In February 1999, at the United States Amateur Team East tournament which was won by my team Clinton: Insufficient Losing Chances, I defeated Greg Acholonu (USCF 2312) in round four on board one as follows: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 Nf6 9.Qe5+ Kf7 10.Bc4+ Kg7 11.Nf4 h6 12.Be6 Bb4+ 13.c3 Nc6 14.Qf5 Qe8 15.O-O [better 15.Bxc8 Rxc8 16.cxb4 Nxb4 17.O-O (17.Qc5 Nd3+ 18.Nxd3 exd3+ 19.Be3 d2+ with compensation) Nc2 18.Rb1 Nxd4 =, Louis Leiggi (USCF 2079) - Jim West (USCF 2207), Somerset NJ 1997] Bd6 16.Bxc8 Bxf4 17.Bxb7 Bxc1 18.Bxa8 Bxb2 19.Rab1 Ba3 20.Rb3 Bd6 21.Bb7 Ne7 22.Qa5 Qg6 23.c4 Nf5 24.c5 Bf4 25.d5 Rg8 26.d6 cxd6 27.c6 Kh8
28.Rg3 Nxg3 29.hxg3 e3 30.Qxa7 e2 31.Re1 (31.Ra1 Qe4 32.Re1 Qb4 -+) Bd2 32.Rxe2 Qb1+ 33.Kh2 Ng4+ 34.Kh3 Qh1#.
In May 1999, playing Black at the Manhattan Chess Club in the final round of a game/30 tournament, I drew grandmaster Pavel Blatny (USCF 2616). From move 39 on, neither player kept score. So the final moves may not be 100% accurate, although the final position is correct: 1.Nf3 d6 2.e4 e5 3.d4 f5 4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Ng5 d5 6.e6 Bc5 7.Nc3 c6 8.Qe2 (8.Ngxe4 Be7 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qe5 Nf6 11.Bh6, Yury Lapshun (USCF 2368) - Jim West (USCF 2211), New York 1997, and Black should have played 11...Rg8 12.O-O-O Ng4 13.Qf4 Bxe6 14.Ng5 Bf5 15.Nxh7 Rh8 16.h3 Nxf2 17.Qxf2 Rxh7 18.Bf4 Qb6 19.Qd2 Nd7 20.Bd3 O-O-O 21.Bxf5 gxf5 22.Qd3 Rf8 =) Nf6 (8...e3 9.Bxe3 Bxe3 10.Nf7 Qb6 11.Qxe3 d4 12.Nd6+ Kd8 13.Qg5+ Ne7 14.Nc4 Qc7 15.Qxg7 Rg8 16.Qxd4+ +-) 9.Nf7 Qe7 10.Nxh8 Bxe6 11.h3 (11.Bg5 Nbd7 12.O-O-O O-O-O 13.f3 Bb4 14.Qe3 Bc5 15.Qf4 exf3 16.gxf3 Rxh8 17.Re1 Qf7 18.Bd3 h6 19.Bxf6 gxf6 with compensation, Warthmann-Schlenker, Germany 1991) Nbd7 12.g4 Ne5 13.Bg2 O-O-O 14.Bf4 Nf3+ 15.Bxf3 exf3 16.Qe5 Bd6 17.Qg5 Bxf4 18.Qxf4
Bxg4+ (18...d4 19.O-O-O dxc3 20.Rxd8+ Qxd8 21.Qe3 Bd5 22.Qxa7 Nd7 -/+) 19.Kf1 Bh5 20.Qf5+ Qd7 21.Qxd7+ Nxd7 22.Rg1 Rxh8 23.Rxg7 Bg6 24.Re1 Bxc2 25.Ree7 Rd8 26.Rgf7 d4 27.Ne4 Bxe4 28.Rxe4 Nc5 29.Ree7 d3 30.Ke1 d2+ 31.Kd1 a5 32.b3 Kb8 33.a3 Rd3 34.Re3 Rd4 35.Rfxf3 a4 36.b4 Nb3 37.Rxb3 axb3 38.Rxb3 Rf4 39.Kxd2 Rxf2+ 40.Ke3 Rf7 41.Ke4 Kc7 42.Ke5 Rg7 43.Kf6 Rd7 44.Re3 Kb6 45.Kg5 Rd4 46.Kh6 Rh4+ 47.Kg4 Rc4 48.h4 Rd4 49.h5 Rd5+ 50.Kh6 Kb5 51.Re7 b6 52.Rxh7 Rd3 53.Ra7 Rh3 54.Kg6 Rg3+ 55.Kh7 c5 56.bxc5 bxc5 57.a4+ Kb6 58.Rg7 Rh3 59.h6 c4 60.Rg8 Ka5 61.Rc8 c3 62.Rc4 Rd3 63.Kg7 Rd7+ 64.Kf6 Rd6+ 65.Kg5 Rd5+ 66.Kg4 Rd6 67.Kg5 Rd5+ 68.Kg6 Rd6+ 69.Kg7 Rd7+ 70.Kg8 Rd8+ 71.Kg7 Rd7+ 72.Kf6 Rd6+ 73.Kg5 Rd5+ 74.Kg6 Rd6+ 75.Kg7 Rd7+ 76.Kf8 Rh7 77.Rc6 c2 78.Kg8 Rxh6 79.Rxc2, 1/2-1/2.
