Slow Swiss #3 - Round 3

TAKE TWO!!!

Sometimes posting a blog is VERY annoying!   Doggone thing just disappeared.  This took me an hour and a half to annotate and POOOOOOOFFFF -- Just disappeared.   Good thing I ALWAYS recopy my pgn when I'm through.  Nevertheless, the infurating thing "ATE" my intro from before so I have to write it again.  Cripes, I hope I remember everything I wanted to say.

Worth noting, I'm a beginner.   I'm playing with someone around my level.  Now.  We ALL know my record, I think.  It's abysmal.   I have participated in THREE Slow Swiss Events and THREE quad events.  Out of ALL OF THOSE GAMES, I have.... DRUM ROLL PLEASE...  (trumpet blares loudly) ONE win!  YES!  Just one!!  (I don't count wins by forfeit although I DO have two of those... isn't that pathetic?  I actually have more wins by forfeits than REAL wins..... ***sigh***)  

With that said, I am having a HUGE problem with nerves.  I get so nervous in these that in the past few games, I've been physically ill when starting.   I feel TERRIBLE, mentally fuzzy, flustered and just NOT READY.   My first impulse has been to just quit everything (especially after a particularly embarrassing and painful loss the other day) but I realized you can't just run away from a fear, you DO have to face it, no matter how much it hurts (only exception... if I were to have an excruciating headache.  I have learned the hard way that I cannot play with a bad headache.... in that case, I'd have to forfeit). 

So, I played.  I didn't feel well.   But I'm glad I swallowed it up and tried to play. 

HEY you advanced players!!  Remember, I'm a beginner.  I won't see all the things you do!  I keep trying so feel free to point things out... but during games, I certainly don't see many things.  Have you ever focused SO much that you missed something totally obvious?  That has happened to me a few times now.

Goals:

1.  Focus as much as possible.

2.  Do NOT give the opponent an easy win.

3.  (new goal).  If I am in a situation where it looks like I have an advantage, for cripe's sake, DON'T BLOW IT. 

Enough babbling from me now.  Here is the game.