How I Almost Made the Finals of the 11th USCCC
By Naor Wallach In early August 1992, I started play in the ICCF-US's 11th United States Correspondence Chess Championship. This is the premier chess championship of the US and the only official one that exists. The US is blessed with several different postal chess organizations and they each hold their own championship. ICCF-US organizes the only one that is recognized internationally as the national championship.
This is a two round event. In the first round you play against 14 other players and only the section winner advances to the finals. I was ranked 14th on the list of 15 players in my section. Play started in early August of 1992 and I finished my last game on April 5, 1995. The following is a listing of all my games played in that section along with commentary about each game. I have arranged these in the order in which I finished the games so that my commentary is more a reflection of my feelings at the time that the games concluded.
Bruce Garrett (2100) 8/12/92 - 1/27/93 (Naor - Black)
This was my very first ICCF win! Unfortunately it came through a "silent withdrawal." That is a problem that all postal chess organizations have. In this case, I found out some number of months later that Mr. Garrett had died.
1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 g6 3 Bxf6 exf6
I am already out of book. None of the materials that I have covers this situation.
4 e3 d5 5 Bd3 Bg7 6 c3 0-0 7 h4 c6 8 h5 Be6 9 hxg6 fxg6 10 Ne2 Qb6 11 Nf4 Bf7 12 Qc2 Qa5 13 Nd2 Nd7 14 g4 Rfe8 15 a3 Qb6
This is the point where it ended. The situation is about equal. I have one point.
Sheldon Rothman (2140) 8/18/92 - 4/15/93 (Naor - Black)
This game revolved completely around the battle for a single square. This is the first game that I've played where I won a game solely due to the fact that my opponent made a positional error. He neglected to guard one square and I win because of it.
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 b3 Bg7
I haven't seen this before. I decide to stay with a King's Indian formation and see what develops.
4 Bb2 0-0 5 Nbd2 d6 6 e3 Nc6 7 a3 e5 8 dxe5 Ng4 9 Nd4 Ncxe5 10 Rb1 Bd7
My development is almost complete. His Kingside is looking very inviting!
11 Be2 Qh4
With the Bishop gone, can I force him to weaken his Kingside?
12 g3 Qh3
Yes. He lets me in.
13 Bf1 Qh6 14 Bg2?
This is it. This move loses the whole game. The Knight on g4 needs to be kept track of. Better for him would have been 14. Be2 when the game is still even.
14.Nxf2 15 Qe2?
This is a second mistake. 15 Kxf2 Ng4+ 16 Ke1 Nxe3 17 Qc1 Nxg2+ would have been less painful.
15.Nxh1 16 Bxh1 Rae8 17 Nf1 Ng4 18 e4 c5 19 Bc1 Qh5 20 Nf3 d5 21 N3d2?
This is the wrong Knight to move.
21.f5 22 c4? fxe4 23 cxd5 Bc3
I'm just applying more pressure.
24 Qc4?? Ne5!
White resigns and I have 2 points.
Donald Sibbett (2210) 8/8/92 - 5/22/93 (Naor - White)
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 dxc4 5 a4 Bf5 6 e3 e6 7 Bxc4 Bb4 8 0-0 Nbd7 9 Qb3 a5 10 Nh4 Bg4
This is all in the books. Particularly, I am using Flear's book about the Slav Defense.
11 f3 Bh5 12 g3 0-0
This looks odd to me. However, the book recommends it.
13 e4 Nb6 14 Be3 Nxc4 15 Qxc4 Nd7 16 Qb3 c5 17 Rad1 cxd4 18 Bxd4 Qg5 19 Ng2 Rad8 20 g4 Bg6 21 h4 Qh6?
Up until now the game was very even. This mistake costs him the game.
22 Qc4 Rc8 23 Qb5 Rc7 24 h5 Bxh5 25 Be3 Qf6 26 Rxd7
Black resigns and I have 3 points from three games. Nine months into the tournament and I am doing really well.
John Phythyon (2190) 8/18/92 - 6/4/93 (Naor - Black)
This was a Sicilian Levenfish game. For my Sicilian games I like to rely on a pair of books by Sapi and Schneider as a starting place.
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6 6 f4 Nc6 7 Nxc6 bxc6 8 e5 Nd7 9 exd6 exd6 10 Be3 Nf6 11 Qd2 Be7 12 Be2 0-0 13 0-0 d5 14 f5
One thing that people should realize about the Sicilian is that it is heavily analyzed. This pawn sacrifice is the first time that either of us diverged from known theory. I choose to accept the sacrifice even though I know that it will lead to some active threats on his part.
