These games were played by John Schaeffer (1299) at our January 2005 Swiss tournament. John is fairly regular competitor at our events. John finished with an even two points, losing against those who were rated higher than he and winning against those lower rated, according to expectations.
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.
Mark Robledo Jr. - John Schaeffer [C27]
McHenry Area Chess January Swiss (1) 2005
1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Bxf7+ This is the Bishop Variation of the Vienna Game.
Most common for White here was 4. Nf3 d5
or 4. Qh5 Nd6 5. Bb3 Be7 (or 5... Nc6)
and Black's development suffers.
4... Kxf7 5. Nxe4 Be7 5... d5 immediately is best, as long as Black doesn't fall for the cheap trap 6. Qf3+ Kg8 7. Ne2 dxe4? 8. Qb3+! with mate to follow. But this line is better for Black as long as he sees the obvious and avoids it with 7... Be6.
6. Nf3 Nc6 7. d3 h6 There is nothing to fear from the knight check, and the Black kingside shouldn't be weakened on the light squares to avoid it. Preferable is to develop with 7... d5
or
7... Rf8
8. O-O Rf8 9. d4 d5 10. Ng3 Bg4 10... exd4 11. Nxd4 Nxd4 12. Qxd4 c5 (or 12... Bf6)
preserves Black's edge.
11. Ng5+ Bxg5 12. Qxg4 Nxd4 13. f4 White has been on the offensive all game, and now the threats begin to pay off.
13... exf4 14. Bxf4 Bxf4? Drops a piece. better, though Black is still in serious trouble, was
14... Bf6 15. Bxh6 gxh6 16. Nh5! Ke7 17. Nxf6 c5
from here, White's game flows along easily.
15. Qxf4+ Kg8 16. Qxd4 Qd6 17. Nf5 Qf6 18. Qxf6 Rxf6 19. Ne7+ Kf7 20. Nxd5 Rxf1+ 21. Rxf1+ Kg8 22. g4 c6 23. Ne7+ Kh7 24. Kg2 Re8 25. Rf7 c5 26. Kg3 Rd8 27. Nf5 Rg8 28. h4 Kh8 29. g5 hxg5 30. hxg5 g6 31. Nh6 31. Ne7 is substantially better.
31... Rd8 32. Kf4 32. Rxb7 is best.
32... Rd2 33. Ng4 Rxc2 34. Nf6 Rh2 Black must stop Rh7#, and faced with that threat is completely immobilized. White can simply pick off the black pawns with the king or rook, as long as the rook stays on the seventh, and Black can do nothing to interfere. Even better, White can give mate in just a few moves my walking the king down to f8 to cover the g7 square and playing Rg8.
35. Rf8+ Kg7 36. Rg8+ Kf7 37. Rc8 Rf2+ 38. Ke5 Rf5+ 39. Kd6 Rxg5 At this point, the score becomes confused and the game cannot be reconstructed further, but White went on to win in just a few more moves.
1-0
John Schaeffer - Bill Hayes [E81]
McHenry Area Chess January Swiss (2) 2005
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c6 7. Qd2 Kh8 8. O-O-O a6 Piece development is what's called for here. The notion of a pawn storm against the enemy king, perilously castled queenside as his is, is an idea which should be explored when it's time comes, and not sooner.
9. Kb1 Bd7 10. h4 White's prospect for a pawn storm are somewhat better than Blacks, but the same logic applies. The attack is much more likely to work when there are more pieces focused on the target area. In this case, White should be ready and able to throw both rooks into the attack before starting it, lest it fizzle.
10... b5 11. e5 Nh5 12. Nge2 bxc4? 12... dxe5 is necessary, in order to create a safe haven for the poorly placed knight. This move more than any other single error costs Black the game.
13. g4 dxe5 14. gxh5 exd4 15. Bxd4 Bf5+ 16. Ka1 e5 17. Bc5 Qxd2 18. Rxd2 Re8 19. Ng3 Be6 20. Nge4 20. hxg6 looks good as it begins to pry open the enemy king position. However, that move cannot be prevented later even if it isn't played now, But both moves are good.
20... Nd7 21. Ba3 f5 22. Nd6 Re7 This move is risky, as it sets the rook up for a discovered attack.
23. hxg6 Bh6 24. Rg2 Rg8 25. Nf7+ Even better is 25. Nxf5 Bxf5 26. Bxe7 Rg7 27. Bg5 Bxg5 28. Rxg5 hxg6 29. Bxc4 and White is simply a rook up.
25... Rxf7 26. gxf7 Rxg2 27. Bxg2 Bxf7 28. Rd1 Nf6 29. Bh3 29. Rd6 picks up material, but White's advantage is so strong that all lines leads to increasing margins.
29... Bh5 30. Bxf5 Bxf3 31. Rd8+ Kg7 32. Bf8+ 1-0
John Schaeffer - Clive Hutchby [A83]
McHenry Area Chess January Swiss (3) 2005
Joe Robin - John Schaeffer [C55]
McHenry Area Chess January Swiss (4) 2005
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