June 2018 - Lexington Tounament

I haven't posted in quite a while. I have been able to put aside a number of the issues that prevented me from continuing my work and striving for that National Master title. So, we are back. I recently went to a weekend tournament (5 rounds of G/30). Now, these games come down to missed tactics and are actually quite silly and useless to study in-depth. However, I have pulled out the important positions for our discussion.

Okay, this is from my round two game against Madani. I am playing with the black pieces and this is black to move. Here I played Bb4 and I have had a lot of luck with that odd move in blitz games. However, it is anti-positional to bring that Bishop into the attack. Even if you win material you create big holes in your structure when it comes off the board. Your pawns are on light squares so the dark bishop is your strongest and most valuable minor piece. Qc7 and d6 are the common moves and keep things solid and offer no immediate weakness.

The position above is white to move (CM Woodward, my round three). I am completely lost here but both of us have around thirty seconds left on our clocks and I am playing the flagging game. I would rather play down the piece and get some initiative for my rook and queen than to wait and die with my king getting checked to death. White falls for the trap and plays f4+ "winning" the bishop. However, the amazing Qe7+! is a forced mate. (34. Qe7+ Bf6 35. f4+ Kg4 36. Qxe6+ Kxg3 37. Rd3+ Kxf4 38. Qf5#) ... and from a bad and lost position I find a winning initiative.

The above is me to play as white against Sanford from round four. I played the move Kxc5 thinking that I was distracting my opponent from stealing my f-pawn (by Rb4+-Rf4) ... but this pawn is not nearly so powerful as my b-pawn which supports my passed c-pawn AND makes black's a-pawn less likely to squeeze out equality in passing. Simply Kc3 or b3 gives white the win. A silly positional mistake that almost cost me this game ... but better endgame technique saw some tricks develop to win me the game. It was much harder than it had to be.

Alright, here is my last round game against Gurley. This would have been a second place finish in the quad for me with a win. I quickly traded bishops and settled for a balanced ending which turned against me and I lost. However there is a strong shot here that requires some precision that was definitely superior to the dull trade. Black gains a slight edge here by playing Rc4! The best continuation for white then is 20. Rxd5 Ke6 21. Rd6+ Kxe5 22. Rd7 Bxd7 23. Bxc4 Bf5+ 24. Ka1 where white is not completely lost but black is surely much better. Rxc4?? is met by Bxd3+! and Bxf5 is met by Rxd4.


I lost about fifteen rating points from this event but I learned a great deal and I'll be using that knowledge in upcoming games. The rust has been shaken off and it's time to get back to the rating climb.

2017 3 Tables - October Round 3 Anton Taylor, 1948 - CM Drew Hollinberger, 2103 Spanish: Exchange (C68)

2017 3 Tables - October Round 3 
Anton Taylor, 1948 - CM Drew Hollinberger, 2103
Spanish: Exchange (C68)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 Be3 is the mainline and is far batter than this move. If black focused on attacking the knight he could have taken over the central squares with 8. Bc5 Nb3 (to avoid Bc3 or Be3 moving the bishop twice in the opening) 9.Ba7 8. Bd2 O-O-O 9. O-O h5 10. Nb3 Nh6 11. Bc3 c5 12. N1d2 f6 13. Nf3 White is playing to push e5 but black is fine with this as he simply trades and can play against white's weak c-pawn. 13. ... Bc6 14. Nbd2 Bd6 15. Rad1 Rhe8 16. Rfe1 Nf7 17. Nh4 It takes komodo a depth of 22 ply before it sees that this move is the only way for white to struggle here. The move it recommends at the same depth is the bad looking g3 preventing Bf4. Bf4 will be strong after black advances his knight pawns on both sides and this weakens the d2 square by removing both defenders (the f3 knight and the c3 bishop). I chose the more active move. 17. ... Re6? This leads to equality 17... b5! 18. b3 b4 19. Bb2 Bf4 20. Nc4 Rxe4 21. Rxd8+ Kxd8 22. Rxe4 Bxe4 and white is lost. 18. f3 b5 19. b3? I had planned this escape for the bishop but better is Nb3 giving the bishop space to roam and keeping the pawn structure. Never push pawns on the side of the board that the opponent has an extra pawn. It just helps his advance to make a passed pawn. 19. ... Nh6 20. Nf1 c4 21. Bd4?? With zero calculation I "take-over" a central square without hesitation and this move loses a potential draw. Ne3 is the way to hold everything together. as the pin from Bc5 is not fearsome. 21. ... g5 22. Nf5 Nxf5 23. exf5 Rxe1 24. Rxe1 Bxh2+ 25. Kxh2 Rxd4 26. Re6 Rd6 When I played Bd4 I actually missed this rook retreat that holds black together and keeps an advantage for him. Looking at the position now in front of me on the board it is obviously lost for white even without Rd6 but in my mind's eye I thought this was a slight advantage for white with his attack on the bishop. After the game drew admitted that he was glad to have Rd6. This tells me that he too did not see this far after Bd4. We both need to work on expanding our chess horizon to see further but for me it is worse as I deliberately played into this position thinking it was better for me when in fact the opposite is true in most variations. It feels good to look back on this and think there was something to be learned. 27. Rxd6 cxd6 28. b4 This advance just muddies the water to try for the draw in a lost position. If I'm allowed to keep my knight and get secure pawns on the opposite color to black's bishop I can at least draw even a pawn down. 28. ... d5! I liked Drew's endgame technique here and it's worth looking at. 29. c3 d4 30. cxd4 c3 31. Ng3 c2 32. Ne2 Bd7 33. Kg3 Bxf5 34. Kf2 Kd7 35. Ke3 Kd6 36. Kd2 Kd5 37. Kc3 h4 38. Nc1 g4 39. fxg4 Be4 0-1

2017 3 Tables - October Round 1 Mike Thomas, 2022 - Anton Taylor, 1948 Indian (A45)

2017 3 Tables - October Round 1
Mike Thomas, 2022 - Anton Taylor, 1948
Indian (A45)

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d6 d5 is more common at top level but this move has been played fairly often so it isn't bad. 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. Nf3 g6 All sorts of moves have been tried here. Probably the most direct route with 4. ... c5 is better than this but this is fine as well. 5. Qd2 e4 is better but only slightly. Qd2 is a good choice as well. White has a small space advantage in either case. 5. ... Bg7 6. e4 O-O 7. O-O-O White is already very comfortable here and has all the long distance planning. It's possible that black has just played too "solidly" and built his only coffin. There is game to play but it is tedious and precise for Black and in a human-versus-human game that might be ok but it isn't preferable. 7. ... c5 8. dxc5 Nxc5 9. e5 Nfe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Qe3 d5 12. Bd3 It's interesting that this move is condemned by Komodo. Instead Kb1 is preferred. Neither move is a direct victory path for white so I suspect the ending is much the same. However, it is worth noting that this move takes some squares away from the white queen and makes Qb6 stronger. 12. ... Qa5 This seemed a better alternative to me than Qb6. That move was rejected because it leads to isolated double pawns and I assumed this was headed to an endgame. Komodo thinks this is drawn with a slight plus to white. I agree. 13. Kb1 Be6?? Here was my error. Nc5 or Bg4 are better choices. 13... Bg4 14. Bxe4 dxe4 15. Qxe4 Rac8 16. Rd5 Bf5 17. Rxa5 Bxe4 18. Rc1 a6 seems a good start to black's recovery from his lackluster opening. I simply missed the obvious and crushing reply to Be6. 14. Nd4 Nc5 15. Bh6 Rfc8 Things are pretty bad but this loses much faster. My idea was a double attack after Nxe3 and Qc7 when I can possibly grab the e5 pawn but this idea is far too slow and not at all backed by any sound calculation. 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. h4 Bd7 18. h5 Rh8 19. h6+ 19. e6! Nxe6 20. Qe5+ Kg8 21. hxg6 f6 22. gxh7+ Kf8 23. Nxe6+ Bxe6 24. Qxe6 19. ... Kg8?? Already beaten ... I miss the bit of greater resistance from Kf8. More poor calculation. 20. e6 Bxe6 21. Nb3 1-0

This game is fairly humiliating. Poor results in my last several tournaments has undone most of my years work rating-wise. I am suffering burn-out and a drop in confidence. After my next game related post I plan to share some of my method of attack for solving these and other issues.

