A number of bad excuses and one | CHESS AT THE BAG OF CATS

I guess most chess players have experienced this at one time or another; to go in search of a far fetched explanation to why things went the way they did. There are times when I need that bad excuse, just for a moment, so I can catch my breath, before I am prepared to be self critical. Though in the end, there is no way around it. The music has to be faced.

Last weekend I arrived in Gothenburg, full of energy, in order to hang out with some friends and then play in Kvibergspelen, a chess open which is part of the Swedish Grand Prix.

For the first time in a while I bought some chess books (I’m trying to keep my chess books from occupying more than two shelves) and when I arrived at the hotel I couldn’t help myself but start pouring over the pages until rather late. By that time I had already had a bad start, point-wise, but when I look back at it I’m not too upset with my play. Take for instance this game:

   [Event "Kvibergspelen"]  [Site "Gothenburg"]  [Date "2018.04.20"]  [Round "4"]  [White "Ström, Leif"]  [Black "Hillarp Persson, Tiger"]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "A20"]  [WhiteElo "2110"]  [BlackElo "2540"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]  [PlyCount "132"]  [EventDate "2018.??.??"]  [EventCountry "SWE"]  [SourceDate "2011.03.24"]  [SourceVersionDate "2011.03.24"]   1. c4 e5 {I thought for a moment about what I whould play and then I went for  a new and potentially sharp line. Because this was a rapid game, it might have  been better to play something more positional against such a relatively low  rated player.} 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. Nc3 a6 5. e3 Ba7 6. Nge2 d6 7. O-O h5 8.  h3 h4 9. g4 f5 10. f3 $1 {The rest of the game contains chances for us both,  but if you look at it from afar, it is in no way obvious that one of the  players is almost 400 rating points higher rated.} (10. gxf5 $6 Bxf5 11. f4 Qd7  12. Kh2 Bd3 $15) 10... Nf6 11. d4 Qe7 12. Kh1 g6 (12... Qf7 $1 13. b3 Bd7) 13.  a3 Qf7 14. b3 Bd7 15. Bb2 Rb8 (15... O-O-O $1 16. d5 Ne7 17. e4 fxg4 18. fxg4  Qg7 19. Qd2 g5 20. Bc1 Nh7 21. Rf5 Ng6 $17) 16. Qd2 O-O 17. g5 Nh5 18. f4 exd4  19. exd4 Rfe8 (19... Na5 $1 20. Nc1 $1 (20. Qc2 b5 $17) 20... Ng3+ 21. Kh2  Nxf1+ (21... c6 22. Rf3 Bb6 $1 (22... b5 23. N3e2) 23. d5 Rbe8 24. Qd3 Ne4 25.  Qc2 Bd4 26. N1e2 Bg7 27. Re1 $36) 22. Bxf1 c6 23. Nd1 b6 24. d5 Rbe8 25. a4 $44  ) 20. Bd5 (20. Kh2 $1) 20... Be6 21. Bxe6 Qxe6 22. d5 Qxe2 23. Nxe2 Rxe2 24.  Qxe2 Ng3+ 25. Kg2 Nxe2 26. dxc6 bxc6 27. Rae1 Ng3 (27... Re8 $1 28. Be5 Ng3 29.  Bc3 Re4 30. Rxe4 fxe4 31. Re1 d5 32. Be5 Nf5 33. cxd5 cxd5 34. Bxc7 Ne3+ $13)  28. Rf3 Ne4 29. b4 Kf7 30. Rd3 a5 (30... c5) 31. Bc3 axb4 32. axb4 Nxc3 33.  Rxc3 Rxb4 34. Re2 Bd4 35. Ra3 Rxc4 36. Ra8 Bb6 37. Rae8 Re4 38. R2xe4 fxe4 39.  Rxe4 d5 40. Re5 Bd4 41. Re2 c5 42. Kf3 c4 43. Kg4 $2 (43. f5 $1 gxf5 44. Kf4  Bg7 45. Kxf5 c3 46. g6+ Kf8 47. Re6 c5 48. Rc6 c4 49. Ke6 Bh6 50. Kf6 Bg7+ 51.  Ke6 $11) 43... Bc5 (43... c3 {is winning according to the engine, but with so  little time (it was a rapid game) I was struggling with the fact that I didn't  get 30 seconds per move, but 5(!), something that I didn't realize until I  almost ran out of time.}) 44. f5 d4 45. fxg6+ Kxg6 (45... Kg7 46. Re5) 46. Re6+  Kf7 47. Rc6 d3 48. Rxc5 d2 49. Rd5 c3 50. Kf5 c2 51. g6+ Ke7 52. g7 d1=Q 53.  g8=Q Qf3+ 54. Ke5 Qe3+ (54... Qg3+ 55. Qxg3 hxg3 56. Rc5 g2) 55. Kf5 Qxh3+ 56.  Ke5 Qe3+ 57. Kf5 Qf3+ 58. Ke5 Qe2+ 59. Kf5 Qh5+ 60. Ke4 Qxd5+ 61. Kxd5 c6+ 62.  Ke5 c1=Q 63. Qh7+ Kd8 64. Qxh4+ Kc8 65. Kd6 Qa3+ 66. Kxc6 Qa6+ {And although I  believe I should be able to play better, the most obvious thing is that my  opponent played very well indeed.} 1/2-1/2