In June 1999, again playing Black at the Manhattan Chess Club, I was defeated by grandmaster Jan Ehlvest (USCF 2721) in 35 moves. The opening moves were:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Neg5 exd4 7.Nxd4 (7.Qxd4 Nf6 8.Qe3+ Qe7 9.Bd3 Qxe3+ 10.Bxe3 Bd6 11.Bd4 O-O 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nxh7 Rf7 14.O-O-O Nc6 15.Bg6 Rxh7 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Rxd5 Be6 =) Nf6 [7...Qe7+ 8.Qe2 (8.Be2 h6 9.Ngf3 c5 10.Nb5 a6 11.Nc3 d4 12.Nd5 Qd6 13.Bc4 Ne7 14.Bf4 Qe6+ 15.Qe2 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Qxe2+ 17.Kxe2 Nd7 18.Rhe1 Nb6 19.Kf1+ Kd8 20.Bf7 Be7 21.Ne5 Rf8 22.Bg3 Bf5 23.Bg6 Bd6 24.Nf7+ Rxf7 25.Bxf7 Bxg3 26.hxg3 Bxc2 27.Rac1 d3 28.Re8+ Kd7 29.Rxa8 d2 30.Ra1 Nxa8 31.Bh5 Nb6 32.Bd1 Bd3+ with compensation) h6 9.Nge6 Bxe6 10.Nxe6 Kf7 11.Nxf8 Qxe2+ 12.Bxe2 Kxf8 13.Bf4 c6 14.O-O-O Nf6 15.Bd3 Kf7 16.Rhe1 Nbd7 17.Bd6 Rhe8 +/=] 8.Be2 (8.Qe2+ Qe7 9.Bf4 Kd7 unclear) Nc6 9.Bb5 Qd6 10.O-O Be7 11.Re1
Now, instead of 11...O-O 12.Nde6 Bxe6 13.Nxe6 Rf7 14.Ng5 Rff8 15.Bd3 Rae8 16.Ne6 Rf7 17.Bf4 Qb4 18.a3 Qxb2 19.Nxc7 Rc8 20.Rb1 +/-, I should have played 11...Ng4 12.Ngf3 O-O 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.h3 Nxf2 15.Kxf2 Bh4+ 16.Kg1 Bxe1 17.Qxe1 c5 with compensation.
Here are thirteen supplemental games, including the only encounter in which as White I had to face my own favorite defense, all played against masters or experts.
Game #1: Jose Vasconcellos (USCF 2201) - Jim West (USCF 2229), Somerset NJ 3/14/99
1.e4 e5 2.d4 d6 3.Nf3 f5 4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Nd4 d5 6.Be2 c6 7.O-O Bc5 8.c3 Ne7 9.b4 Bb6 10.Bh5+ Ng6 11.Nd2 O-O 12.Bxg6 hxg6 13.f4 Qh4 14.N2b3 Bg4 15.Qe1 Qxe1 16.Rxe1 Nd7 17.h3 Be6 18.Kh2 Rae8 19.a4 Bxd4 20.cxd4 Nb6 21.g3 Nc4 22.Nd2 Nxd2 23.Bxd2 a6 24.b5 axb5 25.Bb4 Rf7 26.axb5 cxb5 27.Bd6 Rc8 28.Rec1 Rc4 29.Ra8+ Kh7 30.Rca1 g5 31.Re8 Bd7 32.Re7 Rxe7 33.Bxe7 Rc2+ 34.Kg1 gxf4 35.gxf4 Bxh3 36.Ra3 Bf5 37.Rb3 Bd7 38.Kf1 Kg6 39.Rg3+ Kf7 40.Bc5 g6 41.Ke1 Bf5 42.Rb3 Bd7 43.Ra3 Rc4 44.Ra8 b4 45.Rf8+ Kg7 46.Rd8 Bg4 47.Rxd5 e3, 0-1.
