These games were played by Bob Cunningham (1456) at our January 2005 Swiss tournament. Bob finished with two points in this tournament, unfortunately being upset by David Hullinger (586) in round 3.
To play the games, just click on the moves in the score in the right hand side. Moves in black are the ones actually played in the game, and moves in color are variations and analysis. You can also click on these moves to see the position on the board. Or you can use the control panel under the board to step through each move manually, or the game can be played automatically. In autoplay mode, you have the option of stepping into the analysis variations or bypassing them completely.
Select games by scrolling in the right hand panel, or use the drop down list under the board. The interface is quite natural and easy to get used to. We hope you find it useful and enjoyable.
Bob Cunningham - Kelsey Robin [A20]
McHenry Area Chess January Swiss (1) 2005
1. c4 e5 2. g3 Bc5 3. Bg2 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. e3 Bf5? 6. Nge2 6. Bxb7 gives White a quick and strong advantage.
6... Nc6 7. a3 O-O 8. O-O Bd3! 9. Re1 Bxc4 10. d4 Bxe2 11. Nxe2 Bb6 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Qc2 Qd6 14. b4 Rad8 15. Bb2 a6 16. Red1 Qe6 17. Bxc6 Qxc6 It's better for Black to keep the queens on the board with 17... bxc6 as the queen is the sole defender of the e pawn
In any case, the doubled and isolated pawns which result are a serious defect in Black's position.
18. Qxc6 bxc6 19. Bxe5 Rd5 20. Bd4 20. Bxf6 and Black's pawn structure is in a complete shambles.
20... Bxd4? Black should not be trading down unless it improves the position. Here, the pawn structure can be repaired if White initiates the capture, and Black should try to make that happen if possible.
The better move here was 20... Ne4
21. Rxd4 Rxd4 Again, Black should let White capture to correct the pawn defects. Possibilities are
21... Rd6
or
21... c5
or even
21... Rfd8
22. Nxd4 c5 23. bxc5 Rb8 24. a4 Rb2 25. f3 h6 26. a5 Nd5 27. e4 Ne3 28. Re1 Nc2 29. Rd1 The tempting pin 29. Re2 doesn't work because of 29... Rb1+ 30. Kf2 Nxd4
29... Nxd4 30. Rxd4 Rb5 31. Ra4? Better for White is 31. Rd8+ Kh7 32. Rd7
31... Rxc5 This is an even rook and pawn ending. Such endings can be difficult to win even with a pawn advantage. In this case, White has a majority on the side of the boards where the kings are, but Black's queenside majority is split and therefore somewhat weak. No draw offers were recorded, but that would not be an inappropriate move for either side to make at this point.
32. Kf2 Kf8 33. Ke3 Ke7 34. Kd4 Kd6 35. f4 Rc2 36. h4 Rg2 36... c5+ to drive the enemy king away is better here. 37. Ke3 is necessary so that 37... Rg2 cannot simply win the pawn and disrupt White's kingside structure. So instead(37... Rc3+ 38. Kf2 and White's forces are widely separated and his prospects are limited.)
37. Ra3 c5+ 38. Kc4 Rd2? Black should not give White time to infiltrate with the rook. Black must either maintain the pressure on the g pawn, or distract the king with checks and then immediately return the rook to the g file to reapply pressure against the weak pawn.
39. e5+ Kc6 40. Rb3 Rd4+ 41. Kc3 Kd5 42. Rb6 Ra4 43. Rxa6 Ra3+ 44. Kb2 Rxg3 45. Rd6+ Kc4 46. a6 Rg2+ The rook is needed close to the advanced White pawn. Better was 46... Rb3+ 47. Ka2 Rb5 and White cannot hold his a pawn, as in 48. Rc6 Kd5 49. Rd6+ Ke4 50. Rd7 Ra5+ 51. Kb3 Rxa6 52. Rxf7 g5 53. hxg5 hxg5 with a very likely drawn game.
47. Kb1 Kb3? The losing move. The White pawn is so advanced that Black doesn't have time for any action that doesn't prevent it's queening. White can try constant checks, and if the White King moves to the kingside, put the rook behind the a pawn. If the king tries to sneak down the a file, at the right time ... Rg1 threatens mate or an x-ray attack on the a pawn. Still, it will be a difficult endgame. As played, Black cannot hold the draw any longer.
48. Rb6+ Kc4 49. a7 Rg1+ 50. Ka2 Rg2+ 51. Rb2 Rxb2+ 52. Kxb2 Kd3 53. Kc1 c4 54. a8=Q c3 55. Qf3+ Kd4 56. Kc2 Kc5 57. Qe4 h5 58. Kxc3 g6 59. Qd4+ Kb5 60. Kb3 Kc6 61. Kb4 Kc7 62. Qd6+ Kb7 63. Kb5 g5 64. fxg5 Why bother? 64. Qd7+ Kb8 65. Kc6 is mate next move. However, if time pressure was a factor, sometimes it's safer just to react than to count such complication out.
64... f6 65. exf6 1-0
Bob Cunningham - Jim Coons [A11]
McHenry Area Chess January Swiss (2) 2005
1. c4 c6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. d4 The game has gone from n English Opening/Caro defense to a Queen's Gambit/Slav Defense. One book line giver at this point goes
4. b3 dxc4 5. bxc4 Qd4 6. Nc3 Qxc4 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. O-O e5 9. Bb2 Be7
4... dxc4 5. Nc3 Bf5 6. e4 Bg4 7. Nge2 e6 8. h3 Castling 8. O-O
or developing the queen bishop with 8. Be3 seem more sensible at this point. White should be aware that Black currently has a pawn advantage, though that should be transitory, but going down another pawn would be bad.
8... Bxe2 9. Qxe2 9. Nxe2 holds the d pawn but makes recovering the pawn on c4 more difficult.
9... Qxd4 10. Be3 Qd3 11. Rd1 11. Qxd3 cxd3 12. Rd1 recovers a pawn and leaves White better developed.
11... Qxe2+ 12. Nxe2 Bb4+ 13. Bd2 Na6 14. O-O Bxd2 15. Rxd2 Ke7 16. Rfd1 Rhd8 17. Nd4 Rac8 18. f4 g6 19. f5 Nc7 Black has nothing to fear at this point, and could be more aggressive with 19... e5
or 19... Nc5 to increase pressure on e4.
20. fxe6 fxe6 21. e5 Nfd5 22. Bxd5? Better to keep the bishop. The move played allows Black, if he recaptures with the e pawn as he should, to solidify his pawn structure and gives Black a connected passed pawn. Fortunately, Black did not choose that reply. But Black still has a strong advantage.
22... Nxd5 23. Rf1 Rf8 24. Rdf2 Rxf2 25. Rxf2 a6 26. Rf3 c5 27. Ne2 Rf8 28. Kg2 Rf5 Black give White no choice. The e pawn is going to fall now or in a few moves, and with it the game.
29. Rxf5 exf5 30. Kf3 Ke6 31. Nc3 Nxc3 32. bxc3 Kxe5 33. Ke3 b5 34. a3 g5 35. Kf3 h5 36. Ke3 a5 0-1
David Hullinger - Bob Cunningham [B10]
McHenry Area Chess January Swiss (3) 2005
Adem Music - Bob Cunningham [B10]
McHenry Area Chess January Swiss (4) 2005
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