Friday, January 4, 2008

E-mail from Frederic Fournier

Yesterday I received an e-mail from Frederic Fournier whose blog Contre Gambit Philidor is included in my link list. Fournier writes, in part, "Even if A. C. van der Tak does not love the Philidor Counter Gambit, it is always a pleasure to discover your improvements...."

I have not read van der Tak's article on the PCG. But, according to The Kenilworthian, van der Tak analyzes my loss against Dvoirys at the New York Open 2000. The following game may be one of those improvements that Fournier refers to in his e-mail.

Leif Pressman (USCF 2133) - Jim West (USCF 2208), Marshall Chess Club 8/6/2006

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.exf5 e4 5.Ng5 Nf6 6.f3 h6 7.Ne6 Bxe6 8.fxe6 d5 9.fxe4 dxe4 10.Bc4 Nc6 11.c3 Be7 12.O-O O-O 13.Bf4 Na5 14.Nd2 Nxc4 15.Nxc4 c6 16.Ne3 Nd5 17.Nxd5 Qxd5 18.Qg4 h5 19.Qh3 Bf6 20.Be3 g6 21.Qg3 g5 22.c4 Qxe6


23.Bxg5 Bxd4+ 24.Be3+ Bg7 25.Bd4 Qg4 26.Qxg4 hxg4 27.Bxg7 Kxg7 28.Rxf8 Rxf8 29.Re1 Re8 30.Kf2 Kf6 31.Kg3 Kg5 32.h4+ gxh3 33.gxh3 Kf5 34.Re3 Rg8+ 35.Kf2 Ke5 36.h4 Kf4 37.Rh3 Rh8 38.Rh1 e3+ 39.Ke2 Rd8 40.h5 Rd2+ 41.Ke1 Rxb2 42.Rh4+ Kg5 43.Rh3 Kh6, draw.

The time control was game/30, which explains why Black accepted a draw in an advantageous position.