2017 Unc Fraud Round 4 Jason Skaggs, 1954 - Anton Taylor, 1966 Sicilian: Hungarian/Accelerated Dragon (B27)

2017 Unc Fraud Round 4
Jason Skaggs, 1954 - Anton Taylor, 1966
Sicilian: Hungarian/Accelerated Dragon (B27) 

I was very interested to see how this game would turn out. I had not played Jason in many years so I was anticipating a tough battle. Unfortunately, what I got was my most humiliating loss in this entire year. I got the short end of an unfamiliar variation and then allowed a checkmate out in the open in less than twenty moves. Let's look at the game:

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 I have played several games this year in this variation but the majority of those games continued 4.Nxd4 with a slow buildup by both sides. I decided to go for a sharper continuation. 4. Qxd4 Nf6 5. e5 The sharpest "stab". Nc3 has also been tried here at top level. 5. ... Nc6 6. Qc4 and here I depart from the mainline due to my inexperience in the variation. After some study it seems the main variation continues 6.Qa4 Nd5 Qe4 with a slight plus for white. The Qc4 line has been tried but isn't as tasteful as Qa4 to me. 6. ... d5 7. exd6 Qxd6 8. Nc3 Be6 9. Qe2?? Nb5 or Qf4 are better options but both lead to a small advantage for black. 9. ... O-O-O This move gives white the opportunity to play against the coming g7 bishop by 10. Nb5 followed probably by 11. c3 and the bishop "bites on granite". The control of the long diagonal becomes an important theme in the game as well as a number of variations that did not occur. 10. Be3 White develops a piece but misses the equalizing method of the previous note. 10. ... Bg7 11. g3?? The decisive blunder. Once again white has the opportunity to play Nb5-c3 and get a good game. 11. ... Qb4 12. Qb5 Nd5 13. Bd2 Nxc3 14. bxc3 Bxc3 15. Qxb4 Nxb4 16. Bxc3 Nxc2+ 17. Ke2 Bc4# 0-1

This game sets in motion several further hours of study in this variation I was caught completely unprepared in comparison to my opponent and the worst part is that I went willingly. The variation was the result of my choices in this case. I will be better prepared the next time.

2017 Unc Fraud Round 3 Andy Porter, 2106 - Anton Taylor, 1966 English: Anglo-Indian (A17)

2017 Unc Fraud Round 3
Andy Porter, 2106 - Anton Taylor, 1966
English: Anglo-Indian (A17)

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 e4 is more energetic but this is fine. 3. ... d5 4. d4 Bb4 5. Bg5 Bxc3+ Here is an inaccuracy. The top level variation in this position is 5. ... h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3. 6. bxc3 c6 better is Ncd7 developing a piece and making the pin awkward for white (because he will either have to trade with anothe knight coming to the f6 square to control the same squares). 7. e3 Qa5 8. Qc2 Ne4 9. Rc1 Nxg5 10. Nxg5 dxc4 11. Ne4 b5 12. Nd6+ Ke7 13. Nxc8+ Rxc8 14. Qxh7 Nd7 Komodo likes Qxa2 but navigating the complications afterward are easier for a computer than a human and it determines the advantage is small enough to not be significant and therefore not justify the pawn grab. Whereas, if white goes grabbing with Qxg7 the open lines for the rooks are very big compensation. 15. Qc2 Rh8? The immediate c5 with the idea of creating a comfortable outpost for the black knight either on d3 or d5 makes a lot more sense. The half-open rook file is not quite as relavent as that central control and black has more pieces ready to join the central fight. 16. Be2 Rh6 this again is "chasing the ghost" of the half-open file and doesn't lead anywhere. It isn't losing but it is wasting dynamic action opportunities in the center. 17. Bf3 Qc7 18. h3 Rah8? This move comes up against a brick wall on h3 that isn't going to crack in a very long time. If white plays 
19. a4 a6 20.axb5 axb5 21. Ra1 I'm certain it is black who will be in a tough spot. 19. Ke2 White for his part throws away a golden opportunity to swing the game in his favor. 19. ... Nb6 20. e4 Na4 21. Qd2 f6? Komodo spots the right move immediately because it is supported by a series of simple tactics. Black should simply admit that Rah8? was a mistake and play Rd8 in which case he still has more dynamic play available in the center and will likely win the battle there because of his more active rooks. 22. Bg4 g5? It's never a good idea to move pawns where your opponent has more pawns. I realized this but I thought that the piece activity I gain on the queenside and the potential open lines would make my rooks better. I did not calculate anything and perhaps that was my real downfall here. Again Rd8 followed by opening the center is the best plan. 23. g3 Qd6 24. f4 gxf4 25. gxf4 c5 26. Rhd1 f5! I felt this move was winning and komodo sees a very big black advantage (+2 for black) but it is a long calculation and my time is ticking away. 27. exf5 exf5 28. Bxf5 Rf6? Stronger is Kf6 when after: 28... Kf6 29. Bg4 Rxh3 30. Bxh3 Rxh3 31. Rh1 Nxc3+ 32. Qxc3 Qe7+ 33. Kd2 Rxc3 34. Kxc3 Qe3+ Black is winning. 29. Bg4 Rxf4?? and with this final blunder I lose in a time scramble although I am certain my opponent did not find the best replies either after this. The problem with Rxf4 is that it allows Qe3+ when black's pieces become awkward as he tangos around white's central square control. Better is Qxf4 when 29... Qxf4 30. Qxf4 Rxf4 31. dxc5 Nxc5 32. Rd5 Nd3 presents a problem to white ... he either plays something useless like 33. Rb1?? Rxg4 34. hxg4 Nf4+ winning for black or Rg1 and the best he seems to get is a draw by something like 33. Rg1 Kf6 34. Rxb5 Re8+ 35. Kd1 Rf2 36. Bh5 Re4 37. Rg6+ Ke7 38. Rb7+ Kf8 39. Rb8+ Ke7 1-0

