[Event "2023 Southern Idaho Open"]
[Site "Twin Falls, ID"]
[Date "2023.11.10"]
[Round "2.10"]
[White "Jablonski, Chase"]
[Black "Morrow, Hans M"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C44"]
[WhiteElo "1434"]
[BlackElo "1901"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[PlyCount "45"]
[EventDate "2023.11.10"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "4"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,45,20,31,24,19,7,28,117,83,106,81,130,131,370,371,378,363,477,461,453,438,438,457,440,445,453,432,441,441,447,512,785,784,1111,1047,1082,1279,1725,794,819,777,783,783,960,988,29989,29990]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Bb4+ $6 ({This only helps White secure the center. Black may have thought that encouraging c2-c3 would take away c3 as the natural development square for the b1-knight -- which is true -- but supporting the center is also reasonable, and Black can ill afford to lose the tempo involved in the check and retreat.} 3... exd4 4. Nxd4 {is the main line Scotch Opening.}) 4. c3 Bd6 5. Be3 f6 $6 $16 ({In an attempt to strengthen e5, Black seriously weakens the a2-g8 diagonal.} 5... Nf6 $14 {looks like the most consistent continuation.}) (5... exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 d5 $14 {also seems possible.}) 6. Bc4 Na5 $4 {diagram after 6...Na5, perhaps LPDO -- Loose Pieces Drop Off. Maybe we need to have a contest to come up with a better acronym. Underprotected Points Encourage Tactics?} 7. Bxg8 $1 Rxg8 8. dxe5 $1 Nc4 ({Black realizes he's losing a piece or more here regardless of his defense, so tries to bring his knight back into the game.} 8... fxe5 9. Qd5 {Fork!} Rf8 10. Qxa5 $18 {It's pretty much over now.}) 9. exd6 Nxd6 10. Qd5 Nf7 11. O-O c6 12. Qh5 h6 13. Na3 d6 14. Rad1 Kf8 15. Nc4 g5 16. e5 fxe5 17. Nfxe5 Nxe5 18. Qxh6+ Ke8 19. Nxe5 Qe7 20. Qxd6 Qxd6 21. Rxd6 Ke7 22. Bc5 a5 23. Rg6+ 1-0

[Event "2023 Southern Idaho Open"]
[Site "Twin Falls, ID"]
[Date "2023.11.10"]
[Round "3.2"]
[White "Ang, Nobel"]
[Black "Gorman, Cody Austin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D90"]
[WhiteElo "1457"]
[BlackElo "1859"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[PlyCount "54"]
[EventDate "2023.11.10"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "4"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,53,23,16,22,24,46,38,54,38,38,58,61,40,49,43,53,36,42,12,54,64,70,66,77,80,108,120,126,158,167,100,92,46,86,16,23,26,7,6,37,7,69,64,54,52,44,51,58,51,64,75,342,356,353,55]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Bf4 Bg7 7. e3 O-O 8. Be2 Nc6 9. Ne5 (9. h3 $14) 9... Be6 $6 ({We've reached a position that is very hard for Black to play for a win.} 9... Nxe5 10. Bxe5 (10. dxe5 Ne4 11. Qxd5 (11. Nxd5 Be6 12. Nc3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Rc8 $15) (11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. O-O) 11... Nxc3 12. Qxd8 Rxd8 13. bxc3) 10... Ne4) 10. Nxc6 bxc6 {White has created a permanent target on c6.} 11. O-O Qb6 $6 12. Na4 Qa5 13. Rc1 Rac8 $2 14. Rc5 $1 Qb4 (14... Qd8 15. Ba6 Ne4 16. Rc1 Ra8 17. Bb7 g5 18. Bxa8 $16) 15. a3 $16 (15. Ba6 $16) 15... Qb7 16. Bf3 $6 ({Wrong direction.