[Event "Unrated Standard: Challenge from Heidi Triplett"]
[Site "SchemingMind.com"]
[Date "2009.12.28"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Heidi"]
[Black "firsttech"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D00a"]
[WhiteCountry "USA"]
[BlackCountry "USA"]
[GameID "232662"]

{
Heidi: Would you mind teaching me again? I recieved a little meds to help me.
}
1. f4 d5
{
firsttech: Welcome back! I'm curious as to why you opened with 1.f4. Joel
}
2. d4
{
Heidi: My husband had been going t teah me "(something)Indian". On to regular, sorry.
}
2... Nf6
{
firsttech: The idea behind 1.f4 is to control the e5 square. You  followed with 2.d4. Usually white continues with Nf3 and e3. The plan is for white to form a strong defensive position called a "stonewall defense". Joel
}
3. Nf3
{
Heidi: Ah, thank you
}
3... Bf5 4. e3 e6
{
firsttech: There are three basic choices available for white at this stage. 5.Bd3 moves the bishop so white can castle and threatens to swap bishops with black. 5.Be2 also prepares for castling but is a more reserved move. 5.c3 continues to form the stonewall pawn structure. There are other choices you could make as well.
}
5. Bd3 Bxd3 6. Qxd3 c5
{
Heidi: What should I do now? Castle right?
}
7. O-O Nc6
{
firsttech: I'll try to get back into the habit of checking our game to see if you have questions. 
}
{
Heidi: Do I move my to 8)Nc3 (I can not stop your c4 pawn chain)or 8)Nd2 (stops u moving c4, I think)
}
{
firsttech: I think 8.Nc3 is better than 8.Nbd2 because 8.Nc3 brings the knight closer to the center. At some point, I might move my c pawn forward or I might swap it with your d pawn. I don't see an advantage for me to do either so for now I'll keep it where it is. Joel
}
8. Nc3
{
Heidi: do I do a 
}
8... a6
{
Heidi: Should i 9) (SP)phinicheto Bc1, to connect R's? or.. 9)e4, if you take it, it would open my cramped space by all the trading probaly,  or if you did not take it, I would follow with 10)e5. Or am I totally off base?
}
9. Bd2 Nb4 10. Be1 cxd4
{
firsttech: I wish un-rated standard had a "take-back" button. You made a serious mistake on your last move. I moved 9...Nb4 and attacked your queen. You should have moved your queen to safety with 10.Qe2. I could take your queen with 10...Nxe3. To keep this training game going, I'll move 10...cxd4. If you are going to play better chess, you must prevent making these kind of mistakes. The best way to prevent mistakes and improve your chess is to make your own personal "chess check list".  I go through a mental check list every time I make a chess move. I don't always go through my list in the same order but I never skip the important steps. One important step is to scan the board and identify all of the pieces and pawns that are under attack. If you had done this step you would have noticed your queen, the d4, c2, and a2 pawns are under attack. Alarm bells should go off any time your queen is under attack! Another important step is to look at the opponents last move and ask "Why did my opponent make this move?". I moved 9...Nb4 to attack your queen. Once again, alarm sirens should go off. In some positions, you may analyze the position and decide you can ignore the attack on your queen because you have a mating attack planned with other pieces. But this isn't the case in our position. So now I have moved 10...cxd4. Take your time and identify all of the pawns and pieces under attack. Ask the question "Why did my opponent make this move?". What new threats did I create with 10...cxd4? There is only one good move for white in this position. Joel
}
11. Qxd4
{
Heidi: Thank you very much for exslaining. Is this right?
}
11... Rc8
{
firsttech: You made the correct choice! Why didn't black take the take the c2 pawn with 11...Nxc2 and fork white's queen and rook? Joel
}
{
Heidi: Because 11...Nxc2 then 12.Qa4 12... whatever 13. Qxc2. white gets a free knight.
}
{
Heidi: On my move now, I know I cannot move Nc3. How about 12.Ne5 headed for 13.Nf2 To either take your 14.Nxh8 or 13... Kxf2 to stop you from casleing?
}
{
Heidi:  or 12. Qa7 to get some of those black pawns gone?
}
{
Heidi: or LOOKS BEST 12. Bh4 
}
{
Heidi: 12.Nd1 13.Bxb4 Bxb4 14.Qxb4 ?
