1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 a6!? 6... Bxg5 7. hxg5 Qxg5 8. Nh3~/= 7. Qd2?! 7. Qg4! is better, threatening 8. Be7 Qe7 9. Qg7 7... Bxg5 8. hxg5 c5 9. g6!? (9. dxc5!? Nxe5 10. Qg3 Nbc6 11. O-O-O+/= Psakhis) 7... c5 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. f4 cxd4 10. Qxd4 Nc6 11. Qd2 b5 12. Nf3 b4 12... Nc5!? 13. Ne2 a5 13... O-O 14. Ned4 Nxd4 15. Qxd4 f6 16. h5|^ 14. Ned4 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 Ba6 16. Bd3 16. Bxa6 Rxa6 17. h5!|^ 16... Nc5 17. Bxa6 Rxa6 18. O-O-O O-O=/+ Fritz8 19. Kb1 Rb6 19... Rb8-+ Massey, while Fritz8 likes Ne4. 19... Ne4 20. Qe3 a4 20. Qe3 a4 21. f5!? b3 22. a3?! better is 22. cxb3 axb3 23. a3= 22... bxc2+ 23. Nxc2 Rfb8 24. Nb4 Na6! 25. Nxa6 Rxa6? Black wins with 25... Rxb2+! 26. Kc1 Rb1+ 27. Kd2 R8b2+ 28. Ke1 Rxd1+ 29. Kxd1 Rb1+-+ 26. Rh3 Rab6 27. Rd2 Rb3 28. Qg5 Qxg5 29. hxg5 exf5 30. Rxb3 Rxb3 31. Rxd5 g6 32. Ra5 Rg3 33. Rxa4 Rxg5 34. Rc4! a great place for the Rook, cutting off Black's King while supporting the passers. 34... Kf8 34... Rxg2 35. a4 Rg4 36. b3!!+/= 35. a4 f4?! 36. a5 Rxe5 37. b4 37. Ra4!? 37... Ke7 38. a6 Kd6 39. Rc8? 39. a7! Re8 40. b5 and the pawns are unstoppable without the help of the King. 39... Re7!? 40. b5 Rc7 40... Ra7! 41. Rc6+! Kd7 42. Rf6 Kc8 43. Rxf4 f5 44. Rc4+ Kb8 makes White work. 41. Rb8? White can win by 41. Rd8+! Kc5 42. Rb8 Ra7 43. Rb7 Ra8 44. a7+- 41... Ra7 42. Rc8 Rc7 43. Rb8? White still had the win with 43. Rd8+!! Kc5 44. Rb8 Ra7 45. Rb7 Ra8 46. a7 and I do not see how Black stops b6 and Rb8 queening. 43... Ra7 The game was agreed drawn here, likely due to time pressure issues, but White does seem to have the better chances after 44. Rb6+ Kc7 45. Rf6 Kb8 46. Rxf4 1/2-1/2 [Massey and Fritz8]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 Ne4 I think these players have had this position against each other many times. 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 e5 11. d5 f5 12. Qc2 c6 13. Nb1 cxd5 14. cxd5 Nd7 15. Nc3 Nf6 16. Be2 Rd8 17. O-O a6 18. a4 Qc5 19. Qb3 b6= 20. Rac1 Qd6 21. Rfd1 Bb7 22. Bc4 Rac8 23. Rc2 Rc5 24. Qa2 Kh8= 25. Rcd2 f4 26. exf4 exf4 27. Rd4 f3 The position is quite sharp and Black rightly plays for a kingside attack. Safer may have been liquidation by 27... e3!? 28. fxe3 fxe3 29. b3 Qe5 30. Qe2= 28. b4 Rcc8 29. Qb1 fxg2?! Black misses the strongest shot: 29... b5! 30. axb5 axb5 31. Nxb5 Qe5! (Also strong is 31... Qd7!? 32. Na3! Qg4 (32... Rxc4? 33. Nxc4 Qg4 34. Ne3+-) 33. Bf1[] fxg2 34. Bc4 Qh3->) 32. gxf3 exf3 33. Qg6 Rxc4!! 34. Rxc4 Rxd5 35. Rcd4 Qg5+ 36. Qxg5 Rxg5+-+ 30. Nxe4 Nxe4 31. Qxe4 Re8 32. Qxg2 Qxb4?! 32... Re5 33. f4 Rf5 34. Qe4 Qg6+ 35. Kh1 Qf7= 33. Bxa6 Qe1+?? 33... Re1+! 34. Bf1 Qc5 35. Qg4 Rce8+/= 34. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 35. Bf1 Ba6 36. Qg4 Rcc1 37. Kg2 Bxf1+ 38. Kg3 Rc3+ 39. f3 Be2 40. Kf2 Rcc1 40... Bxf3 was somewhat better 41. Qxf3 Rf1+ 42. Kxf1 Rxf3+ 43. Ke2+- 41. d6 Ba6 42. Rd2 Rf1+ 43. Ke3 Rfe1+ 44. Kf2 Rf1+ 45. Kg3 Rg1+ 46. Rg2 Rgd1 47. d7 Rc4 48. Qe6 Kh7 49. Qxb6 Rcd4 50. Qxa6 Rxd7 51. Ra2 R7d5 52. Qc4 Rg5+ 53. Kf2 Rdg1 54. Qe4+ Kh8 55. Re2 R1g2+ 56. Ke3 Rg1 57. Qa8+ Kh7 58. Qe4+ Kh8 59. Kd2 Ra1 60. Qd4 Rgg1 61. Re8+ 1-0 [Fritz8]

