A Heartbreak Game For DeVries

Post date: Jun 23, 2010 2:5:55 AM

Ken Henkelman and I continued our chess competition (mostly one sided, I will concede) last Friday at Barnes & Noble. We played a most interesting game that should have ended in a draw, but I threw away the draw by making a spectacularly inept move. I was a bit fatigued, because Ken had refused several draw offers in a seemingly dead drawn position, and waited for me to make a mistake.

KEN HENKELMAN vs JOHN DEVRIES

Casual Chess Game, Waco Tx

June 17, 2010

WHITE (Henkelman) BLACK (DeVries)

-1- d4 d5

-2- c4 Bf5 !?

Ken tries his usual Queen's Gambit, which typically

involves into an Albin Counter Gambit when I play -2- ...e5

However, in recent games, Ken has handled my Albin

Counter Gambit real easily, and has often won a two

pawn advantage or crushing positional advantage.

I decided to try something new.

-3- Nc3 e6

-4- Qb3 Qc8

I played in a Victoria Chess Club simul on June 7th,

and moved ...b6 in a similar early position. Ten moves

later, I lost a minor piece because of that weakness.

In a post mortem, one of the best players at the Victoria

Chess Club suggested that I move ...Qc8 I remembered

this advice in this game.

-5- P x P Nf6

-6- P x P P x P

-7- Nf3 Be7

-8- Ne5 0 - 0

-9- Bg5 Nc6

-10- N x N P x N

Ken likes my doubled pawns. I like the open file for my rook.

Ken also traded off his real strong Knight.

-11- g3 Rb8

-12- Qh5 R x P on b2

-13- Q x P on c6 Bb4

It might have been better for Ken to take the pawn on a7 with his Queen.

-14- B x N R x B

-15- Rc1 e5

-16- Qc4 check Be6

-17- d5 Bf7

-18- Bg2 B x N

-19- Q x B R x RP on a2

-20- 0 - 0 R x P

-21- Q x P at c7 Qf8

-22- Q x P at a7 Bg6

-23- Rc6 R x R

-24- P x R Bd3

-25- Bd5 check Kh8

-26- Rc1 Ba6!

-27- c7 h6

-28- Bb7?? B x B

Be6 is best move for White on Move 28

-29- Pc8=Queen ? B x Q on c8

-30- Kf1 Ba6!

-31- Kg1 e4

-32- Rb1 e3?

-33- f4 Qa3?

-34- Qa8 check Kh7

-35- Qe4 check g6

-36- Qe6 Rb2 ?

-37- Qf7 check Kh8

-38- Qf6 check Kh7

-39- Q x R? Qf4

(-38- R x R was better for White)

-40-- Qb6 Qc2!

-41- Qa7 check Kg8

-42- Rb8 check Bc8

-43- Q x P on e3 Qd8 check

-44- Kg2 Qc2 check

It looks like I can get a draw because Black's pinned bishop

coveres the h3 square and White's kingside pawns prevent

easy White King escape from check!

-45- Qf2 Qc6 check

-46- Kg1 Qc1 check

-47- Kg2 Qc6 check

-48- Kf1 Qc4 check

-49- Qe2 Qc1 check

-50- Kf2 Qc6 check

By this time, I have made at least two draw offers,

and am becoming somewhat exasperated. Ken

remembers my endgame skills, and decides to

keep moving, waiting for me to make a mistake.

-51- Qe3 Qc2 check

-52- Kf3 Qc6 check

-53- Qe4 Qc3 check

-54- Kf2 Qc5 check ???

On move 54, I make a terrible error.

-54- ....Qd2 would have kept draw chances alive.

-55- Kg2! Qf8

The game is lost for Black, but I play until end.

-56- Qc4 check Kg7

-57- R x B Qa3

-58- Qd4 check Kf7

-59- Rc7 check Ke6

-60- Qe5 ***checkmate***

-55- Kf8