Game #2: Tim Hall (USCF 2000) - Jim West (USCF 2201), Bound Brook NJ 2/6/00
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Ng5 d5 6.c4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 d4 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 e3 10.f4 c5 11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Bxh7 Rxh7 13.Nxh7 Qa5 14.Qb3 Bf5 15.Ng5 Nbc6 16.O-O Rd8 17.h3 e2 18.Re1 dxc3 19.Be3 c2 20.Rxe2 Rd3 21.Qb2 Rd1+ 22.Kh2 Rb1 23.Qa2 Qc3 24.Rxc2 Qxa1 25.Qxa1 Rxa1 26.Rd2 b6 27.g4 Bc8 28.f5? Nxe5 29.Bf4 Nxc4 30.Re2 Rxa3 31.Ne4 Kf8 32.Bg5 Nc6 33.f6 Nd4 34.fxg7+ Kxg7 35.Bf6+ Kg6 36.Rf2 Nf3+ 37.Kg2 Bb7 38.Re2 Nfd2, 0-1.
Game #3: Louis Leiggi (USCF 2064) - Jim West (USCF 2212), Bound Brook NJ 9/12/99
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 Nf6 9.Qe5+ Kf7 10.Bc4+ Kg7 11.Bh6+ Kxh6 12.Nxh8 Bb4+ 13.c3 Qxh8 14.h4 Kg7 15.cxb4 Qf8 16.Qxc7+ Nbd7 17.Rh3 Kh8 18.Rg3 Qxb4+ 19.Kf1 Qf8 20.Qf4 b6 21.h5 Bb7 22.Qg5 h6 23.Qf5 Rc8 24.Be6 Rc2 25.Rg6 Bd5 26.Bxd5 Nxd5 27.Qxf8+ Nxf8 28.Rxh6+ Kg7 29.Rd6 Nf6 30.Re1 Kf7 31.Rd8 Rxb2 32.h6 N8h7 33.Rc1 Kg6 34.Ra8 Rxa2 35.Rc7 Rd2 36.Raxa7 Rxd4 37.Rab7 Rd6 38.Re7 Kxh6 39.Rb8 Kg6 40.Reb7 Nd5 41.Rg8+ Kh6 42.Rh8 Ndf6 43.Rhb8 Nd7 44.Rd8 Nhf6 45.Ke2 Kg5 46.Ra7 Kf5 47.Ra3 Rc6 48.Ra2 b5 49.Rb2 Rb6 50.Rc8 Ke6 51.Ke3 Ne5 52.Rb1 b4 53.f3 exf3 54.gxf3 b3 55.f4 Nd5+ 56.Kd4 Rb4+ 57.Kc5 Nd7+ 58.Kc6 Rb6#.
Game #4: Brandon Burrows (USCF 2071) - Jim West (USCF 2201), Marshall Chess Club 3/12/00
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nc3 e4 7.Ne5 Nf6 8.Be2 Bb4 9.O-O O-O 10.Bg5 c6 11.f3 Qe8 12.fxe4 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nxe4 14.Bd2 Nd7 15.Nxd7 Bxd7 16.Rxf8+ Qxf8 17.Bf3 Re8 18.Bxe4 Rxe4 19.Qf1 Qxf1+ 20.Kxf1 Bf5 21.Rb1 b5 22.g3 h5 23.Bf4 h4 24.Kf2 hxg3+ 25.hxg3 Re8 26.Rb2 Kf7 27.Be5 Rh8 28.Kf3 Be4+ 29.Kf2 a5 30.Bc7 a4 31.Bd6 Bxc2 32.a3 Bf5 33.Ke3 Rh1 34.Bb4 g5 35.Rf2 Kg6 36.Bd6 Rc1 37.Bb4 Rd1 38.Rd2 Rg1 39.Kf2 Rh1 40.Ke3 Be4 41.Rf2 Rg1 42.Bd6 Rc1 43.Bb4 Bf5 44.Rh2 Rd1 45.Rh8 Rd3+ 46.Kf2 Be4 47.g4 Rf3+ 48.Ke2 Rg3 49.Rc8 Bd3+ 50.Kd2 Bc4 51.Rxc6+ Kf7 52.Rc7+ Ke8 53.Rc8+ Kd7 54.Rg8 Rxg4 55.Ke3 Re4+ 56.Kf3 g4+ 57.Kg3 Be2 58.Rg6 Kc7 59.Rg7+ Kc6 60.Rg6+ Kd7 61.Rd6+ Kc7 62.Rxd5 Re6 63.Re5 Rxe5 64.dxe5 Kd7, 1/2-1/2.
