Tim Walsh e-mailed me this game he played in the first round of the US Open. My comments are marked wlc, otherwise all comments are by Tim. My analysis uses Fritz 7.0 Words added to Tim's text are in parenthesis.

1. d4 f5 2. e4 wlc-The Staunton Gambit against a 2400+ player? 2... fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nc6 5. d5 Ne5 6. Qd4 Nf7 7. Bxf6 exf6 8. Nxe4 Be7 wlc-Right out of MCO #14, page 489, Column #20 # 9. O-O-O O-O wlc- MCO # 14 after this gives 10.Ng3 d6 11.f4 c5 with at least even chances-Kravcoc vs. Vyzhmanavin, Novgorod 1997. 10. Bc4 (Out) of book, (and) my bishop is misplaced 10... f5 11. d6 fxe4 12. dxe7 Qxe7 13. Re1 Qg5+ 14. Re3 c6 15. Nh3 Qf6 (This) helps me out. 16. Qxf6 gxf6 17. Bxf7+ Kxf7 18. Rxe4 d5 19. Re3 d4 20. Rg3 This move costs me the rook, (as it) is badly placed (on g3). a. 20. Re4 Bxh3 21. gxh3 c5 (This) was what I was afraid of b. 20. Rd3 c5 21. Re1 (With this line).... I'm fine 20... Bf5 21. Re1 Rfe8 22. Rxe8 Rxe8 23. Kd2 c5 24. Nf4 Re4 25. Nd5 25. Ne2 still leaves me with problems 25... Be6 26. Nc7 Bc4 27. b3 Bf1 I completely missed this move when I decided to play the earlier Nf4-Nd5 28. Rh3 Bxg2 29. Rxh7+ Kg6 30. Rh8 Bf3

I can't find much of a defense here 31. Nb5 a. 31. Re8 Rh4 32. Rg8+ Kf5 33. Rg3 Bc6 -+ (-1.97) wlc-Better than what was played. b. 31. Kd3 wlc-This is the best move. 31... Re2 32. a3 Rxf2 33. b4 Be2+ 34. Ke4 Kg7 35. Ra8 -/+ (-0.78) 31... Re2+ 32. Kd3 Rxf2 33. Nxa7 33. Nd6 (This) fends of the mate threats at least. 33... f5 34. Rg8+ Kf7 35. Rg1 b5 36. Nxb5 wlc-36.Re1 is better. 36... Be2+ 37. Kd2 Bxb5+ 38. Kc1 f4 39. Rg5 d3 40. cxd3 Bxd3 41. Rxc5 f3 White resigns.# 0-1

This was easily my best game of the tournament (US Open), states Tim Walsh. It helps to have the opening go your way. Comments are by Tim Walsh, except when marked wlc. Words added to Tim's text are in parenthesis.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 A45: The Trompowski Attack. 2... Ne4 3. Bh4 wlc-3.h4 is Victor Feldberg vs. Kyle Camarda. (see later game in Games Section) 3.Bf4 is also played often in response to 2...Ne4. 3... g5 wlc-3...c5 is more common. 4. f3 gxh4 5. fxe4 c5 6. e3 Qb6 7. Nc3 Bg7 Randy Hough goes out of (my) book. His bishop is better placed on h6. 8. Nf3 # 8. Nd5 is stronger 8... Nc6 8... Qxb2 wlc-This may be a better line for black. 9. Nd5 Kf8 10. Nd2 (10. Nc7 wlc-This looks good, but black comes out on top. 10... cxd4 11. Nxa8 Qc3+ 12. Nd2 dxe3 13. Rb1 Bh6 14. Bd3 exd2+ 15. Kf2 Rg8 16. Qh5 Rg6 -+ (-3.19)) 10... cxd4 11. Nc4 Qb5 12. exd4 Qc6 13. c3 e6 = 9. Nd5 Qa5+ 10. c3 e6 11. Nf4 cxd4 12. exd4 Bh6 13. Nh3 I did not want my knight to impede my kingside development plus when the knight is on h3 it prevents the common h3 push for black in this position. The knight 'on h3' also helps to supplement my threats on f7. 13... Qd8 14. Bd3 b6 15. Qe2 Bb7 16. O-O Qe7 17. b4 O-O-O 18. Ba6 Rdg8 19. Bxb7+ Kxb7 20. a4 Ra8 21. a5 f6 22. Nxh4