}
{
firsttech: Sometimes you can look at your position and ask "What is my worse placed piece?". White's bishop is poorly placed. Its stuck on the back rank and is keeping the rooks from connecting. Moving the bishop to h4 would improve white's position and add pressure on black's knight. So I agree 12.Bh4 looks best.
}
12. Bh4 Bc5
{
Heidi: 13. Qe5 14.Qh5 15. wait, nonono.
}
{
Heidi: Do I go for amn exstchange of Q's and B's, since I am ahead. 13.Bxf6 Bxd4 14.Bxd8 Rxd8 15.exd4
}
{
firsttech: Here's one problem with 13.Bxf6. Black would take your queen with 13...Bxd4. You would capture black's queen with 14.Bxd8. Black could capture your bishop with 14...Rxd8 and white would come out ahead with 15.Nxd4. Black has a zwischenzug (German for "in-between move"). Black can capture the e3 pawn, check your king, and move the bishop to safety with 14...Bxe3+. White would be forced to move her king to safety with 15.Kh1. Now black captures the bishop with 15...Rxd8 or 15...Kxd8. After this sequence black is ahead by a pawn and white's c2 and f4 pawns will be under attack. Joel
}
{
Heidi: I feel kinda stupid for not looking farther into it, or even not looking when it was right in front of me for the moves I worked out on analyse!
}
{
firsttech: So now you need a new plan to help save your queen. Any ideas?
}
{
Heidi: I can never figure out the other person's move or make them move.
}
{
firsttech: Calculating move variations is at the heart of chess. I think you have the ability to calculate basic move variations. Let's look at our position. I think you will agree with me that you must move your queen or I will capture it. Consider for a moment capturing either of my knights, my d5 pawn, or my bishop with your queen. Your mind would quickly reject these moves because I would easily recapture your queen. Your mind has learned to calculate move variations. So when you considered 13.Qxf6, your mind quickly saw 13...gxf6 and you rejected this move. What you need to do now is to train your mind to see more complex variations. So back to our position. You know you can't safely capture my knights, my d5 pawn, or bishop with your queen. What squares are safe for your queen to move to? You can't move your queen to e4 or c4 because of my d5 pawn. The d3 square is covered by my b4 knight. So that leaves e5, d2, or d1 as safe squares for your queen. Take some time and consider what would happen if you moved 13.Qe5, 13Qd2, or 13.Qd1. One of these moves is good. Joel
}
{
Heidi: 13.Qd2 looks the best to me, because it stops 13. ..Bxe3 putting me in check and capturing 14. ..Bxf4
}
{
Heidi: Thank you for being such a awesomely good teacher, helping me actually train my mind and being so patient!
}
{
firsttech: 13.Qd2 is the best move to make. It stops 13...Bxe3+ and 13...Nxc2. So go ahead and make the move. Let's see what other exciting things will happen in out game. Joel
}
13. Qd2 O-O
{
Heidi: 14.Rad1 looks best to me since the exchange if forced on the d4 Square will come out in my favor, plua it will back up my Queen.?.

}
{
firsttech: 14.Rad1 looks ok to me.
}
14. Rad1 Qb6
{
Heidi: With blacks Q, B, Nf6 all headed down to plant the Maine flag in the most beautiful of all Oklahoma kingdoms after leaving whole companies in bloody piles of the dead, :O) smiling as they sit on their tall black stallions of how they can still have their afternoon buisits and tea without needing to even change to cleam outdits. lol. 
}
{
Heidi: I LOST IT, I typed everything, and never thougt about posting now and then, then page had exspired. Shaking head. This was the result I had come to: I think 15.Nd4 is best to save myself from mate without losing more material then black. I also need to move h3 soon.
