First game for my club - playing Board 1, and just a little bit nervous... OK, I'll subdue my natural attacking instincts and try to keep it solid.
1.e4
d6
Great - no idea what opening this is going to be.
2.d4
c5
Ah - Sicilian; in a roundabout sort of way.
3.dxc5
Qa5+
4.Nc3
Qxc5
Surely it can't be good to have your queen out and about this early?
5.Nf3
Bg4
6.h3
Bxf3
7.Qxf3
Nf6
8.Be3
Qc8
9.0-0-0
Nc6
10.g4
a6
At this point I'm thinking 'I have a lot of space and he's getting cramped. Must be something I can do here to take advantage of it.' It would appear, subconsciously, I'm thinking 'how can I really mess up my pawn structure?'
11.g5
Nd7
12.Qe2
e6
13.f4
Qc7
14.f5
0-0-0
15.fxe6
fxe6
Nicely done - managed to isolate my e-pawn now. I'm sure there was some method behind this. My kingside is shot to pieces and my opponent has castled queenside so that's no help.
16.Qg4
Re8
17.Bg2
Nce5
18.Qe2
Kb8
19.Qf2
Rc8
20.Bf1
Ka8
21.Be2
Nc5
22.Bxc5
Qxc5
23.Qxc5
Rxc5
That e-pawn is looking very vulnerable now in the long term.
24.Na4
Rc6
(you never know - he might have played 24 ...Rc4??)
25.Rhf1
Be7
26.h4
Rhc8
27.Rd2
b5
28.Nc3
b4
29.Nd1
So all my minor pieces are in defensive positions, my King is in direct line with Black's doubled-up rooks and my pawns are scattered all over the board. Suffice to say I'm not happy with this position. I'm not even ahead on the clock, which is rare for me. Luckily, my opponent spotted a tactic.
29...h6
30.gxh6
Bxh4
Looking to win the exchange, pinning my rook to my king. Unfortunately...
31.hxg7
Bg5
32.Rf8
The pawn will now promote.
32...Bxd2+
33.Kxd2
Rxc2+
34.Ke1
Nd7
35.g8Q
Nxf8
36.Bxa6 1-0
Andrew submitted this game and these annotations despite knowing that Fritz had gleefully pointed out a large juicy lemon somewhere. Did you spot it..? *