This maybe a bit too materialistic (on my part), but he can't actually punish me for it. 22... Qg7 23. Ra2 Rhg8 24. Nf3 Qg4 25. Kh1 f5 26. exf5 exf5 27. Qb5 f4 28. d5 Ne7 29. Re1 Ng6 (This is) not the best, but I had a won game anyway. 29... Nc8 wlc-Better for black. 30. Ne5 Nd6 31. Nxg4 Nxb5 32. Nxh6 wlc-White is winning with this better line. 30. d6 Rae8 31. a6+ Black resign s. All his pieces are on the wrong side of the board. wlc- It is mate in six after 31...Kb8 and mate in three after 31...Kc8. # 1-0

This is an interesting game that I won at the Southwest Open in San Antonio, Texas over Labor Day weekend. The game occurred in the 5th round. I finished in third place in the Reserve Section (U1800) with 4 wins, 2 draws, and 0 losses.

1. d4 A31: Symmetrical English: 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 1... Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5

This is a continuation I found in a Gary Kasparov game. This is about the fourth time I have been able to use it with very good results in all games I have played. 5. Nb3 wlc-This is the worse possible square. Better are 5.Nb5, 5.Nc2, or 5.Nf3. If my opponent plays the best move, 5.Nb5, I play the interesting pawn sacrifice 5...d5 6.cxd5 Bc5 with tactical possibilities for black. 5... d5 6. cxd5 Qxd5 wlc-Not 6...Nxd5, because of 7.e4! 7. Qxd5 Nxd5 8. a3 wlc-Concerned about 8...Bb4 and 8...Nb5 8... Be6 9. N3d2 Nc6 10. e3 a6 11. b4 b5 12. Bb2 f6 13. g3 Nb6 14. Bg2 Rc8 15. O-O Be7 16. Rc1 Bd5 17. e4 ?! wlc-Noted after the game by my opponent 17.Bh3 is better. 17... Be6 18. Nc3 Kf7 19. Nd5 Na4 20. Bc3 Nxc3 21. Nxc3 Nd4 22. Bf1 Rhd8 23. f4 ? wlc-A bad move. This causes weaknesses in white's position. 23... exf4 24. gxf4 Bd6

25. f5 wlc-The is no way to protect the f4 pawn other than by advancing it. But, this allows black's bishop to go to d4. Without the white dark-squared bishop to counter it from this good position, white is going to have problems. 25... Bd7 26. Nd5 Be5 27. Rab1 Rc2 ?! wlc-Better is 27....Bxf5! right away. 28. Rxc2 Nxc2 29. a4 Bd4+ 30. Kh1 wlc-30.Kg2 is a better move, removing some of the mating possibilities that black has. 30... Bxf5 31. Nc7 ? wlc-Better is 31.Rc1 or 31.axb5 31... Bg6 32. Nxa6 ? wlc-Better is 32.axb5 32... bxa4 33. Rc1 Be3 34. Rxc2 Rxd2 35. Rxd2 Bxd2 36. Bc4+ Ke7 37. Nc5 37. Kg2 wlc-This is a better move, but white is still losing. The two bishops on an open board are very powerful. The knight on a6 is a helpless observer. 37... a3 38. b5 Bxe4+ 39. Kf2 Bd3 40. Bg8 Kd6 41. Nb8 Bxb5 42. h4 g5 43. hxg5 fxg5 44. Kf3 Ke5 45. Kg4 Bf4 46. Ba2 Ke4 47. Bb1+ Bd3 48. Ba2 Be2+ 49. Kh3 Kf3 50. Bd5+ Kf2 51. Bf7 Bg3 52. Be6 g4+ 53. Bxg4 Bf1# 37... a3 38. b5 Be3 39. Nb3 wlc-My opponent made this move with 16 seconds on his clock before achieving the first time control (40 moves in 2 hours). He didn't see that the knight cannot move from it's defensive position on c5, where it is protecting the important e4 pawn. It is nice to see someone else in time trouble other than myself for once. 39... Bxe4# # An interesting mate with the two bishops. 0-1 [Reserve Section]

