Dane vs Nigel, Game 5 of the Third Boris Chessky Cup Head-To-Head

Nicely played by Dane.


First to 5 points: 

• Dane: 4.5
• Nigel: 0.5

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Qxd4 d5 6. exd6 Nxd6 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Qe3+ Be7 9. Bd2 O-O 10. Nc3 Bf5 11. O-O-O Bxd3 12. Qxd3 a6 13. h4 b5 14. Ng5 Bxg5 15. hxg5 g6 16. Rxh7 Kxh7 17. Qh3+ Kg7 18. Qh6+ Kg8 19. Rh1 f5 20. Qxg6# 1-0

First game on the third wooden board I made

Last Sunday, I got to try out the third board I made, at the first meeting of the newly-formed local chess club.

I was lucky to sneak in the win so early in the game against Mike. He played the opening well up to that point, and seemed to do well (but ultimately lost in the end game) with Black against Dane's King's Gambit afterwards.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 h6? 4. Nxe5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5? 6. O-O Be6 7. Re1 Bd6? 8. Nc3 Nxc3 9. dxc3 O-O 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Ng6 Rf7 12. Qg4 Qf6 13. Rxe6 Qxf2+ White Resigns

The board in action later that morning.

Nigel vs Dane, Game 4 of the Third Boris Chessky Cup Head-To-Head

I've had a couple of wins against Dane outside of our cup matches this year (which, let's face it, don't really count), but this is the first cup match that Dane hasn't won since September 25th, 2016. A good run!

It was still 'just' a draw, and it's almost silly to feel so happy about a draw when you've got the white pieces, but the previous losing streak is enough to justify a celebratory quaff of wine.

First to 5 points: 

• Dane: 3.5
• Nigel: 0.5

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 e5 5. d3 Be7 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Bg5 d6 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. O-O Ne7 10. Nd2 Rb8 11. Nde4 Nc6 12. Nd5 Be7 13. a3 b5 14. cxb5 Rxb5 15. Nec3 Rxb2 16. Nxe7+ Nxe7 17. Nd5 Nxd5 18. Bxd5 Bb7 19. Bxb7 Rxb7 20. Qc2 Qc7 21. Rab1 Rxb1 22. Rxb1 Rb8 23. Rxb8+ Qxb8 24. Qa2 Qe8 25. Qd5 Qd8 26. Qc6 Kf8 27. Qe4 g6 28. Qe3 Qe7 29. Qe4 f5 30. Qa8+ Kg7 31. Qc6 Kf6 32. a4 g5 33. a5 Ke6 34. a6 Qd7 35. Qa8 d5 36. Qg8+ Kf6 37. Qh8+ Qg7 ½-½

Dane vs Nigel, Game 3 of the Third Boris Chessky Cup Head-To-Head

After 3. d4

A fairly even game, but Dane slowly strengthened his position towards the end.

First to 5 points: 

• Dane: 3
• Nigel: 0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Qxd4 d5 6. exd6 Nxd6 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Qe3+ Qe7 9. a3 Qxe3+ 10. Bxe3 Be7 11. Nbd2 O-O 12. O-O-O Bf5 13. Bxf5 Nxf5 14. Bf4 Bd6 15. Bxd6 Nxd6 16. g4 Rfe8 17. Rde1 Rxe1+ 18. Rxe1 Re8 19. Rxe8+ Nxe8 20. Nc4 f6 21. Kd2 b5 22. Ne3 Ne7 23. b4 Nd6 24. Kd3 Kf7 25. Nd4 c6 26. c4 a6 27. Nb3 Nb7 28. Kd4 Ke6 29. Nc5+ Nxc5 30. Kxc5 Ke5 31. cxb5 cxb5 32. Kb6 Nd5+ 33. Kxa6 Nc7+ 34. Kb6 Kd6 35. Nf5+ Kd7 36. Nxg7 Black Resigns

Nigel vs Dane, Game 2 of the Third Boris Chessky Cup Head-To-Head

After 4. ... e5

Our second game of the Third Boris Chessky Cup Head-to-head was quite even until Dane's (Black) 30th move allowing me (White) to gain a bishop for a pawn.

Then my 34th move allowed him to even things up again (Black with two rooks to White's queen).

Our games are starting to feel quite epic - neither this nor our last game were under 3 hours (although maybe that's due to playing in the Grovetown Hotel in the afternoon instead of Cafe Devour in the morning).

I never saw Black's pawn getting me in check on move 58. Major blunder at the end. Instead of taking the rook with my bishop, I should've moved my queen to e6, getting Black in check.

