I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all of you for your contributions over the years. May you share a happy Holiday season with the ones you love, and may you be blessed in the new year!

94RF-1; 1997-99
Domanski, R. (M) - Rimlinger, P. (M)
Sicilian Defense B97
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Qb6 8 Qd2 Qxb2 9 Rb1 Qa3 10 Be2 Be7 11 O-O h6 12 Bh4 Nbd7 13 Rf3 Qa5 14 Bf2 Qc7 15 Rg3 g6 16 Bf3 e5 17 Nde2 b5 18 Rh3 h5 19 f5 Bb7 20 fxg6 fxg6 21 Qe3 Nc5 22 Re1 Kf7 23 Nd5 Nxd5 24 exd5 Bc8 25 g4 Bxg4 26 Bxg4 hxg4 27 Rg3 Rh4 28 Rf1 Kg7 29 Qc3 Rc8 30 Rg2 Rh3 31 Qb4 Qd7 32 Qxg4 Qxg4 33 Rxg4 Nd7 34 Ng3 Kh7 35 Ne4 Rxc2 36 Bg3 Kg7 37 a4 bxa4 38 Nf2 Rh5 39 Rxa4 Nc5 40 Rb4 Rd2 41 Rd1 a5 42 Rb8 Rxd1+ 43 Nxd1 Rh8 44 Rb2 Ra8 45 Nc3 a4 46 Ra2 Ra5 47 Be1 Bg5 48 Kf1 Bf4 49 h3 Kf8 50 Ke2 Ke7 51 Ne4 Ra8 52 Kf3 a3 53 Bc3 Nd3 0-1

93RT-20; 1993-94
Daniels, C. (A) - Drulman, H. (B)
Ponziani's Opening C44
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 c3 Nf6 4 d4 Nxe4 5 d5 Nb8 6 Nxe5 Qe7 7 Qd4 Nf6 8 Be2 c5 9 dxc6 Nxc6 10 Nxc6 dxc6 11 Bg5 c5 12 Qh4 Bf5 13 Kf1 O-O-O 14 Na3 h6 15 Bxf6 Qxf6 16 Qa4 Kb8 17 h4 Bd7 18 Bb5 Bxb5+ 19 Qxb5 Rd2 20 f3 Qg6 21 Qe8+ Kc7 22 Rg1 Qd3+ 23 Ke1 Bd6 0-1

Q-1; 1970-71
Maul D. - Warren, JG.
Dutch Defense A80

1 d4 f5

[At the time, I was experimenting with lines in the Dutch in about a dozen postal games. The Dutch has been one of my favorites for many years, since Botvinnik's use and analysis of it became well known. I consider the currently popular Robatsch simply a Dutch Delayed, though in effect, it combines much more, including Indian style of play and (priceless) the asset of adaptability to either e4 or d4 lines.]

2 Bg5

[But this is premature. It has some strategic value though. Now Black has to decide on whether to wreck the kingside pawns by going after the bishop, or whether to develop normally. In the Dutch, White's dark-squared bishop is an exceptionally valuable piece, and this opening move seemed to me to be a bit reckless. I decided to find out if he would really trade off his valuable bishop for my knight.]

2 ... d5

[Probably not the best either, though it solidifies e4 for Black's camp.]

3 e3 Nf6

[Now comes the acid test - will he take it? If he does, the bishop is gone, and that piece is necessary for White adequacy in most lines of the Dutch.]

4 Bxf6

[He took it!]

4 ... exf6

[And the character of the game is set. Black's kingside pawn can now work to expand, with weakness of the dark squares in white's camp already starting to show.]

5 Bd3 Nc6 6 Nf3 Bd6 7 O-O O-O 8 a3 Qe8

[This traditional move in the Dutch is doubly strong here. Black's kingside attack is shaping up, and White's knight is vulnerable to ... g5-4.]

9 c4

[Opening up queenside lines which White is not yet developed enough to use.]

9 ... dxc4

[What matters a useless check?]

