I'm happy you did well in the tournament. 
2011 North American Open
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Jan 1, 2012
0
#3
Great defense. I think you were worse from move 5 until almost 30, but you hung in there, defending all his main threats. When the moment came, you seized it well. At the end, after Rf7+ Kg8, you should play Re8 and black resigns.
Feb 13, 2012
0
#4
Hi Mr. Instrument,
I left your note to me for all this time, and now here are your comments.
- Note that I don't play 1.e4, I certainly don't play the Scotch, so my comments in the opening will likely be either simplistic, wrong, both, or neither. I do, however, like Scotch. Hey, did you hear that Karpov will be at the National Open this year? He's like my chess idol.
- 5.Bg5 - Seems to me that the book move likely is 5.Nc3. Also, "knights before bishops".
- On white's 7th move, what about 7.Nxc6? Were you worried about 7...Qxb2 or no? Did you calculate that?
- After 8...o-o, seems to me that black is at least equal. Two bishops, good prospects for opening up the position, active pieces. White has the "two knights", is behind in development. The plus for white is equal material, pawn structure is okay, and the e4 pawn is nice. Then there is what I like to call the "playability" of the position. Sometimes one side or the other is "easier to play". I think that for now, at least, white will finish development, and black's moves are pretty easy too. If I were a GM, I would find a long-term plan for black which squeezes white until move 37, when material is still even, but white's pieces are all on the first rank. But I am not a GM, and to me both sides are playable.
- I don't see a need to play 10.h3. Black isn't threatening to double white's pawns (in my opinion), because he gives up too much of his advantage just to get the structural weakness. White would get some pieces off the board, black's two bishops are gone, opposite colored bishops increase drawing chances, queens off the board increase drawing chances in the presence of opposite-colored bishops, etc.
- I like the move 10...Ne5, a lot. If white trades on e5, black gains equal footing in the center, and I suspect that the bishops gain in power with the trade of a pair of knights.
- Curious about 11.Bc2 -- that you would allow the doubled f-pawns without getting the bishop pair as compensation. Perhaps you played h3 just to restrict black's bishop.
- Equally curious that black didn't trade on f3.
- I don't know about a move like 12...d5. Black can easily increase the pressure on the position by centralizing rooks, either to the e and d files, or both to one file. I mean, white still hasn't castled. I wouldn't play ...d5 unless it increased the power of the bishops, or it eliminated a weakness of mine, or it created a weakness for my opponent.
- Yes, your move of 14.Ne4 is great, for many of the reasons I wrote about earlier. Another reason why ...d5 was bad for black.
- 17.o-o. whew. Don't keep me in suspense for your next game this long please!
- 17...Qf4. You're right to sense danger. This is an important quality in a chess player.
- 18.Rad1. I'm looking at 18...Nxf3 19.Bxf3 Bd6 and not finding a whole lot for white. Would you have to sac the exchange there with 20.Rxd6, just to avoid losing immediately?
- You're right, 20.Rfe1 is only move. Ditto with 21.g3; fortunately it's an easy-to-see move, especially given your position a couple of moves earlier.
- 22.Kg2. You're right, it threatens f4. It's funny, because in principle black has this great pin on the e-file (threatening ...f5) but your threat trumps his threat because of the immediacy.
- Good job getting your bishop out of there with tempo. This is probably a good time to point out that black was not actually threatening ...f5 a move ago because of Bd5+ which doesn't lose the bishop. Also, I would add to your annotation that the pin on the e-file was quite uncomfortable, and good to get out of (in addition to the reasons you cited for trading off a pair of rooks).
- You're not writing it, but the tone of your annotations is that you would be happy with a draw. It must have been interesting to observe the body language of your opponent, since a couple of moves earlier he probably had a winning attack, and now it's dissipated. These sometimes are the hardest positions to play.
- You're right, probably 25.Be4 was better than 25.Bd3.
- 31...Re5 "I think this makes things worse for him" haha, good one. I think that you defended well and he didn't find a knockout punch, and when the tides shifted, he didn't defend [well].
- And lastly, 40.Re7 is a good mating pattern to know. You didn't write about your opponent's time at all, but it would have been something to play 40.Re7 and then have him realize that he won't really be able to enjoy making time control (with a walk around to clear the mind or something).
Feb 13, 2012
0
#5
Ah, the North American Open, Las Vegas winter 1996. It was the best of tournaments, it was the worst of tournaments. Personally, my life was just beginning to descend to its darkest time, unbeknownst to me. Going into the last round I had 5.5 points, a draw secured some money, a victory much more. I played an aggressive attack, yet unsound as proved in the post mortem. However, sweet victory and a cheque for $2250 was mine. Until I found my opponent sobbing on a sofa in a hall just off the tournament hall. He'd flown from the East Coast, spent all he had, and once again had just fallen short of winning a prize. I did my best to console him, but it proved to be my best, and worst, victory.
Feb 13, 2012
0
#6
Thanks for the thoughtful comments.
Let me try a few of my own:
1. I know of Karpov being there, but a family reunion may conflict. In other news the US Open is in Vancouver (WA) this year and I will be there for sure.
2. Doesn't 7. Qxb2 win the rook?
3. The move 11. Nxe5 sends me to the blackjack table with 11...Qxf2#
4. Regarding castling: In my 7 games played, I only castled twice with the first one being in game #5. This game is a perfect example of my play: weak opening while I work out the jitters, a strong defense when I realize that I am screwed if I don't start playing some chess and then, more times than not, a win or a draw. It is good for learning, but I won't advance far with that behavior.
5. Up until 31. Rf3 I would have been quite happy with a draw.
6. Move 40. Re7 is so obvious now that you point it out. I love discovered checks that gobble material so much that I think I was blind to this simple move.
7. His body language never changed during the game, except an approving nod of the head after 33. Rxd6.
Feb 14, 2012
0
#7
Re: blackjack table, you can see that I didn't check my analysis with a computer either. This is the perfect time to, though, after going over the game yourself.
Feb 14, 2012
0
#8
Gonna put through the computer now. 5/min per move should have it ready around lunch.
Move 40 will be annotated "Whites asleep at the switch and does not see the forced mate"
Here is game 7, played yesterday on 12/29/2011. I am the white player.
I scored 4 points in 7 games in the U1700 section.
While not devoid of mistakes, I think this was my best game. I have not put in computer yet, so my analysis could be faulty at points.