2017 Unc Fraud Round 2 CM Jerry Baker, 2037 - Anton Taylor, 1966 Nimzo-Larsen: Indian (A01)

2017 Unc Fraud Round 2
CM Jerry Baker, 2037 - Anton Taylor, 1966
Nimzo-Larsen: Indian (A01)

1. b3 Nf6 2. Bb2 e6 I'm still partial to this move even though g6 is technically accepted as the far superior choice. The idea of g6 is that the bishop on b2 will be unprotected while the g7 bishop is protected by a castled king which could give black tactical opportunities. My move is just to remain consistant with my Nimzo-styled repertoire. 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 Nbd7 Bd6 is an interesting alternative that is vigorous and interesting. 5. Be2 Bd6 6. O-O e5 7. d3 O-O 8. Nc3 The idea of this move is to try Nd5 after white pushes e4 and black responds d4 (I guessed) but I curtail the whole idea without even thinking whether it has merit or not. 8. ... c6 9. e4? I don't like this advance. The simple reply makes white's pieces awkward and does nothing to stop the black lioghtsquared bishop from developing (which is I think the only promising plan in this equal position). 9. ... d4 10. Nb1 b5 I thought this move was interesting but probably objectively Re8 followed by Nf8-g6 makes more sense to counter white's f4 is better. However, I smelled blood and struck out with a counter-attack on the opposite wing. If white leaves things alone and just follows his plan f4 comes faster than any break on the queenside by black. 11. a4 Nb6 12. Ba3 This move isn't particularly good but white has very few options. Komodo like axb5 but that seems like at the very least clearing up some of black's awkward piece placement. A sample line might be something like 12. axb5 cxb5 13. c3 dxc3 14. Nxc3 a6 15. d4 exd4 16. Nxb5 axb5 17. e5 Be7 18. exf6 Bxf6 19. Rxa8 Nxa8 and the position looks a little better for white but black can hold. 12. ... bxa4 13. Bxd6? Allows black to improve his queen and weakens the black squares in white's camp without this bishop. 13. ... Qxd6 14. bxa4 a5 The idea of this move was to prevent the stranded a-pawn from moving off the target square. This however misses a defensive resource that white has on the very next move. 15. Nbd2? A mistake. The immediate c3 was demanded to either cut into the black center or defense the a-pawn with a strong knight on c3. Neither position seems good for black. Black wouldn't be lost but he (I) spent a lot of time think about nabbing the isolated pawn and would have to rethink the whole gameplan. 15. ... Nfd7? For his part black too commits an error. Bd7 pressures the pawn and now white can't play the c3 break. 16. Nb3 Qb4 17. Nfd2 Nxa4 18. Bg4 Nc3 19. Qf3 Nb6 20. Nb1 Bxg4 21. Qxg4 a4 22. N3d2 a3 I spent a lot of time on this move and as expected I make a mistake. The text is still winning but I did not even consider the merits of Komodo's logical Nb5. 23. Nb3 c5? After some energetic play I decided to play slowly and it puzzles me. a2 seems to finish things. After 23... a2 24. Nxc3 Qxc3 25. Qe2 c5 26. Qd2 Qxd2 27. Nxd2 Rfc8 Black is dominant. 24. h4 c4 25. dxc4 Nxc4 26. h5 Ra6 h6 was a swifter solution to white's elementary threat. 27. Nxc3 Qxc3 28. Ra2 f5?? A costly mistake that almost loses a completely won ending. The idea should have been something like 28... Nb2 29. h6 Rxh6 30. Rxa3 d3 31. cxd3 Nxd3 32. Qf3 Qb2 33. Rfa1 Nxf2 34. Qxf2 Rh1+ though white can play better he is still at a major disadvantage, 29. exf5 Raf6 30. Nc5 Nd2?? I commit a mistake that should lose on my last recorded move after 31.Ne6 R8f7 32.Rfa1 white just wins. However, white too was in major time trouble and allowed a variation that led to white being a piece up. 0-1

2017 Unc Fraud Round 1 Anton Taylor, 1966 - Andrew Orr, 1669 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik Attack (B13)

2017 Unc Fraud Round 1
Anton Taylor, 1966 - Andrew Orr, 1669
Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik Attack (B13)

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 e6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. c5 I had recently had a long conversation regarding this opening with GM Gregory Kaidanov and we went over a few short variations that occur after Nc6. I have been guilty of allowing white to play in this same way and had suffered a major loss. I was prepared. 7. ... b6 8. Bb5 Bd7 9. Bxc6 Bxc6 10. Ne5 Qc7 11. Nxc6 Qxc6 12. b4 It may seem strange to trade the good knight off for the bad bishop and indeed 11. b4 is dominant. However, I settled on principle to try and create a passed pawn that could only be blockaded by a queen or rook is probably winning. 12. ... Qd7? Similar to my game against CM Surya Parasuraman a few months before this game (http://notkeres.blogspot.com/2017/08/2017-cleveland-open-round-3-cm-surya.html) Black should have played Ne4 with similar ideas. My opponent fails where I too slipped with the black pieces (the position isn't the same but the ideas are exactly the same). 13. O-O Be7 14. Bf4 O-O 15. Na4?! This move is certainly interesting. It invites a host of complications but if the players navigate correctly white only obtains a slight advantage. Komodo actually seems to go wrong with 15... Nh5 when 16. Be3 Nf6 17. cxb6 Qb5 18. bxa7 Qxb4 19. Qb3 Rxa7 20. Nc5 seems likely to produce dangers only for black. 15. ... Qb5 16. Qb3 Rfc8 17. Rfc1 Bd8 18. Rc2 a5 19. bxa5 I made this move fairly quickly anticipating the text reply because it seems the most natural but it seems that Qxa5 is much better for black than the text ...  19... Qxa5 20. Nxb6 Bxb6 21. cxb6 Rxc2 22. Qxc2 Qxb6 23. Be3 Ne4 24. a4 Nd6 looks hold-able by white but very dangerous. 19. ... Rxa5 20. cxb6! My opponent clearly did not expect this move. 20. ... Qxb3 21. Rxc8 Qxa4 22. Rxd8+ Ne8 23. b7 1-0

2017 3 Tables - September Round 3 Anton Taylor, 1972 - Bob Faust, 1993 French: King's Indian Attack (C00)

2017 3 Tables - September Round 3
Anton Taylor, 1972 - Bob Faust, 1993
French: King's Indian Attack (C00)

1. e4 e6 2. d3 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. c3 Nge7 5. Be3 The only top level game to feature these last couple of moves is an odd game between Svidler and Rublevsky (Togliatti 2003) I suspect this is some sort of odd preparation by Svidler to avoid Rublevsky's preparation. Anyway, this is highly unusual ... especially without the move g3. 5. ... d6 6. Be2 g6 7. O-O Bg7 8. d4 cxd4 9. cxd4 O-O 10. Nc3 a6 11. Qd2 b5 12. d5 exd5 13. Nxd5 Be6? This is probably the start of the downward spiral. It is better to just eliminate the problematic knight by Nxd5. There is a lot of options for white on how to continue. I thought here for a long time about moves like Bg5 but I dismissed it. Also, moving a rook to an open file can be a good continuation. For example, either rook on the d-file makes Nxd5 unappealing in some future variations because after the queen recaptures the d-pawn probably falls. 14. Bb6 I elected on playing this move because I determined that in most variations it leads to a rook penetrating on the seventh rank or a worse placement of pieces. 14. ... Qd7 15. Rac1 Rab8?? This move alters the plan to get a rook to the seventh but creates a new set of interesting options. I once more thought for a long time here. 16. Nxe7+ Nxe7 17. Bc7? Here I miss the key Rc7! followed by Ba5. I even missed this move in my analysis (see my previous note). In fact, this move wastes all the initiative and just leads to equality after some forced trades. 17. ...Rb7?? 17... Rbc8 18. Bxd6 Rxc1 19. Rxc1 Rd8 20. Bf4 Qxd2 21. Nxd2 Bxb2 leads to a slight advantage for black. The text move is winning for white. 18. Bxd6 Rd8 19. Rfd1 Qe8 20. Qa5 Bxb2?? This move evens up the material but makes a far worse losing position. 21. Rb1 The double threat of Rxb7 and Qxa6 wins. 21. ... Bf6 22. Qxa6 Rbd7 23. Bxb5 Rxd6 24. Rxd6 Rxd6 25. Qxd6 Qa8 26. e5 Nf5 27. Bc6 1-0

2017 3 Tables - September Round 2 Michael Johnson, 2026 - Anton Taylor, 1972 Queen's Indian (E15)