10 Bxc4+ Kh8 11 Nbd2

[Here 11 d5 backfires with 11 ... Ne5 12 Nxe5? (12 Nbd2 b5 with a definite advantage for Black.) 12 ... Qxe5 and the b2 pawn falls as White's game begins to crumble.]

Position after 11. Nbd2

11 ... g5

[What's this? The doubled pawns are not weak as the book says - in this instance they are strong!]

12 g3?

[But this only weakens the position. More resistance perhaps, would have been through 12 h3 g4 13 hxg4 fxg4 14 Nh2.]

12 ... Ne7

[Black's plan involves utilization of his queenbishop, which has been a virtual cripple so far.]

13 Kg2?

[This plays into Black's hands, and loses a piece.]

13 ... b5! 14 Ba2 Bb7

[Now the error of the 13th move becomes apparent, as the strength of the bishop on the long diagonal is felt.]

15 h3 g4 16 hxg4 fxg4 17 Rh1 gxf3+ 18 Nxf3 c5

[To open up further lines for black's queenside pieces.]

19 Qc2

[Looks strong, as a mating threat usually does. Actually, it ties the king forever to the devastating pin on the knight.]

19 ... Ng6 20 Qf5 Be4 21 Qh3 Qe7 22 Rh2

[Going to triple the assault on the h-file. Though Black is a piece up, he can't afford to relax provisions for the defense. His aim must be to combine defensive moves with positional offense.]

22 ... a5 23 Rah1 Ra7 24 dxc5 Bxc5 25 Be6

Position after 25. Be6

[A clever attempt to relieve the pin and loosen up the tight kingside position. White seeks 26 Bf5 Bxf5 27 Qxf5 with chances.]

25 ... f5

["Beware the isolani, with its explosive potential for expansion!" - Nimzovich. The economy of this move is seen as the f8 rook gets into action for the first time.]

26 Rc1!

[Offering an exchange of bishops. Here there was a choice.]

26 ... Bd6

[Black could have collapsed the White position with 26 ... Bxe3! but the advance of the f-pawn on the move before gave him a different idea about ending it.]

27 Ba2

[Nothing to do but retire the bishop. 27 Rc8 simply loses it. However, the tempo lost by this move is enough to allow Black to administer the coup de grace.]

27 ... f4!!

[For if either pawn captures, 28 ... Bxf4 is fatal. The king dies, still clinging to the hapless knight ]

0-1

88ME-3; 1988-89
Albano, T. (X) - Coriell, J. (X)
French Defense C06
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 Bd3 c5 6 c3 Nc6 7 Ne2 cxd4 8 cxd4 Qb6 9 Nf3 f6 10 exf6 Nxf6 11 O-O Bd6 12 b3 O-O 13 Bb2 Bd7 14 Ng3 Bf4 15 Ne5 Be8 16 Ng4 Nb4 17 Bb1 Bxg3 18 fxg3 Bb5 19 Nxf6+ gxf6 20 Rf2 f5 21 Qd2 Nc6 22 g4 f4 23 Rxf4 Rxf4 24 Qxf4 Rf8 25 Qg5+ Kh8 26 Bc2 Qc7 27 Qh6 Qf7 28 h3 Nb4 29 Bxh7 1-0

93RF-3; 1997-99
Dix, J. (X) - Guillot, M. (X)
Pirc Defense B09
1 e4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 Nc3 d6 4 f4 Nf6 5 Nf3 O-O 6 Bd3 Nc6 7 O-O e5 8 fxe5 dxe5 9 d5 Nd4 10 Nxe5 Nxe4 11 Bxe4 Bxe5 12 Bf4 Bg7 13 Qd2 Nf5 14 Rae1 Nd6 15 Bd3 Bd7 16 Bg5 f6 17 Bh6 Re8 18 Rxe8+ Qxe8 19 Bxg7 Kxg7 20 Qf2 Qf7 21 Qc5 Be8 22 Ne2 Qe7 23 Nd4 Bf7 24 Ne6+ Bxe6 25 Re1 Re8 26 Rxe6 Qf7 27 Rxe8 Nxe8 28 c4 b6 29 Qe3 Nd6 30 b3 Nb7 31 g3 a5 32 Bf1 Qd7 33 Be2 Kf7 34 a3 Qd6 35 b4 axb4 36 axb4 Qxb4 37 Qe6+ Kg7 38 Qd7+ Kh6 39 Qxc7 Qc5+ 40 Qxc5 bxc5 41 Kf2 Kg5 42 Bd3 1/2