14.Bxf5 15 Bh6 Qb6+ 16 Kh1 Qxb2 17 Bxf8 Rxf8 18 Rab1 Qxc2 19 Qxc2 Bxc2 20 Rb7 Be8
With a lot of the heavy artillery off the board, that extra pawn starts to look good.
21 Rxa7 Bb4 22 Rc1 Bf5 23 Bf1 Ng4 24 h3 Nf2+ 25 Kh2 Bd6+
I have been increasing the pressure steadily.
With this last move he gives up and resigns. I now have 4 points.
Henry Terrie (2245) 8/21/92 - 6/7/93 (Naor - Black)
This was a very important game for me. For one, by winning this game I crossed over the 2200 threshold and was declared a Master by the USCF. Secondly, this game was published by Chess Life in the January 94 issue. Third (and the reason it was published) this game revolves around a pawn march. As you go over the game, pay close attention to the g-pawn. Note that almost all the battles in this game revolve around my attempts to push the g-pawn forward.
1 c4 Nf6 2 Nc3 g6 3 Nf3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 d4 0-0
We've transposed to a Classical King's Indian
6 Be2 e5 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Bg5 c6 10 Nxe5 Re8 11 0-0-0 Na6 12 f4 h6 13 Bh4 g5 14 Bg3 Nc5
The King's Indian is another defense that is very heavily analyzed. Up to this point, we have followed known theory. Note that the g-pawn has so far moved twice. My library contains nothing about this variation from here on out. The only thing I have about this claims that the situation is unclear. After the game was over, Terrie told me that he followed a game played by Olafsson and Kindermann at Dortmund 1988 until move 20.
15 Bf3 g4 16 Bf2 gxf3 17 Bxc5 fxg2
Is the g-pawn ready to Queen already?
18 Rhg1 Nh5 19 Be3 Bh3 20 Rd6 Nxf4
This is where Terrie diverges. I thought that 20 Rd3 would be worth a look.
21 Bxf4 Rxe5 22 Bxh6 Re6 23 Rxe6 fxe6
He did not anticipate this retreat.
24 Be3?
I think 23 Bxg7 Kxg7 24 Kd2 Rf8 25 Ne2 Rf1 would have been better for White.
24.Be5 25 Ne2 Bxh2 26 Re1 Bg4 27 Bg1 Be5 28 Kd2 Rf8!
It's time to get the Rook in on the attack.
29 Bxa7?
I think this pawn grab is a mistake. Better might have been 29 Be3 Bxb2 30 c5 Ba3 31 Rd1 e5 32 Kc2
29...Rf1 30 Bg1?
Another mistake that compounds his troubles. Critical was to defend the King from my Bishop.
30.Bf6 31 Be3 Bh4 32 Rd1 Bg5!!
This sacrifice will lead to a wholesale exchange of pieces following which I will have a huge material lead. For instance: 33 Bxg5 Rxd1+ 34 Kc2 (34 Kxd1 leads to even bigger problems after 34.Bxe2 35 Kxe2 q1=Q) 34.Bxe2 35 Be3 g1=Q 36 Bxg1 Rxg1 37 Kd2 Bxc4 and Black is unstoppable.
So, Terrie resigns. I am now 5 out of 5. Right about this time, the first crosstable came out and I noticed that I have a solid chance at winning the section. Me? Winning this section? Wow!
Chip Chapin (2010) 8/8/92 - 7/13/93 (Naor - Black)
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6 6 Be3 Bg7 7 f3 0-0 8 Qd2 Nc6 9 g4 Be6 10 0-0-0 Nxd4 11 Bxd4 Qa5 12 Kb1 Rfc8 13 a3 Bc4 14 Nd5
First new move of the game. All the previous ones were directly out of the book.
14.Qxd2 15 Nxf6+ Bxf6 16 Rxd2 Bg5 17 Rd1 Bf4 18 h4 a6 19 h5 Bxf1 20 Rdxf1 e5 21 Bc3 g5!? 22 Rd1 Rc6 23 Rd3!? Kf8 24 Rhd1 Ke7 25 Bb4 Rd8 26 a4 b6 27 b3 f6 28 c4 h6 29 Kb2 Bg3 30 R3d2 a5
At this point he unexpectedly withdrew. I thought the game was heading for a draw but was very glad to accept the extra half-point.
