Overtime

Game Of The Week

This week's game comes from the Colorado Springs Chess Club's Sunday-night, online, rapid tournaments.  This was another event that I wasn't sure if I was going to be able join.  Cal was playing the University of Washington this week.  Go Bears!

My cousin, Daniel Scott, was starting at safety again, but this time we were going to meet his mom and brother at the game.  This was going to be his mother's first game outside of California.  

His father created the nickname "Tre Deuce Squad" for the group of friends and family who are cheering on Daniel.  He even created several gold-letter hoodies for the group.  I am wearing mine in the photo below under the jersey.  The problem is that the gold-lettering has a habit of triggering the security at airports.  The security guard invited me into a private room for my groping.  I declined and decided to keep things as public as possible.  He even swabbed the sweatshirt for explosive residue!  Next time, I will put it on at the game.

Tre Deuce Squad - cousin, great aunt, Daniel, mom, brother

Daniel did well and lead the team in tackles.  The game was very exciting and went into overtime.  However, the overtime was a bust.  I hate the college system of overtime.  It is like you stop playing football and decide the game on a bunch of skill drills.  No special teams, very little defense, and who can pad on the most points decides the winner.

Why even bother?  I think they should have just called it a draw.  I mean, unless it is the playoffs, what does it matter?  Two teams played equally well (or poorly).  Just split the point.

One of the things I like about chess is that you can offer a draw.

Sometimes you don't play better than your opponent.  Sometimes you don't deserve a win.  But neither does your opponent.

My game against Al Gardner this event was like that.  The computer gave me an 88.3% accuracy score and Al an 86.2%.  I had more mistakes (8 vs 6).  Al had more blunders (4 vs 1).  And we both missed wins.

Most of the game, Al was up a Pawn.  I could tell Al was going with the conventional chess wisdom:

When ahead in material, trade Pieces not Pawns

As I realized I should trade off some Pieces to not get further behind, I feared that losing my Queen would spell the end of the game.  Finally, Al caught my Queen and the end was at hand.

Al offered a draw.  Of course, I thought it was a draw.  Even the computer said it was a draw.  However, I was coming off a Cal loss where they missed a last second field goal to send it into overtime and then fumbled on the goal line to lose.  I felt I had to avenge the Tre Deuce Squad and just keep prolonging the game until I got a fumble on the goal line.  

So, I headed for overtime with that one hope.  And the overtime gave me a well-undeserved full point!

Well, if the Queens coming off was the end of the game, this position was the last second field goal.  Fortunately for me, Al missed it.

White to move

Overtime

[Event "Choose Your Weapon Online"]

[Site "https://cschessnews.blogspot.com/"]

[Date "2021.09.26"]

[Round "2.2"]

[White "Gardner, Albert"]

[Black "Anderson, Paul"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "C48"]

[WhiteElo "1471"]

[BlackElo "1836"]

[PlyCount "158"]

[EventDate "2021.09.26"]

[TimeControl "600+10"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bc5 5. O-O a6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Nxe5 Qe7 8.

Nf3 Bg4 9. d4 Ba7 10. e5 Nd5 11. Nxd5 cxd5 12. c3 O-O 13. h3 Bh5 14. g4 Bg6 15.

Bg5 f6 16. exf6 gxf6 17. Bh4 Qf7 18. Bg3 c6 19. Nh4 Be4 20. f3 Bg6 21. Nxg6

hxg6 22. Re1 Kg7 23. Qd2 Rh8 24. Kg2 Qd7 25. Re2 Rhe8 26. Rae1 Rac8 27. Rxe8

Rxe8 28. Rxe8 Qxe8 29. Kf2 c5 30. Qe3 Qf8 31. Kg2 Kf7 32. Bf2 cxd4 33. cxd4 Bb8

34. Bg3 Ba7 35. Qf4 Qe7 36. Bf2 g5 37. Qe3 Qb4 38. Qc3 Qe7 39. a3 Bb6 40. b4

Qd7 41. h4 gxh4 42. Bxh4 f5 43. gxf5 Qxf5 44. Bg3 Qg6 45. Kf2 Qf6 46. Be5 Qh4+

47. Kg2 Qg5+ 48. Kf2 Qf5 49. Qe3 Qc2+ 50. Kg3 Qg6+ 51. Kf2 Bd8 52. Qf4+ Ke6 53.

Qg4+ Qf5 54. Qxf5+ Kxf5 55. Kg3 Bg5 56. f4 Be7 57. Kf3 Bh4 58. a4 b5 59. axb5

axb5 60. Bd6 Be1 61. Ke2 Bc3 62. Kd3 Be1 63. Ke2 Bh4 64. Kf3 Bf6 65. Be5 Be7

66. Ke3 Bxb4 67. Kd3 Be1 68. Kc2 Ke4 69. Kb3 b4 70. Kc2 Bc3 71. Kb3 Bxd4 72.

Kxb4 Bxe5 73. fxe5 Kxe5 74. Kc3 Ke4 75. Kd2 Kd4 76. Kc2 Ke3 77. Kd1 Kd3 78. Ke1

Kc2 79. Ke2 d4 0-1

https://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game-replayer.php?id=116943

This Week In Chess

On September 26th, the Colorado Springs Chess Club held the Choose Your Weapon Rapid Online (3SS, G/10+10).  Paul Anderson just got lucky to win his 8th gold and pull ahead of Jeff Fox in the 2021 medal count.  John Brezina picked up his 2nd silver which he split with Mark "The Money Man" McGough, who just missed out on that elusive gold for the 2021 season.

Place, Choose Your Weapon Rapid Online, Score

1 "#1    cschessnews (1844)" 2.0

2 "#2    Czechmate1972 (1706)" 2.0

3 "#2    msmcgough (1639)" 2.0

4 "#4    Cocomcfrecal (1241)" 1.0

5 "#5    CosmicNovaGalaxy (1634)" 1.0

6 "#6    johnny3sport (1435)" 1.0

7 "#6    albertgardner (1466)" 1.0

8 "-    jfoxhoot (1707)" 0.0