Game #5: Tim Hall (USCF 2003) - Jim West (USCF 2201), Bound Brook NJ 4/2/00
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Bc4 exd4 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.O-O Nc6 7.Re1 f4 8.Bxf4 Qf6 9.Qd2 Be7 10.Na3 Ne5 11.Be2 O-O 12.g3 Ng6 13.Bc4+ Kh8 14.e5 Nxe5 15.Qxd4 Qg6 16.Bd3 Bf5 17.Bxf5 Nxf5 18.Qe4 Bxg5 19.Bxg5 Qxg5 20.f4 Nxg3 21.Qxe5 Qg4 22.Qg5 Ne2+ 23.Kh1 Qf3+ 24.Qg2 Qxg2+ 25.Kxg2 Nxf4+ 26.Kg3 Ng6 27.Nb5 Rf7 28.Re4 a6 29.Nd4 Ne5 30.Rae1 h6 31.Ne6 Re8 32.Nf4 Kh7 33.h4 Rc8 34.h5 Rf5 35.R1e3 Rcf8 36.c4 c5 37.Ne6 R8f6 38.Nf4 b5 39.b3 bxc4 40.bxc4 Rg5+ 41.Kh3 Nc6 42.Rg3 Rgf5 43.Rg4 Ne5 44.Rh4 Nf3 45.Nd5 Ng5+ 46.Kg2 Rf2+ 47.Kg1 Rf1+ 48.Kg2 R6f2+ 49.Kg3 Nxe4+ 50.Rxe4 Rf5 51.Nf4 R1xf4 52.Rxf4 Rxh5 53.Rf7 d5 54.Ra7 dxc4 55.Rxa6 Rd5 56.Ra4 Rd3+ 57.Kf2 c3 58.Ke2 Rd2+ 59.Ke1 Rb2 60.Kd1 g5 61.a3 Ra2 62.Kc1 Kg6 63.Kb1 Rb2+ 64.Ka1 Rd2 65.Rc4 Rd3 66.a4 Rd4 67.Rxc3 Rxa4+ 68.Kb2 c4 69.Kc2 g4 70.Kd2 h5 71.Ke3 Kg5 72.Ke4 h4 73.Ke3 h3 74.Kf2 Kh4 75.Ke3 h2 76.Rc1 Ra3+ 77.Kf4 Rf3+ 78.Ke4 Rg3 79.Rh1 Kh6 80.Kf4 Rg1, 0-1.
Game #6: Sherif Hanna (USFC 2167) - Jim West (USCF 2229), Manhattan Chess Club 2/21/99
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Bc4 exd4 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Bb5 fxe4 7.Qxe4+ Qe7 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Qxe7+ Bxe7 10.Nd4 Bd7 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bd3 O-O 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bd2 d5 15.f3 Nh5 16.O-O-O Nf4 17.Bxf4 Rxf4 18.Ne2 Rb4 19.c3 Rb6 20.Kc2 Rab8 21.Rb1 c5 22.b3 a5 23.Nf4 c6 24.Rhe1 Bd6 25.g3 Rf8 26.Bg6 Bxf4 27.gxf4 Rxf4 28.Re7 Bf5+ 29.Bxf5 Rxf5 30.Rg1 Rf7 31.Re6 Rxf3 32.Rxh6 c4 33.Rg2 cxb3+ 34.axb3 d4 35.cxd4 Rfxb3 36.Rhg6 Rb2+ 37.Kc3 Rxg2 38.Rxg2 Kf7 39.Kc4 Ra6 40.Rg3 Kf6 41.h4 g6 42.Kc5 a4 43.Kb4 Kf5 44.Rg5+ Ke4 45.Ka3 Kxd4 46.Rxg6 Ke5 47.Rg4 Kf5 48.Rxa4 Rxa4+ 49.Kxa4 Kg4 50.Kb4 Kxh4 51.Kc5, 1/2-1/2.
