had to travel a little bit to go to sacramento. The prize money was less than the entry fee so not that exciting for me, but at least I got my money nearly back xD. Maybe we will get a rematch some day, and I expect if so it will be another great match. Thank you for the kind words, good luck on becoming a master!
Thanks Toby! Always nice to win back the entry fee! :)