Here is my club game(new window) from Tuesday night. This may be the strongest opponent I have beaten yet.
JEDACEK JR, WILLIAM J (1681) vs FLORY, TIMOTHY J (1290p14) 0-1

I have been playing the best chess of my life lately. The MDLM program has been working wonders for me even though I have not done that many problems. I learned a lot about my weaknesses from doing my tactical training and already feel stronger. It is a chore to do it though. I thought I had peaked in my chess ability since I was unable to achieve last years goal of maintaining (or even reaching) 1600 FICS. I am now just 5 points away after 2-3 months of tactical training and I feel like I should be able to maintain that average.

I won my club game last night against a 1600 player. It was a very tough game and I believe I beat him on a psychological level before beating him on the board. I will post the annotated game after I have a chance to evaluate my play.

I was really kind of pissed off last FICS 45 45 tourney that after playing for the Patchworks team for several tournaments when they did not submit a team (or let me know) and I had to beg some other captains to let me join. I was lucky to get on the Pomaranch 1600 and DLM 1800 teams. If not for that I may have never started the tactical training. Funny how things work out.

I thought all this blogging would be a waste of time but I have learned a lot from going over my games and reading other's blogs. Some of the comments people have left me have helped out a lot too.

Here is my annotated 45 45 game(new window) from Saturday.
phorku v novolook 1-0

Yeah! Another DLM1600 win and all time high rating of 1595 on FICS. Annotated game to be posted later.

Here (new window) is my loss from the club Tuesday. Before my tactical error I thought my position wasn't that great but Crafty said it was about even. I felt I played ok, only a couple minor errors instead of gross errors like leaving pieces enprise. I was really hoping to beat Ludvik and last weeks opponent. Oh well.

FLORY, TIMOTHY J (1290P14) vs BARTA, LUDVIK (1635) 0-1

I won my first round in the FICS 45 45 against redback and achieved an all time high rating of 1584. You can view the game here( new window). I used some of my new tactical ability to play into the endgame. I have some basic endgame skills and felt confident I could win it. I had a respectable loss at the club on Tuesday will post about that later. It has been a busy week.

Lost my game at the club Tuesday. I am really sick about it because I missed a mate in 2. Victor (1506) and I (1302P11) are even now with 1.5 points each.

[Event "Edited game"]
[Site "-"]
[Date "2005.09.13"]
[Round "-"]
[White "TIMOTHY J FLORY"]
[Black "VICTOR NASVYTIS"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 Nc6 2. Bc4 e5 3. d3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. f4 d6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. O-O Nd4 8.
Bxf7+ Kd7 9. Nxe5+ dxe5 10. Qd2 Qe7 11. Bc4 Ne2+ 12. Kh1 Nxf4 13. a3 Ba5
14. b4 Bb6 15. Nd5 N4xd5 16. exd5 Rad8 17. a4 a6 18. a5 Ba7 19. b5 axb5 20.
Bxb5+ Kc8 21. a6 b6 22. Bc6 Nxd5 23. Ba3 Qe6 24. Bb7+ Kb8 25. Qg5 g6 26. c4
h6 27. cxd5 hxg5 28. dxe6 Bxe6 29. Rf6 Bf5 30. Bb2 Rhe8 31. Rc1 Rxd3 32.
Rf7 c5 33. Re1 e4 34. h3 g4 35. hxg4 Bxg4 36. Rf8 Rdd8 37. Be5+ Rxe5 38.
Rxd8+ Kc7 39. Ra8 Bb8 40. a7 Bxa7 41. Rxa7 Kb8 42. Rea1 e3 43. Bc6 e2 44.
Ra8+ Kc7 45. Re1 Kxc6 46. Kh2 Rf5 47. Re8 Rd5 48. Kg3 Bh5 49. Kf4
*
End of annotation.