I am now 6 out of 6!
Elmo Mugnani (1910) 8/8/92 - 7/27/93 (Naor - White)
I win this game right out of the opening. By move 17 it's all over.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e5
The Budapest? It does not have a very good reputation, but.
3 dxe5 Ng4 4 Bf4 g5 5 Bd2 Nxe5
We are off into a comment that I found in MCO13 that leads to a position that is supposedly good for White.
6 Bc3 Bg7 7 e3 Qe7 8 h4 gxh4?
A mistake. 8.g4 is what should have been played. The g-pawn was protecting the Knight.
9 f4 d6
Now the Knight is mine.
10 fxe5 dxe5 11 Qc2 f5 12 Qf2 Nc6 13 Qxh4 Bf6!?
13.Qxh4 would have been better for Black.
14 Qh5+ Kf8 15 Na3 Bg5 16 Nc2 Qg7 17 0-0-0 Be6 18 Bd3 f4?! 19 Nf3 Bf6 20 exf4 h6? 21 fxe5 Be7 22 Ne3 Rd8 23 Nf5 Qf7 24 Qxf7+ Kxf7 25 Nxh6+ Kf8 26 Kc2 a5 27 a3 a4 28 g4 b5 29 Nf5 and Black resigns.
Steve Wrinn (2350) 8/8/92 - 7/27/93 (Naor - Black)
This game concluded on the same day as the previous one. I find it a very interesting game since I lose it on purely strategic grounds. I lose track of his passed pawn! After the game, Steve was gracious enough to add some of his own commentary and I include it here. Steve's commentary is in parenthesis.
1 e4 c5 2 f4 g6 3 Nf3 Bg7 4 c4 d6 5 Nc3 Nf6 6 d3 Nc6 7 Be2 0-0 8 0-0 b6 9 h3 Bb7 10 Be3 e5 11 fxe5 dxe5 12 Nd5 Qd6 13 Qd2 Nh5 14 Nh2 Ng3 15 Rf2 f5 16 Nf1 Nxe2+ 17 Rxe2 f4 18 Bf2 f3
(Steve's comments: You outplayed me completely through the opening and middlegame. I was more afraid of 18.Bh6 than 18.f3)
19 R2e1 fxg2 20 Kxg2 Bc8 21 Ng3 Be6 22 Rh1 Nd4 23 Bxd4 cxd4
(23.exd4 is better. The idea is to give your King's Bishop more scope. The fact that it wasn't participating too much in your plans may have been the reason I was able to hang on. Paradoxically, I think I stood better after losing the pawn than before - at least my Knight could stop its "tour" of the Kingside (Ng1-f3-h2-f1-g3) and find a home on e4 or d6.)
24 Qb4 Qd8 25 Qe7!? Bxd5 26 Qxd8 Bxe4+ 27 Nxe4 Raxd8 28 b4 Rc8 29 Rhf1 Rf5 30 Rxf5 gxf5 31 Nd6 Rf8 32 Rf1 f4
(After 32.f4 I started to think to think about winning chances for the first time - I think that 32.e4 may have been better - I can win back the pawn, but don't see how I can get any advantage.)
33 c5 Rf6 34 Kf3 Re6 35 Ke4 Kf8 36 Rc1 bxc5 37 bxc5 Re7
In my notes I mention that I believe the game is already lost. I don't really have a plan - while his is easy - push that pawn and exchange all of the big pieces.
38 c6 Rc7 39 Nb5 Rc8 40 c7 Ke7 41 Nxa7 Kd7 42 Nxc8 Kxc8 43 a4
I resigned. There is no point in continuing. If I can get his c-pawn, I have to let the a-pawn Queen. If I go after the a-pawn, I have to give up my Bishop. I now have 7 points out of 8 and am not so cocky! Steve Wrinn is the highest rated player in this section and between him, Madsen, and myself, it's not clear who will take the honors.
Corky Schakel (2025) 8/8/92 - 8/24/93 (Naor - White)
Corky has to be one of the nicest people I have ever met. Throughout this game we exchanged messages and talked about our lives. I have played against him in other matches and the same thing transpired there.
