Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Opening Preparation

My win in Round 4 of the Phoenix Open was due to opening preparation. Here is the story. Back in September 2001, I played in the Universal Swiss in Warren, Michigan. In Round 2, I was paired against a master and this is how the game went

Aleksandar Stamnov (2244) - Randy Ho (1874)
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. cxd4 e5 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. Be2 e4 9. O-O Bxc3 10. bxc3 exf3 11. Bxf3


11...Qd6 12. Qa4 Bd7 13. Ba3 Qc7 14. Rfe1+ Kd8 15. Qc4 Nh6 16. Qd5 Qa5 17. Bc5 Rc8 18. Be7+ 1-0

During the game, I thought that my high-rated opponent had blundered a piece. After the game, he told me that it is theory. This game made a strong impression on me and I kept it in my memory. Fast-forward eleven years.

Phoenix Open, Scottsdale, AZ
Nov 24, 2012
Round 4
R. Ho (2061) - S. Pennock (1924)

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 e5 7. Nc3 Bb4

I had a choice. Do I play the usual 8. Bd2 or the risky 8. Be2? After thinking for a few minutes, I chose Be2. Why? Because I remember the tremendous pressure I was under when I was playing Black eleven years earlier.

8. Be2 e4 9. O-O Bxc3 10. bxc3 exf3 11. Bxf3 Qd6

I did not remember exactly how the previous game went, but I did remember the moves Re1, Qa4, and Ba3.

12. Re1+ Nge7 13. Qa4 O-O 14. Ba3 Qd8

After this move, White wins the piece back and has the better position.

15. d5 Nxd5


I intended to play 16. Rad1, but when we got to this position, I noticed that 16. Bxd5 was stronger. The reason is because of the line 16...Qxd5 17. Bxf8 Kxf8? 18. Qa3+ mates.

16. Bxd5 Qxd5 17. Bxf8 b5 18. Qa3 Bb7 19. Qc5 Qxc5 20. Bxc5 Rc8 21. Rad1 1-0

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