} 16. Ra5 {planning Ba6. For example,} Rce8 17. Ba6 Qa8 18. Nc5 $16 Bc8 $2 19. Bxc8 Rxc8 20. Qa4 $18) 16... Bf5 17. Qd2 (17. g4 Be4 18. Be2 Nd7 19. Ra5 e5 20. dxe5 Nxe5 21. f3) 17... Nd7 18. Ra5 e5 19. dxe5 Bxe5 (19... Nxe5 20. Be2 $14) 20. Be2 (20. Bxe5 Nxe5 21. Be2 $14) 20... Qc7 (20... Bxf4 21. exf4 Qc7 22. b4) 21. Bxe5 Nxe5 22. Rc1 Qe7 (22... Nc4 23. Bxc4 dxc4 24. Rxc4 Rfd8 25. Rd4 Rxd4 26. exd4 Rd8 27. b4 $14) 23. Qd4 Rc7 24. Rac5 Qd6 25. Nc3 (25. b4) 25... Qe6 $4 26. Nxd5 $1 Rd7 27. e4 ({Black lost on time. Here White could have won significant material with} 27. Nf4 Rxd4 (27... Qe7 28. Qxe5) 28. Nxe6 Rd2 (28... Bxe6 29. exd4) 29. Nxf8 Rxe2 (29... f6 30. Nxh7 Kxh7 (30... Rxe2 31. Nxf6+ Kf7 32. Rxe5 Kxf6 33. Rec5) 31. Bf1 Rxb2 32. Ra5) 30. Rxe5 Kxf8 31. b4 $18) 27... Z0 ({The game might continue after 27.e4,} 27... Bxe4 28. Qxe4 cxd5 29. Qe3 $14 {White's strategy of frustrating the higher-rated player with solid symmetry worked to perfection.}) 1-0

[Event "CM Nikash Vemparala Simul"]
[Site "Issaquah, WA"]
[Date "2023.10.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Vemparala, Nikash"]
[Black "Razmov, Valentin"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C45"]
[WhiteElo "2232"]
[BlackElo "1899"]
[Annotator "Razmov,Valentin"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "2023.10.18"]
[EventType "simul"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,70,18,26,26,21,14,10,10,10,-11,14,14,0,0,0,0,-5,11,-3,16,-2,-8,-12,-19,-47,6,-47,37,7,15,-23,-16,-38,-47,-47,-62,-62,-62,-59,-80,-108,-104,-228,-169,-172,-172,-176,-162,-152,-146,-186,-119,-146,-105,-105,-137,-128,-147,-138,-144,-210,-210,-210,-243,-249,-238,-302,-298,-380,-293,-300,-293] This game was played in a special context that must be considered in order to appreciate the driving factors behind some moves. Due to the clock simul format with a relatively rapid pace (G/45;+10 for White, and G/30;+10 for Black), time was always a factor in the decisions of the players. Also, the two players had played several games between themselves in recent years at various time controls, so they knew what to expect.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 (4... Bc5 {is the start of the other main variation for Black in the Scotch Opening.}) 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 Nb6 {This is all known theory. At this point, White's clock was draining at a rate of 1-1.5 minutes per move, due to going around the room physically and playing on 20 more boards.} (8... Ba6 {is the other alternative that Black often chooses here. From here the game usually progresses with White doing a double fianchetto, whereas Black fianchettoes the king-side bishop. Either side can castle in either direction, which brings interesting potential for variety and surprises.} 9. b3 (9. g3 g6 10. b3 Bg7 11. Bb2 O-O 12. Bg2 Rfe8) 9... g6 10. g3 Bg7 11. Bb2 O-O 12. Bg2 Rae8) 9. b3 g6 (9... a5 $5 {is considered more ambitious for Black here, leading to imbalanced play:} 10. Ba3 Qe6 11. Bxf8 Rxf8 12. Nc3 a4 $13) 10. Bb2 Bg7 11. Nd2 $6 {A common idea, usually associated with preparation for a long castle, but here it delays the king-side development for White, which gives Black valuable time.} (11. g3 d6 12. Bg2 Bd7 13. O-O O-O $14) 11... d6 12. f4 $6 {Once again delaying king-side development.} Nd7 $2 $146 {A novelty move, and not a good one. Black gets greedy, attempting to as quickly as possible solve their structural problems. Instead they should finish development first:} (12... O-O 13. g3 Bf5 14. Bg2 dxe5 15. O-O Qc5+ $15) 13. Nf3 $2 {It's easy to play in \"response mode\" when you're giving a clock simul and need to make quick decisions on each board. White's move is understandable, attempting to bolster the central e5-pawn. However, it's inconsistent with the ideas of the opening line, namely the need to fianchetto the light-squared bishop, which will now have a much harder time developing.