26 September 2015

Bad Day

My first day's performance in the Eastern Washington Open was sub-par. In the first round, I missed a key defensive resource and found myself on the Black side of this position.

White to move

Fortunately, my opponent missed the key move here and I was able to defend. We swapped off pieces and I anticipated an ending with a bishop and four pawns against seven pawns. Instead, my opponent dropped a rook in an even position and then resigned.

In the second round, I had White against a young woman who I had briefly coached a few years ago when she was preparing for the Idaho Girl's Championship.

White to move

I made the wrong move here and quickly lost.

How would you play these two positions?

2 comments:

  1. Found the first but missed the "second blade" in the second : I would probably have lost that one as well (I picked 1.Kh2, thinking I was clever, but...)

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    Replies
    1. I had about thirty minutes to my opponent's hour. I could have taken three minutes on the second position, but hastily grabbed the rook. I won my other games and tied for first in my rating class. Every A Class player in this event lost at least one game.

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