I am way, way, way behind

I have played several games since I last blogged about a game. In an attempt to catch up, I will put up my games with minimal comments.

Lets start with the game played on April 1st. I was black:

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Nf6 5. Qxd4 Qxd5 6. Qxd5 Nxd5 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. Bc4 Nb6 9. Bb5 Bd7 10. O-O e6 11. Nbd2 Be7 12. Ne4 O-O 13. Be3 Nd5 14. Bc5 b6 15. Bxe7 Ndxe7 16. Rfd1 Rfd8 17. Rd2 a6 18. Ba4 b5 19. Bb3 Be8 20. Rad1 Nf5 21. Nc5 Rxd2 22. Rxd2 g6 23. Ne4 Kg7 24. h3 Na5 25. Nd6 Nxb3 26. Nxe8+ Rxe8 27. axb3 Rc8 28. Rd7 Nh6 29. g4 Rc5 30. Nd4 Re5 31. Kf1 Ng8 32. Ra7 Nf6 33. Rxa6 Ne4 34. Rb6 h5 35. Rxb5 Nd2+ 36. Kg2 Rxb5 37. Nxb5 hxg4 38. hxg4 Nxb3 39. Kf3 Kf6 40. Ke3 e5 41. Nd6 Ke6 42. Ne4 f5 43. gxf5+ gxf5 44. Nd2 Nc5 45. b4 Nb7 46. c4 Kd6 47. Kd3 Nd8 48. Nb3 Ne6 49. Ke3 f4+ 50. Ke4 Ng5+ 51. Kf5 Nh3 52. f3 Ng1 53. Ke4 Ne2 54. c5+ Ke6 55. Nd2 Ng3+ 56. Kd3 Kd5 57. Nb1 e4+ 58. fxe4+ Nxe4 59. Nc3+ Nxc3 60. Kxc3 Ke4 61. c6 f3 62. c7 1-0

After 62…f2 63. c8=Q f1=Q 64. Qe6+ Kf3 65. Qf5+ Kg2 66. Qxf1+ Kxf1, the b-pawn decides the game.

This was followed up by my next game, played the very next day, again with black:

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. Qc2 dxc4 8. Bxc4 b5 9. Bd3 a6 10. a3 Bb7 11. O-O Nbd7 12. Ne5 Rc8 13. Nxd7 Qxd7 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. Bxe4 h6 16. b4 Bf6 17. Bb2 Rfd8 18. Rfd1 Qc7 19. Bc3 e5 20. dxe5 Bxe5 21. Bxe5 Qxe5 22. Rac1 Re8 23. Bf3 f5 24. Rd7 Ba8 25. h3 f4 26. Re1 fxe3 27. Qa2+ Kh8 28. Rxe3 Qf6 29. Qe2 Rxe3 30. Qxe3 Rf8 31. Ra7 Qd8 32. Rxa6 Bb7 33. Ra7 Bc8 34. Bxc6 Qd1+ 35. Kh2 Qd6+ 36. Qg3 Qd4 37. Rc7 Be6 38. Bxb5 Rxf2 39. Rxg7 Qxg7 40. Qxf2 Qe5+ 1/2-1/2

Here my opponent assumed this would be a draw by repetition/perpetual check and offered me a draw, which I gladly accepted. He didn’t see that after 41. g3 Qxb5 42. Qf8+ Kh7 43. Qe7+ Kh8 44. Qxe6, I cannot easily force a perpetual. Progress might be slow for white, having to constantly worry about allowing a perpetual but there is only one person playing for a win in this position and he had nothing to lose whatsoever. Lucky me!