} (13. g3 dxe5 14. Bg2 O-O 15. O-O a5 16. Rfe1 $13 {/=}) 13... c5 $2 {Black also continues to \"innovate\" and capture control of key squares, based on White's unconventional play away from the main diagonal (h1-a8). However, completing development should be higher priority still.} (13... O-O) 14. O-O-O $5 {White makes that major decision on the direction of their castle. A courageous decision, under the circumstances $1 The game will become sharper as a result, relative to the alternative of g3+Bg2+O-O.} dxe5 (14... O-O {was a decent alternative Black considered but decided against:} 15. exd6 Bxb2+ (15... Qxe2 $2 16. Bxe2 cxd6 17. Rxd6 $16) 16. Qxb2 (16. Kxb2 $6 Qf6+ 17. Kb1 cxd6 $15) 16... cxd6) 15. fxe5 $6 {Another quick, reactive, and almost automatic, but suboptimal move.} (15. g3 $5 O-O 16. Nxe5 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Bxe5 18. Qxe5 Qxe5 19. fxe5) 15... O-O $1 $15 16. Qe4 $2 {To quickly finish development, freeing up the light-squared bishop, White chooses a tempting tempo move, but inadvertently saws the seeds of powerful Black counterplay. Black's necessary response is, it turns out, their best move, so White accidentally encouraged Black to play what they most needed to do.} (16. g3) 16... Rb8 $17 {Establishing control over the semi-open b-file and preparing to fianchetto the light-squared bishop, with a tempo nonetheless.} 17. Bd3 Bb7 {Black now wins the weakened e5-pawn.} 18. Qe2 $6 {Not the best retreat square for the queen, but a natural quick response.} (18. Qe1 {is relatively better, as White gets some activity in the resulting heavy-piece endgame, in exchange for the e-pawn that they are about to lose:} Bxf3 19. gxf3 Bxe5 20. Bxe5 Nxe5 21. f4 Nxd3+ 22. Rxd3 Qf6 23. Qe5 Qc6 24. Qd5 Qb6 $17) 18... Bxf3 19. gxf3 Nxe5 20. Be4 $2 {Naturally seeking to establish control over the long diagonal as well as to protect the weak f3-pawn. The problem is of a tactical nature -- this move self-pins White's bishop, as the queen on e2 is unprotected.} (20. Bc2 Rfe8) 20... Nc6 $1 $17 {The start of a crucial and beneficial regrouping -- utilizing that pin on the e-file in order to land the knight on its most desired outpost on d4 -- after which Black's advantage grows even more.} 21. Qc2 Bxb2+ {Following the established plan for the knight, but missing an interesting and potentially even stronger idea along the way.} (21... Nb4 $5 22. Bxg7 Nxc2 23. Bxf8 Kxf8 24. Kxc2 {is objectively even more advantageous for Black, according to the engines, but the resulting endgame does not looks like an easy conversion. Even if I had seen this idea, I am not sure I would choose to play it.}) 22. Qxb2 Nd4 23. Rhe1 Qd7 $6 {With under 5 minutes left on the clock, it is Black's turn to make a reactive move that escapes a looming threat (discovered attack), instead of continuing to apply pressure themselves, while also improving their pieces:} (23... Rfe8 $1) 24. Kb1 Rfd8 $6 {Not the best place for that rook.} (24... Rfe8) 25. h4 h5 {To avoid trouble around the black king, White's h-pawn must be halted. There is more than one approach for this, however, and Black picks the more predictable defensive option, for practical reasons, rather than the sharper counterattacking option:} (25... a5 26. Qa3 a4 27. Qxc5 axb3 28. a3 Rb6 $17) 26. f4 $5 {White has to \"do something\", or else their position will slowly but surely crumble.