B99: Sicilian Najdorf: 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Be7 8 Qf3 Qc7 9 0-0-0 Nbd7

This game K yle Carmarda e-mailed me. He included his own analysis. If the comment is made by me, it is marked with wlc, otherwise all comments are by him. What a wild game with lot's of sacrifices.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7

This is the "main Line" of the Bg5 Najdorf. I've had bad experiences with this as black..... 9. O-O-O Nbd7 10. g4 b5 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. g5 Nd7 13. f5 Nc5 Black's other choice is to take the pawn with 13...Bxg5+, but this also leads to a big attack for white. 14. f6 gxf6 15. gxf6 Bf8 16. Rg1 h5 Black is familiar with this line, and knows of the upcoming sacrifices. This move intends to provide a home for the light-squared bishop on g4. However, if this bishop is to defend the queenside, then this idea is questionable. Way back in 1991, I tried 16.. b4 and later Bd7 as black, and lost in a game which was given a brillancy prize by IM Jack Peters. Peters stated that Walter Browne recommended 16...Bd7 at that time. 17. Rg7 ! wlc-This is the first sacrifice offered. 17... b4 18. Nd5 ! # The exclamation marks are not for good play, but for the hard work of the GM's who invented these ideas. It's well known that white gets lots of play for the sacrificed material. wlc-Another sacrifice. 18... exd5 19. exd5 Bg4 ?! While this is consistant with the plan on move 16, it removes the bishop from the queenside, costs black his castling privledge, and does not win any material compensation. 20. Re1+ Kd8 21. Qe3 Bxg7 Nearly forced to defend e8 and the later Rxf7. 22. fxg7 Rg8 23. Nc6+ Kc8 24. Qd4 ! # My first invention. This move threatens Qxb4 and Qf6, defends g7, and allows the rook to go to e7. Is there a defense to this? 24... a5 25. Re7 Bd7 26. Rxf7 Kb7 27. Bh3 Bxh3 Black is nearly out of moves in this position. He tries something desperate (Bxf3). 28. Rxc7+ Kxc7 29. Qf6 Nd7 30. Qf7 Bg4 31. Nd4 If 31....Nd7 instead, then 31...Ne5! causes some difficulties. 31... Rae8 31... Kb6 32. h3 Bxh3 33. Qg6 Kc5 34. Nb3+ wlc-Fritz likes this line better for black, but white still holds an advantage after 34...Kb6 and 35. Qxd6+ 32. Ne6+ Kc8 33. Nf4 Kc7 34. h3 Ref8 Black was losing a piece, and so returns the rook instead and removes the passed pawn. 35. gxf8=Q Rxf8 36. Ne6+ Bxe6 37. Qxe6 Rf1+ 38. Kd2 Rh1 39. Qf5 Rh2+ 40. Ke3 Nc5 41. Qxh5 # Black resigns. White has made the first time control with a passed pawn and queen vs. rook and knight on an open board. 1-0

A45: Trompowsky Attack This is another game by Kyle Carmarda from the Governor's Cup. Round #3. His opponent offers him a draw after his 62nd move, and mistakenly, he accepts the draw in a position that he is actually winning. Comments are by him except after wlc, which indicates the comments are mine.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. h4