G/90 C00 French Defense 2 Knights' Variation

1. e4 e6 2. Nc3! This guarantees White one of his favorite systems. 2. Nf3 c5! would have t me avoid the game continuation & the Grand Prix Attack (2.Nc3 c5 3.f4 Nc6 4. Bb5). 2... d5 3. Nf3 d4 3... RR c5 4. d3 d4 5. Ne2 Nc6 6. Ng3 Qb6N 7. Be2 e5 8. O-O Nf6 9. Nh4 Be7 10. Nhf5 Moldovan - George Anderson 3 : G/15 tournament, WCN 02/28/2005 10... O-O= Fritz 8 = F 3... Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. dxc5 ( There's a deep discussion of 6. Bg5 @ http://njscf.proboards2.com/index. cgi?board=amate&action=display&thread=1082203587 that may interest some of you. Peter Tamburro takes 1 line to move 44 & another to move 41.) 6... Bxc5 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Qe2 Qc7 9. Nb5 Moldovan - Koepping : G/3 tournament, Playchess 10/21/2005 9... Qb6= F 4. Ne2 4. Nb5!? c5 5. Bc4 a6 6. Na3 Nc6 7. d3N b5 8. Bb3 Na5 9. c3 Nxb3 V. Rivera - Moldovan : Springfield 10/25/1998 10. axb3= 4... c5 5. Ng3 5. c3 Nf6! (5... Nc6?! 6. cxd4 cxd4 (6... Nf6!? 7. dxc5 N 7... Bxc5~/= F) 7. Qa4+/=) 6. Ng3 (6. e5?! Nfd7 7. cxd4 cxd4 8. Nexd4 Nxe5) 6... Nc6= Goeller = G For more on the French 2Ns, see Mike's article @ http://www. kenilworthchessclub.org/games/java/summer05/french-2N-games.htm 5... Nc6 The prophylactic 5... a6 was an option. 6. Bb5 Qb6 6... Bd7 7. O-O Nf6 8. d3 Be7 9. Bxc6N Bxc6 10. Ne5 Qc7 11. f4 (>= 11. Nxc6 Qxc6 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bd2 F) 11... O-O 12. f5 Bd6 13. Nxc6 bxc6= Goeller - guest2128 : 1+6 game, ICC 02/02/2006 6... Nge7!? 7. Ne5 N 7... Qc7 8. f4 (8. Qh5 Ng6 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Nxg6 fxg6= F) 8... a6 9. Bxc6+ Nxc6 10. Nxc6 Qxc6= Moldovan = M 7. Bxc6+N This gives White some initiative but it proves to be short-lived. 7... Qxc6 8. O-O Nf6 9. d3 Be7 10. Ne5 Qc7 11. f4 O-O

12. Ng4? >= 12. a4 G 12... Nd7 13. Nc4 Nb6!?= F 14. Nd2!? a5 15. Nf3 G would make an amusing dance. Not 12. f5?? /\ 12...Qxe5?? 13.Bf4 +- 12... exf5!-+ 12... Nxg4 13. Qxg4 f5=/+ 14. Qe2 14...Bd7? 15.exf5 is the idea but >= 14. Qh5 F 14... Bd6 14... >= Bh4! F 15. e5 Eventually this push is necessary now. This gives my light-squared B more scope but was apparently best. F thought my suggested 15. Bd2 Bd7 16. Rae1 was a bit weaker. 15... Be7 16. c3 Okay but White could have skipped the Q-side/central stuff & started on the play K's wing right away, w/ 16. Rf3 + Nf1 & Rh3. G/F mix 16... dxc3 17. bxc3 b6 I liked putti ng diagonal & vertical pressure against d3 more than ...Bd7-c6 but the bP will become a target. 18. a4 Ba6 I expected Goeller to answer this with 19.Rd1 Rad8 20.a5 but he found a way to protect d3 & keep his fR active. 19. Nh1!? 19. c4 Mark Kernighan 19... Rab8=/+ F 19... Rad8 20. Rf3 Qd7?!