6. Nf3 Bg4 7. O-O Nd4 8.
Bxf7+ Kd7 9. Nxe5+ dxe5 10. Qd2 Qe7
On move 7 I made the instant move 0-0. Right after that I panicked. I forgot to check the Bxf7 tactical lines that can sometimes get the g4 Bishop. So I got in a tizzy failing to see that the B is protected by the N. It is extra painful because I just got done reading a chess cafe article on quiescent errors and I make the same mistake 2 (almost 3) moves in a row. On the Qd2 move I had my Q in hand going for the B but caught myself. I put my Q down to regain my composure. I realized another mistake I make during my games at this point. I have to move my Q but start analyzing other dead lines. I do this in check sometimes too. When I am forced to move a piece I need to just focus on that pieces moves and not waste my time. So this is a typical game for me. I drop a piece early on then wake up and start playing. At least this time I got coffee house compensation.

16. exd5 Rad8 17. a4 a6 18. a5 Ba7 19. b5 axb5 20.
Bxb5+ Kc8 21. a6 b6 22. Bc6 Nxd5 23. Ba3 Qe6 24. Bb7+ Kb8
I can see he is going to move his K to safty so I advance my pawns.













I see that his King is pretty restricted and start trying to keep an eye out for a mate.















Here Victor make a tactical error I used to make all the time - the counter attack. I don't really want to bite because that means the Qs are coming off the board and I am not confident of my endgame skills in this postion. I figure I will probably not have another chance to reclaim my piece so....

26. c4 h6 27. cxd5 hxg5 28. dxe6 Bxe6 29. Rf6 Bf5 30. Bb2 Rhe8 31. Rc1 Rxd3 32. Rf7 c5 33. Re1 e4 34. h3 g4 35. hxg4 Bxg4 36. Rf8 Rdd8








Crafty says:
32. Bxe5 Rd7 33. Bc6 Rde7 34. Bxe8 Rxe8 35. Bxc7+ Ka8 36. Bxb6 Bxb6 37. Rxb6 Re2 38. Ra1 Re7 39. Kg1 Ka7 40. Rb2 Be4

I have been looking for moves like this :-( big error #2.












I am thinking if I can just get that R off the e file I can mate with Bxe5.

Crafty says:
33. Rf8 Rdd8 34. Bxe5+ Rxe5 35. Rxd8+ Kc7 36. Ra8 Bb8 37. Bf3 Be4 38. Bxe4 Rxe4 39. a7 Bxa7 40. Rxa7+ Kc6 41. Rg7 Re6 42. Ra7










Finally I see it.
36. Rf8 Rdd8 37. Be5+ Rxe5















38. Rxd8+ What!? No checkmate!? Thought I had the game in the bag...
...Kc7 39. Ra8 Bb8 40. a7 Bxa7 41. Rxa7 Kb8 42. Rea1 e3 43. Bc6 e2 44.
Ra8+ Kc7 45. Re1 Kxc6 46. Kh2 Rf5 47. Re8 Rd5 48. Kg3 Bh5 49. Kf4











Crafty says:
40. Rxe4 Rxe4 41. Bxe4 Bf5 42. Bxf5 gxf5

Big mistake #3













Crafty says:
43. Bc6 Rh5+ 44. Kg1 Kc8 45. Rb7 Rh1+ 46. Kxh1 Kd8 47. Ra8+ Bc8 48. Rd7+ Ke8 49. Rxc8#














Crafty says mate in 2.

I see the Ra8 check but miss the other one. I am under some time pressure here with about 6 minutes on my clock and Victor has about 75. Plus I am really feeling that pawn pressure.

Big mistake #4

I am so sick over this game. I worked so hard to come back and blew it.

43. Bc6 e2 44. Ra8+ Kc7 45. Re1 Kxc6 46. Kh2 Rf5 47. Re8 Rd5 48. Kg3 Bh5 49. Kf4

I got 2 points at the club tonight but it should have been 3.

ROBERT KEEHL(R973/Q952) - TIMOTHY J FLORY(1302/1183P11) 0-1
TIMOTHY J FLORY - LISA KRYSH(884/856) 1-0
TIMOTHY J FLORY - JOSEPH M ERJAVEC JR(1335/1315)0-1

Game 1 was nothing remarkable.

Game 2 was a blow out with a pawn fork and discovered Q attack. My opponent had all her numbers and letters painted over on her board so she could learn the squares. I told her at my level accurate annotation was better so that I could review my games and see the stuff I missed.