I have never seen this move before, and don't even have a reference to let me know if my plan made any sense. wlc-This 3.h4 is not an uncommon response as I found it 593 times in my Big Database 2002, almost all games are after 1990. 3... d5 3... c5 wlc-This move is the most common response with the best score for black, 50%. The continuation I give is the best line for black. 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nd2 Nxg5 6. hxg5 g6 7. c3 Qxc5 wlc-A good game for black. 4. Nd2 Nxg5 wlc-Actually better are either 4...Bf5 or 4...Nxd2. 5. hxg5 Bf5 6. e3 e6 ?! This looks risky in view of white's immediate pawn storm. (wlc-In this line, this is the most common response 20 out of 24 times.) 7. g4 Bg6 8. f4 Nc6 TN wlc-I could not find this move. Usual moves are 8...c5 or 8...Nd7 in that order of most common response. 9. c3 Qd6 10. Qf3 h6 White is tr ying to to push black off the edge of the board on the kingside. This or 10... f6 are the only ways to hold material. 11. f5 Bh7 12. gxh6 gxh6 13. e4 O-O-O 14. O-O-O Qd7 15. Bh3 ?! wlc-Fritz 7.0 likes the other two lines given as better. a. 15. Bd3 Rg8 16. Ne2 Ne7 17. f6 dxe4 18. Nxe4 Bxe4 19. Bxe4 Nd5 minimal white advantage b. 15. exd5 exd5 16. Re1 Ne7 17. Bd3 Ng8 18. Nh3 Qc6 19. Nb3 minimal white advantage 15... Kb8 16. e5 Na5 17. Ne2 Be7 A psychological ploy against my 17-year old opponent. I am trying to lure him into playing 18.f6, when Qa4 will be very dangerous. 18. Ng3 Bg5 The bishop sees the light of day. 19. Bf1 Qa4 20. Kb1 c5 ?! Here I sacr ifice a pawn for more queenside initiative. My plan of c5 and d4, however, allows white's knight the use of e4, and so may not be best. (wlc-Fritz 7.0 lists 20...c5 as the best move in this position for black.) 21. dxc5 d4 wlc-This is not the best move. Better is 21..Nc6 21... Nc6 22. Qe2 Qf4 23. Rh3 exf5 24. Nxf5 Nxe5 25. Ka1 Nxg4 wlc-Slight advantage to black. 22. Nde4 dxc3 23. Rxd8+ Rxd8 24. Nxc3 Qb4 25. Nge4 exf5 26. gxf5 Not falling for 26.Nxg5?? fxg4+ winning the queeen. 26... Bd2 27. Rh2 Bxc3 28. Nxc3 Rd4 ?! Planning Rf4, but there is a flaw:29.Rxh6 Rf4 30.Qd3! Bxf5 31.Rh8+ Kc7 32.Nd5+ Kd7 33.Nxb4+ Bxd3+ 34.34.Nxd3 Rxf1+35.Kc2 with a better ending for white. (wlc-It is worse than that. See variation below. 33.Nb6+ leads to mate in 2.) 28... Qxc5 wlc-A better move. 29. Rf2 ?! Not the best response according to Fritz 7.0 a. 29. a3 ! 29... Qxc5 30. Rxh6 Nb3 31. Qf2 = b. 29. Rxh6 Rf4 30. Qd3 Bxf5 31. Rh8+ Kc7 32. Nd5+ Kd7 33. Nb6+ (wlc-A much better move than Kyle's 33.Nxb4) 33... Kc6 34. Rc8+ Bxc8 35. Qd6# 29... Qxc5 30. Qg3 Missing 31.e6 completely. Fortunately, it's not that strong for white. (wlc-Fritz 7.0 doesn't even mention it.) 30... Nc6 31. e6+ Ka8 32. Bh3 fxe6 33. Qc7 With threats of 34.Qxh7 and 34.Qc8+ Nb8 35.Qxc5. But, black has a defense. 33... Qe5 34. Qc8+ Nb8 35. Rf1 Bxf5+ 36. Bxf5 exf5 37. Rxf5 Qe1+ 38. Kc2 Qd2+ 39. Kb3 Rd8 40. Qc5 Nc6

Now black has a better late middlegame, since the white king is exposed and black holds an extra pawn. But, the technic is tough. 41. Rf6 h5 42. a3 h4 43. Nb5 Qd7 44. Ka2 h3 45. Qh5 a6 Losing the h-pawn. Could black have safely held on to it? 46. Nc3 Qg7 47. Rh6 Qg8+ 48. Kb1 Nd4 49. Qxh3 Nb3 Bringing the short range knight as close to the white king as possible. 50. Qh1 Ka7 51. Ne4 Qd5 52. Qg1+ Nd4 53. Nc3 Qf5+ 54. Ka2 Qf7+ 55. Kb1 Qf5+ With a tactical draw offer. 17-year old experts don't take draws withA-players unless they see a mate-in-three against them. Thus, I prevent (wlc-discourage would be a better word) Ka2 by offering a draw. 56. Ka1 Ka8 57. Na4 ?! This winning attempt should backfire for white. 57... Nc2+ 58. Ka2 Qd5+ 59. Kb1 Qb3 Threatening Nxa3. (wlc-Actually Fritz 7.0 says 59...Nxa3 is the best move without moving 59...Qb3.) 60. Nb6+ Kb8 61. Kc1 Nd4 ? wlc-A bad move, as 61....Ne3 wins. See next continuation. 61... Ne3 !! Now not 62.Qxe3 Rd1 # 62. Kb1 Rd1+ 63. Qxd1 Nxd1 64. Kc1 Qe3+ 65. Kxd1 Qxh6 62. Qh2+ Ka7 63. Qf2