1 d4 f5 2 c4 g6 3 g3 Nf6 4 Bg2 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 0-0 d6 7 Nc3 Qe8 8 d5 Na6 9 Rb1 Bd7 10 b4 c5 11 dxc6 Bxc6 12 b5 Bxf3 13 Bxf3 Nc5
We have finally gotten to the point where we are following a single game. This is a game between Gelfand and Gurevich which was published in Informant number 51. That game ended in a draw. Will this one?
14 Be3 Rc8 15 Bxc5 Rxc5 16 Bxb7 Rxc4 17 Qb3 Qf7 18 Nd5 Rc5 19 Nxf6+ Bxf6 20 Qxf7+ Kxf7 21 Rfd1 Ke6 22 a4 Rb8 23 Bf3 d5 24 Rbc1 Rbc8 25 Rb1 Kd6 26 b6 axb6 27 Rxb6+ R8c6 28 Rxc6+ Kxc6 29 e3 e5 30 Be2 e4 31 Bb5+ Kb6 32 Bd7 Ka5 33 Kg2 d4 34 exd4 Rd5 35 Be6 Rxd4 36 Rxd4 Bxd4 37 Bg8 h6 38 Bh7 g5 39 Bxf5 Kxa4 40 Bxe4 Kb5 41 f4 gf4 42 gxf4 Be3 43 Kf3 Bc1 44 f5 Kc5 45 f6 Kd6 46 f7 Ke7 47 Bd5 Kf8 48 Ke4
We agreed at this point that the two Grandmasters knew what they were doing when they concluded that this line is equal. We drew.
I now have 7.5 points out of 9 games.
Kyle Thompson (2080) 8/8/92 - 9/2/93 (Naor - White)
This game is a wild donnybrook! We get into an unbelievable tactically rich situation out of a Slav! He manages to pick my advantage apart only to be mated when he misses a simple little combination that I thought was as plain as day!
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 dxc4 5 a4 Bf5 6 e3 e6 7 Bxc4 Bb4 8 0-0 Nbd7 9 Qb3 a5 10 Nh4 Bg4 11 f3 Bh5 12 g3 Qb6
He goes off book at this point.
13 Bd2 0-0-0 14 Rad1 g5 15 Ng2 e5 16 Kh1 e4 17 g4 Bg6 18 Bxf7 exf3 19 Rxf3 Bxf7 20 Qxf7 h5 21 Rxf6 Rdf8 22 Nd5 Qa6 23 Qg7 Bxd2 24 h4 Bb4 25 Nxb4 axb4
I now have an advantage - I think!
26 Rxf8+ Rxf8 27 gxh5 gxh4 28 Qg4 Qxa4 29 Nh4 Qc2
Where did my advantage go?
30 Ra1 Kc7 31 Qg3+ Kb6 32 Qe1 b3??
Hello? Missing a mate in one!? 32.Kb5 33 Rc1 Qxb2 was called for here.
33 Qa5#
This was the first time I ever mated anyone in a postal game. After it was all over, he wrote to me that he realized that I had a mating net around him after he sent me his 32nd move.
In any case I now have 8.5 points out of 10.
Dan Modes (2125) 8/8/92 - 9/23/93 (Naor - White)
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 b5 4 cxb5 a6 5 e3 g6 6 Nc3 Bg7 7 a4 0-0 8 Nf3 d6 9 Ra3 Nbd7 10 e4 axb5 11 Bxb5 Ba6 12 Qe2 Bxb5 13 Nxb5 Ne8 14 0-0 Nc7 15 b3 Nxb5
This is the end of the book line that I've been following. The author claims that White has a slight advantage.
16 Qxb5 Ra7 17 Be3 Qa8 18 Nd2 Ne5 19 h3 Rfb8 20 Qe2 Rb4 21 f4 Nd7 22 Nc4 Nb6 23 Nxb6 Rxb6 24 Qd3 Rb4 25 f5 c4 26 bxc4 R7xa4 27 Rxa4 Qxa4 28 Rc1 Rb3 29 Qe2 Qa3 30 Bf4 Be5 31 Qf1 Bd4+ 32 Kh1 Rb2 33 Qd1 Be3 34 Ra1 Qc5?
This lets me get going. I think Black is better off with 34.Rd2 35 Qf1 Rf2 36 Qb1 Rb2
35 Ra8+ Kg7 36 Qa1 Bd4 37 Qc1 h5 38 Bh6+ Kh7 39 Bf8 g5 40 Qd1 g4 41 Qc1 and Black resigned.
I am now at 9.5 points out of 11 and Steve Wrinn lost a game. So, now it's between Madsen and myself.
