After promising yet somewhat mixed results in the blitz week, we return to a week of rapid play. As per the usual rapid prescription, this necessitated two 15 | 10 games.
Game 1: Win with white vs. chesshunter350 (2203) link
This game was a strong end-to-end win. The Lichess game review gave me a 95% computer accuracy, with only one inaccuracy. Close to a perfect game.
The position above was where I had my first think of the game. Black’s intentions regarding which side the king will castle too are still unclear. Ideally, I would like to know this before I commit my pieces to one setup over another. While regardless of which way the king goes, I can always pivot, if I can avoid losing tempi with this pivot, that will be a success.
Specifically, in this position I’d like to develop my dark square bishop and activate my queen. Be3 would be an awkward move due to Ng4, and any queen move would also be awkward due to Nd4 and Ng4 hitting f2. By playing h3, I prevent Ng4 and essentially force black to show their hand. The engine thinks this is the top move.
After black played 0–0–0,
I considered playing a4 to begin the attack. However, I decided on a3, which prepares b4 to rip open the c file. Interestingly, the engine finds this as the top move as well. Not very often that a consecutive h3 and a3 are the best moves in a position — this is typically considered an amateur mistake.
Black continued to play with some odd choices and the following position was reached:
Here I played Nd2, which I thought was clever as it prevents any c4 tricks. The engine instead is fearless, advocating for an immediate b4, and if c4 to just recapture. This hangs e4 and is really impractical from a match strategy perspective I feel.
After b4 was played, I got in c3 to take control of d4.
This position is overwhelming for white of course. I played Ra5! which I thought was a strong move — it prepares the a file for a potential doubling of the rooks, and pressures the knight on b5 with tempo. The engine harshly called this the sole inaccuracy of the game. It instead preferred c4 or Nc5. Both of these I considered, but both felt somewhat premature without any immediate threats. In this position black has absolutely no threats, so there is no need to act rashly or with undue haste.
A few moves later and I got to play a fantastic move — Rxa7! This leads to a mating sequences or decisive loss of material for black. In the game, it continued Kxa7, Ra1+ Na4, Rxa4+ Kb6, c5+ Kb5, Ra5+ Kxb4, Bd2#
Game 2: Win with black vs. Ay1010 (2293) link
If the first game was a demonstration of smooth chess, this game was the polar opposite. I was unconvinced with how the opening went and felt like I was much worse with very good drawing chances through out the middle and end game. My opponent somehow, with nearly half their time left on the clock, compared to myself living off the increment, blundered and resigned.
Here I played Qe8, a bad move. In these positions I always play it like a grand prix. I have been getting more understanding in the e5 positions as white, but as black, if I am to continue playing the Dutch, I need to find similar alternatives.
I played e5 in this position, which is premature. Better was b6, to cover c5 and to activate the light square bishop.
Some moves later, I missed a chance to seize the advantage. I disregarded Nxe5 due to Nxe5 Qxe5 and Rxd7. However, there is Ba4! which skewers the queen and the rook.
The game liquidated somewhat to the position above. Here I played Ra5, opting to bail out in an ending that I could potentially hope for a draw in for. I considered keeping the rook on the b file to try and win the bishop, but after a move like Rb1 by white I thought this was fruitless. However, the engine says black has a decisive advantage in that position due to white’s weak king. [… Rxb1, Rxb1 Nxf2!, Kxf2 Bxg2, Kxg2] and with the black queen coming to e5 and the rook coming to the 2nd rank, black has a mating attack.
We got to this position above. If I capture white’s rook, white captures on f5 with their bishop, ending the game. I played Ng5?! hoping for Rxf2 and Nxh3+ followed by Nxf2. However, better was Rf3! if Bg2 there is Rxe3! exploiting that the check on d1 comes with a fork on the rook on c2.
In subsequent time pressure, I didn’t liquidate the game as accurately as possible and reached the position below.
I considered Qe3+ (which is a draw) but thought that the king would escape and went for Ba6. This move enables the game to continue but ironically won me the game. White tried to push for a win and mis-coordinated their king and rook, falling victim to a bishop fork on the queen and king.
Overall Thoughts:
It’s nice to get 2 wins on the day and bring my total rapid score to 5/8, with 4 wins in a row. My performance rating across the 8 games is now ~2268 on lichess which tracks to ~2000 FIDE. This is much closer to where I want to be performing. The first game was a great win, and the 2nd game showed good resilience, continuing to pose problems for your opponent while in a tough position.