} Kh7 $4 {Here, while calculating the consequences of the correct move candidate (26...Qg4 $1), I glanced at my clock and saw that I only had seconds left, so quickly made a \"less difficult\" move. As often happens, such a hurried choice spills Black's advantage.} (26... Qg4 $1 27. Qf2 (27. Rg1 Qxf4 28. Bxg6 $2 fxg6 29. Rxg6+ Kh7 30. Rg2 Qf5+ $19) 27... Rd6) 27. Qg2 $2 {White misses their best (and only) chance, likely due to the extreme clock pressure on several other boards around. The correct idea instead was what White had hoped for -- and even just prepared for:} (27. f5 $1 gxf5 (27... Rb6 $2 28. fxg6+ fxg6 29. Qg2 $13 {/=}) 28. Bd3 Re8 $15) 27... Qg4 $1 {Given a second chance, Black corrects their earlier mistake and re-establishes the (temporarily) lost prior advantage.} 28. Qxg4 hxg4 29. h5 f5 30. hxg6+ $6 {A simplification that isn't in White's favor. At this point, however, White had 3 minutes left on the clock, with several other complicated games on nearby boards, all with clock pressure too.} (30. Bd5 {instead would aim for White counterplay along the e-file and potentially along the 7th rank too.} gxh5 31. Re7+ Kg6 32. Rde1 h4 33. Rxc7 {Objectively, Black should be winning this position, but with low time for both players anything can happen here.}) 30... Kxg6 31. Bd3 Re8 32. Rg1 Kf6 33. Rh1 Rh8 34. Kb2 a5 35. Kc3 Rbe8 $19 {The last few moves have been easy and natural to play. At this point, White timed out on my board, and while the position is objectively winning for Black, I decided to offer a draw in gratitude for the interesting game and in recognition of the immense challenge of White playing a clock simul against so many of us.For future clock simuls, based on this experience and discussions with other participants, I recommend time controls of at least G/60;+10 for White and G/45;+10 for Black.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "CM Nikash Vemparala Simul"]
[Site "Issaquah, WA"]
[Date "2023.10.18"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Vemparala, Nikash"]
[Black "Dale, Luke"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A22"]
[WhiteElo "2232"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[EventDate "2023.10.18"]
[EventType "simul"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,46,23,-10,-18,-14,-14,-31,-15,-14,8,-22,-3,-4,3,-10,-16,-10,-10,-10,-5,-8,9,0,-6,-6,16,4,24,10,27,-6,-8,-50,-55,-55,-49,-114,-111,-138,-137,-164,-154,-388,-398,-393,-406,-396,-393]} 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nxc3 (5... Nb6 {is about 100 times more common, generally continuing} 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 {, and now 8.a3, 8.d3, and 8.Rb1 are all branches supported by theory and practice.Traditional advice in similar positions is that the capture on c3 allows White to recapture toward the center, thus improving White's central control. The concrete structure on the board does not support such certitude, and Stockfish evaluates the resulting position as equivalent to the retreat to b6.}) 6. bxc3 Nc6 7. e3 ({This represents a potentially serious weakening of the light squares. White hopes to achieve a quick central advance, of course. All of these positions must be considered in relation to color-reversed Sicilian structures, which suggest} 7. Nf3 {leads to roughly equal, normal Dragon-style play.}) 7... Qd3 {An annoying intrusion. White could attempt to play around this queen on d3, but that feels complex and uncertain. So the simul choice is clear:} 8. Qe2 Qxe2+ 9. Nxe2 (9. Kxe2 $5) 9... Bg4 10. h3 Bh5 {This development of the light-square bishop gives White some extra possibilities for kingside pawn advance with tempo.