After 6 rounds I was on 4,5 points and I needed to win the two last games in order to get a prize. In round 7 I was paired with the young talented Kaan Küzüksari. His opening preparation was not very good, but apart from that he did very well:

   [Event "Kvibergspelen"]  [Site "Gothenburg"]  [Date "2018.04.22"]  [Round "7"]  [White "Kucuksari, Kaan"]  [Black "Hillarp Persson, Tiger"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "D02"]  [WhiteElo "2250"]  [BlackElo "2540"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]  [PlyCount "113"]  [EventDate "2018.??.??"]  [EventCountry "SWE"]  [SourceDate "2011.03.24"]  [SourceVersionDate "2011.03.24"]   1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Qc2 g6 5. Bf4 Bg7 6. e3 O-O 7. Nc3 c5 8. dxc5  Qa5 9. Rc1 {I played this line partly because my opponent had done badly  against it earlier, but also because I like it in general terms. The last move  was new to me, but my opponent played it rather fast, so I expected it to be  part of his preparation.} (9. Rd1 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Qxc5 {is the main line, but I  see few problems for Black here.}) 9... Na6 $5 ({I rejected} 9... Nc6 {since I  couldn't see a good continuation for myself after} 10. Nd4 {The engine is  positive about my position after} dxc4 $1 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bxc4 (12. Qa4 $5  Qxa4 (12... Qxc5 $1 13. Bxc4 Nd7 {is back to the main line.}) 13. Nxa4 Nd5 14.  Bg3 c3 15. bxc3 {is trickier for Black.}) 12... Qxc5 {and it seems good enough  for equality after either} 13. Qe2 ({or} 13. Qa4 Nd7 14. Ne4 Qf5 15. f3 Nb6 16.  Qa3 Nxc4 17. Rxc4 Be6 18. Rc2 Bd5) 13... Nd5 {In retrospect I would rather  play Black here.}) 10. a3 $1 (10. Qa4 Qxa4 11. Nxa4 Bd7 {is just one tempo  worse than What White played in the game.}) 10... Bf5 11. Qa4 (11. Qd2 $1 {  is better, but} dxc4 12. Bxc4 Qxc5 {looks all right for Black.} 13. Bxa6 bxa6  14. O-O Rfd8 {is nothing I would worry about.}) 11... Qxa4 12. Nxa4 Bd7 13. Nc3  ({I was a bit surprised that my opponent played this so quick, without  checking the consequences of} 13. cxd5 {(?)} Bxa4 14. c6 Rac8 $1 {I had this  planned, and thought it would be good for me, which also seems to be the case.}  ) 13... Nxc5 $1 {Black has the initiative here. White needs to go back to the  office and find a better idea.} (13... dxc4 14. Bxc4 Nxc5 15. O-O Rac8 {  is also nice for Black.}) 14. cxd5 Rfc8 15. Ne5 Na4 16. Nxd7 Nxd7 17. Bb5 Ndb6  18. Bxa4 Nxa4 19. Kd2 {My young opponent has played a few good moves and  although I still have some initiative, it is really quite equal by now.} Nxb2 (  19... Bxc3+ 20. bxc3 Rc4 21. Rhe1 Rac8 22. Be5 Nc5 $13) 20. Nb5 Rc4 $1 {  This was the only way I could find that set White some problems.} 21. Rxc4  Nxc4+ 22. Kd3 Nb2+ 23. Kd2 Nc4+ {I decided to win some time on the clock.} (  23... Rd8 $1 24. e4 e6 25. Nc7 Nc4+ 26. Ke2 exd5 27. Rc1 Nxa3 28. Nxd5 Nb5 29.  Bg5 Ra8 30. Kd3 {is clearly better for Black according to the engine, but it  looks to me like White's activity is annoying. (Aaaaand I didn't see this far,  no.)}) 24. Kd3 Nb2+ 25. Ke2 $6 {Either my opponent is playing for a win, which  is very commendable, or he just didn't want me to know exactly what to do next.  } Rc8 $1 26. Nxa7 ({After} 26. Nc7 g5 27. Bg3 f5 28. Rc1 Na4 {White faces some  serious problems; f4, followed by Nc3+, is one.