Black vs IM Voja 60 60 ICC simul 9.3.2012

I tried out a new line I had studied in my database. 11... Be6 instead of Bd7. The idea is to stop White from continuing to build an attack while keeping the bishop pair. Black's happy to consolidate into a Queenless middlegame at the expense of the damaged kingside pawn structure.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. This game clearly deserves good analysis, my pawn sac for activity and to cripple his Queenside pawns may not have been the best idea but I didn't know how to react to White's more obvious plan of Ne3-f5. White could have continued the game with 28. Rd6 and I'm not convinced I would have been able to hold on. I was offered a draw and after a couple of minutes of thinking I took it. Houdini evaluates it +=0.53.

I've been spending the best part of my day/most mental stamina on these simuls. While it has been a lot of fun, good for my chess and confidence in general, I need to be concentrating on other things. I also have a sizable backlog of games that I need to analyze, as you can tell from the previous blog posts. So I don't expect to play another simul for at least a week.

Thank you for reading, comments are always appreciated.

Black vs FM joejan (2088) 45 45 ICC simul 9.2.2012

A Berlin sideline. I have modeled my e5 openings after my friend Katar. His recommendation was 7... d6. The problem with 7... Nd6 is 8. Bg5!

I know enough to know that this is not a great position to be in against a titled player and I have certainly gone astray. Looking at it with Houdini 2gb, after 8...Be7, both 9. Bxe7 and 9. exd6 White looks great.

In the future, 7...d6 8. axb5 Nxe5 9. Re1 Be7 10. Nxe5 dxe5 11. Qxd8+ Bxd8+ 12. Rxe5+ Be6.

11... Bf6 would have been more accurate. The problem is Nd4 coming with tempo because it overloads the defense of the bishop on e7. If 12. Nxf6 Qxf6 13. Bg5 Qxb2 or Qg6 is fine.

13. Black to move


I spent a lot of time in this position. I need to find good squares for my knight and bishop. I need to develop my rook to e8. I need to find a square for my Queen to connect the rooks. How best to go about it?

13... Re8 14. Bg5 h6 Bh4 15. Qe2 g5 16. Bg3 c5 17. Nf3 Be6 is a computer line. Seems awfully tempting to play with such steely resolve by thrusting for space and taking away squares, but I am not sure if it's practical for me.

13... Nf5 seems to be a more obvious choice that is better suited for my style. White does not want to exchange the pieces and this gives Black more space to develop (Qf6, Qh4, e6 now free for the bishop).

It's a very difficult ending to analyze. I don't think White should have allowed the Queen trade. 25. Qd7 would have kept life in the position and I am not sure I would have played this correctly.

28. Re4 and it's still a game. Black is better but White might still draw I think. 28... Nd8 is much stronger.

Anyway, my first victory in a simul against a titled player so I'm very happy.

Black vs IM Voja (2411) simul 60 60 ICC 9.1.2012

My tactics have really been letting me down recently. Bf5 was the correct move to equalize. I'm happy with the opening and the majority of the middle game. I thought Rb8 was a nice move and the computer agrees. I suppose I should start playing on chesstempo, a great tactics site, again.