}
{
firsttech: Let me start by saying well done! I think you made the best choice. Here is how I look at the position. Black is attacking the e3 pawn with two pieces and white is defending with one. I see no other serious threat from black so white must decide on the best way to stop the attack. I can see three ways of stopping the attack. Protect the pawn by retreating the bishop to f2, block the attack by moving the knight to d4, or attacking the black queen by moving the knight to a4. Let's look at them one at a time. Moving the bishop back would work but the bishop moves from a active square to a very defensive square. Looking at the second choice of 15.Nd4 stops the attack and moves the knight to a center square. The third choice of 15.Na4 attacking the queen is complicated. Black could take the e3 pawn with check and attack white's queen. White would move the king to h1 and then a lot of pieces could be traded or moved. I would want to be certain that I carefully calculated all possibilities before making this choice. So 15.Nd4 is looking best. What would black's response be to this choice? 15...Bxd4 16.exd4 and the position looks equal. The best choice looks like 15...Ne4 attacking white's queen and the c3 knight. If white moves the queen to a safe square, black will take the c3 knight and white will end with doubled c pawns that  will be difficult to defend. So white will take the e4 knight with 16.Nxe4 and black will recapture with 15...dxe4. Black will end with doubled e pawns but he can defend the e4 pawn with f5 if needed. So 15.Nd4 looks like the best move choice. Joel
}
15. Nd4 Ne4 16. Nxe4
{
Heidi: I have to take Ne4 w/ Nc3
}
16... dxe4
{
firsttech: Correct!
}
{
Heidi: 17. f5 puts me threaghtening g7 and guarded by Ng4 only looks risky because after 17.. exf5 18.Nxf5, I think 18... Bxe3 19. Nxe3 instead of 19.Qxe3, AH! nevermind it is ok. I do say, 17. f5
}
{
firsttech: What if I move 17...e5 instead of 17...exf5?
}
{
Heidi: Whoops!, How about 17. a3 ? 
}
{
firsttech: 17.a3 looks like the best choice.
}
17. a3 Nd5
{
Heidi: 18. c3 19. b4  ?
}
{
firsttech: 18.c3 would work well.  
}
18. c3 Bxd4
{
firsttech: My black square bishop is pretty useless because of your pawn structure so I'm going to trade it for your well-placed knight. This will also open the c file for my rook.
}
{
Heidi: Why would I not take it with 19.exd4 and on 20. f5
}
{
firsttech: Taking the bishop with 19.exd4 is better than 19.cxd4 because cxd4 would completely open the c file for my rook. Swapping my bishop for your knight half-opened the d file for my rook. There is no other good choice available for you at this moment in time and the material will be balanced. Joel
}
19. exd4 f5
{
Heidi: I think 20.Rc1 would leave protected both my chalanged pawns. I think I also need to move h3 before e5 would ever get moved from it's hardened soil around it, lol. I also think I need my Rooks moved to get to ever go around e4? As far as attack, I can not seem to come up with any plan. Maybe somehow get the B and Q turned around with the Rh3 (dreaming..)
Ok I guess my best move is 20. RdC1.
}
{
firsttech: I agree 20.Rc1 seems best. 
}
20. Rc1 Rc4 21. b4 Rfc8
{
firsttech: You last move, 21.b4, seems like good move but it creates a weakness that I am going to take advantage of. Your b2 pawn had an important job protecting the a3 and c3 pawns. Now the c3 pawn is weak. My c4 rook and knight are attacking the c3 pawn. Your queen and c1 rook are defending the c3 pawn. With two pieces attacking and two defending, the c3 pawn looks safe. But I can add a third attacker. Can you add another defender? Joel
}
{
Heidi: 22. Be1, would defend, but I would end up losing my Q, wouldn't I? 22. h3 would prepare escape for my King as your Rooks are coming down. Boy did I make a big mistake moving b4. Also all my Pawns are broken apart. I am not sure what to do. I feel you are going to go 22... Nc3 or otherwise trade Rooks.  Help...
}
{
firsttech: Amazing how one simple little pawn move can change the position. I don't see any way you can stop me from taking the c3 pawn. Once I capture your c3 pawn, your d4 pawn will become weak. So I would recommend supporting your d4 pawn by moving Bf2. This move also indirectly attacks the black queen. Joel
}
22. Bf2
{
Heidi: ah, thank you
}
22... Rxc3
{
Heidi: Rca1, then if you wanna trade rooks I win out, and I also guard my pawn to move forward. or if I through my Qe3 and you take, I can come torwards you K with my R's
}
{
firsttech: If you move 23.Ra1, I would move 23...e3 forking your queen and bishop. Any other ideas?
}
{
Heidi: 23. Qe3, and you take, I can come torwards you K with my R's
will not work either???
I am not sure what else I could do but backstroke in the sea.