Game #7: Tim Hall (USCF 2013) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Bound Brook NJ 12/5/99
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Qxd8+ Nxd8 8.Nxe5 fxe4 9.O-O Bd6 10.f4 Be6 11.Bxe6 Nxe6 12.Re1 O-O 13.Nxe4 Nd4 14.Rb1 Nxc2 15.Re2 Nd4 16.Re1 Rae8 17.Nxd6 cxd6 18.Nd3 Rxe1+ 19.Nxe1 Re8 20.Bd2 Re4 21.Nd3 Nd5 22.Rd1 Ne2+ 23.Kf2 Nexf4 24.Nxf4 Nxf4 25.Bxf4 Rxf4+ 26.Ke3 Rf6 27.Rc1 Re6+ 28.Kf3 Kf7 29.Rc7+ Re7 30.Rc8 Ke6 31.Ra8 a6 32.Rh8 h6 33.Ke4 Kd7+ 34.Kd3 Re5 35.Rg8 Rg5 36.g3 Rg4 37.Rb8 Kc7 38.Rg8 a5 39.a3 a4 40.Kc3 b5 41.Kd3 h5 42.Kc3 Kc6 43.Kd3 g6 44.Rc8+ Kb7 45.Rd8 Kc7 46.Rg8 h4 47.gxh4 Rxh4 48.Rxg6 Rxh2 49.Kc3 Kc6 50.Rg8 Rh3+ 51.Kc2 Kc5 52.Rc8+ Kd4 53.Rb8 Rb3 54.Rh8 d5 55.Rh4+ Kc5 56.Rh8 Kc4 57.Rc8+ Kd4 58.Re8 Rh3 59.Rb8 Rh2+ 60.Kb1 Kc4 61.Rc8+ Kd3 62.Rc5 Rh1+ 63.Ka2 d4 64.Rxb5 Ke3 65.Re5+ Kf4 66.Re8 d3 67.Rd8 Ke3 68.Re8+ Kf2 69.Rd8 Rh3 70.b3 Ke2 71.bxa4 d2 72.Rxd2+ Kxd2 73.a5 Kc3, 0-1.
Game #8: Jim Gwyn (USCF 2230) - Jim West (USCF 2201), Hamilton NJ 3/25/00
1.d4 d6 2.e4 e5 3.dxe5 dxe5 4.Qxd8+ Kxd8 5.Bc4 f5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bg5 Bd6 9.O-O-O Ke8 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Nb5 Ke7 12.exf5 Bxf5 13.Nh4 Be6 14.Bxe6 Kxe6 15.f4 a6 16.Rxd6+ cxd6 17.Nc7+ Kf7 18.Nxa8 Rxa8 19.fxe5 dxe5 20.Rf1 Rd8 21.g4 Ne7 22.g5 Rd6 23.gxf6 Rxf6 24.Nf3 Ke8 25.Nd2 Rxf1+ 26.Nxf1 Kf7 27.Kd2 Ke6 28.Kd3 Kf5 29.c4 Kf4 30.Nd2 Nc6 31.a3 a5 32.c5 h5 33.h4 Kg4 34.Kc4 Kxh4 35.b4 axb4 36.axb4 Kg3 37.b5 Na7 38.Ne4+ Kf4 39.Nd6 h4 40.b6 Nc6 41.Nxb7 h3 42.Kb5 Nd4+ 43.Kc4 h2 44.Na5, 0-1.
Game #9: Tim Hall (USCF 2013) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Bound Brook NJ 1/2/00
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.dxe5 Nxe5 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Bg5 c6 10.O-O-O+ Kc7 11.exf5 Bxf5 12.Rhe1 Bd6 13.Bd3 Bxd3 14.Rxd3 Rae8 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 h6 17.Bh4 Rhf8 18.Bg3 g5 19.Rde3 Kc8 20.f4 gxf4 21.Bxf4 Re6 22.Bg3 Rfe8 23.Kd2 Be7 24.Ke2 Bg5 25.Ra3 a6 26.Ra5 Bf6 27.Ra3 Bd8 28.Rf3 Bc7 29.Rf7 R8e7 30.Rxe7 Rxe7 31.Kf3 Kd7 32.Kg4 Ke6 33.Kh5 Kd5 34.Rb4 Bd6 35.Rb3 e4 36.Bxd6 Kxd6 37.Kxh6 Ke5 38.Re3 Kf4 39.Re1 e3 40.Kg6 Re6+ 41.Kf7 Re4 42.h4 e2 43.h5 Ke3 44.h6 Rh4 45.Kg7 Rg4+ 46.Kf7 Rxg2 47.Rh1 Rf2+ 48.Kg7 Rf1 49.Rh5 e1=Q 50.Re5+ Kd2 51.Rxe1 Rxe1 52.h7 Rg1+ 53.Kf7 Rh1, 0-1.