}) 26... Rc2+ 27. Kf3 Nd3 28.  Bg3 $6 (28. Rf1 f5 29. h3 Kf7 30. g4 Nc5 31. Bg3 Ne4 32. Kg2 {was the best  defence, although Black keeps some initiative after} Bh6) (28. Rb1 Rxf2+ 29.  Kg3 Rb2 $15) 28... f5 {Here I ran down to the reception of the hotel, in order  to get a cup of coffee, but there was only one receptionist, who was involved  in a long conversation on the phone, so I had to run back without the coffee.  #Badexcuse1.} 29. Rd1 $6 Nc5 30. h4 Ne4 31. Nb5 Be5 32. Nd4 (32. Bxe5 Rxf2#)  32... Ra2 33. Ne2 Bxg3 34. fxg3 Rxa3 (34... h5 $1 35. Rc1 Kf7 36. Rc7 b5 37.  Rb7 Rxa3 38. Rxb5 Ra1 {gives me excellent winning chances, but h5 felt too  ugly and un-dynamic. My move isn't too bad either.}) 35. g4 Nd6 36. Rd4 b5 37.  gxf5 Nxf5 38. Re4 Ra4 39. Nd4 $2 (39. g3 $1 Rxe4 40. Kxe4 b4 41. Kd3 b3 42. e4  Nd6 43. Kc3 Nxe4+ 44. Kxb3 Kf7 45. Kc4 $11) 39... Nxd4+ 40. exd4 Kf7 {This is  where I lose the game. I was too optimistic and even thought my position could  be winning. In fact, due to the awkward position of my king, I'm only slightly  better here. What happens next is almost comical.} 41. Ke3 $1 {This is the  best move. White's king needs to take care of my passed pawn.} Ra3+ (41... Ra6  42. g4) (41... Ra2 $1 42. Rf4+ (42. g4 b4 43. Kd3 Rh2 44. g5 b3 $17) 42... Ke8  43. Rg4 $1 (43. Re4 Kd7) 43... Ra3+ 44. Kd2 Kd7 45. h5 {and with pawns coming  off the board, White should be able to draw.}) 42. Kf4 Rd3 $6 43. Ke5 $1 b4 {  I was under the impression that White had to go back with the rook. No coffee  and bad sleep, or just unrealistic optimism? Well, mostly the latter.} 44. d6  $1 {I had not seen that one, and it made me feel like an idiot. The rest of  the game I was completely out of balance.} exd6+ 45. Kxd6 b3 46. d5 Rg3 {  I offered a draw here and my opponent declined. Not taking draws is the first  rule if you would like to win against GM:s.} 47. Re7+ Kf6 48. Re2 Kf5 49. Ke7  Rc3 $6 (49... Kf4 $1 {is the only move that holds the draw:} 50. d6 Re3+ 51.  Rxe3 Kxe3 52. d7 b2 53. d8=Q b1=Q 54. Kf7 {looked a unpleasant to me, but  Black should be able to hold with} Qb7+ 55. Kg8 Kf2) 50. d6 $6 (50. Rf2+ $1 Kg4  51. d6 Re3+ 52. Kd8 Rd3 53. d7 Kxh4 54. Re2 Kg3 55. Ke7 h5 56. d8=Q Rxd8 57.  Kxd8 g5 58. Ke7 h4 59. Kf6 g4 60. Kg5 h3 61. gxh3 gxh3 62. Re3+ Kg2 63. Kg4 h2  64. Re2+ Kg1 65. Kg3 h1=N+ 66. Kf3 Kf1 67. Rb2 $18) 50... Rc2 51. Rxc2 bxc2 52.  d7 c1=Q 53. d8=Q Kg4 54. Kf7 Qh6 $2 55. Qd1+ Kf5 $4 {Kaan has taken every  chance he got after the fortieth move and he doesn't miss this chance when he  gets it:} (55... Kg3 56. Qf3+ Kh2 57. Qh3+ Kg1 58. Kg8 Qf4 59. Kxh7 g5 $1 $14)  56. Qd5+ $1 Kf4 (56... Kg4 57. Qf3+ Kxh4 58. Qh3+ Kg5 59. Qe3+ Kh5 60. g4+) 57.  Qd2+ 1-0

A terrible finish for me and I promised myself never to stay up late and read books again. At least I will not do it the next tournament. Also, I had tried to drink less coffee since then. I don’t want my performance in a game to hang on whether I can get hold of a cup of coffee or not. Those things said, what really matters is my bad evaluation of the position after move 40, which made me relax, get upset, and then blunder. I will have to make room for some endgame studies.

Next, hopefully, I will write something about the TEPE Sigeman & co tournament, that starts on Friday in my home town.