98KQ-2; 1998-99
Simon, J. (M) - Edighoffer, H. (M)
Bird's Opening A03
1 f4 d5 2 b3 Nf6 3 e3 d4 4 Bc4 dxe3 5 Nf3 exd2+ 6 Nbxd2 Bf5 7 O-O e6 8 Bb2 Bc5+ 9 Kh1 O-O 10 Nh4 Ng4 11 Nxf5 exf5 12 Qe2 Re8 13 Be5 Nc6 14 Nf3 Na5 15 Bd3 f6 16 Rad1 Qc8 17 Qd2 Nc6 18 Qc3 Bb6 19 Nh4 Rd8 20 Rd2 Rxd3 21 Qxd3 fxe5 22 Nxf5 g6 23 Nh4 Be3 24 Re2 Qd8 25 Qc4+ Kh8 26 Nf3 exf4 27 Qe6 Nh6 28 Qc4 Nf5 29 Qc3+ Kg8 30 Qc4+ Kg7 31 Qb5 Nd6 32 Qd5 Qf6 33 a4 Re8 34 Rfe1 Nb4 35 Qa5 Qc3 0-1

87RT-6; 1987-89
Kumro, D. (X) - Jenison, B. (X)
Ruy Lopez C80
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 O-O Nxe4 6 d4 b5 7 Bb3 d5 8 Nxe5 Nxe5 9 dxe5 c6 10 Be3 Qc7 11 Re1 Be6 12 f4 Rd8 13 c3 Be7 14 Nd2 Nxd2 15 Qxd2 Bf5 16 Qf2 c5 17 a4 O-O 18 axb5 axb5 19 Ra2 d4 20 cxd4 cxd4 21 Bd2 Ra8 22 Rc1 Qb6 23 Rxa8 Rxa8 24 Qf3 Ra6 25 Bd5 Qa7 26 Qb3 d3+ 27 Kh1 Bf8 28 Qxb5 Rb6 29 Qe8 Rb8 30 Be3 d2 31 Rg1 Rxe8 32 Bxa7 Rc8 33 Bf3 Bc5 34 Bxc5 Rxc5 35 g4 Bd7 36 Rd1 Rc2 37 Kg2 Rxb2 38 Kg3 Ba4 39 Ra1 Rb3 40 Rxa4 Rxf3+ 41 Kg2 Kf8 42 Ra8+ Ke7 43 Ra7+ Ke8 44 Ra8+ Kd7 45 Ra7+ Kc6 46 Ra6+ Kc5 47 Rd6 Rxf4 48 Rxd2 Rxg4+ 49 Kf3 Rd4 50 Rf2 Kd5 51 Ke3 Re4+ 52 Kd3 Rh4 53 Rxf7 Rh3+ 54 Ke2 Rxh2+ 55 Kf3 g6 56 Re7 Rh5 57 Rb7 Rf5+ 58 Kg3 h5 59 Rb6 Rg5+ 60 Kf3 Kxe5 61 Rb5+ Kf6 62 Rb6+ Kg7 63 Rb4 Kh6 64 Rc4 Rf5+ 65 Kg3 Kg5 66 Rb4 h4+ 67 Kg2 Rf4 68 Rb5+ Kg4 69 Rb6 g5 70 Rb2 h3+ 0-1

97R-26; 1997-98
Lewis, W. (X) - Waldrep, C. (X)
Nimzoindian Defense E54

1 d4 e6 2 c4 Nf6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 O-O 5 Bd3 d5 6 Nf3 c5 7 O-O cxd4 8 exd4 dxc4 9 Bxc4 Qc7 10 Bd3 Bxc3 11 bxc3 Qxc3 12 Bf4 Nc6 13 Rc1 Qa3 14 Bb1 Bd7 15 Rc5 Rfc8 16 Qd2 Nb4 17 Rg5 Nbd5 18 Be5 g6 19 Rg3 Bb5 20 Re1 Rc3 21 Qh6 Rac8?!