2017 3 Tables - September Round 2
Michael Johnson, 2026 - Anton Taylor, 1972
Queen's Indian (E15)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 d6? This move has too many drawbacks to be good. normally d6 is pushed in Indian positions to bolster e5 but in this case it is at best very premature. The more common move is the immediate Ne4. 8. Qc2 c5 The only way to fight for the center at this moment. 9. d5 exd5 10. Nh4 White gets a big plus with this move. The problem is the backward pawn on d6 and the hemmed in bishops. 10. ... Nc6 I like this move because it is at least proactive. I did not even calculate where this piece might go but not moving it seemed like asking for a strangling death. The best plan for black here is contemplating something like 11... Nd4 12. Qd1 Nd7 13. e3 Bxh4 14. exd4 cxd4 15. Qxd4 Bf6 when black has more activity and better development than white. 11. cxd5 Nb4? As stated it turns out to be better to place this knight on d4 but that requires analyzing all the way to Bxh4 freeing the f5 square for potential knight occupation. 12. Qd1 Re8 Mustelin - Kinsigo Tampere, 1989 continued  12. ...  Qd7 13.a3 Na6 14.e4 g6 with the idea of tucking the Bishop into g7. My idea is to preserve the kingside pawn structure and temporarily tuck the bishop away while planning a future Be7-Bf6 or g6-Bg7 whichever plan looks better later. 13. a3 Na6 14. Nf5 Bf8 15. e4 Bc8 As I look at this move I begin to dislike it. It is an understandable attempt to get activity for this bishop that was stuck behind the pawn prison but it doesn't seem to control any more squares from c8 than it did on b7. c4 was tried in Bergraser -Raizman Nice, 1938 with black eventually winning but I do not think I would have seen this move at the board. The move itself looks ugly and like it throws away a pawn for nothing after, say, Ne3 but it turns out that blakc either hold this pawn or gains a significant advantage somewhere else for it. 16. Ne3 Nc7 17. b4 Ba6 18. Re1 Nb5 From this moment on black is just lost. 19. Nxb5 Bxb5 20. a4 Bd7 21. bxc5 bxc5 22. Nc4 Rb8 23. Bf4 Bc8 24. Bd2 Ba6 25. Na5 Qd7 26. Qc2 Rb6 27. Nc6 Bb7 28. a5? The simple Nxa7 wins. 28. ... Rxc6 29. dxc6 Qxc6 30. a6 Ba8 31. f3 Nd7 32. Qa4 Qc8 33. Bf1 Nb6 34. Qc2 c4 35. Be3 d5 36. exd5 Rxe3 This sacrifice is a trick. If white reacts calmly he just bulldozes black. 37. Rxe3 Bc5 38. Re1? Qf2 is the antidote Black must trade the bishop for the rook because he cannot pile on attacking pieces to e3 in the same way ... 38. Qf2 Nxd5 39. Re8+ Qxe8 40. Qxc5 and black is falling apart. 38. ... Nxd5 39. Qc1 Nxe3? Again my inability to calculate variations shows here. c3 pushing the passed pawn and making it harder for white to equalize was called for here. 40. Rxe3 Bxf3 41. Bxc4 Ba8 42. Kf1 Bxe3?? The losing move in a winning ending. Qc6 was probably the safest finish. 43. Bxf7+ Kxf7 44. Qxc8 Bh1 45. Qb7+ 1-0

2017 3 Tables - September Round 1 CM Justin Arnold, 2076 - Anton Taylor, 1972 Modern Defense (B06)

2017 3 Tables - September Round 1
CM Justin Arnold, 2076 - Anton Taylor, 1972
Modern Defense (B06)

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. Bd3 Nd7 Nf6 is a more common move order but it likely transposes. The main difference is that black will castle one move later than he could potentially but this is not significant. 5. O-O a6 This move extends Black's desire to either stretch the opening book or to outright try to play outside of theory. White takes the opportunity to prevent b5 and make a6 look at least a little silly. 6. a4 Ngf6 7. Re1 e5 8. dxe5 Nxe5 This more or less forces the trade of knights. White quickly obliges and the position is just equal. 9. Nxe5 dxe5 10. Bg5 Be6 11. Na3 In hindsight this "creative" move is not particularly good and has several drawbacks. The idea is obviously to go to c4 but at this moment such a move is not overwhelming. However, the d2 square is needed for the bishop so that it might swing to c3 and therefore a3 is the only square left for the sad knight. Na3 would have been more of a threat if the Bishop could be decoyed away from guarding c4 first. 11. ... h6 12. Bd2 Qe7 13. Qe2 Nc4 should have been played here tempting black to trade the bishop taking advntage of the moment where black cannot play b5 in response. 13. ... O-O 14. Nc4 Nh5 this seems to hold together but Nd7 is probably more accurate. However, as an attacking player I anticipated Justin's move and even the next move. I decided that neither move was particularly scary and that I would use the time he gave me to reposition my knight to a much more useful square. 15. g3 Bh3 16. Ne3? This gives up the initiative to black when I could have instead seized the initiative by playing Bc3! when every potential response is unsavory for black. He either remains content with a minor piece tying down his queen, weakens his pawn structure to force the minor pieces away from his e-pawn, or swaps his queen for a rook by moving one of them to e8. None of these are good and it means that probably Nh5 was a decisive mistake that I failed to take full advantage of during the game. 16. ... c6 White can be happy that black created these pawn weaknesses but imagine how much better the threat of Nd5 might be with a bishop on c3. White's pieces are in fact gaining a little momentum and activity but will it be enough to win? 17. Ng4! I really liked this move which I had spotted a few moves earlier and I thought it was very strong. My opponent must have seen the problems he has coming as here he sank into a long think. 17. ... Kh7 18. f3 Rae8 Black would like to play f5 but Nf7! steals his bishop. 19. Ra3 Qd7 The simple threat is Qd4+ but the queen is put on a less useful square than she came from. Also, this puts the queen on the d-file which is where the rook on a3 was planning to go and now could go in the future with a tempo attacking the queen. 20. Be3 Rg8 21. Bc4 foreseeing that the knight may potentially move to a better square and no longer prevent f5 White again makes a move that porevents the f-pawn from advnacing while also clearing the d3 square for his rook. 21. ... Bxg4? An understandable mistake trying to trade down into a simpler ending and getting rid of this annoying knight for his trapped bishop. 22. fxg4 Nf6 23. Rd3 This is a way to improve white's worst piece but is a mistake. In fact, there is a sea of better moves: Rf1 continuing the assault on black's f-pawn, Bb6 taking possession of important squares and preparing to take over the d-file, and others. The move is not bad but it is a simple attack on principle without having calculated very far. Old habits die hard. 23. ... Qe7 24. Red1 b5 25. Ba2 Rd8 This move would not have been possible in the move order starting with 23. Bb6. 26. Bxf7?? Presumably cashing in on this pawn but in fact the f-pawn is not worth as much as the e-pawn so this is just a mistake. Rf1 followed by Qf3 and g5 makes a lot more sense. 26. ... Rgf8 27. Bb3 Nxe4 28. Bb6? This comes far too late. It is better to trade the roo pair and play c3 to preserve the bishop. 28. ... Rxd3 29. Qxd3 Nc5 30. Qd6 Qxd6 31. Rxd6 Nxb3 32. cxb3 Rf3 33. Rxc6 Rxb3 34. Ba5? Bc5 preserves the draw but I am still trying to win and taking unnecessary risks. 34. ... bxa4 Rxb2 is the killer. This move is just a draw.  (34... Rxb2 35. Rxa6 bxa4 36. Ra7 Kg8 37. Ra8+ Bf8 38. Bc3 Rb1+ 39. Kf2 a3) 35. Bc3 a3 36. bxa3 Rxa3 37. Rc7 Kg8 38. Rc8+ Kf7 39. Rc7+ Kf6 40. Bxe5+? I thought at the time that this move was a winning idea but it turns out that the pawn isn't significant and, in fact, with the black passed pawn rolling the draw is made harder by the exchange of the bishops. At this moment the black king is trapped in a box and a 3-fold draw should be the result. 40. Rc6+ Kg5 (40... Ke7 41. Bb4+) 41. h3 Ra2 (to prevent Bd2 checkmate) 42. h4+ Kxg4 43. Rxg6+ Kf3 44. Rxg7 40. ... Kxe5 41. Rxg7 Kf6 42. Rc7 a5 43. Ra7 Kg5 44. Ra6 Ra2 45. h4+ Kxg4 46. Rxg6+ Kf3 47. Rxh6 a4 48. Rg6?? finally buckling under the pressure and throwing away the draw. 48. h5 Kg4 49. Rh8 Kg5 50. h6 Kg6 51. h7 Kg7 52. Ra8 Kxh7 53. Ra6 1/2-1/2 48. ... a3 49. h5 Rg2+ 50. Kh1 a2 1-0

