But I used my all time to reach that position... I missed a very nice move Bxd3 with the following e4! after your Re3 move... Damn, I knew, that some sacrifice should be somewhere... But of course, I only missed it because of time trouble!

Yeah, you had something there. I think I remember what you're talking about. I'll look at it again. I know I was in horrible shape even if there wasn't anything forced. Having a R on e3 is a bad sign that early

I totally forgot about this! Apologies to BobJoeJim & Noir_Desir!

I've changed my settings so that I get an email when I get a PM, so hopefully there won't be a repeat!

Now to organise a round 3 game ...

I looked at it a little and I'm thinking that after ...Bxd3 2. Rxd3 e4 3. Re3 you can either play 3...exf3 4. Rxf3 and you might be just a little better but it's still a game, or you can try 3....Ne5 4. Nxe5 Qxf2+ 5. Kh1 Qxe3 and 6. Ng4 holds. Maybe I'm missing something.

Yep, I don't have "an easy win", of course. But it keeps the pressure on (with Ne5, Qxf2 variation). In any case, that was a lot better than I played it, lol.

Noir_Desir 0 - 1 smilingbill

http://www.ficsgames.com/cgi-bin/sho...67;action=show

Was a bit lost with the nuances of the variation N_D played but managed to get a plan together. Managed to come out on top from the tactical mess that followed, will be interesting to see what the engine has to say (and if my opening line has made any sense to anyone else).

linky no worky

yeah it does

Interesting...I know that all the moves up to 11. Bd2 are standard, but I thought the main move was 11. Bg5 or maybe Be3 or f3 or b4. Bd2 looks very odd. But I might be wrong.

Then there's the strange-looking plan of exchanging the DSB, but seeing as white is reluctant to play f3 stuff (in which case the DSB is often useful in combos), the DSB looks like it might become a problem for black here, so it's an interesting idea.

gxf5 looks controversial. I personally would have played Bxf5.

I like the move f4, tempting e4 and maybe white has the c3 square and that nice diagonal for his bishop...

Then somewhere along the line white gets a bit stuck in a rut and that's nearly end of game (but black has to play bit accurately for a few more moves).

Bd2 is completely standard, the idea is to wait for black to commit to Nd7-f6 before playing f3 so that after black plays ...f4 white has an easier time forcing through c5. Also it makes room for Rc1. As there is no better spot available than d2, the bishop has to move there. On g5 or e3 it just encourages the black pawns forward with tempo.

I was a bit lost after Ng8. In fact, there is an old GM game (Lutz-Paehtz) where white played f3 at some point, then after Bh6 switched to the 1. exf5 gxf5 2. f4 plan i used, so he was essentially a tempo down which i used for c4-c5. Seeing how the game went, i would have loved to not have that in.

Ganstaman 0 - 1 Cadaz

http://www.ficsgames.com/cgi-bin/sho...12;action=show

Confirmed (though the link confirms too).

All was theory (Sicilian Dragon, Yugoslav attack) through 11...Ne5, and then I was unsure how to continue. And as it turns out, I didn't follow the more common 12. h4 or 12. Kb1 but improvised with 12. Bh6.

My losing move was 19. Nd5. Instead, 19. Rg5 rates as winning for me (computer gives 19. Rg5 Rc5 20. Nb3 Rxg5 21. Nxa5 Rxa5 and likes white with the queen for the knight and rook). I was about 50/50 between the two and chose the wrong one

I realized I was losing after 19...Qxa2 so went into panic mode which involves unsound attacks. Cadaz was unfazed and won by move 25.

If it's any comfort to me, he missed a mate-in-8 at the end. 25...Rc1 is winning, but something is is more winning if you want to find it (I saw it, but didn't realize it led to such a quick forced mate).



Well done to Cadaz, again, and congrats on escaping the bottom of the bracket.

Cnfrmdtroll-Nezh 1-0, missing mate in 1 is definitely not the way to go.

palinca 0F - Sholar 1F

palinca forfeited via PM.

mc4chess jolle 1-0

http://www.ficsgames.com/cgi-bin/sho...33;action=show

I got a really comfortable position after opening I felt, however nxc6 was premature and just missed this ba6 move, and should probably just play rfb1 or something first.

hoyasaxa 0 - 1 HipHopRTR

http://www.ficsgames.com/cgi-bin/sho...31;action=show

Perhaps a little early with the resignation, though its an ugly position to defend a pawn or two down.

I messed up and showed up at the wrong time AGAIN.

If you don't hear from us by the time you make the pairings, Hackdeath wins by forfeit.

Hackdeath tells me that you each missed one match, and proposed it be scored as a draw. I'm fine with that scoring option if you are. It would have the added effect of leaving you two paired up in the next round to try again, since there would be two players at 3/3 paired with each other, and then you and Hackdeath would be the only two players at 2.5/3, and wouldn't have actually *played* each other yet. Any objections to that plan?

lol, sounds good

I think he's a lot less busy this week and hopefully this time I can read my own notes. Sorry again Hack for the messup!

Okay, I think I managed to get everything processed. Jewbinson, I'm sorry to say that since there is an odd number of players including you, I wasn't able to work you back into the pairings this round, but I do hope you're feeling better.



Good luck everyone!

Well, unless I got kicked out for losing too much, or I just missed myself, I'm still around to play.

Hackdeath 1 - 0 RoundTower

http://www.ficsgames.com/cgi-bin/sho...76;action=show

Crazy game with a sweet finish, although if I didn't have it prospects were rather bleak...

Hackdeath 1-0 RoundTower
http://www.ficsgames.com/cgi-bin/sho...76;action=show

sorry I had to go afk after the game, it was interesting

I have to stop playing that line against strong players! I've had a couple of good results in it but mostly when they played the opening horribly, I think you played more or less the main line and it's just bad for Black. Nf6 maybe isn't best, I can't remember exactly though.

Nice finish to the game as well!

palinca (white) vs. ganstaman (black)

Sorry, my screenshot cut off the bottom row of the pairings.

some oldish analysis of the Rousseau at http://www.chesscafe.com/text/skittles184.pdf suggest that 10.Nc3 would bust 9.-Bd6, see the tersely classified subvariation E6c54321 (srsly).
Annotation bot seems to say that the sweet finish was wrong and 23.Qc2!! was much more accurate, with the idea of Qxe7 Na5+ I suppose still very pretty though and I think you did a good job with the complications between moves 10-20