A Wonderful Chess Game With A Newcomer to Waco Chess Club

Post date: Jun 04, 2010 2:2:21 PM

After a week in Evanston/Chicago, I returned to Waco just in time for the Waco Chess Club's weekly Thursday meeting. I met Jake Watkins, who came to a Waco Chess Club meeting for the first time. Jake never knew about the Waco Chess Club until a couple weeks ago. He is an excellent player! We played a Gucco Piano game. I gradually gained a seeming decisive advantage, but I lost my way, allowed Jake's King to move 700 yards, threw away a knight, was headed for defeat, and miraculously scored a draw. Even with my repeated descents into ineptitude, the game is still entertaining. I present this game for your consideration.

JOHN DEVRIES VS JAKE WATKINS

Casual Game at Waco Chess Club

June 3, 2010

WHITE (DEVRIES) BLACK (WATKINS)

-1- e4 c5

-2- Nf3 Nc6

-3- Bc4 h6

-4- 0-0 g5

-5- d3 g4

-6- N on f3 to d2 d6

-7- Nc3 h5

-8- f4 h4

-9- P x P N x P

-10- d4 N x B

-11- N x N Be6

-12- d5 Bd7

-13- Qd4 Rh7

-14- Be3 Bg7

-15- Qd3 g3

A two pawn kingside attack by Black!

-16- e5 P x P check

-17- Kh1 Rh5

-18- P x P b5

-19- QRe1 Px N

I decide to sacrifice the knight for a discovered check threat on Black Queen

-20- Bg5 check Kf8

-21- Qf3 Nf6

-22- P x P Q x P

-23- B x N Rf5

-24- B x B check K x B

-25- Qe4 R x R check

-26- R x R Re8

-27- Qg5 check Kf8

-28- K x RP Qe3

-29- Qh5 Ke7?

-30- R x P check Kd8

-31- Qh4 check Re7

-32- Rf8 check ? Be8

Ken Henkelman suggested that I play R x R on Move 32,

with favorable endgame

-33- Qf6 Qe5 check

-34- Q x Q R x Q

-35- Rh8 Kd7

-36- Rh7 check Kd6

-37- R x P on a7 Kc5

-38- Rh7 Kd4

The Black King is moving across the board!

My chess concentration starts collapsing.

-39- Rh4 ? Ke3

(-39- a4 was stronger for White)

-40- Rh3? check Kd2

(-40- R x BP was stronger for White)

The Black King has become a major offensive piece.

-41- a4 K x P

-42- a5 Re7

-43- a6 Ra7

I confidently move Nb5, sure of a fork on Black Rook

and Black Bishop if the Black Rook takes the pawn

on a6 - I develop chess blindness, and totally give

away the Knight!

-44- Nb5 ??? B x N

-45- Rh6 B x P

-46- d6 Bb5

-47- g4 K x P

-48- Rh5 Bc6

-49- Rc5! Rh7

-50- Kg3 c3

-51- R x B c2

-52- g5 c1 = Queen

-53- R x Q K x R

White has two pawns to Black Rook, but White salvages a draw.

-54- Kg4 Kd2

-55- Kf5 Ke3

-56- g6 Rd7

-57- Ke6 Rg7

-58- Kf6 Rd7

-59- Ke6 Rg7

**********DRAW*****************