2017 3 Tables - August Round 3 Anton Taylor, 1999 - Randas Burns, 1977 Sicilian: Hungarian (B27)

2017 3 Tables - August Round 3
Anton Taylor, 1999 - Randas Burns, 1977
Sicilian: Hungarian (B27)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bg7 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 Bc4 is more common but I have better results in other variations with Be2. 7. ... O-O 8. Qd2 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 Nxd4 11. Bc4 I thought quite a while on this move. The other option (Bxd4) was unsatisfactory to me. 11. ... Nf5 12. O-O-O Be6 13. Bc5?? The decisive error. I missed the upcoming Qc7 after the knight comes off. Bb3 and Qe2 are far better. 13. ... Bxd5 Qc8 is also stronger but this should be better for black anyway. 14. Bxd5 Qc7 15. Be3 The fact that this has to go back means that moving it was probably stupid. 15. ... e6 16. Bb3 Rfd8 17. Qe2 Qe5 18. c3 a5 19. Rhe1 Nxe3 20. Qxe3 Rxd1+ 21. Bxd1?? Right after my hand comes off the piece I notice the tactical theme that loses this game.  21. ... Bh6! 22. Qxh6 Qxe1 23. Qd2 Qxd2+ 24. Kxd2 Rd8+ 25. Ke2 Kg7 26. Ba4 e5 27. Bb5 f5 28. f3 Kf6 29. Bd3 h6 30. a4 Rd6 31. b4 b6 32. Bb5 e4 33. bxa5 bxa5 34. c4 exf3+ 35. gxf3 Re6+ 36. Kd3 Ke7 37. c5 f4 38. Kd4 Kd8 39. Bd3 g5 40. Be4 Kc7 41. Kc4 Re8 42. Kd4 Rb8 43. Ke5 Rb4 44. Kf5 Rxa4 45. Bd5 Rd4 46. Be6 Kc6 0-1

2017 3 Tables - August Round 2 CM Justin Arnold, 2073 - Anton Taylor, 1999 Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch (E20)

2017 3 Tables - August Round 2
CM Justin Arnold, 2073 - Anton Taylor, 1999
Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch (E20)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 O-O More common is d5 immediately contesting that big white stake in the center but this move is perfectly playable. 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 A lot of different moves have been tried here with all kinds of ideas. d5, d6, b6, Nh5, and even Ne8. 7. e3? At some point white has to play e4 to justify f3. It even seems much stronger here than his lackluster choice. In fact as I look at the menace of e4 I'm reconsidering the c5 line in favor of the solid d5. Black seems a bit busted after e4 to the point of getting strnagled. 7. ... Nc6 A minor miscalculation. Better is d6 preparing e5 and not tempting d5. 8. Bd3 e5 This is my deviation from the database. I am curious why this move has never been tried before. It seems to be an unexplored option. There are a lot of transpositions from here though into more common territory (if a sideline can be said to be common at all) 9. Ne2 d6 10. O-O b6 11. d5 Na5 12. Ng3 Ba6 13. Qe2 Qd7 14. e4? Surely Black must be better if only slightly against the terrible white light-squared bishop. 14. ... Nb3 15. Bg5 Nxa1 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. Nh5 Qd8? The evaluation is roughly equal until thhis point. Kh8 accelerates the rook getting into action and if black takes his "free pawn" he simply loses a rook. He cant forget that he's a rook down in this position. 18. Qf2 Kh8 19. Qh4 Rg8 20. Nxf6 Rg7 21. Rxa1 Qe7? b5 is a clever move order: 21... b5 22. cxb5 c4 23. Bxc4 Rc8 24. Bf1 Bxb5 25. Bxb5 Qb6+ Had I seen this it is a much preferable active continuation to the one I chose in the game. 22. Rb1 Rag8 Floundering going nowhere while white can improve his rook and the queenside in general. 23. g4 Bc8 24. Kf2 Bd7 No ideas are coming to me here so the analysis of this whole sequence of the last few moves gives me interesting new ideas to study. 25. Qh6 Rb8 26. h4? More direct is Rg1. The win gets further away from white though he is still in the drivers seat and should win. 26. ... a6 27. h5 b5 28. Nxd7?? White has been blundering his way through this ending only slightly less poor than black. This, however, releases some pressure off of white. 28. ...Qxd7 29. Qf6 Qd8 30. Qxd8+ Rxd8 31. cxb5 axb5 32. Bxb5 Rb8 33. a4 f6 34. h6 Ra7 35. Rh1 Kg8 36. Rh5 Kf7 37. Ke3 Rg8 38. Kd3 Rga8 39. Rh2 Rxa4?? In the rush to end this game I dive headlong into a lost ending. Keeping things as they are is the best chance to hold the draw in the complications and time trouble. 40. Bxa4 Rxa4 41. Rb2 Kg6 42. Rb6 c4+ 43. Kc2 Ra2+ 44. Kd1 Rf2 45. Rxd6 Rxf3 46. Kd2 Rf4?? throwing away the draw. Rf2+ thrown in here either nabs the c-pawn or puts the king one square further away from defending the e-pawn after Rf4. 47. Rc6 Rxe4 48. d6 Kf7 49. d7?? Rc7! wins immediately. 49. ... Ke7 50. Rd6 Kd8 1-0 The final recorded position should be drawn but in the scramble I lose it. 