} (10... Be6 11. d4) 11. g4 Bg6 12. d4 (12. f4 $5 {gives the game an independent character. Due to the threat to trap the g6-bishop, Black must choose whether to support the e5-pawn (...f7-f6) or to occupy d3 and allow White to remove e5 for the f-pawn. The risk of the latter is the White can capture and/or eject whatever occupies d3, followed by central expansion. For example,} Bd3 13. fxe5 Nxe5 14. Nf4 O-O-O 15. Nxd3 Nxd3+ 16. Ke2 Be7 17. Be4 Nxc1+ 18. Raxc1 {. Evaluate that, and all the reasonable alternate branches, and you start to see why chess is hard.}) 12... exd4 13. exd4 Bd6 14. O-O O-O 15. Be3 Rfe8 16. Bxc6 ({The creation of this imbalance has been hanging over the game since move six. White can keep things normal with something like} 16. Rfe1 {instead, but Black is well-placed to reposition that c6-knight to c4 via a5 soon. When things like that happen, winning ideas for White become scarce.}) 16... bxc6 17. Nf4 Be4 18. Ne2 $6 ({White now succumbs rather quickly under pressure from the bishop-pair. Stockfish suggests} 18. f3 {, with White hanging on by his fingernails, but still awards a small advantage to Black.}) 18... f5 $1 19. gxf5 Bxf5 20. Kg2 (20. c4 Bxh3 {hardly seems an improvement.}) 20... Be4+ 21. f3 $2 (21. Kg1 Re6 22. Nf4 Rh6 23. f3 Bf5 $17 {Black's advantage is clear.}) 21... Bd3 22. Kf2 Bxe2 23. Kxe2 Bf4 0-1

[Event "CM Nikash Vemparala Simul"]
[Site "Issaquah, WA"]
[Date "2023.10.18"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Vemparala, Nikash"]
[Black "Yondon, Odbayar"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B11"]
[WhiteElo "2232"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2023.10.18"]
[EventType "simul"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,72,36,15,65,68,57,26,83,52,44,52,53,53,65,65,65,59,69,69,68,62,65,62,62,43,62,36,39,39,45,41,45,29,29,31,32,31,30,30,32,31,32,33,33,33,33,33,35,27,27,20,26,16,14,4,12,0,0,0,0,5,11,0,0,0,11,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 Bg4 4. h3 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe4 (5... e6 {is solid and popular. In general, Black should be wary of opening lines for White's bishop pair.}) 6. Nxe4 Nf6 7. Nxf6+ exf6 8. c3 Nd7 9. d4 Bd6 10. Bd3 O-O 11. O-O $14 ({White could consider aiming for 0-0-0 with} 11. Be3 $16 {here.}) 11... Re8 12. Bf4 $6 ({White has the bishop pair and more central space. Neither of those favorable imbalances is improved by this exchange.} 12. Bd2) 12... Qc7 (12... Bxf4 13. Qxf4 Nb6 {, heading to d5, is close to equality. If White tries c3-c4 to kick the knight the d4-pawn is weakened.}) 13. Bxd6 (13. Bd2 $5) 13... Qxd6 14. Rfe1 Re7 15. Rxe7 Qxe7 16. Qe4 Qxe4 17. Bxe4 g6 18. Bc2 Re8 19. Kf1 Kf8 20. Re1 Rxe1+ 21. Kxe1 Nb6 22. Bb3 Ke7 23. Kd2 Nd5 $6 (23... f5 {and ...Nb6-d7-f6. The knight can provide a useful distraction dancing around the kingside.}) 24. Bxd5 $1 cxd5 25. Kd3 Kd6 26. f4 f5 27. b4 $2 ({Allows Black to hold White's queenside four-pawn majority with his three, as White is doing with three against the crippled kingside. The way to play for victory is to create a passed pawn, so why not immediately} 27. c4 $16 {.} dxc4+ 28. Kxc4 {leaves White with what amounts to an extra passed d-pawn. On the kingside, he'll play h4, g3, and never take on g5.}) 27... b5 28. Ke3 Ke6 29. a3 h6 30. g3 f6 31. Kf3 a6 32. Ke3 g5 33. Kf3 Kf7 34. h4 Kg6 35. Kg2 Kh5 36. Kh3 Kg6 1/2-1/2

