2018 Charlotte Open: The e5 Square, Bad Knight Moves

My last weekend tournament had not turned out so well with 0 wins; 2 losses; 2 draws and withdrawing before the 5th and final round. 

This time would be different. I had learned from the summer tournament and knew what I needed to do to prepare. Prepare, I did. In fact, this was the second most confident I had ever been going into a tournament. While I didn't get the overall results that I was hoping for, I was extremely pleased with my play. 

***Spoiler alert*** Here are the final standings for my section

Final standings for the U1800 section

I am providing my games in full for you to review as I feel that sharing my analysis is the best way for me to improve as well as help others see how they can analyze their own games. As you go through the games, notice how the theme of playing e5 was relevant in almost all of the games. 

The first round I was paired against someone that I had never played before and this game has some very interesting lines that I included in my analysis. Also, this is the first game that goes with the e5 theme. 

The second round saw me paired up against a friend of mine. I was looking forward to a chaotic battle but he decided to take the game into calmer waters. Although I got a better position, I made a gross blunder and it cost me a piece. I was able to keep the position just complicated enough to get my piece back as he got into time trouble but it wasn't enough. In the end we both had less than 20 seconds left and thanks to his outside passed pawn, it was enough to win the game. 

I took a walk to clear my head after that loss. I reminded myself that I had a better position and that I made a simple error that could be fixed by taking my time and not playing too fast. It was enough and I won in quick fashion in this third round game. This is the second game of the tournament that shows the e5 theme. 

Alright, it was now a new day. With 2 wins and only 1 loss I was feeling confident and I was still very much in this tournament in regards to prize money. This fourth round game was a tough game for me. I never felt like I was better and I made some really bad decisions including throwing away half a point. I did learn a lot from this game and won't be making these types of mistakes again.

Alright, so now I'm at 2 wins and 2 losses, this 5th round game is a must win situation. My opponent plays right into my comfort zone with the Advance variation of the French Defense. I made my life more complicated than it needed to be in converting this game but in the end I got the victory. I thought moving my queen from c4 to f8 in essentially one move was a great find to help me regroup and find a way to win. Even though e5 wasn't played in the game, it was a move that would have helped me convert faster if I had played it.

After having two blacks, I was due for white and I was ready to go. It wasn't until my opponent started walking towards the board that I realized I had lost to him in the Carolina's Classic tournament earlier this year. I was ready to return the favor. 

After that miniature, I was now in a must win situation if I wanted any chance at prize money and of course it depended on what some of the others did in front of me. I truly don't know what came over me. I chose to play into a weakened position as black, I suffered from a bad position all game, my opponent did not take advantage and I was able to get myself untangled and into an even endgame. However, the knights were my downfall in the tournament and for this tournament it is very fitting that my knight move to e5 is what cost me the game and prize money.