Game 3 I dropped a piece, then the guy was all over me with 2 N and a Q. I had 6 minutes on my clock he had 15. Goes into this trade off where we go into my B vs his N and 2 extra pawn endgame. He runs down his clock, misses a decisive phork, runs a pawn down to h2 and can't figure out how to get my B out of the corner. We race another pawn across the board his queening first. I end up forcing him to trade it for my last pawn. I start racing my K to the other corner but he still has another pawn or 2 left. I am so embarrassed this guy beat me twice.

I am starting to get used to the club play except for the noise. Next week starts the G90 club championships. I look forward to reclaiming some of my points. Glad I didn't lose the other 2 games. Guess I will have plenty of USCF points to improve with the program.

I added another page to my blog to specifically track my rating and circle progress. Today is the 29^th day and I just completed last level 20 problem #396 in CT-Art 3.0.

Here is a nice win I had on FICS.

[Event "ICS rated standard match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2005.09.04"]
[Round "-"]
[White "phorku"]
[Black "sisifo"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1538"]
[BlackElo "1675"]
[TimeControl "1800+30"]

1. e4 c5 2. Bc4 d6 3. d3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bxd7+ Nbxd7 7. f4 Nb6
8. Nf3 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. e5 Nfd5 11. Nxd5 Nxd5 12. c4 Nb6 13. Bd2 a5 14.
Qe2 Nd7 15. Rf2 Re8 16. Raf1 f5 17. Ng5 Nf8 18. g4 h6 19. Nh3 d5 20. gxf5
exf5 21. Qh5 Ne6 22. Rg2 dxc4 23. Qxh6 cxd3 24. Qxe6+ Kh8 25. Qg6 Ra6
{sisifo resigns} 1-0






Time to trade off the white B. I have seen this move in some lines. I am a poor memorizer though. That is why I like to play unusual openings and lines. I am not ready to open the center and want to get my f4 out.












Sending my infantry up to breach his defences. f or g is going to open up and I am going to flood into his postion. I am all prepared for a flank atack and all his pieces but one are on the back rank. He has been keeping the middle closed all game letting me prepare. Right now I don't care much about the center or a couple pawns. I will gladly give them up for a couple tempo.

Crafty likes Bc3 and gives me +0.16 with a depth of 14. After g4 crafty says I am down 1.18 with a depth of 14












Got a nice protected baby queen should this go to the end game or maybe for use in my attack.

Crafty likes cxd6 with a score of +0.86.



















Instant move. Ouch. I lost my last game due to an instant move (see below 12 ... 0-0). Tactics are no good with out discipline. Maybe he was feeling some pressure ;-) That is one thing about computers is they don't stick to a plan and don't feel any pressure.
24. Qxe6+ Kh8 25. Qg6 Ra6
{sisifo resigns} 1-0







[Event "ICS Rated standard match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2005.09.04"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Holyphant"]
[Black "phorku"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "1672"]
[BlackElo "1547"]
[TimeControl "1800+30"]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bg4 4. Nf3 Nxd5 5. Bc4 e6 6. d4 Bb4 7. O-O Nxc3
8. bxc3 Bxc3 9. Rb1 b6 10. Qd3 Ba5 11. Ne5 Bf5 12. Qf3 O-O 13. Qxa8 Qxd4
14. Bb2 Bc3 15. Bxc3 Qxc3 16. Rbe1 f6 17. Bxe6+ Bxe6 18. Nf3 Nc6 19. Qb7
Bc8 20. Qxc7 Ba6 21. Re7 f5 22. Ne5 Kh8 23. Qxc6 Qxc6 24. Nxc6 Bxf1 25.
Kxf1 Rc8 26. Ne5 g6 27. c4 a6 28. Ke2 Rc5 29. Kd3 b5 30. cxb5 axb5 31. Nf7+
Kg8 32. Nh6+ Kf8 33. Rxh7 Rd5+ 34. Kc3 Rc5+ 35. Kb4 Rc2 36. a3 Rb2+ 37. Kc5
Ra2 38. Kxb5 Rxa3 39. g4 Rh3 40. gxf5 gxf5 41. Kc6 Rxh2 42. Kd7 Rxf2 43.
Rf7#
*