}
{
firsttech: You are in a very difficult position, playing against a strong opponent, so take a deep breath and let's look at the situation. The immediate threat from black is 23...e3. Somehow, you must stop this pawn from forking your bishop and queen. It would be nice if you could move your bishop to e3 and block the pawn from moving forward. You can't move the bishop to e3 on the next move because black is attacking the e3 square with the knight and rook. You need to support the e3 square. Consider 23.Rfe1 and then maybe 24.Be3. Don't worry about the time clock, I'll give you a lifeline when it expires. Joel
}
23. Rfe1
{
Heidi: Thank you so much!
}
23... Qc7 24. Be3 Qd7
{
Heidi: 25. Qf1? so then Be3 covers Rc1
}
{
firsttech: I'm assuming you mean 25.Qf2. This is an ok move. First let's look closer at the position before deciding on a move. What is black threatening to do in our position? Can you stop the threat? 
}
{
Heidi: 25. Qb5? (so I shoud move a4)or is it Rxc1
}
{
firsttech: You have an unprotected pawn, a3, that is under attack by the c3 rook. Is there any way of protecting this pawn? Should you let black take it for free?
}
{
Heidi: 25. Rxc3 Nxc3 26. Rc1 27. Rxc3 Rx c3 28. Qxc3 leaves me a Bup and a pawn down?
}
{
firsttech: This position has many choices to pick from for white's next move. Two of the moves you suggested, 25.Qf2 and 25.Rxc3, are acceptable moves. Both of these moves allow black to capture the unprotected a3 pawn. If you move 25.Rxc3, I will recapture with Rxc3. Now if you move your e1 rook I will capture your bishop. If you make any other move, I will take the a3 pawn with my rook. There is a way you could protect the a3 pawn. There are choices that you could make that would let black take the pawn now but might give you a chance to stabilize your position. Let's see if you can figure a way of protecting the a3 pawn and then we can consider the other choices. This is a good position to learn from. Let's take our time and talk about the different choices. Joel
}
{
Heidi: I don't think I can afford to loose a pawn, since you are already be up a pawn if it got down to a King/pawn endgame? right? I could move 25. Qa2 and 26. Rcb1 so my pawns would be protected while I moved them forward each a square.
}
{
firsttech: There is a problem with 25.Qa2. Your bishop is under attack by my knight and rook. You bishop is safe because your queen and rook are protecting it. If you move your queen to protect the pawn, I will take your bishop. Any other ideas on how to protect your a3 pawn?
}
{
Heidi: This does not save it but I come out I think. 25. Rcc2 Rxa3 26. Qc1~whoops that is all messed up, never mind. I think I am back to 25. Rca1
}
{
firsttech: Now you are on to something. 25.Ra1 would protect the pawn. So now we need to decide if this is the best move for the position. Finding the best move in the time available is an important part of chess. We have all the time in the world so let's explore the possibilities. If you were to move 25.Ra1, what would you expect black response to be?
}
{
Heidi: 25... Nxe3 sacrifice?
}
{
Heidi: 25... Qb5!?!
}
{
firsttech: Let's look at your two ideas. First, 25.Ra1 Nxd3. This wouldn't technically be a sacrifice, it would be more of an exchange. From my point of view, it would be a bad move for black. My knight is centrally located and attacking your bishop and the f4 pawn. Your bishop's movement is very restricted and is acting like a pawn. So for this position my knight is worth more than your bishop. Second, 25.Ra1 Qb5. Moving the queen to b5 threatens nothing. It would be a wasted move. Let me give you some move choices I would consider as black in response to 25.Ra1. 25...Qa4 attacking the a3 pawn. 25...Rd3 attacking the queen. 25...Rc2 attacking the queen. How would you handle these three threats? Joel
}
{
Heidi: 
25.Ra1 25...Qa4 26. Rec1 and 25.Ra1 25...Rd3 I need to keep thinking...
}
{
firsttech: Let's look at your first variation: 25.Ra1 Qa4 26.Rec1. 26.Rec1 looks like a good choice to me; I don't see any other move that looks better. If we continue on with this variation, 25.Ra1 Qa4 26.Rec1, I would move my queen to b3. Now I will have three pieces attacking your bishop, my knight, rook, and queen. Your best move would be to retreat your bishop to f2. I would then move my pawn to e3 and fork your queen and bishop. Take your time and look at the other two possibilities, 25...Rd3 and 25...Rc2. I'll give you life-lines if your time expires. This is an interesting and educational position to explore. It's going to take some time and effort to find the best move for white. Joel 
}
{
Heidi: I really enjoy this, Thank you so much!!!
