I Blundered Here

In the second round of the Inland Empire Open, I struggled to find my way in a winning position. As my opponent, Loyd Willaford, matched my errors with his own, my winning position was restored.* I finished the first day with my customary 2 1/2: two wins and a half-point bye to allow time for wine and hot tub before the tougher opponents today.

Black to move

38...Nd7??

Black retains a decisive advatage with 38.Qf2, which I considered, as well as 38...Rd2, which I thought was bad, and even 38...Kh7. White now has equality.

39.Qb2?

39.Rxd3 cxd3 40.Qc3=

39...f6??

Now White is winning.

39...Qf6 retains an edge for Black.

40.Rxd3 cxd3 41.Qb3+ Kf8 42.Nxh6 Ne5 43.Qg8+ Ke7

White to move

44.Nf5+??

Allows, nay forces, the Black king to escape.

44.Qg7+ Ke6 45.Nf5 Nf7 46.Nge3+-

44...Kd7 45.Qg7+ Kc8 46.Rc1+ Kb8

The Black king is secure, and Black may now return to the business of attacking. Two more moves were played and then White resigned.


*In the second round of the Collyer Memorial, I had White against Loyd. I gave him a winning position out of the opening with a badly played Ponziani, but he lost his way in the complications. We seem to battle to see who can make worse errors.