First to 5 points: 

• Dane: 2
• Nigel: 0

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 e5 5. d3 Be7 6. Nc3 h6 7. O-O d6 8. b3 O-O 9. Bb2 Be6 10. a3 a6 11. Nd2 Qc7 12. Nde4 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 Qd7 14. Nd5 Bd8 15. Bc3 Ne7 16. Ne3 Rb8 17. b4 b6 18. a4 f5 19. Bg2 f4 20. Nc2 Bc7 21. e4 fxe3 22. Nxe3 d5 23. cxd5 Nxd5 24. Nxd5 Bxd5 25. f3 Rfe8 26. bxc5 bxc5 27. Qd2 Bb6 28. Ba5 Ba7 29. Kh1 Bb3 30. Qc3 Bxa4? 31. Qc4+! Kh8 32. Rxa4 Qb5 33. Raa1 Rb7 34. Rfb1? Qxb1+! 35. Rxb1 Rxb1+ 36. Bf1 Rxf1+ 37. Kg2 Rb1 38. Qxa6 Re7 39. Qc8+ Kh7 40. Qf5+ g6 41. Qf8 Rb2+ 42. Kh3 Rbb7 43. Bc3 Rf7 44. Qe8 Rbe7 45. Qd8 Rd7 46. Qe8 Rfe7 47. Qc8 Rxd3 48. Qf8 Rdd7 49. Qf6 Bb8 50. f4 Rf7 51. Qb6 Ba7 52. Qb5 exf4 53. Qc6 f3 54. Qc8 g5 55. Kg4 f2 56. Qh8+ Kg6 57. Qg8+ Rg7 58. Bxg7?? h5+!! 59. Kf3 f1=Q+ 60. Ke4 Qd3+ 61. Ke5 Qd4+ 62. Ke6 Qd5# 0-1

Dane vs Nigel, Game 1 of the Third Boris Chessky Cup Head-To-Head

Move 6 - my move in red,
the ideal move in green.

Played the first game of the third head-to-head for the Boris Chessky Cup on Sunday at the Grovetown Hotel.

Dane was White, and came out with the King's Gambit. Computer analysis showed I was ahead until my sixth move - I should've threatened his knight with my f pawn instead of moving my queen.

He dominated the game from that point. There were a couple of sneaky mates I was aiming for, which never eventuated.

Move 34 - my move in red,
the ideal move in green.

I never saw it at the time (obviously), but I should have been able to force a draw on move 34 by taking his knight with my rook instead of moving my king.

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ng5 Nh6 6. Bc4 Qe7 7. Nc3 c6 8. d4 d5 9. Bxd5 cxd5 10. Nxd5 Qd8 11. Bxf4 Bd6 12. e5 Qa5+ 13. Nc3 Bc7 14. Ne4 Ng8 15. Qe2 Be6 16. O-O-O h5 17. d5 Bd7 18. Nd6+ Bxd6 19. exd6+ Kf8 20. Qe5 f6 21. Qe4 Kf7 22. Rhf1 Na6 23. Bg5 Qb4 24. Rxf6+ Nxf6 25. Qe7+ Kg8 26. Qxf6 Rh7 27. Bh6 Rxh6 28. Qxh6 Rf8 29. Qg6+ Kh8 30. Qxh5+ Kg8 31. Qg6+ Kh8 32. Ne4 Bf5 33. Qh6+ Kg8 34. Nf6+ Kf7 35. Rf1 Nc5 36. Qh5+ Bg6 37. Nxg4+ Ke8 38. Qe5+ Kd7 39. Qe7+ Kc8 40. Qc7# 1-0

Nigel vs Dane at the pub

Dane and I caught up around noon today for a game at the Grovetown Hotel. The plan was for a non-cup game that I'd still publish on chess.ky. Random colour start; I ended up with the white pieces.

Pretty hard to beat sitting in the sun on a mild winter's day with a nice pint of Renaissance IPA and a very enjoyable game of chess...

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 e5 5. d3 Be7 6. Bg2 d6 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. Nd5 Be6 10. Nd2 Rb8 11. O-O b5 12. Nxf6+ Qxf6 13. Bxc6+ Bd7 14. Bxd7+ Kxd7 15. cxb5 Rxb5 16. Qa4 Rb8 17. Qxa7+ R8b7 18. Qa4 d5 19. Nb3 Qb6 20. Qg4+ Ke8 21. Qxg7 Qe6 22. Qg8+ Ke7 23. Qa8 Qb6 24. Qc8 Rd7 25. Rfc1 Qa7 26. Nxc5 Rc7 27. Qf5 Rbxc5 28. Qxe5+ Kd7 29. Rxc5 Rxc5 30. b4 Rb5 31. Qb2 Qb7 32. Rb1 Qc6 33. a4 1-0

Nigel vs Dane, Game 5 of the Second Boris Chessky Cup Head-To-Head

My opening felt ok and computer analysis shows the game to be pretty even overall until my 23rd move, Bd2.

Dane takes out the cup again, this time in a straight run with no losses.

Don't let it be said that I don't like a challenge!