(wlc-Victor offers a draw to Kyle, and Kyle mistakenly accepts it, when he winning after 63...Rf8!) Camarda "Instead 63. Rf8!! Qg2 (Qxd4 loses the queen to Rf1+ and Rd1+, and of course Qxf8 allows mate) 64.Rf1+ Kd2 65.Qc2+ Ke3 66.Nf5#. I should have been more suspicious of his draw offer!" wlc-Shouldn't we all in a chess position like this where a higher rated player makes the offer of a draw. 1/2-1/2

A27: English Opening: Three Knights Variation

Anjali's dad e-mailed me this game for inclusion in the bulletin. All analysis is by myself and Fritz 6. 0. This was the biggest upset, rating wise, in the Governor's Cup (a 561 point rating difference). The game is from round number 4.

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Nxc6 bxc6 wlc-Black doesn't want to allow the exchange of queen's, although 6...Bxc3+, and then 7.bxc3 dxc6 (keeping his queenside pawns connected as in the Exchange variation of the Ruy Lopez) 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 doesn't look bad for black. 7. Bf4 d6 8. e3 Rb8 9. Qc2 Bf5 10. e4 Qe7 11. f3 Nf6 12. Be2 Be6 13. O-O O-O 14. Rfd1 Rfd8 15. Rac1 d5 ? # wlc-Hard to believe, but this is a faulty plan that loses a pawn 8 moves later on. The decision to play d5 is probably motivated by the desire to get rid of the doubled 'c' pawns. One look at the position, and it is easy to see this is a faulty plan, because of black's backward 'c7' pawn and white's queen on c2 and rook on c1, waiting to spring into action, once the 'c4' pawn takes on d5. 15... Nh5 wlc-Fritz 6.0 gives this as a better move with a resultant equal position. 16. Be3 a6 17. Qd2 c5 18. b3 c6 19. Bg5 Bd4+ = 16. cxd5 Qc5+ wlc-It would appear that now black realizes he made a mistake on the previous move, and tries to correct this by exchanging off queens. But, it is notenough. 17. Kh1 cxd5 18. Nxd5 Qxc2 19. Rxc2 Nxd5 20. exd5 Rxd5 21. Rxd5 Bxd5 22. b3 ! # There now is no way for black to save the backward 'c7' pawn. 22... Re8 23. Bxc7 Bb7 24. Kg1 Bc8 25. Kf1 Bf5 26. Rc4 Bb1 27. Ra4 Rc8 28. Bf4 h6 28... Ra8 29. Bc4 Bd4 30. Bd5 Bd3+ 31. Ke1 Bc3+ 32. Bd2 Re8+ 33. Kd1 Be2+ 34. Kc2 Be5 wlc-This continuation is better for black, but he is still losing. He doesn't immediately drop the 'a' pawn. 29. Rxa7 g5 30. Be3

White has connected passed pawns, and should be able to win this with proper technique. 30... Rc3 31. Bd2 Rc8 32. Bc4 Bd4 33. Rxf7 Rxc4 34. Rd7 Rc2 35. Rxd4 Bxa2 36. b4 Rb2 37. Ke2 Kf7 38. Kd3 Be6 39. Ke4 Rb3 40. f4 gxf4 41. Bxf4 Rb2 42. Kf3 h5 43. h3 Bc8 44. Bd2 Bb7+ 45. Kf2 Ke6 46. g4 Ke5 47. Ke3 Rb3+ 48. Rd3 Rxd3+ 49. Kxd3 hxg4 50. hxg4

