A Faulty Pin

Carls Jr. G/20, Mesa, AZ, Sept 5, 2012
Round 3
Miguel (2137) - Randy (2008)

I decided to play the Najdorf and I actually got a decent position. However, when the position got complicated, I cracked under the pressure.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 Bg7 10. Be2 h5 11. h4 Nc6 12. Nf5 Bxf5 13. exf5 Qa5 14. Qd2 Qxf5 15. hxg5 Be5 16. Bh4 Bd4 17. O-O-O O-O-O 18. Kb1 Qa5 19. Ne4 Qe5 20. f3 Ne3 21. c3 

This move came as a surprise and for some reason, I only considered Bc5 and not Bb6 or Ba7. My game went downhill in the next few moves.

21...Bc5 22. Bg3 Qf5 23. Bd3 Qe6 24. Rde1 Bb6 25. Rxe3 Bxe3 26. Qxe3 d5 

I thought that by playing d6-d5, I would win back material since the Knight is pinned, but I was in for a nasty surprise.

27. Qb6! 

Not only saving the Knight due to the threat of Qc7#, but I saw that after Rd7 or Qd7 comes Nc5!

27...Ne5 28. Qxe6+ fxe6 29. Bxe5 dxe4 30. Bxh8 exd3 31. Bd4 1-0

Lessons from the Game:

• I need to handle complicated positions better. 
• Stop cracking under pressure

Crushed in 13 moves

Carl's Jr. G/20, Mesa, AZ, Sept. 5, 2012
Round 2
Randy (2008) - Lance (1984)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 Bb4 5. Nxe5 O-O 6. Qd3 d5 7. Bd2?

I wanted to prepare to castle queenside, but I suppose I needed to resolve the situation in the center first.

7...dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Qxe4

9. Bxb4 was better, but I didn't even consider it. After the game, we were looking at 9...Nxb4 10. Qxe4 Nxc2+!? 11. Qxc2 Qxd4. Black sacs a piece for pressure. I think the sac is dubious, but Lance likes it.

9...Bxd2+ 10. Kxd2 Nxd4 11. Bd3 Bf5 12. Qf4 Qd6

White to Play

Here, I calculated 13. Bxf5 Nxf5+ 14. Nd3 blocking the check and protecting my Queen. I was so excited to see this line that I missed 13...Ne6 winning the Queen.

13. Bxf5?? Ne6+ 0-1

Lessons from the Game:

• I need to have better board vision