Ron Palmerini (2155) 8/8/92 - 12/13/93 (Naor - White)
This game should have been a draw. There was nothing in it of any consequence. Luckily for me, Ron makes several small errors that allowed me to accumulate an advantage.
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 cxd5 exd5
The Exchange Variation of the Slav has a reputation as a drawish system. I find more games with White winning so I am ready to try it out.
5 Bg5 Be7 6 e3 0-0 7 Bd3 c6 8 Nge2 h6 9 Bxf6 Bxf6 10 Qc2 Bg4 11 0-0 Nd7 12 Nf4 Bg5 13 h3 Bxf4 14 exf4 Bh5 15 Bh7+
This is just a spite check. There is no plan behind it. Ron was getting a bit obnoxious in his cards and I thought this might shake him up a bit.
15.Kh8 16 Bf5 Bg6 17 Bd3 Bxd3 18 Qxd3 Qf6 19 Ne2 Rfe8 20 Rfe1 Qd6 21 Rac1 Nf6 22 Red1 Re7 23 Rc2 Rae8 24 Kf1 Nh5 25 Qf3 Qg6 26 f5 Qg5 27 Qg4 Re4 28 Qxg5 hxg5 29 b3 Nf4 30 Ng1 Kh7 31 b4 a6 32 g3 Nh5 33 a3 g6 34 Nf3 f6 35 fxg6+ Kxg6 36 Re1 R8e6 37 Ra2 Ng7 38 Rae2 Nf5 39 Rxe4 Rxe4 40 Rd1 Nd6 41 Rd3 Nc4 42 Ne1 Nb2 43 Rb3 I proposed a draw here. I see nothing ahead of us but more maneuvering. He declines.
43.Nc4 44 Rd3 b6 45 f3 Re3 46 Rxe3 Nxe3+ 47 Kf2 Nd1+
This is actually the turning point of the game. By harassing my King he gives me an advantage. My King will end up in the middle of the board, I get a bit of breathing room and the ability to take care of his pawn majority on the Queenside.
48 Ke2 Nc3+ 49 Kd3 Nb5
I was still thinking draw so if he had played 49.Nd1 I would have responded with 50 Ke2 and a draw could have ensued through move repetition,
50 a4 Nd6 51 a5 bxa5 52 bxa5 Kf7
I thought he might be sensing the problem developing on his Queenside with this move.
53 Nc2 Nc4
And this is why. He has essentially given me a free tempo.
54 Kc3 Nxa5 55 Nb4 Ke6 56 Nxa6 Kd6?!
This is the second small error on his part. This is overpursuing me. Now the stage is set for some action on the Kingside.
57 h4 gxh4 58 gxh4 Nb7 59 Kb4 f5
Another inaccuracy. There is nothing going on in the middle. This move accomplishes nothing for Black.
60 h5 Nd8?
This is simply a mistake. The Knight should have remained to defend the c-pawn. The King might have enough time to stop the White h-pawn and get back to stop the White d-pawn. But, after this, it's all over. Now also, Ron chooses to offer me a draw which I decline.
61 h6 Nf7 62 h7 f4 63 Ka5 Black resigns.
I am at 10.5 out of 12. I am now a half point behind Madsen.
Donald Volkman (2045) 8/12/92 - 4/25/94 (Naor - Black)
1 g4 My first ever Grob! After the shock wore off, I quickly dashed off to buy some books on this opening.
1...d5 2 Bg2 Bxg4 3 c4 Nf6 4 cxd5 c6
There is so little information about the Grob that I am leaving it behind already.
5 Qb3 cxd5 6 Nc3 Nc6 7 Nxd5 Qd7 8 Nxf6+ exf6 9 Qa4 Rc8 10 Nf3 Nb4 11 Qxd7+ Bxd7 12 0-0 Bd6 13 d3 0-0 14 Be3 Nc2 15 Rac1 Nxe3 16 fxe3 Rfe8 17 Rxc8 Bxc8 18 Rc1 Be6 19 Nd4 Bg4 20 Nb5 Bb8
I think I have a very tiny advantage here.
