Game 12 - Me vs. Mortenand 12/5/14 on iggamecenter.com

A little light on the opening commentary, as halfway through the game, Mortenand admitted “I don’t know what I’m doing.” I figure it was his/her first game.

1.c8-c6 a7-c5

2 c1-c4 h7-f5

3. g1-g3 h2-f2

4. g8-d5

Starting to create a base.

…a2-c2

5. b1-b3 h4-e4

6. e1xe4 a5-c7

7. d1-d4

Base is a little stronger

…a3-d6

A good move, connecting the c5 & c7 pieces and allowing potential connectivity with the eastern pieces. It also prevents 8. f8xc5 and 8. g3-d6

8. b3-b5 a6-b7

Trying to isolate the b8 piece.

9. b8-a7 a4-a6

10. e8-e6 f2-f6?

Allows the next move. h3xe6 or c2-d1 are options, but even better is c7-f4, preventing the winning move of the game. At this point, red should be trying to establish a base in the east, especially on the f file.

11. f1xf5 f6xd4

A good effort, but black has a devastating next move. This position reminds me of a standard ko shape in Go. Is this a balanced position for both sides, or is one side more fragile than the other? this might depend on the counterattacking abilities of the pieces towards the edge of the board.

12. g3xd6! b7xb5

Another good effort, but it allows black to connect his isolated a7 piece, with at least 5 checkmate threats. 

13. a7xc7 b5-b4

14. d8-e7#

Game 11 - Me vs Hyxxy - 11/8/14 on iggamecenter.com

This game, amazingly, was pretty much over by move 7. I went over it 4 times, still trying to figure out what the hell went wrong.

1. c8-c6 h7-f7

2. g8-g6 a4-c2

3. b1- b3

My last 2 moves were escape moves, while hyxxy keeps the initiative. I am not sure how much of an advantage these moves are; might have been better to sacrifice a piece.

…a6-c4

4. b3-b5

A tough situation. I’m trying to avoid f7xb3, and I thought this was the best way to do it at the time. For:

4. b3-b1 simply retreats

4. b3-e3 loses to 4…h6xb3

4. d1-f3 (anticipating 4….f7xb3 5. f3xb3) loses to 4…h5xf3

4. c6-d5 a5xd5 5. d8xd5 might lead to an advantage for black.

…h2-e2

5. g6-d6 a2-d2

6. f8-c5 h6-e3

At this point, it was essential to play 7. e1=g3/ It limits the mobility of the pieces at h3 and h4, prevents a3-d3 and prepares d6xd2, in that red can't recapture with a5xd2.

7. d8-d4?

Sets up red’s next move.

…a7-a4!

Preparing h4xd4. capturing the essential d4 square. 8. e8xa4 would not change red's next move.

8. f1-f3 h4xd4!

Devastating! My pieces are firmly separated, while hyxxy has a firm base. d4 was the key square in this game. I should now be looking for options of connecting down the f-file, as I cannot capture any of hyxxy’s pieces on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th ranks.

9. c6-e4

...a4xe4

My position is ruined. It’s all downhill from here.

10. d1-h1 f7-d5

11. e8-g6 h5xc5

12. g1-h2 a3xd6

13. e1-f2 a5-c3

14. f2-g3 h3-g4

15. f3-f4 g4-f5#

Interesting how in these last 2 games, there was a square that was key for both sides to connect. Also interesting that they were both central squares, I keep wondering if this was a foxed win for red, and if so, at what move did that manifest itself. 

Hyxxy is either a grandmaster or a bot.

Game 10 - Erik Dresner vs. Me - 9/7/14 1st NYC Abstract Strategy Meetup

This the first face to face game I’ve blogged, from the first NYC Abstract Strategy Meetup in NYC:

NYC Abstract Strategy Meetup

1. b8-b6 a2-c2
2. g8-f7 a3-c3
3 g1-d4

Red cannot take this piece because of the response d1xd4. This move also prepares d8-d5, centralizing another piece, but only if the a4 piece moves.

…a5-c5

My strategy, apparently, was to create a wall down the c-file, admittedly a weak one.

4. f1-d3

A gift! Although I still can’t play a4xd4.

…h7xd3
5. c1-e3

Preventing h3-e3 which creates a slightly stronger wall on the 3rd rank.

…a6-c4

Wall is looking a little stronger now.

6. f7-d5?

While it gets a piece into the game, it is now safe to play h4xd4, strengthening the wall and creating a large base. A better move might be b1-a2 preparing f7xc4.

…h4xd4
7. e8-c6

e4 is shaping up to be the key square. Black needs to play c6-e4 soon.

…a7-a5
8. f8-d6 h6-f4

Prepares a4-e4. But red, like black, doesn’t recognize the importance of e4.

9. c8-e6 h2-e5
10. e1xe5 h3-f5
11. d1-e1

…a4-e4
Finally!

12. d8-e8 h5-g4
13. e3-c1 g4-b4#

Interesting that e4 was a square that both of us needed to connect our separated groups. Could this have led to a more messy battle earlier in the game? A concept worth exploring.