[21 ... Qf8]

22 Bxg6 fxg6 23 Rxg6+ hxg6 24 Qxg6+ Kf8 25 Ng5 Be8 26 Nxe6+ Ke7 27 Bxf6+ Kd7 28 Nc5+

[28 ... Kc6 29 Qb1 Qb4 (29 ... Nb4 30 Re6+ Kb5 31 Qf1+ Ka5 32 Nxb7+ Ka4 33 Ra6+ Nxa6 34 Qxa6+ Kb4 35 Be7+) 30 Re6+ Kb5 31 a4+ Kc4 32 Qa2+ Rb3 33 Qe2+ Kc3 34 Re3+ Nxe3 35 d5+ Qd4 36 Bxd4+ Kxd4 37 Nxb3+ +-]

1-0

N-346; 1993-94
Morris, R. (B) - Robida, P. (C)
King's Indian Attack A07

1 Nf3 Nf6 2 g3 d5 3 d3 Bf5 4 Bg2 h6 5 Nbd2 c6 6 O-O e6 7 Re1

[7 b3 Be7 8 Bb2 O-O 9 Qe1 (9 e3 a5 10 a3 Bh7 11 Qe2 Qb6) 9 ... Bh7 10 e4 a5 (10 ... c5 11 Ne5 Nc6 12 Nxc6 bxc6 13 Qe2) 11 a4 Miles-Sveshnikov, 1981; 7 Qe1 Be7 8 e4 Bh7 9 Qe2 O-O 10 e5 Nfd7 11 Re1 (creating a transfer square for the knight at d2) 11 ... c5 12 h4 Nc6]

7 ... Be7 8 h3

[8 e4 Bh7 9 Qe2]

8 ... O-O 9 Nh2

[9 e4 Bh7 10 Nf1]

9 ... Bh7 10 e4 c5 11 e5 Nfd7 12 Ndf3 Nc6 13 c3 d4 14 cxd4 cxd4 15 h4 Nc5 16 Bf1 Nb4 17 a3 Nbxd3 18 Bxd3 Nxd3 19 Re2 Qb6 20 b4 Rfd8 21 Rd2 Nxc1 22 Rxc1 d3 23 Rc3 a5 24 bxa5 Qxa5 25 Qc1 b5 26 Rb3 Bxa3 0-1

91R-21; 1991-1992
Whiteside, L. (M) - Bender, F. (M)
Italian Game C52
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 b4 Bxb4 5 c3 Ba5 6 O-O d6 7 d4 Bb6 8 dxe5 dxe5 9 Qb3 Qf6 10 Bg5 Qg6 11 Bd5 Nge7 12 Bxe7 Kxe7 13 Bxc6 Qxc6 14 Nxe5 Qe6 15 Nc4 Bc5 16 Nbd2 Rd8 17 e5 b6 18 Rad1 Qg6 19 Ne3 Be6 20 Qa4 Bxe3 21 fxe3 Qd3 22 Nf3 Qxe3+ 23 Kh1 Rxd1 24 Rxd1 Qe2 25 Qh4+ Ke8 26 Rd2 Qf1+ 27 Ng1 Qf5 28 Qa4+ Kf8 29 Nf3 h6 30 a3 Qb1+ 31 Rd1 Qb3 32 Qxb3 Bxb3 33 Rd2 c5 34 Rd6 Ke7 35 Nd2 Be6 36 Ne4 Rd8 37 Rxd8 Kxd8 38 Kg1 Kd7 39 Ng3 g6 40 Ne4 Kc6 0-1