3 Tables - August Round 1 FM Matt Hassen, 2315 - Anton Taylor, 1999 Caro-Kann: Advance/ Bayonet Variation

3 Tables - August Round 1
FM Matt Hassen, 2315 - Anton Taylor, 1999
Caro-Kann: Advance/ Bayonet Variation

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4 Bg6 5. e6 fxe6 6. h4 Qd6 7. h5 Bf7 8. f4 Nd7 This is where I was a bit lost. Nf6 or Nh6 are the recommended moves by Komodo but I'm not convinced that these moves go anywhere either. To have an equal position and be a pawn ahead means that black has done something wrong here. It is sharp and double-edged and has the potential for being completely lost or completely won. Essentially choosing this continuation by both players eliminates the drawn result. 9. Nc3 g6 10. hxg6 Bxg6 11. Bd3 Nf3 and g5 are better ways to handle the awkward position of the bishop or grip e5. 11. ... Bg7 12. Bxg6+ hxg6 13. Rxh8 Bxh8 14. Qd3 O-O-O 15. Nf3 Ngf6 The c5 break has to happen sooner or later. It probably should have been played here. Komodo likes Nh6 followed by e5 if white takes the g-pawn ... equal. 16. Ne5 Rg8 17. g5 Nf8?? I elect to give up the material but it was unnecessary. Instead, Komodo spots an interesting resource I had not even considered. Ne4 gives away the extra pawn but there is actually a slight advantage to black after the eminent trade. 18. gxf6 exf6 19. Ng4 Bg7 20. Bd2 g5 21. fxg5 f5 22. Nf2 Qh2 23. Ne2 Ng6 24. Qh3 Qc7 25. O-O-O Rh8 26. Qe3 e5 27. dxe5 Bxe5 28. Bc3 Re8 29. Bxe5 Rxe5 30. Qf3 Qe7 31. Nd3 Qxg5+? 31. ... Rxe2 32. Qxf5+ Qe6 seems better for black but I got cute. 32. Kb1 Re8 33. Rg1 Nh4 34. Rxg5 Nxf3 35. Rg2 Rh8 36. b3 Rh2 37. Rxh2 Nxh2 38. Nd4 Kc7 39. Nxf5 Nf3 40. Kb2 b6 41. Nf4 Ng5 42. Kc3 Nf3 43. Kd3 Ne1+ 44. Kd2 Nf3+ 45. Ke2 Ng5 46. Ke3 Kd7 47. a3 Kc7 48. b4 Ne4 49. Kd4 Nd2 50. a4 a6 1-0

The final moves are unrecorded but this has been obviously lost for quite a while.

2017 Cleveland Open Round 5 Adam Gerver, 2050 - Anton Taylor, 2002 Caro-Kann: Advance (B12)

2017 Cleveland Open Round 5
Adam Gerver, 2050 - Anton Taylor, 2002
Caro-Kann: Advance (B12)

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 I'm still favoring this move over the classic Bf5 but it has developed a dubious relationship with my repertoire. It works out in the case of this game, however. 4. dxc5 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 This move is suspect and leads to more than a few problems for white. Bb5 seems more consistent with an open game. 6. ... e6 7. a3?? leads to a loss. After the game I discussed this move with my opponent. Essentially he had mixed up the plans for this type of position (it boils down to either keeping the e-pawn or the c-pawn but white can't keep his extra pawn without problems. 7. ... Bxf3 8. Bxf3 Nxe5 This is still very good for black but probably Bxc5 is more accurate still threatening the e-pawn and developing another piece. 9. b4 Qf6 10. c3? Be2 is given as equal by Komodo but it looks like an unhappy risk to allow black to win the exchange even if Bb5+ looks menacing. 10. ... Nxf3+ 11. Qxf3 Qxf3 12. gxf3 g6 Be7 is more flexible but this has the same idea of controlling the long diagonal. 13. Bf4 It's hard to suggest a better try. Komodo gives the best chance to Kd1-Kc2-Bb2-Nd2 but that is so defensive that black must be winning by a wide margin. This move, however, makes white completely bankrupt directly (but keeps things complicated and potentially leaves winning chances on the table. It's not going to work but I applaud the last round aggression. 13. ... Bg7 14. Bd6 Nh6 15. Kd2 Nf5 This is completely winning but I missed the even more clear a5! forcing white to advnace the pawn and further weakening the advanced c-pawn. 16. Bf4 d4 17. Kc2 dxc3 18. Be3 O-O-O Rc8 was a move that Komodo seems to like but that I never really looked at. In conjunction with b6 it is a quite powerful variation. 19. Nxc3 Bd4 20. Rhe1 Rd7 21. Rab1?? Black was slowly allowing white to slip out of his grip but this is too much. contesting the file by Rad1 was necessary. 21. ... Bxc3 22. Kxc3 Rhd8 23. Kc2 Nd4+ 24. Bxd4 Rxd4 The rest is an instructive rook and pawn ending with full advantage to black. 25. Re2 Rd3 26. Re3 Rd2+ 27. Kb3 Rxf2 28. Rh1 Rdd2 29. h4 Rh2 30. Rxh2 Rxh2 31. Re4 Rh3 32. Rf4 f5 33. Rd4 Rxf3+ 34. Ka4 Re3 35. b5 Re4 36. Rxe4 fxe4 37. Kb4 Kd7 38. Kc3 e5 39. Kd2 Ke6 40. Ke3 Kd5 41. b6 a6 42. c6 Kxc6 43. Kxe4 Kd6 44. a4 Ke6 45. a5 h6 0-1

2017 Cleveland Open Round 4 Anton Taylor, 2002 - Kevin Ho, 1934 Sicilian: Moscow (B51)

2017 Cleveland Open Round 4
Anton Taylor, 2002 - Kevin Ho, 1934
Sicilian: Moscow (B51)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. a4 I'm becoming quite comfortable in this position. I made a note in an earlier game that this is a sideline played several times by World Champion Magnus Carlsen. 4. ... a6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. O-O b6 8. d4! This is by far the best move in the position. trading the pawns improves white's control of the center and leaves several squares still very weak (d5, c6, and b6 and probably more but these are the worst). 8. ... cxd4 Unhappy choice but there is nothing better. Black may already be committed to weak moves. 9. Qxd4? An error letting the advantage slip a bit. Better is Nxd4 because it is difficult to extricate this knight. e5? would lead to both Nf5 and/or simply jumping a knight into d5 and white gains a big advantage. 9. ... Ngf6 10. Bg5 Qc7 11. Rfe1 Bb7 12. Rad1 O-O 13. Bf1? As it turns out it is hard to find a clear plan for white here for me. I spent a decent amount of time on this move. The bishop must either be moved now or be forced to move with tempo later after black plays either rook to the logical c8. f1, however, is the wrong square. I came to the conclusion later on that e2 was better and this is confirmed by komodo. I was afraid for the pawn on e4 but Nd2 holds all things together in equilibrium. 13. ... Rfd8 14. Nd2 Re8? This move is completely unnecessary and I was happy to see it. I needed some time. Komodo recommends h6 but I think any advantage for black in that case is only slight. 15. Nc4 d5 Immediately after playing this move my opponent offered me a draw. I had told him before the game began that I was playing for a win. I politely declined after thinking for a good long time (he asked on my time, not the first or last mortal sin committed by this opponent in this game). 16. exd5 Nxd5 17. Bxe7 Rxe7 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. Ne3 Nf6 20. Nxd5 Nxd5 21. Bd3? Letting black's mistake playing d5 at the wrong time slip away. Qe4! here probably wins or at least presents enough problems that black must create a weakness or two to solve. 21. ... Rd7?? I felt this was losing for black but I did not see the winning combination. 22. Qe4! Rdd8 23. Qxh7+ Kf8 24. Qh4 The silicon monsters can easily justify grabbing the second extra pawn but during the game I could not see how to proceed and survive opening the files in front of my king. It just seemed that discretion was the better part of valor in this case. It is worthwhile to note that white gains time after chasing the black king to e7 by Qd4 (threatening to win the knight) to see this check this variation: 24.Qh8+ Ke7 25.Qxg7 Rg8 26.Qd4 and the needed time saving the queen and threatening the knight is achieved. Had I seen this I would have dived into the captures. 24. ... Nf6? 25. Qb4+? 25. Qh8+ Ke7 26. Qxg7 Rg8 27. Rxe6+!! Kxe6 28. Re1+ and the king hunt is terminal. 25. ... Kg8 26. g3 Rac8 27. c3 a5 28. Qh4 Rd6 29. Bc2? g4! wins. Rc2 should also be winning but g4 is much more precise and to the point. 29. ... Rcd8 30. Qg5 Rd5 31. Qe3 Ng4 32. Qe2 Nf6 33. Bb3 R5d6 34. Rxd6 Rxd6 35. Rd1 g6 36. Qf3 Kg7 37. Rxd6 Qxd6 38. Qb7?? I knew I had blown things immediately after I played this move and should probably be worse afterward. However, my opponent misses the correct reply and I'm still in the game. Bc4 to allow Qe2 if necessary and/or Bb5 covering everything and then advancing the inevitable passed pawn is winning for white. 38. ... Nd7? Qd2! 39. Qe4 Nc5 My opponent seemed happy with this fork but in my opinion this helps white. Is the endgame long and difficult? yes. Is white still winning? technically. It's a long hard road but I needed the win and knights complicate things for me. 40. Qc2 Nxb3 41. Qxb3 Qc5 42. Qb5! If black takes this trade he will lose quickly. So, the queen keeps her dominance on the queenside for white. If the white king can keep cover white wins. 42. ... Qd6 43. b4 axb4 44. Qxb4? Obviously wrong but the rigors and the time situation were getting to me. Also, every other move at this point I was getting draw offers. A floor TD stood nearby waiting for my complaint but I wanted to beat the loudmouth by ignoring him ... not let him win the psychological war by enlisting a TD. 44. ... Qd1+ 45. Kg2 Qd5+ 46. f3 Qd2+ 47. Kh3 e5? Qe2 holds. 48. Qxb6 Qh6+? "Monkey sees check, monkey makes check" as the saying goes. The rigors of this ending are getting to him too. Qxc3 was the move I expected. 49. Kg2 Qd2+ 50. Qf2 Qxc3 51. Qa2? Qe2 is more precise ... threatening the e-pawn and if 51. ...Qa5? Qb5! 51. ... Qa5 52. h4 f5 53. Kh3 Qe1 54. Kg2 Qa5 55. Qc2 Kf6 56. Qc6+ Kf7 57. Qd7+ Kf6 58. g4 fxg4 59. fxg4 Qa8+ 60. Kg3 e4 61. Qd4+ Ke6 62. Kf4 Qf8+ 63. Kxe4 Qf1 64. Qe5+ Kd7 65. Qb5+ Qxb5 66. axb5 Ke6 67. g5 Kd6 68. Kd4 Kc7 69. Ke5 Kb6 70. Kf6 Kxb5 71. Kxg6 Kc6 72. h5 Kd6 73. h6 Ke5 74. h7 Kf4 75. h8=Q Kg4 76. Qf8 Kh4 77. Qf4+ Kh3 78. Kh5 Kg2 79. Kg4 Kh1 80. Kg3 1-0

