Hello,

I just played in an OTB tournament Saturday. I ended up winning the U1550 prize in the U1900 section, which was awesome, but something else happened.

I got 3 whites out of 4, which was nice. Each was a sicilian, where I got a nice attack, but my best game was in the second round with black.

Whenever I win a tournament game OTB it is because of a blunder by my opponent, either dropping a pawn or a peice, or allowing an attack. This was the first time I have ever won an OTB tournament game when this didn't happen. I just used positional play to get a great position and convert the win.

Here it is, please comment and critique:

Anyone have any comments?

Tips? please, I occasionally put a game on here and get nothing, and yet it seems that most of the games put up by others, good or bad, get tips or criticisms or something. I would like it if people would help me with this game, or at least say what they think.

Black played the opening and early middlegame very well. However, I wouldn't have been so keen to simplify towards pawn ending.

You seem awfully certain that the pawn ending is winning for black but I'm not totally convinced. 29. h4? looks like it might be quite a bad mistake (by the way, opposition hardly has anything to do with this position). Instead I would suggest 29. g4+ driwing the king away from f5 and if 29... Kg5 then 30. Kg3 followed by h4. I cannot prove that this is drawn but I would assume that this is the most probable outcome.

That makes sense, I might still have something, but it is not definate.

This was a very nice game!  Interesting decision to go down to king pawn...it was a safe decision for sure.  However...I don't think I would have traded queens in that position.  You could have used your queen.  Eithor way, it was a very nice game...and I enjoyed your comments and logic.  Thanks.

James

Definately!