An Object Lesson on Squares, AoW Intramural 4, Round 7

Folks, it's been a while since I am very busy at work. I still try to play a few games here and there on Chess.com, the occasional CCA OTB at Sturbridge MA, and the SW Florida CC in Estero in winter months. 

This is an example game from a group in Chess.com called Art of War, affiliated with the Dan Heisman Learning Center Group (yes, our official sponsor is Dan Heisman). Recently we organized an Intramural Tournament #4, and this is the Round 7 game of Dexter v Harvey (1-0). Dexter is much stronger, so the result isn't the surprise or concern, it is the journey I took to get there...

http://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=1219486549

PGN: 

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2015.07.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "dacster13"]
[Black "hreedwork"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2212"]
[BlackElo "1381"]
[PlyCount "45"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[TimeControl "45"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5. Bb3 d6 6. c3 Bg4 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3
Qd7 9. d3 Nf6 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Nd2 O-O 12. Nf1 h6 13. Be3 Nh7 14. h4 Na5 15. g4
Nxb3 16. axb3 f6 17. Ng3 c5 18. Nf5 Kf7 19. Kd2 Ke8 20. Nxg7+ Kd8 21. Bxh6 Rg8
22. Nf5 Kc7 23. b4 {dacster13 won on time} 1-0

Dexter once again shows his patient positional prowess in this game against me. He patiently waited until I created a completely weak complex on white squares huge enough to drive his huge truck of chess pieces through...

Look below, I quickly found my camera and took a picture of one of his big chess pieces passing by, completely unobstructed... crushing everything in its path...

I did the only rational thing, which was to "cut and run" with my King, of course I had to give up a couple of pawns for that privilege... then my King was safe, there was plenty of life in the position (although I could see storm clouds on the horizon), and then I pondered...

In reality I was getting very low on time. "Alarm bells" should have gone off, ha ha (pun intended)...

however, I didn't notice.

Yup, I was completely oblivious... you could say I had my "head in the sand" (more polite than other places where I could describe my head as residing, lol)...

...And then my clock ran out and I lost on time... ARG!

I pulled a "Cris Angel"!! lol...

Dexter, next round I have another game with you.I will strive to stay alert and not lose on time! 

... A bit more on the analysis angle...

I deliberately constructed an elaborate, paved, well lit network of light square roads, then watched as his heavy equipment rolled by, powerless to stop it, only option was to ditch two pawns and run with my King.

How inglorious! 

Dex gave me two moves to analyze. The moves are when I played 15...Nxb3, and then 16...f6 right after. Creating the weak square complex on purpose! With the thought of making a strong point on g5 square. This is protected by two of my pawns, and my Knight on h7, and my Bishop on e7. But then, immediately(!) Dex can play 17.Ng3 and 18.Nf5, sealing my fate of playing in despair. Because my Knight is on h7, my King can't defend h6 and of course his Bishop is attacking h6.

So in addition to making the weak squares, practically begging his knight to come and stay for a while on f5, I have a huge problem defending my Kingside, especially h6. 

So then you have to ask, why did I play 12...h6 in the first place?

Good question. Dex asked me the same question... It is because I wasn't patient enough... And Dex is patient. So he wins...

Its kind of like the movie "A Simple Plan". Painful to watch how a situation decends quickly in to an out of control mess...

When I watched the movie years ago, it was so... painful... Watching in the audience the little person in your head can say "don't do that!", but of course the movie continues down a path where the characters make one bad decision after another, all based on an initial "simple plan"...

This chess game is similar, seemingly innocuous moves based on a "simple plan" require increasingly dubious moves to justify the initial plan, until everything is coming apart at the seams, falling apart like a cheap suit, lol!

Hope this blog helps novices like me improve step by step...