Mike Splane Arun Giridharan (1645) April 8, 2010 Campbell Chess Club

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d4 b5?

Pushing the b-pawn severely damages Black’s position. White’s bishop is moved to a better diagonal and the f3-a8 diagonal is opened. Black has three better moves here: Be7, Nd4, or ed4.

6. Bb3 Nd4??

This is a great move one move earlier but now it loses a piece.

7. Nd4 ed 8. e5 Ne4

All knight moves lose to 9. Qf3 and the counterattack on the bishop also fails after 8. … c5 9. ef c4 10. Qe2+ Be7 11. Qe7+

9. Qf3 d5 10. ed6 Nd6 11. Qa8

After 11. … Qe7+ 12. Kd1 Kd7! Black’s pieces are coming to life with the threat of Bb7

but White is ok after 13. Bf4 Qf6 ( 13. … Bb7? 14. Bd6) 14. Qf3 Bb7 15. Qg4+

He thought for awhile and then resigned.

1-0