Return to Chess

After a busy and intense first year of college, I have finally come back to studying and playing tournament chess. Hopefully with the coming school year, I can make a strong push towards 2300. 

This past weekend, I played in the local Boylston Quads, a tournament in which each section comprised of four equally rated players. I was ranked second in my quad, with the other three opponents as Massachusetts' top junior players, so I was up for a tough challenge. Nevertheless I was determined to play my best chess, and I hope you all enjoy the games below!

The first game, I played the 3rd ranked player, a 2160. 

The second round was a quick draw, although I think white could have pushed for a win in the end due to a stronger bishop. 

Last round, I was tied with my opponent for first place, so this game determined who would win the Quad. I had played him around 14 times before, so I knew this game would be a tough battle against a familiar foe. 

I had less than 5 minutes with this position, so I had stopped keeping score. My position fell apart after playing Nxg6 on move 33, In the final few moves in the game above, I was playing for tricks like Rxf7, where I could sneak in a checkmate combination. In retrospect, locking up the position with the pawns on f6, g5, and h6 may not have been a great idea, and I should have just maintained the pressure and build up the attack. 

I hope you all enjoyed these games!