20... Bb7 21. Rh3 Qc6=/+ was best. F 21. Rh3? 21. Nf2 Bh4 /\ 22.g3? Be7 -/+ M, G 22. c4! Bb7 23. Rh3 Qc6 24. Nd1 Be1!? 25. Ra2 Bb4 26. Qh5 h6 27. Rg3 Kh8 28. Qg6 Qd7 29. Bd2 was right. F 21... Bxd3 22. Qh5 h6 23. Qg6 Mike offered a draw here. 23. Nf2 Bc4 24. Qg6 Qe8 23... Bc4!-+ 24. Nf2 Not 24. Rxh6?? Qd1+ 25. Kf2 Qf1+ 26. Kg3 Rd3+ 27. Be3 Rxe3# 24... Qe8! 24... Kh8 would've allowed 25. Rxh6+! gxh6 26. Qxh6+ Kg8 27. Qg6+ etc. 25. Rxh6 Qxg6 26. Rxg6 Bh4 27. g4! [] This Exchange-saver was accompanied by a 2nd draw-offer but I thought White was still in trouble. 27... Kh7! 28. gxf5 Bxf2+? This mistake or the one @ move 30 probably should have cost me half-a-point but, fortunately for me, my opponent cancelled them with 2 errors of his own. 28... exf5 29. Rc6 Rd7!-+ /\ 30...Bd5 31.Rd6 Rxd6 32.exd6 Rd8 was correct. 29. Kxf2 Rxf5 30. Rg1? 30. Rg4!-/+ M 30... Rdf8? 30... Rh5 31. h4 Rxh4-+ F 31. h4? 31. a5! Rxe5 32. axb6 axb6 33. Ra4 b5 34. Ra7 Re2+ 35. Kf3 Rg8 36. Ba3 Rc2 37. Rc1 Rxc1 38. Bxc1 Rd8 39. Ba3-/+ F 31... Rxe5

White resigns. Time left - Goeller 9:03, Moldovan 12:46 Time used - Goeller 80:57, Moldovan 77:14 Mike could have played on but analysis by Masters Mark Kernighan & Scott Massey indicated that the final position is winning for Black. 0-1 [Moldovan & Fritz 8 & Goeller]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 This is not the Huge Mistake we were all told it was. White must play very accurately to realize an advantage. 4. Qe2 Qe7 5. Qxe4 d6 6. Nc3 6. d4! dxe5 7. dxe5 (7. Qxe5?! Qxe5+ 8. dxe5 Bf5!) 7... Nc6 8. Nc3 Qxe5 9. Qxe5+ Nxe5 10. Bf4 Bd6 11. Bg3+/= followed by Nb5 or Ne4, capturing on d6 and playing againgst the weak d pawn. 6... Qxe5 7. d4 Qxe4+ 8. Nxe4 g6 9. Bg5 Nd7 10. Nf6+ Nxf6 11. Bxf6 Rg8 12. O-O-O Bh6+ 13. Kb1+/= Bf5? 13... d5 14. Re1+ Be6+/= 14. Re1++/- Kf8 14... Kd7 15. Bc4 15. Bc4 Bg7 15... c6!? 16. Be7+ Ke8 17. Bxd6+ Kd7 18. Ba3+- Rae8 19. Bxf7 Rxe1+ 20. Rxe1 Rd8 21. Bxg6 Bxg6 22. Re7+ Kc8 23. Rxg7 Re8 24. Re7 Rxe7 25. Bxe7 Kd7 26. Bg5 Ke6 27. Kc1 Kd5 28. c3 Bf5 29. Kd2 c5 30. Bf6 cxd4 31. Bxd4 Bg6 32. Bxa7 1-0 [McAuliffe and Fritz8]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 Nxe4 5. dxe5 Bc5? 6. O-O?! 6. Qd5!+- 6. Bxf7+!? Kxf7 7. Qd5+ Kf8 8. Qxe4+/- 6... Bb6? 7. Qd5 Black resigns since he must lose a piece. 1-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. exd5 Nxd5 5. Nxd5?! this allows Black to equalize immediately. 5. Nxe5!? Nxc3 6. dxc3 (6. bxc3!?) 6... Qxd1+ 7. Kxd1 Nd7 5... Qxd5 6. d3 Nc6 7. Bd2 Bc5 8. Bc3 Bg4 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O Rad8 11. a3 Bd4? 11... e4 12. dxe4 Qxe4 13. Bd3 Qd5=/+ 12. Nxd4 exd4 13. Bxg4 dxc3 14. bxc3 Ne5 15. Be2 15. Bf5!? 15... Rfe8 16. d4 Nc4 17. Bxc4 Qxc4 18. Qd3 Qxd3 19. cxd3 Re2 20. Rfe1 Rd2 21. Re3 Rc2 22. c4 h6 23. d5 Rd6 24. a4 Rb6 25. g3 Rbb2 26. Rf3 g5 27. g4 Kg7 28. Re1 Kf8 29. Re6 Ra2?? 29... Rxf2! 30. Rxf2 Rxf2 31. Kxf2 fxe6 32. dxe6 Ke7= 30. Rxh6 Rxa4 31. Rhf6 Ra1+ 32. Kg2 Rcc1 33. Rxf7+ Kg8 34. Rxc7 b5 35. d6 1-0 [Fritz8]