Missing Things

In my first game of the 2014 Spokane Contenders,* my opponent gave me a pawn early. It seemed to me that he was then trying to generate some tactics to win it back. Somehow, we both missed the moment when he could have done so.

Black to move

I played 16...Nf4. There were several better moves that maintain both the extra pawn and a positional advantage.

Other than this one lapse, my play was solid. I won the game.

*Entry to this tournament is via a system of qualification. There is no entry fee. The players work out the times and places of the games. All games must be completed by August 3. It began just before Memorial Day weekend. The tournament winner becomes the challenger in the Spokane City Championship in mid-August. I won the Contenders Tournament in 2008, tied for first in 2010 (but second on tie-breaks), and again won in 2012.