A Good Draw

Every player with White looks for a win. You start out with the advantage of the first move which gives you a chance to shape the game. On my Tuesday night tournament game, I was finally able to be paired against someone with a higher rating than me. And he was higher by 150 points. He is a solid Class B player.

I had the White pieces and played 1.e4 as anyone who is reading my blog would know but he decided to play c5, the Sicilian. I hate playing the Sicilian. I'm not really sure why I don't like it, it is just one of those things that get under my skin. However, as a few Master's have told me, you don't really have to know a lot about the Sicilian to play it. You just make natural developing moves until you are in the middle game. So, I followed this idea.

In the end, this game was now awe inspiring of a match, however it was one where I made no major mistakes. No major mistakes in a game that went 66 moves. In reviewing parts of the game, I did get into a position where Black was slightly better but I was able to hold out and play the last few moves of the endgame well enough to pull out a draw. It's amazing how someone can be excited about a draw but I am. Mainly because it was against a Class B player and I didn't make any major mistakes throughout a long game.

I think this is a great step in the right direction. Here are the moves of the entire game:

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. Qd2 Ng4 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 Nc6 10. Bb5 Bd7 11. Nf3 O-O 12. h3 Nge5 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. f4 Bxb5 15. fxe5 Bc6 16. exd6 Qxd6 17. O-O-O Bxc3 18. Qxd6 Bxb2+ 19. Kxb2 exd6 20. Rxd6 Bxe4 21. Rd2 Rac8 22. Re1 Bf5 23. Re7 Rfd8 24. Rxd8+ Rxd8 25. Rxb7 Rd2 26. Rc7 Rxg2 27. Bf6 g5 28. h4 g4 29. h5 g3 30. Rc5 Rf2 31. Bh4 Rf3 32. Bxg3 Bxc2 33. Rc8+ Kg7 34. Be5+ f6 35. Bxf6+ Rxf6 36. Rxc2 Rb6+ 37. Kc1 Ra6 38. Rg2+ Kf7 39. Kb2 Ra5 40. Rh2 Kf6 41. Kb3 Kg5 42. Kb4 Rf5 43. Rg2+ Kxh5 44. Rg7 a5+ 45. Ka4 Rg5 46. Rh7 Kg6 47. Ra7 h5 48. Ra6+ Kf7 49. Ra7+ Ke6 50. Ra6+ Kd7 51. Rh6 Ke8 52. a3 Kf7 53. Ra6 Kg7 54. Ra7+ Kh6 55. Ra6+ Rg6 56. Rxa5 h4 57. Rc5 Rg5 58. Rc1 Rh5 59. Kb4 Kg5 60. a4 h3 61. a5 h2 62. Rh1 Kg4 63. a6 Kg3 64. a7 Rh8 65. Kb5 Kg2 66. Rxh2+

I should add, that I am willing to share all of my games with anyone who would like to see them. Just let me know and I can get them to you in a PGN format.

Well, have fun everyone.....