2017 Cleveland Open Round 3 CM Surya Parasuraman, 2089 - Anton Taylor, 2002 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik (B13)

2017 Cleveland Open Round 3 
CM Surya Parasuraman, 2089 - Anton Taylor, 2002 
Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik (B13)

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. c5 Nc6 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bb5 Bd7 An inaccuracy. O-O is the standard move and preserves the Bishop's potential to go to a6 or b7 in some lines. 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 Nh5?? I knew this was the wrong move even as I played it. Ne4 seems so obvious in this "rested" moment but I had no idea how to proceed during the game. It is a common outpost for the knight in such positions and black needs active play or he gets ground down in an inferior endgame. 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Re1 Nf6 14. Bxc6? Bxc6 This minor piece exchange trades a strong piece for black's weaker knight. I was happy to see it. 15. Ne5 Ne8? Repositioning to control b5 but removing a defender from the kingside is chronic. Fortunately, my opponent misses his chances through repeated inaccuracy. 16. b4 Nc7 17. a4 a6 18. Qd3 Qe8 19. Ng4? While this is still winning for white it is far clearer for white to simply play Re3! 19. ... f5?? Taking a drowning position and making it a whole lot worse by making the move Ng4 worth the effort. I did not spend enough time thinking about this move. Rc8 was probably necessary just preventing the queen fork. 20. Nxh6+ gxh6 21. Qg3+ Kh7 22. Qxc7+ Rf7 23. Qe5? Qd6 was the move I expected and is the one recommended by Komodo. My opponent didn't even seem to consider it. He made the last few moves quickly so I suspect he thought of Qe5 when he played Nxh6+. 23. ... Bd7 24. f4? Piling up the pieces against the backward d-pawn is the cleanest plan to win at this point with an easy endgame to convert. To that end Ne2-f4 should just win. 24. ... Rg7 25. Qe2 Qg6 26. g3 Rag8 27. Qf3 h5 28. Kf2 Black had been forming some reasonable threats and the king rightly decides to start sidestepping. Even if the battle is lost on this flank the war will be won in the center in an endgame. The more active king either wins or hides himself away in the opposite corner and let the pieces fight it out. Black should be winning now with fewer complications. 28. ... Qh6 29. Ne2 h4 30. Rh1 Be8 31. Qe3 Bh5 32. Rag1 Be8 33. Nc3 Rg4 34. Re1 R8g6 35. a5 Qg7 36. Qe5 Qxe5 37. Rxe5 Bd7 38. Re3 Kg8 39. Ne2 Bb5 40. Nc3 Bd7 41. Ne2 Ba4 42. h3 hxg3+ 43. Rxg3 Rxg3 44. Nxg3 Bc2 45. Rg1 Kf8 46. Ne2 Rh6 47. Rg3 Rh4 48. Ke3 Bd1 49. Nc3 Bh5 50. b5 axb5?? The pawn advances on this side will eventually lead to a white win but this accelerates the win quite a bit. 51. c6 e5 52. cxb7 1-0

I have no excuse for the blunderous and planless 11. ... Nh5? or the terminal move 15. ... Ne8? The plateauing continues. 

2017 Cleveland Open Round 2 Anton Taylor, 2003 - Kent Lui, 2069 Spanish: Classical (C64)

2017 Cleveland Open Round 2
Anton Taylor, 2003 - Kent Lui, 2069
Spanish: Classical (C64)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4? This is Black's mistake and leads to a losing position. 0-0 is the far better alternative. 6. d4 exd4 7. cxd4 Be7 8. d5 Nb8 9. Re1 Nd6 10. Bd3 O-O 11. Nc3 b6?? Na6 or Re8 is an inferior but probably not immediately losing position. The text just leads to disaster. 12. Bf4 Bb7 13. Rxe7 I decided to dive in on an attack. Komodo immediately finds a cook to the move but humans are not so clear-cut on variations. 13. ... Qxe7 14. Bxh7+ Kh8?? Kxh7 is a lot of pressure to weather for a human but if black answers the knight check by Kg6 his king manages to squeeze out of the trap. HOWEVER, this requires such precis calculation that I don't think my opponent even bothered to consider Kxh7. 15. Ng5 g6 16. Qg4 This move wins and is the thematic idea but due to the open center Qd4+ is possible and even more precise. 16. ... f6 17. Bxg6 fxg5 18. Be5+?? The losing move. In a position with several clearly winning continuations I manage to find one of the few that loses on the spot. 18. ... Qxe5 19. Qh5+ Kg7 20. Qh7+ Kf6 21. Kf1 Ba6+ 22. Kg1 Bc4 23. Be4 Na6 24. Re1 Rh8 25. Qg6+ Ke7 26. g3 Rag8 27. Re3 Rxg6 0-1 I throw in the towel in disgust. My opponent can only say "you knew how to play that attack." I mean, what can he say? He knows he was losing right out the opening and escaped only because i allowed it by "falling asleep".