An opposite colored bishop endgame. 50... Ba6+ 51. Ke3 Bb5 52. g5 Be8 53. Bc3+ Kd5 54. Kf4 Ke6 55. Kg4 Bb5 56. Kh5 Kf7 57. g6+ Kg8 58. g7 Bc4 59. Kg5 Kf7 60. Kf5 Bd3+ 61. Kf4 Bc4 62. Ke3 Ke7 63. Kd4 Be6 64. Kc5 Kd8 65. b5 Kc7 66. b6+ Kb7 67. Bd4 Bg8 68. Kd6 Bc4 69. Ke7 Kc8 70. Kf8

Black res igns. There follows 71.g8 Bxg8 72. Kxg8 with an easy win for white. With opposite colored bishops, there is usually a win for the side with the two extra pawns, as long as the pawns are separated enough. If the passed pawns are close or connected, often the side without the pawns can still draw by good positioning of the king and his bishop. 1-0 [Premier Section]

B72: Sicilian Dragon: 6 Be3, lines with h3+Bc4 and sidelines

I submit this loss by myself mainly to put Robert Glick's game in. Funny! You drive 360 miles from Kansas to South Dakota, and what happens? You play someone from Kansas! One small positive, Robert Glick and I had never played a rated tournament game against each other, though we had played a few informal games at the Wanamaker Burger King, during the time I lived in Topeka. I think I lost all of those games too.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Bc4 Bg7 7. h3 O-O 8. O-O Nc6 9. Be3

9... Na5 9... Bd7 wlc-This may be better. 9... Nxe4 wlc-Another possibility. 10. Nxe4 d5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bd3 dxe4 13. Bxe4 Qc7 14. c3 Rb8 15. Rb1 Rd8 16. Qa4 c5 wlc-Very slight advantage for white 10. Bb3 Nxb3 11. axb3 a6 12. f4 Bd7 13. Qf3 Qc7 14. g4 Bc6 15. Nxc6 Qxc6 16. Bd4 e6 Wlc-This anticipates the advance of the 'f' pawn to f5, but at the same time weakens the d6 pawn. 16... Nd7 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Rad1 Rad8 19. Rf2 Rfe8 20. Nd5 wlc-This is a better continuation for black and is equal according to Fritz. 17. g5 Nh5 18. Bxg7 Nxg7 19. Rad1 f5 20. Qd3 Rad8 21. e5 ?! # 21... Qb6+ wlc-Not a bad choice, though 21...dxe5 is better. 21... dxe5 ! # wlc-A very good move, according to Fritz. 22. Qxd8 Rxd8 23. Rxd8+ Ne8 24. Rd3 (24. fxe5 ? This loses the rook due to queen fork. 24... Qb6+ 25. Kg2 Qxd8 wlc-Big advantage for black.) 24... e4 25. Rd2 wlc-Slight advantage to black. 22. Qd4 Qxd4+ 23. Rxd4 d5 ? wlc-Probably one of the losing moves. 23... dxe5 24. Rxd8 Rxd8 25. fxe5 Nh5 26. b4 Rd4 27. b5 axb5 28. Nxb5 Rd5 29. c4 Rxe5 30. Rd1 Nf4 wlc-Very slight advantage for black. 24. Ne2 Rc8 25. Rd2 Rc7 26. Nd4 Rfc8 27. Kg2 Kf7 28. Kf3 Nh5 29. Rfd1 Rc5 30. b4 Rc4 31. c3 Rd8 32. Ne2 Ke7 32... Re4 wlc-My opponent mentioned after the game, that he thought this was a better move, but Fritz is unclear. 33. Rd4 Rxd4 34. Nxd4 Rc8 35. Ra1 Rc4 36. Ra5 Ng7 37. b5 axb5 37... Rc5 wlc-My opponent pointed out after the game that 37...Rc5 loses, but I saw that. 38. bxa6 Rxa5 39. axb7 wlc-There is no way for black to stop the white 'b' pawn from queening. 38. Ra7 ! wlc-I didn't see this move. 38... Rc7 39. Nxb5 Rd7 40. Nd6 Ne8 41. Rxb7 Nxd6 41... Rxb7 wlc-This move is better, but still losing because of white's outside passed 'b' pawn. 42. Nxb7 42. exd6+ Kxd6 43. Rxd7+ Kxd7 44. Ke3 e5 wlc-A desperation move, but 44.....Kc6 is no better. 44... Kc6 45. Kd4 Kd6 46. b4 wlc-Black is in zugswang 45. fxe5 Ke6 46. Kf4 wlc-I was hoping for 46.Kd4, but though better, this is also losing for black.# 46. Kd4 f4 47. b4 Kf5 48. b5 f3 49. Ke3 Kxe5 50. Kxf3 Kd6 51. Kf4 Kc5 52. Ke5 Kxb5 53. Kxd5 White is clearly winning. 46... Kd7 47. b4 Kc6 48. h4 Black resigns. 1-0 [Premier Section]