First to 5 points: 

• Dane: 5
• Nigel: 0

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 e5 5. d3 Be7 6. Nc3 d5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Nxd5 Qxd5 9. O-O Qd6 10. b3 O-O 11. Bb2 Be6 12. Qd2 h6 13. Bc3 Rfd8 14. Qb2 Bf6 15. Rfd1 Rab8 16. a3 b5 17. Qc2 Nd4 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. Bd2 c4 20. bxc4 bxc4 21. Bf4 cxd3 22. Qxd3 Be5 23. Bd2 Rb3 24. Bb4 Rxd3 25. Rxd3 Qa6 26. Rc1 Rc8 27. Rxc8+ Qxc8 28. e3 Qc1+ 29. Bf1 Bh3 0-1

Dane vs Nigel, Game 4 of the Second Boris Chessky Cup Head-To-Head

A15 Consistency is a large aspect of being strong. If you often play well for 38 moves & terrible for 2, you're likely not that good #chess

— Dan Heisman (@danheisman) April 15, 2017

I txted the above quote that I'd seen on Twitter to Dane only a week or so before we played this game. Consistency IS a big part of playing well. One bad move can change a whole game.

My game would've been far better if my (Black) 7th move was 7 ... Ngxe5. Not sure why I didn't see it - I think I was wanting to castle as soon as poss. Ironically, if I had taken the Pawn with my Knight, I might've still been able to castle.

On move 11, I saw the potential for the Knight forking my King and Queen if I moved my King to f8, but I would have been better off doing that move due to my Knight still threatening the White Queen. Definitely not the move I did make - 11 ... Kg8.

Our shortest cup game to date, as far as I recall.

First to 5 points: 

• Dane: 4
• Nigel: 0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ng4 5. Qxd4 d6 6. Bc4 Nc6 7. Qe4 Be7 8. e6 Bxe6 9. Bxe6 Nf6 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Ng5+ Kg8 12. Qe6+ Kf8 13. Qf7# 1-0

Sandstone Chess Pieces

I bought these chessmen about twenty years ago at half price, if I recall correctly, from Trade Aid in Nelson. The board that went with them was broken in half. I think I still paid $90 for the set.

The board is probably still in storage somewhere; I haven't seen it for years.

The sandstone chessmen aren't the most practical to use (very non-standard style and the Kings are taller than ideal), but they must be some of the best-looking pieces you'll find.

After not knowing where they were for ten years or so, I stumbled across them last year, inside a games table from my childhood that had been put into storage.

Nigel vs Dane, Game 3 of the Second Boris Chessky Cup Head-To-Head

Well, I was winning for a while there...

First to 5 points: 

• Dane: 3
• Nigel: 0

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. e3 g6 5. Be2 Bg7 6. O-O d6 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2 Re8 9. a3 e5 10. Qc2 Bf5 11. d3 d5 12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Qxd5 14. e4 Qe6 15. exf5 Qxf5 16. Qxc5 Rac8 17. Rfe1 Nd4 18. Qxa7 Nc2 19. Rac1 Nxe1 20. Rxc8 Nxf3+ 21. Bxf3 Rxc8 22. Kf1 Qxd3+ 23. Be2 Qb1+ White resigns 0-1

Dane vs Nigel, Game 2 of the Second Boris Chessky Cup Head-To-Head

First to 5 points: 

• Dane: 2
• Nigel: 0

1. e4 d6 2. f4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 c5 5. fxe5 dxe5 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. Nxe5 Nc6 8. Nxd7 Nxd7 9. O-O Qh4 10. Qf3 Nf6 11. e5 Qd4+ 12. Rf2 Be7 13. Bxc6+ Kf8 14. exf6 Qxf6 15. Qxf6 Bxf6 16. Bxb7 Re8 17. Kf1 g6 18. Rxf6 Kg7 19. Rf2 Re5 20. b3 Black Resigns 1-0

Nigel vs Dane, Game 1 of the Second Boris Chessky Cup Head-To-Head

I meant to take a photo of the Boris Chessky Cup before handing it over to Dane. He was kind enough to send me a photo...

We played the first game of our new head-to-head competition on Sunday at Cafe DeVour.

I was White. Dane won.

First to 5 points: 

• Dane: 1
• Nigel: 0

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 b5 6. Be2 e6 7. O-O Bb4 8. a3 Be7 9. e5 Nd5 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Re1 c5 12. Be3 cxd4 13. Bxd4 Nc6 14. Bc3 a5 15. e6 Bxe6 16. Bxg7 Rg8 17. Bc3 Bf6 18. Bf1 d4 19. Bd2 Qc7 20. Re4 Rg4 21. Rxg4 Bxg4 22. Qe2+ Be6 23. Qe4 O-O-O 24. Bf4 Qd7 25. Ne5 Qd5 26. Qxd5 Bxd5 27. Nf3 d3 28. Rb1 Bxf3 29. gxf3 Nd4 30. Bh3+ Kb7 31. Bg2 Ne2+ 32. White Resigns 0-1