This was a typical game where I thought I played well only to discover all kinds of problems with computer analysis. I was trying to play a' la GM Perelshteyn with 4.Nf3 against the Benko.  I had made some videos about this opening and thought Ball had viewed them!  It turns out David didn't even know the opening was a Benko!

Paschal plays a very nice open Sicilian and gains a very significant advantage then begins to play very passively with 15.ef giving Marius the center.  He tries to attack Lucan's King with a pawn storm but Marius' attack gets there first.

Fellinger essays his Tarrash again and once again I really like his position. He creates nice pressure on the queenside and gains an advantage. Mennella defends nicely and on move 23...Nd7 Mike lets the typical center break to occur and under the tactics released by James pent up pieces wilts under the pin on the b-file.

King tried to deal with Dominick's tricky Old Benoni move order.  He gains some pressure on the queenside at the cost of his good bishop.  It seems to be a high price to pay.  Dominick was proud to play the very passive looking defensive move 19...Nb8.  He then takes over the e-file and gains a very opitcally pleasing equal position which King defends to an equal ending. Dominick plays what GM Soltis calls an Uber Lift in his book, What it takes to become a Grandmaster with 32...g5.  King tried to deal with the pawn when it lands on g4 but for some reason declines to establish material equality and loses.