A58: Benko/Volga Gambit: Lines with 5 bxa6

1. d4 wlc-Deepak Datta, Anjali's father, e-mailed this game to me. It is from the 9th round of the 11 round, World Youth Championship's in Greece. Anjali won her last three rounds to finish with 5 wins, 5 losses, and 1 draw in the Girls 10-year old division. Her opponent, Janine Flores, is from Brazil, one of the 82 countries represented in this FIDE rated event. 1... Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6

The Benko gambit by Anjali. This is favorite of mine also. 5... Bxa6 wlc-Generally speaking 5...g6 is better before taking on a6. This is to maintain the flexibility of taken on a6 with the knight or the bishop. White may play the double Fianchetto variation, which fairs better if black has taken on a6 with the bishop and worse if black has taken on a6 with the knight. 6. g3 d6 7. Bg2 g6 8. Nc3 wlc-Better here is 8.b3! transposing into the Double Fianchetto variation, which is more favorable for white. 8. b3 Bg7 9. Bb2 O-O 10. Nh3 Nbd7 11. O-O wlc-Now black can play 11..Nb6, 11..Rb8, 11..Qb8, 11..Ra7, or 11..Qb6, and it is not sure that black can equalize against this variation. Thus, the reason for 5...g6. Reference- "The Complete Benko Gambit, " 2nd. Edition, by John Fedorowicz, pages 2 and 3. 8... Bg7 9. e4 O-O 10. Nge2 Nbd7 11. O-O Qb6 12. b3 ? The first mistake, losing the gambited pawn. 12.h3 is better for white. 12... Bxe2 13. Qxe2 13. Nxe2 Ng4 14. Rb1 Rxa2 15. Bg5 Ndf6 =/+ 13... Nxe4 14. Bxe4 Bxc3 15. Rb1 Bg7 16. Be3 Qa5

17. Kh1 ? A bad move, simply dropping another pawn and this is probably the losing move. Necessary is 17.a4. Maybe white was concerned about the resultant weak pawn at b3, especially after 17.a4 Rfb8. More than likely it is just an oversight in the 9th round of an 11 round event for a 10-year old. 17... Qxa2 18. Qd1 Qa6 19. f4 Nf6 20. Bc2 ? Another mistake. It is more important for the bishop to protect the h1-a8 diagonal with either 20.Bf3 or 20.Bg2. This move loses another pawn. # 20... Qb7 ! Winning the 'd' pawn. 21. Kg1 Qxd5 22. Qe2 Ne4 23. Qf3 Nc3 wlc-The best way to deal with the pin of the knight on e4. 24. Qxd5 Nxd5 25. Bd2 Bd4+ 26. Kh1 Rab8 27. f5 Nf6 28. Rf4 g5 29. Rf3 h6 30. Re1 Be5 31. Bc3 Bxc3 32. Rxc3 wlc-Each exchange of material just makes black's position better. 32... Rfe8 33. Be4 Nxe4 34. Rxe4 Kf8 35. Rce3 Rb7 36. f6 e6 37. h4 Reb8 38. hxg5 hxg5 39. Re2 Ke8

White resigns. Black has removed any possible mate threat by 39...Ke8 and threatens to win more pawns. 0-1 [wlc]