Game #10: Jim West (USCF 2201) - Tim Hall (USCF 2000), Bound Brook NJ 3/5/00
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.dxe5 Nxe5 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.Bg5+ Be7 9.Bxe7+ Kxe7 10.Nc3 c6 11.exf5 Bxf5 12.O-O-O b5 13.Bd3 Bxd3 14.Rxd3 b4 15.Ne4 Nf6 16.Nc5 Rhe8 17.Re1 Kf7 18.Nd7 Nxd7 19.Rxd7+ Kf6 20.Rd6+ Re6 21.Rxe6+ Kxe6 22.f4 Kf5 23.Rxe5+ Kxf4 24.Rc5 Ke3 25.Rxc6 Kf2 26.g4 Kg2 27.Rc7 Rg8 28.Rxa7 Kxh2 29.Rb7 Kh3 30.Rxb4 g5 31.Rd4 h5 32.gxh5 g4 33.b4 g3 34.Kb2 g2 35.Rd1 g1=Q 36.Rxg1 Rxg1 37.a4 Rg5 38.a5 Rxh5 39.a6 Rh8 40.b5 Ra8 41.c4 Kg4 42.c5 Kf5 43.b6 Ke6 44.b7 Rb8 45.c6 Kd6 46.a7, 1-0.
Game #11: Jose Vasconcellos (USCF 2195) - JimWest (USCF 2212), Bound Brook NJ 8/1/99
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 f5 4.d4 Nc6 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.d5 Nb8 7.O-O f4 8.Ne6 Bxe6 9.dxe6 Qh4 10.g3 Qh3 11.Qf3 Nc6 12.Qg2 Qxg2+ 13.Kxg2 Nd4 14.Bb3 g5 15.Nd2 Ke7 16.h4 gxh4 17.gxf4 Rg8+ 18.Kh3 Ne2 19.Nf3 Nxf4+ 20.Bxf4 exf4 21.Nxh4 Bg7 22.c3 Be5 23.Nf3 Ng4 24.Rad1 Raf8 25.Nxe5 Nxe5 26.Rg1 Nf3 27.Rxg8 Rxg8 28.Rd5 Ne5 29.Ra5 a6 30.c4 c5 31.Ra3 Kxe6 32.Bc2 Rg7, 0-1.
Game #12: Tim Hall (USCF 2013) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Hamilton NJ 1/29/00
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.exf5 e4 5.Ng5 Nf6 6.f3 Qe7 7.Be2 exf3 8.Nxf3 Bxf5 9.O-O Qd7 10.d5 Be7 11.Nd4 Bg4 12.Rxf6 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 gxf6 14.Ne6 h5 15.Qd3 Kf7 16.Qf5 Bf8 17.Nc3 Bg7 18.Bg5 Qe7 19.Ne4 Nd7 20.Rf1 Kg8 21.Nxg7 fxg5 22.Ne6 Rh6 23.Rf2 g4 24.N4g5 Rf6 25.Qe4 Nf8 26.Rxf6 Qxf6 27.Nxf8 Qxg5 28.Ne6 Qf6 29.c3 Re8 30.a3 Re7 31.Qd3 Rf7 32.Qe2 Qf5 33.h3 g3 34.Qe1 Qf2+ 35.Qxf2 Rxf2 36.Nxc7 Rxb2 37.Kf1 Rb3 38.Ne8 Rxc3 39.Nxd6 b6 40.Nb5 Rd3 41.Nxa7 Rxd5 42.Nc8 Rf5+ 43.Kg1 Rc5, 0-1.
Game #13: Eric Horsboll (USCF 2131) - Jim West (USCF 2212), Marshall Chess Club 9/2/99
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.exf5 e4 5.Qe2 Nf6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bxf6 exf3 8.Qxe7+ Qxe7+ 9.Bxe7 Kxe7 10.gxf3 Bxf5 11.Kd2 Nc6 12.c3 Rhf8 13.Rg1 g6 14.Rg3 Rf6 15.Bd3 Raf8 16.Bxf5 Rxf5 17.Ke2 Rh5 18.h3 Kd7 19.Nd2 d5 20.Nf1 Ne7 21.Ne3 Nf5 22.Nxf5, 1/2-1/2.
*{This article originally appeared in the May-June 2000 issue of Virginia Chess Newsletter}
