This game was basically a rapidplay, Joe was making a move a minute and I felt compelled to keep pace, the quality is, er, variable and A Team players may wish to avert their eyes at some points, but, for various reasons, I thought it was worth a look, so here goes...
1.d4
Nf6
2.c4
g6
3.Nc3
Bg7
This season's opening - The King's Indian. I once read a comment that with the KID you get play all over the board. This is what happens in practice and it can make for interesting games.
4.e4
d6
5.f3
The Saemisch. I used to play this as White in blitz and always did well. One idea is opposite side castling and Death or Glory chess.
5...0-0
6.Be3
c6
I knew c5 was a playable gambit but with the speed Joe was moving I didn't have time to recall the line, or the plans that follow. [This is the gambit 6...c5
7.dxc5
dxc5
8.Qxd8
Rxd8
9.Bxc5
Nc6
10.Nd5
Nd7
11.Bxe7
Nxe7
12.Nxe7+
Kf8
13.Nd5
Bxb2
14.Rb1
Bg7
Of course this isn't all forced but it is natural and if you're a GM apparently very good for Black. http://tinyurl.com/chtc53 has 50 or so games from this position. Black does very well but it all looks like high level manoeuvring to me.]
7.Nge2
Na6
This move crops up as a possiblity in just about all King's Indians - but maybe not here, still I had to move quickly and it doesn't lose on the spot.
8.h4
Chaaarge! Win or lose this wasn't going to be boring!
8...c5
9.d5
e6
10.Qd2
Re8
11.dxe6
Bxe6
12.Ng3?
[12.Nf4
I thought this was much stronger.]
12...Qb6
The next few moves are all played very quickly by both sides and tbh I don't think the standard is very good but I was just trying to stay in the game and wait for my chance.
13.Rd1!?
Look, I've just moved my queen over to the b-file can you castle queenside please?
13...Red8
14.Be2
Nc7
15.Kf2!?
Joe said he was trying to keep it interesting - he's certainly managed that!
15...Qc6
16.h5
Qe8
17.h6
Bh8
18.Qc1
Qc6
19.Bg5
Nce8
20.Qf4
Rd7
21.Nb5
Now I really had to think. I can easily lose material here if I'm not careful.
21...a6
22.Nxd6
Rxd6
[22...Nxd6?
23.Bxf6
Bxf6
24.Qxf6
]
23.Rxd6
Qxd6
24.e5
I'd seen this coming and initially thought that Qd4 was playable, and I think it is, then I thought I had a better idea but as it left my queen en prise I had to check it for a few minutes.
24...Qxe5
I've spent a lot of time recently on tactics at Chesstempo (rating ~1900) which had helped over the last few moves. [24...Qd4+
25.Qxd4
cxd4
26.exf6
Bxf6
27.Bxf6
Nxf6
I think the d pawn looks weak.]
25.Qxe5
Ng4+
26.fxg4
Bxe5
27.Ne4
Initially this looked good but then I saw a way to win a pawn but I had to give Joe the two bishops. The other games were looking dicey and I couldn't see any other way forward so I went for the material.
27...Bxb2
28.Nxc5
Bd4+
29.Be3
Bxc5
Ceding the bishop pair.
30.Bxc5
Rc8
Picking up the pawn.
31.Be3
Bxc4
32.Rc1
Be6
33.Rxc8
Bxc8
White's pawns aren't a picture of health but those bishops look scary.
34.Bc5
I was expecting this as it keeps my king under lock and key but then I realised it gave me chances.
34...Nf6
35.Bf3
[35.g5??
Ne4+
]
35...Nxg4+
[35...Bxg4
This is a better line but, again, playing quickly I didn't even consider it. 36.Bxb7
Be6
37.Ke3
Bxa2
38.Bxa6
Ng4+
39.Kf4
Nxh6
40.Kg5
Nf5
41.g4
Ng7
Convential wisdom is that with pawns all on one side of the board the knight is at less of a disadvantage but maybe not if it's stuck on g7]
36.Bxg4
Bxg4
37.Kg3
Be6
38.a4
b5
39.axb5
axb5
40.Kf4
f6
41.g4
g5+
42.Kf3
Kf7
43.Kg3
Kg6
44.Be7
f5
[44...Bxg4!
Of course! Didn't even consider it for a second. 45.Kxg4
f5+
46.Kf3
Kxh6
]
45.gxf5+
Bxf5
46.Bf8
b4
47.Bxb4
Kxh6
After the pressure I'd felt in the middle game I was pleased to be two pawns ahead but this has to be completely drawn. Still I had to press on because of the match situation.
48.Bd2
Kg6
49.Kf3
h5
50.Be1
h4
51.Kg2
Kh5
52.Bf2
g4
White can go wrong still. Apparently there are only two playable moves here.
53.Kh2
[53.Bg1??
Be4+
54.Kf2
g3+
55.Kf1
h3
; 53.Be1
Is the other one.]
53...Be4
[53...g3+
54.Bxg3
hxg3+
55.Kxg3
]
54.Be1
Only move! Which sounds more dramatic than it is in this position.
54...h3
I know this is dead drawn and at this point Jon, who'd been watching, left to find something more intersting to do, but I figured if I could invade with my king I might cause some confusion. [54...Kg5
55.Bd2+
Kf5
56.Be1
Kg5
57.Bd2+
Clearly gets me nowhere.]
55.Kg3
Kg5
56.Bd2+
Kf5
57.Kh2
Bf3
58.Be1
Ke4
59.Bg3
Ke3
60.Bh4
Ke2
61.Kg3
This was encouraging: Joe has, no matter how temporarily, abandoned protection of g1. I wondered if he'd do it again...
61...Kf1
62.Kh2
Bg2
63.Kg3?
This isn't fatal.
63...Kg1
64.Kxg4??
But this is. [64.Bf6
h2
65.Bd4+
]
64...h2
I still had 4 or 5 minutes left so Joe resigned. I really can't remember a game I've played like it. At various points I felt a) all at sea and b) under pressure and at least half the moves were a complete surprise. It was nice to win for the team, though in the end we still lost the match and Thanks to Joe for making the game interesting. 0-1