Dane vs Nigel, Game 5 of the First DeVour Cafe Match-up Tournament

Move 23

This game was reasonably even until my (Black) 23rd move. I should have defended my pawn in the centre with my Bishop instead of threatening the Black Bishop with my pawn.

My 24th move was even worse - I should have shifted my Rook to avoid it getting taken on the next move. I was so focused on the middle of the board I didn't even see it coming. I played on for a few more moves hoping for a hasty blunder from Dane, but it was no use.

Current standing (first to 5 points): 

• Dane: 1.5 
• Nigel: 3.5

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O Bh4 8. Qe2 Qe7 9. c4 c6 10. Nc3 Nxc3 11. Qxe7+ Bxe7 12. bxc3 O-O 13. Re1 Be6 14. cxd5 cxd5 15. Ng5 Bxg5 16. Bxg5 Nc6 17. Rab1 b6 18. f4 Na5 19. f5 Bd7 20. g4 Rfe8 21. Re2 Rxe2 22. Bxe2 Nc4 23. Bf3 h6? 24. Bxd5 hxg5?? 25. Bxa8 Ne3 26. h3 Nxf5 27. gxf5 Bxf5 28. Re1 Bxh3 29. d5 g4 30. Kh2 f5 31. d6 f4 32. d7 g3+ 33. Kxh3 Black Resigns

Not a good christening for my new chess pieces. I don't want to sound superstitious, but we've been using Dane's pieces lately and I've been doing well... better leave my pieces at home next time.

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Nigel vs Dane, Game 4 of the First DeVour Cafe Match-up Tournament

Perfect weather for a game of chess on one of the tables on the grass outside the cafe on Sunday.

I had the White pieces and played the same first few moves as my last game with White against Dane, but in a different order, not setting up the defence on the King side straight away.

I think I could have done better on move 15. I took the Black Knight with my Bishop (which was then taken by Black's Bishop), as I was apprehensive about the Knight coming back near where my Rook was about to attack. It should have been better to keep the Bishop in play - it had a strong line of attack by moving to e5 after the pawn had been taken by the Rook (if the Black Knight took my pawn on d3, then covering e5 before my Bishop got there, my Rook could get Black in check and a Queen sacrifice would be the only way out of it, or, if the Black Knight moved to a6 after the Rook took the pawn, it would be able to block the Rook's check by going to b8, but then the White Bishop move to e5 would cause some trouble for Black...).

Can't complain, though - I got a win out of the game.

Current standing (first to 5 points):

• Dane: 0.5
• Nigel: 3.5

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. b3 c5 3. Bb2 e6 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 d5 6. d3 Be7 7. Nbd2 Qc7 8. O-O Bd7 9. e3 O-O-O 10. c4 h6 11. a3 Rdg8 12. Bc3 g5 13. b4 cxb4 14. axb4 Nxb4 15. Bxb4 Bxb4 16. Rxa7 Bc6 17. d4 Bxd2 18. Ra8+ Kd7 19. Ne5+ Ke7 20. Rxg8 Rxg8 21. Qxd2 Ne4 22. Bxe4 dxe4 23. Qb4+ Ke8 24. Ra1 Bd7 25. Nxd7 Kxd7 26. Ra7 Rb8 27. c5 Qc6 28. Qa5 f5 29. Ra8 Rxa8 30. Qxa8 Qb5 31. Qf8 Qb1+ 32. Kg2 Qd1 33. Qd6+ Kc8 34. Qxe6+ Kc7 35. Qxf5 Qd3 36. Qh7+ Kb8 37. Qxh6 g4 38. Qf4+ Black resigns 1-0

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Dane vs Nigel, Game 3 of the First DeVour Cafe Match-up Tournament

We played the third game of our DeVour Cafe Tournament on Saturday.

Dane and I played our opening moves quite quickly. We were obviously both prepared to get into the Petroff Defence, which normally happens when I've got the black pieces against Dane.

After taking a pawn to get me in check on move 14, Dane was a pawn up, and I had to move my uncastled King, but this didn't seem too bad. Castling on move 11 should have been better for me, though - resulting in an isolated pawn instead of being a pawn down.

Play continued fairly evenly with Dane being slightly better off as far I could tell, until Dane made a blunder on move 24, letting my Rook take his Bishop for free, resulting in his resignation.

Soon after getting home I noticed a txt on my phone from Dane: "Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!"

Current standing (first to 5 points)

• Dane: 0.5
• Nigel: 2.5

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Qxd4 d5 6. exd6 Nxd6 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Qf4 g6 9. O-O Bg7 10. Re1+ Be6 11. Ng5 Qf6? 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. Qxf6 Bxf6 14. Rxe6+ Kf7 15. Re1 Rhe8 16. Rxe8 Rxe8 17. Kf1 Nb4 18. Nc3 c6 19. Be3 Nxd3 20. cxd3 Bxc3 21. bxc3 a6 22. Rb1 b5 23. a3 Re5 24. f4?? Rxe3 White resigns 

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