My Sudden Success:
From Chess Patzer to 2200 in One Day
Game 1
The following is an account of my meteoric rise to a
near-2200 chess rating. I should qualify that by saying the the
rating reached wasn't quite official--you'll see why.
It was my first chess tournament: 3 games on Saturday, 2 on
Sunday, 30/60-SD/60 time control. I had resigned myself to
possibly not winning a single game, given that I was new to
competitive chess (hell, I'd barely played anyone but my
computer which resoundingly and without fail kicked my ass). I
was, however, curious to see how I stacked up against real
players who were real competitors.
The following is my first game, after which my first ever
temporary rating became 2022. If you wish, you can skip
to my second game.
Event: Region VI, Rd. 1, Minneapolis, MN
White: Brent Edwards
Black: Opponent 1(1622)
1.e4 c5
2.d4 cxd4
the only response I had prepared (or knew!) for the Sicilian.
3.c3 dxc3
4.Nxc3 e5
After this move, I realize that I had yet to stop my clock after
making my move; luckily, my opponent hadn't taken advantage of
this by going into a "long think" over one of his
opening moves.
 4...e5:
I obtain a development edge for my pawn sacrifice
5.Nf3 Nc6
6.Bc4 Bb4
7.0-0 Nf6
8.Qe2 0-0
9.Rd1 Na5
The last 5 moves of mine I would've played against practically
anything since they're the development moves Michael Basman
recommends in his excellent book "Chess Openings".
10.Nxe5
The first move where I deviate from preparation. Like any patzer,
I choose to attack as soon as possible.
 10.Nxe5,
and I begin my head-down, eyes-closed charge
10... Bxc3
11.Nxf7 Rxf7
12.Bxf7 Kxf7
13.bxc3
Again, this patzer (me) prefers to lose an exchange in order to
pry open the opponent's castled King. Bad pawn structure? Who
cares about pawns, they're only worth one point each!
13.... Qe8
14.Re1 Qe5
15.Bb2 Qc5
 15...Qc5
ends his Queen's Tour and starts my second thrust
16.e5
Instead of developing my last Rook, I force his Knight to become
more active!
16.... Nd5
17.Qh5+
Fools rush in...
17.... Kg8
18.c4
Hoping beyond hope that he takes the sacrificial pawn with his
Queen, allowing a triumphant Qe8++! Yeah, right. I have no idea
what I'll do if he plays Nxc4. At this point, I become fixated
with playing e6 and somehow combining my Queen and Bishop into a
mating attack on g7. One can dream...
 After
18.c4: C'mon, Qxc4! Play Qxc4!!
18.... Nf4
19.Qg4
One step closer to mating on g7.
19.... Nd3
My heart is racing now, because I think that this was a huge
mistake on his part--victory in my first competitive game seems
likely. Possibilities for my attack start to pop out of
everywhere.
20.e6
The Qxg7++ threat becomes a reality, and I calculate 20...Qxf2+
and 20...Nxb2 as being a move late and a dollar short in each
case.
 20.e6
leads to this, where I'm sensing my first win
20.... Qxf2+
21.Kh1 Nxb2
22.e7 h6
23.e8(Q) Kh7
It's possible that he doesn't resign to give me the pleasure of
giving mate, but more likely he wants me to prove that I wan't a
total loser by making me show him the mate.
24.Qgg6++
 My
first mate--I'm a virgin no more
After this game, I have my first preliminary rating and it's
2022! (I know, the rating won't be official until the tournament
is over--screw that, I'm 2022.) Thoughts of retiring from chess
and telling people for the rest of my life that my last recorded
rating was around 2000 abound, but I didn't pay $35 to just play
one game. I walk around for a couple hours lightheaded, waiting
for the next round to begin. When the pairings are posted, I see
that I'm up against someone rated 1925 (I later find out that he
used to be consistently above 2000--just like I am!).
More excitement continues in
game 2!
|
