2014 American Open - An Old Familiar Foe

I played in the American Open over the Thanksgiving weekend, a tournament I played in several times before. The full schedule would be a four day event with two rounds per day. I decided to take byes in the first two rounds so that I didn't have to play on Thanksgiving. True, I could have played in the three day schedule but the first few rounds were played at a faster time control. I have enough issues with time trouble as it is without tempting fate! Besides, I would prefer to play six longer games that are likely to be of a higher quality. Had I been desperate to win a prize then I would not have taken the byes but I didn't mind not winning any money. I was in for the experience, not the cash.

On the Friday after Thanksgiving, I turned up for round 3 (again, I took byes in rounds 1 and 2) to find I was paired against Randy Hough. I have known Randy since 2004, when we first locked horns in the Paso Robles Winter Open (a game that he won). Randy plays in Arcadia and we have played several times before. We also played earlier in 2014 in the Lina Grumette Memorial Day tournament.

Before the game, I got to meet Randy's brother and sister-in-law who were in town for the holidays. They were both very nice and seemed quite interested in the tournament and how it was run. They even insisted on taking photos before the game started! Actually, the pairings weren't up yet when I first started chatting with them and Randy and I joked how it would be funny if we had to play each other.

In our game earlier in the year I got the white pieces. This time, I had black.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 h6 5. Bg2 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. Qc2 c6

So far we've had a fairly typical Catalan but my 7th move isn't best. 7. ... c5  would be more dynamic, challenging white's center, and is Fritz's preferred move.

8. Nbd2 Nbd7 9. e4 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Qxe4 Nf6 12. Qe2 c5?

I finally got the c5 break in that I should have played five moves ago. Unfortunately, it's not so good now. In fact, Fritz doesn't like it at all, probably because it's losing a tempo and also giving white's g2 bishop a nice looking diagonal.

13. Rd1 Qe7 14. dxc5 Bxc5 15. Ne5! a5!

The idea is to develop the queen's rook to a6, where it might be useful. Otherwise, I have no easy way to complete my development. Fritz needs a couple of minutes to see this move but eventually rates it as it's second choice. After the text move, the computer says the position is almost +1.5 in white's favor, which should be virtually winning. True, white is not up any material but he has all the positional trumps. My queenside is still not yet fully developed, he has a fantastic knight on e5 that is hard to kick away, and my light squared bishop is a particular problem that will take at least a couple of moves for me to solve.

White's plan should be to play 16. Be3  to try to exchange my "good" bishop. If I decline the exchange, it's another tempo lost for me and white will double rooks and I think I am just toast. The computer prefers Randy's move, namely 16. Bf4 which also makes sense because it develops the bishop and supports the knight on e5 at the same time. That can't be too bad.

16. Bf4 Ra6 17. Nd3 Bd6 18. Bd2?

This was a very strange move by Randy that smacks of not having a plan. The bishop was good on f4 so why move it? It was preventing me from playing the only decent break I have in the position, namely the e5 pawn push. I think perhaps Randy either missed my next move or underestimated it because he has now thrown away most of his advantage.

18. ... e5 19. h3?

Seeing ghosts. Fritz's evaluation now swings to -0.1, fractionally better for black.

19. ... Re8 20. Bc3 e4 21. Ne1?

Another very strange position. The knight is ineffective on e1, where it is dominated by black's e4 pawn, and instead belongs on f4. I can only conclude that Randy didn't play 21. Nf4  because he was afraid of me taking it and crippling his kingside pawns. However, it's not clear how good that is for black because I would have to give up my beautiful dark squared bishop. Fritz actually says the position is dead equal, a zero evaluation, if white puts the knight on f4 instead of e1.

21. ... e3 22. f4 Bf5 23. Nf3 Ne4 24. Qxe3 Nxg3 25. Qxe7 Rxe7 26. Be5 Bxe5 27. fxe5 Ne2+ 28. Kf2 Nf4 29. Kg3 Nxg2 30. Kxg2 Rg6+ 31. Kh2 Be4

This position is practically winning for black. White's king is cut off and the e5 pawn is doomed. The rest is a matter of technique.

32. Nh4 Rg5 33. Rg1 Rgxe5 34. Rad1 Bc6 35. Rg3 Re2+ 36. Kg1 R7e5 37. Nf3 R5e3 0-1

A good start to the tournament, despite my poor play in the opening. I felt I took advantage of white's slip ups very well and fully punished his mistakes after he had failed to punish me.

Here is the complete game score:

Hough,Randall D (2014) - Hayes,Matthew (2133) [E01]

American Open Orange (3), 28.11.2014

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 h6 5.Bg2 Bd6 6.0–0 0–0 7.Qc2 c6 8.Nbd2 Nbd7 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Qxe4 Nf6 12.Qe2 c5 13.Rd1 Qe7 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Ne5 a5 16.Bf4 Ra6 17.Nd3 Bd6 18.Bd2 e5 19.h3 Re8 20.Bc3 e4 21.Ne1 e3 22.f4 Bf5 23.Nf3 Ne4 24.Qxe3 Nxg3 25.Qxe7 Rxe7 26.Be5 Bxe5 27.fxe5 Ne2+ 28.Kf2 Nf4 29.Kg3 Nxg2 30.Kxg2 Rg6+ 31.Kh2 Be4 32.Nh4 Rg5 33.Rg1 Rgxe5 34.Rad1 Bc6 35.Rg3 Re2+ 36.Kg1 R7e5 37.Nf3 R5e3 0–1