2017 Cleveland Open Round 1 Anton Taylor, 2002 - NM Nabil Feliachi, 2200 French: KIA (C00)

2017 Cleveland Open Round 1
Anton Taylor, 2002 - NM Nabil Feliachi, 2200
French: KIA (C00)

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. Ngf3 c5 5. Be2 Nc6 6. O-O Qc7 7. Re1 Be7 8. Nf1? I made this move thematically as it is useful in some variations but here it just loses a pawn. My opponent responds equally quickly and misses his chance to snag the pawn for a free win. c3 or Bf1 are the book moves here (althought this is a sideline that isn't particularly common at all. 5. Be2 is unusual instead of g3. 8. ... b6 9. Ng3 Bb7 10. Bg5 O-O 11. Qc1 My rationality for this move is that it gives more potential to the knight on g3. By threatening Bf4 either black will concede the diagonal to the bishop or play e5 allowing the g3 knight access to f5. 11. ... Rac8? I was happy to see this move as the c-file is not going to be opened any time soon. It is the equivalent of a passing move and I will use it to try and get a kingside attack going. 12. Bf4 Qd8 Bd6 is probably an even trade and e5 is what I thought would help me along with improving the g3 knight and bringing it into the kingside attack via f5.  Qd8 is fine by white. 13. c3 Probably the best way to kill black's central counterplay in the event of a kingside attack but I played the move thinking about playing something like Bd1-a4 because now the piece I wanted to improve was the sad e2 bishop. 13. ... b5 14. a4 I played this move as an attempt to settle the queenside issues so that I could proceed on the kingside. Komodo is content to play more solid moves like Qc2 or h3 which don't seem to do much but carry a lot less risk along wth their lack of reward. I'm headhunting. 14. ... b4 15. Bd1 This move is consistant with my plan but again Komodo is very sceptical. The whole thing is just roughly equal. 15. ... Ba6 16. Bc2 Qb6 17. e5 This move is interesting but probably wrong. I liked it because I'm eyeing an attack on h7 and looking to remove the squares common defending piece ... the knight on f6. 17. ... Nd7 18. Bg5 There must be an attack in the air with so many pieces headed to the kingside. 18. ... b3 19. Bb1 d4 This move keeps the b1 bishop out of play but I'm not really convinced that it helps black all that much. If white simply plays c4 he can pile up pieces to attack b3 and probably free his tinprisoned piece. 20. Qf4? This allows a lot of unnecessary complications with the wayward black b-pawn that must be  treated like a "criminal" as Aron Nimzowitsch would say. As stated before c4 is the right course. 20. ... Bb7 21. Nh5 Qd8 22. Bh6 g6 23. Bxf8? Bxf8 Some players may believe this is great for white but practice has shown that often enough the bishop could be just as good as the rook. In other words this is just an equal trade and probably should have been avoided by white. Instead, 23. c4 again is the right way to go. gxh5 runs into Qg3+ and mate follows. 24. Ng5 As I sat thinking at this juncture I realized an unhappy truth. There is no way to continue this attack. By making the small exchange sacrifice black has created a position where white has no good way to keep going. Since white has left his structure in queenside disarray committing to the attack what can he do now that there is no attack? Keep committed and hope for the best was all I came up with. Sadly mishandled what I felt was a won game. But it never has been particularly "cut-and-dry" as a win and is simply falling behind for white in a double-edged position. 24. ... Ncxe5 25. Rxe5 Nxe5 26. Nf6+ Kg7 27. Qxe5 Qxf6 28. Qxf6+ Kxf6 29. Nxh7+ Kg7 30. Nxf8 Kxf8? Here black goes astray. He should play dxc3 preventing c4 and then he has a winning and active game. 31. Ra3?? The losing blunder. White has no way to get his pieces really active here but after 31.c4 he would have a kind of fortress that is hard for black to break open to realize his advantage. Even at that objectively white is lost but he could at that moment continue the fight. This blunder leads to a swift end. 31. ... c4 32. dxc4 dxc3 33. Rxb3 Rd8 34. h3 (34.Bc2 Be4!) 34. ... Rd1+ 35. Kh2 Rxb1 36. Rxb7 c2 0-1

2017 3 Tables - July Round 3 CM Justin Arnold, 2110 - Anton Taylor, 2007 Veresov (A45)

2017 3 Tables - July Round 3 
CM Justin Arnold, 2110 - Anton Taylor, 2007 
Veresov (A45)

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 c6? a6 is the most common move and is actually played in top games. I may try it the next time Justin plays this line but if memory serves correctly he has never played the same opening twice against me and may abandon this one. However, it's worth studying. I might win a nice game against some other opponent playing the Veresov attack. 4. f3 Bf5 5. g4 Bg6 6. e3 e6 7. h4 h5 8. g5 Ng8? up until this move both players have followed a game GM Grandelius - GM Bologan (2016) ... In that game black tries Nfd7 which is a better try but still is an inferior position for black. 9. Bd3 Ne7 10. Nge2 Nf5 11. Qd2 Nd7 12. O-O-O Qa5 Trying to develop but black is just lost. 13. Kb1 b5 14. e4 Ne7 15. Nxb5! I completely missed this thematic "sacrifice". 15. ... Qxd2 16. Nd6+ Kd8 17. Rxd2 Nc8 18. Nb7+ Ke8 19. exd5 Bxd3 20. dxe6 Bf5 21. exd7+ Bxd7 22. Re1 Be7 23. Nc5 Bxc5 24. dxc5 Be6 1-0

So once again I play an embarrassing game against CM Arnold. It's becoming a habit. This I believe is the third or fourth occasion I have had to witness his style of play first-hand I will be preparing a surprise or two for our next encounter and we will see what comes of that. I am determined to above all else claim Justin's "scalp". I love a good competitor and I get along with his personality which makes beating him psychologically difficult but I need those rating points. I smell blood in the water now. I'm motivated more than ever to win against him.

2017 3 Tables - July Round 2 Anton Taylor, 2007 - FM Matt Hassen, 2302 Modern: Three Pawns Attack (B06)

2017 3 Tables - July Round 2
Anton Taylor, 2007 - FM Matt Hassen, 2302
Modern: Three Pawns Attack (B06)

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. f4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. c3 Nf6 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O c5 8. d5 This option is "ok" but capturing on c5 is a small advantage for white because the c-pawn becomes a target. 8. ... e6 9. Qb3? c4 or dxe6 are better options that settle things in the center without compromising the position. 9. ... Qc8 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Rxf3 exd5 12. exd5 Re8 13. Be3 Nbd7 14. a4? Nd2 is a superior move that develops. 14. ... Ne4? Nb6 threatening c4 and making the d3 bishop bad is just better than this move. 15. Nd2 f5 16. a5? Bxe4 clears things up in the center and would rid white of his one trouble piece. 16. ... Rb8 17. Bb5? Making the minor piece trade is still superior. 17. ... Re7 18. Nxe4 Rxe4 19. Ra4? This is the losing mistake. Ironically, this is the move I conceived of playing when I played the useless a5. 19. ... Rxa4 20. Qxa4 Nf6 21. Bd3 Qc7 22. b4? Forcing the settling of things will only lead to cutting off the queen and losing in the center. 22. ... b6 23. a6?? Things were probably salvagable until this blunderous mess. 23. ... c4! The trumpet sounds the end of days. 24. Bb1 Nxd5 25. Bd4? Bd2 is still lost but black will have to be more accurate. This move makes black's choices much easier. 25. ... Bxd4+ 26. cxd4 b5 27. Qd1 Qe7 28. Bxf5 gxf5 29. Rg3+ Kh8 30. Qh5 Nxf4 0-1 There is no defense to Nd2+ winning the exchange.