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12. Internationales Osterturnier Norderstedt
5.IV.12 — 9.IV.12
Norderstedt is a small town north of the city of Hamburg proper, and part of the state of Hamburg. The tournament was held in the Rathaus (town hall) over the Easter weekend. Ratings at start of tournament: FIDE 1891, DWZ 1827.
I made a mess of a Sicilian Morra Gambit Declined. First Black equalised, then he got the advantage, then I blundered a piece (but I was in bad straits anyway). One of those games where I was outplayed from start to finish.
I beat a wee girl on the Black side of the Scotch, an opening I generally have success defending against. Actually I missed a chance to decide things straight out of the opening, and indeed got myself the worse middlegame; but I managed to bounce back.
"The one that got away." Playing a higher-rated player, I got a fine position, Black being pretty much forced to sacrifice the exchange. After that, by move 22 I had actually calcuated a winning line — but played something "better". I doubt if it was better, but it certainly give my opponent more chances, which he duly took. My position, though still playable, deteriorated through a series of inaccurate moves. We got down to an ending which may have been tenable for me; then I blundered and lost a piece. There was nothing to do but resign.
A woman GM, and an ex-USSR one to boot. I survived her weird opening — she was trying for a Nimzo-Indian with reversed colours, I think — and got to a level middlegame. In the critical position, I saw the right move to play (25...h6) — and played something else! The Knight came straight to f5, and I realised my mistake at once, but too late. White was much better then, although I played inaccurately in what followed and soon was helpless to stop the advance of a passed pawn, which she duly carried out.
Another outing for the Centre Game. I didn't handle the opening very well, and was soon in difficulties. Black didn't exploit this as well as he might. I tried as best I could to keep things complicated and develop some pressure , and was finally rewarded by Black giving me what Dr. Tarrasch loved to call "eine Marke zum Angriff" ("a point to attack"). My attack got going, my opponent overlooked a mate in one — and I didn't.
Revenge of the Morra Gambit! Declining with 3...d3 can't be the answer to this opening. That said, I am not convinced by the position White ended up with; but Black gave me the open d-file, then grabbed a pawn, and then overlooked a tactic.
Boring. I equalised in the opening, offered a draw, which was refused — then made the decisive blunder. clearly a psychological problem is at work here.
Another "one that got away". I got a fine position out of the opening, and then proceeded to tack to and fro while my opponent played purposively. The inevitable happened.
A massacre! The Morra Gambit is declined again, but White gets an attack anyway.
Won 4, lost 5, not a single draw. Item: I have to learn to cope with players like Müller in Round 7. Don't be provoked, play the position, however tedious and colourless it may be. Item: I have to learn how to win won positions. Two games that I lost were won for me, had I kept my head and played with purpose and clarity.
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Last changed: Sun Mar 3 11:49:38 CET 2019