21 Bxb7 Rxe3 22 Bf3 Bh3 23 Nc7 a5 24 d4 h6 25 b3 Ba7 26 Nb5 Bb8 27 d5 Bf4 28 Rc4 g5 29 b4 axb4 30 Rxb4 Re8 31 a4 Rc8 32 Rb1 Rc4 33 Ra1 Be5
This allows me to remove his King from the Kingside. He now takes a stroll - encouraged by checks - until he is out of play on the other side of the board.
34 Ra3 Rc1+ 35 Kf2 Rf1+ 36 Ke3 g4 37 Be4 Bxh2 38 d6
This White pawn will need careful watching.
38.Bf4+ 39 Kd4 Be5+ 40 Kc4 g3 41 Rd3 Bd7 42 e3 h5 43 Rd2 h4 44 a5? Rc1+ 45 Kb4 f5
My plan was to move the Bishop out of the way and cause some massive piece exchanges. That would have let my pawns on the Kingside to storm down the board. He short-circuits the whole thing by resigning.
I am 11.5 out of 13 with only Madsen left.
Craig Madsen (2295) 8/8/92 - 4/5/95 (Naor - White)
It all came down to this game. Craig was leading the section - I was half a point behind him. If I win this game, I win the section. If we draw or I lose, he takes the honors!
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 b5 4 cxb5 a6 5 e3 g6 6 Nc3 Bg7 7 a4 0-0 8 Nf3 Bb7 9 bxa6 Nxa6 10 Bc4 Ne8 11 0-0 Nd6 12 Be2 f5
I now have a slight advantage. I am able to hold on this advantage for the duration of the game. After it's all over, Craig writes me to tell me that because of this game he will not play the Benko again.
13 Nb5 Ne4 14 Bc4 Kh8 15 Qb3 Nc7 16 Ra3 Ba6 17 Rd1 Nxb5 18 axb5 Bb7 19 h3 Qb6 20 Qc2 Rfc8 21 Ne1 Nd6 22 Qd3 Bf6 23 b3 Kg7 24 f3 Rxa3 25 Bxa3 Ra8 26 Nc2 Ra5 27 Kh1 Qa7 28 Bc1 Ra2 29 e4 fxe4 30 fxe4 Nf7 31 Ne1 Ne5 32 Qf1 d6 33 Nd3 NXd3 34 Qxd3 Ra1 35 Be3 Be5 36 Rxa1 Qxa1+ 37 Qf1 Qa4 38 Bf4 Bf6 39 Qc1 Bc8 40 Bd2 Qa7 41 Bh6+ Kf7 42 Qf1 Ke8 43 Bf4 Qc7 44 Bd2 Qa7 45 Qe1 Qb6 46 Ba5 Qb8 47 b6 Kf7 48 Qb1 Qa8 49 b4 Bd4 50 Qd1 Be5 51 Qe1 cxb4 52 Bxb4 Qa4 53 Qf1+ Kg7 54 Be1 Qa1 55 Bf2 Qb2 56 Bb5 Bd4 57 Bxd4+ Qxd4 58 Be6 Qxb6 59 Qf7+ Kh6 60 Qf8+ Kg5
There has got to be a crack in his defenses somewhere! Isn't there?
61 Qxe7+ Kf4 62 Qxh7 Kxe4 63 Bxg6+ Kxd5 64 Bf7+ Kc6 65 Be8+ Kd5 66 Qh5+ Kc4 67 Qe2+ Kd5 68 Bf7+ Kc6
This is very aggravating. I must win this game and yet, I cannot seem to find a way.
69 g4 Bb7 70 Kh2 Qb1 71 g5 Qf5 72 Qe8+ Kb6 73 Qe3+ Kc7 74 g6??
I was pushing too hard. This move actually ensures the draw since he can now exchange his Bishop for the pawn and I am out of luck. I should have played 74 Qe7+ Kc6 (74.Qd7 loses immediately) 75 Be8+ Kc5 76 Qc7+ (it's a draw if I take the Bishop) 76.Kd4 77 Qd6+ Bd5 78 Qb4+ and I can pull off the win.
74.Be4 75 Kg3 Qe5+ 76 Qf4 Bxg6 77 Bxg6 Kd7 78 Kg4 Qxf4 79 Kxf4 Ke7 80 Kg5 Draw agreed.
The last few moves were played out of frustration. Craig managed to hold the draw and moved up to the finals section. I managed to get second place.
I guess I should not have been upset. At the time, of course, I was severely bummed. On reflection though, I almost made it to the finals. A level that only 15 of over 200 superior players achieved. Maybe next time.