}
25. Ra1
{
Heidi: I am needing a mind vacation. See you all in a week, thank you. :O)
}
25... Qa4
{
firsttech: I thought we were going to work a little more on move 25.
}
{
Heidi: Whoops I misunderstood and though that you wanted to do that.
}
{
Heidi: I feel very boxed in with no positive move to make. I have to wait till you attack me I think because I am only set up for befence. I suppose 21. Qc1 to defend a3 again after your Q came after him? Is this right?
}
{
firsttech: 20.Qc1 would be bad because of 20...Rxc1. I may not respond as quickly as I used to; I'm training for an OTB tournament. Joel
}
{
Heidi: 
Sorry about my slow respomce. I have had alot of bad health issues.
}
{
Heidi: 20. Qf3 21. Bd2 22. Re3? I would still have two defenders for c1. I played OTB tourney today. Made 1/2 point. I did beet a child chess okayer's mom. but she was noy in the tourney. I het so nervous playing at them. 
}
{
firsttech: 20.Qf2 is probably to best move to make at this point. I agree with you; OTB chess tournaments can be very stressful. I'm training as much as I can to prepare for a tournament in May.
}
26. Qf2
{
Heidi: You seem to know almost everything about chess or at least you can tell you have studied everything about the things you do know and have left nothing hanging. My mind has been ruined by diabeties buy have tried to learn anyway :O). But I understand that when you are out of the class ratings like you and have to win top. Do you support yourself with chess? "20.Qf2 is probably to best move " lol, you read my mind, I said Qf3 and meant Qf2.
}
26... Rxa3
{
firsttech: I am a very competitive person and I like to win. I am also a practical person so I understand the preparation required to win. Chess is a way of keeping my mind sharp. Joel
}
{
Heidi: I needed something to keep my mind active since I have to stay at home do to my pysical limitations. I am not a reader.
}
{
Heidi: I either have to move 27. Rc1 or 27. Rxa3 otherwise you can checkmate me, if I have my Q still sitting there.
}
{
firsttech: 27.Rc1, 27.Rxa3, or 27.Qb2 are good choices to make. I'm not sure which one is better.
}
27. Qb2 Rxa1
{
Heidi: If I move 28.Rxa1 I would leave my B hanging, yet I have to make up for the lost R and I am down to pawns already, so I see no choice. Is there a CHOICE?
}
{
firsttech: If you move 28.Rxa1, I will be forced to move my queen to safety and you will have time to move or protect your bishop.
}
28. Rxa1 Qxb4
{
Heidi: 29. Bd2? to threaghten your Q again? 
}
{
Heidi: Thank you for not taking my Biscop. I did not even notice that.
}
{
Heidi: h2 also needs to be moved doen't it?
}
{
Heidi: If I trade Q's I will definatly lose.?.
}
{
Heidi: mother having surgery
}
{
firsttech: I hope all goes well with your mother. Your queen and bishop are both unprotected. Both of these pieces are under attack. You have several choices to make. One choice would be to swap queens and then move or protect your bishop. Another choice would be to move your queen to a square where it can protect the bishop. Another choice would be to move your queen to a2 and pin the knight. If black's knight takes the bishop then the queen takes e6 and forks black's king and rook. Take a look at these three choices and see what you thing of the positions after making the moves. Joel 
}
29. Qa2
{
Heidi: 28)Qa2 does look the best like you suggested.
}
{
Heidi: My Mother, age 87, came through the surgery good. It was a bypass on her leg. She will also be having a bypass on the other leg as soon as she hets over the congestion and is strong enough to walk. Please, please put her in your prayers so no phenomia or anything else happens. Thank you :O)!
}
29... Qc3 30. Rc1 Qxe3+ 31. Kf1
{
Heidi: whoops, I cannot see well since glasses gone and hit and entered on this game. Boy did I mess up! I am so so sorry.
I have to move KIng out to Kf1. but I am then checkmated right?
}
{
Heidi: cannot see comments, sorry. Just until get new glasses, sorry.
}
31... Rxc1#
{
firsttech: 30.Rc1 was a big mistake. You thought you was going to pin my queen but it didn't work out that way.
}
0-1

