[Event "Cabin Fever Open"] [Site "Boise (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "1"] [White "Barrett Curtis"] [Black "Myers Hugh S"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "?"] 1.e4 d5 2.e5 e6 {Playing ...Bf5 before closing the c8-h3 diagonal has some positive features.} 3.d4 Nc6 {Time to think like a Frenchie - c7-c5!} (c5 $1) 4.c3 g6 5.Nh3 Bg7 6.Be2 Nge7 7.Ng5 O-O 8.Qd3 h6 9.h4 a5 {Why did you make this move? Probably because your position is very cramped and passive. Take the piece instead! It shouldn't be too hard to work out that White gets no compensation for it.} (hxg5) 10.Qh3 Nf5 11.Nf3 b5 12.g4 Nfe7 13.h5 g5 14.Nxg5 hxg5 15.h6 { (Bxe5) Black could still kick for a while if he had played ...Bxe5.} 1-0 [Event "Cabin Fever Open"] [Site "Boise (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "2"] [White "Myers Hugh S"] [Black "Roland Jeffrey T"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "?"] 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.Nc3 {This move is ok, but the modern 4 d3! is to be preferred.} (4.d3 $1) Nf6 5.d3 exd3 {...Bb4 is more in keeping with the theme of rapid development. The game continuation only makes it easier for White to develop his pieces.} 6.Qxd3 c6 $2 {Black doesn't have time for this as he is already behind in development and the center of the board is wide open. 6 ...Bc5 7 Bd2 O-O 8 O-O-O Nbd7 9 g3! Stoltz - Marshall, Folkestone (Ol) 1933.6 ...Be7 7 Be3 O-O 8 O-O-O} ( Bc5 7.Bd2 O-O 8.O-O-O Nbd7 9.g3 $16) (Be7 7.Be3 O-O 8.O-O-O $16) 7.Be3 Bd6 $6 {7 ...Be7 looks safer; the d-file isn't blocked and the Black Q is better protected.} (Be7) 8.O-O-O Bg4 9.Nf3 cxd5 {Suicide!} (Qe7 10.dxc6 Nxc6 11.Qxd6 Qxe3+ 12.Qd2 Qc5 13.h3 Rd8 $16) 10.Nxd5 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Be7 12.Qb5+ Nbd7 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Bh3 1-0 [Event "Cabin Fever Open"] [Site "Boise (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "3"] [White "Carlson Vincent"] [Black "Myers Hugh S"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "?"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.O-O Nf6 5.Nc3 O-O 6.d3 d6 7.h3 Na5 8.Bb3 Nxb3 9.axb3 b6 10.Be3 c5 11.Nd5 Bb7 12.c4 Nxd5 {In this kind of blocked position, the Ns are supreme. Why exchange one of your good pieces? ... Ne8, ...f7-f5 might lull White into playing the inferior Nxe7+} (Ne8 13.Nxe7+ $2 Qxe7 $15) 13.exd5 f5 14.Nh2 f4 15.Bd2 Bc8 16.Qe2 Qe8 17.Rfe1 Qg6 18.Kh1 Bf5 19.d4 Bd3 20.Qf3 e4 21.Qg4 Qxg4 22.Nxg4 cxd4 23.Rac1 e3 24.fxe3 fxe3 25.Nxe3 Bg5 0-1 [Event "Cabin Fever Open"] [Site "Boise (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "4"] [White "Myers Hugh S"] [Black "Dizdarevic Rizah"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "?"] 1.e4 c5 2.f4 Nc6 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bc4 Bg4 6.O-O Nd4 7.Be2 Bxf3 8.Bxf3 e6 9.d3 Be7 10.Ne2 Nxe2+ 11.Qxe2 O-O 12.Qf2 Re8 13.Qg3 Bf8 14.Kh1 Rc8 15.e5 Nd5 16.Bxd5 exd5 17.Bd2 Re6 18.Rae1 Qd7 19.Qg4 Rce8 20.c3 Qe7 21.d4 dxe5 22.f5 Rc6 23.Rxe5 Qd7 24.Rfe1 Rcc8 25.Qf3 Rcd8 26.dxc5 $14 { This move just doesn't pass the smell test. Why give your opponent's B more scope.} Bxc5 27.Qd3 Bb6 28.c4 d4 29.Rd5 Rxe1+ 30.Bxe1 Qe8 31.Rxd8 Qxd8 32.Bf2 h6 33.b4 a5 { (34.a3) The score breaks off here, but I think White has chances for an advantage after 34 a3.} 0-1 [Event "Cabin Fever Open"] [Site "Boise (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "5"] [White "Pentico Christopher"] [Black "Myers Hugh S"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "?"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 {The book moves are ...Bc5 or ...Qh4.} 5.Qxd4 b6 {...Qf6 is a reasonable choice.} (Qf6) 6.Nc3 Bb7 7.Be3 Nf6 8.f3 Bc5 9.Qd3 Bxe3 10.Qxe3 O-O 11.O-O-O {Chances are about even.} 1-0 [Event "Idaho Closed Championship"] [Site "Twin Falls (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "1.12"] [White "Myers Hugh S"] [Black "Orr Kyle"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C34"] 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.d3 $2 {The critical line is 4 e5.White's B needs access to the a2-g8 diagonal. Blame the text move on rote thinking. There may be justification for developing the B behind the pawn chain in the Grand Prix/Big Clamp variations of the Sicilian, but little or none exists for doing it in a King's Gambit.} d5 5.e5 Qe7 6.Bxf4 Nh5 7.Bd2 Bg4 8.d4 Nc6 9.c3 $6 {Another loss of tempo as the pawn isn't in any real danger yet. Develop! Develop! Develop! 9 Bb5! and you're ready to castle and crash down along the f-file. The c-pawn may want to advance to c4 soon and the c3-square would be a dandy place for the undeveloped N.} Qh4+ 10.Nxh4 Bxd1 11.Kxd1 Be7 12.Nf3 $6 {You don't win wars by taking ground and then giving it back. The N should advance, not retreat. 12 Nf5!} O-O-O 13.g4 Nf6 14.exf6 Bxf6 15.g5 Be7 16.Bh3+ Kb8 17.Re1 Rde8 18.Bd7 Rd8 19.Bxc6 Bd6 20.Bxd5 f5 21.Bc4 Rd7 22.h4 Be7 23.Ne5 Rxd4 24.cxd4 Re8 25.a3 1-0 [Event "Idaho Closed Championship"] [Site "Twin Falls (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "2"] [White "Disdarervic Rizah"] [Black "Myers Hugh S"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "?"] 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nf6 $6 {Well known to be dubious for about 100 years. Don't do it again!} 5.Be2 e6 $2 {Developing the B to g7 would have given you a better shot at holding out. This is mainly due to the fact that it doesn't block in the light-squared B. This is an obvious game in which you could have put up stiff resistance if you had really paid attention during the last ten years to the required move order. KNOW EIGHT!} 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Nf3 O-O 8.O-O Nbd7 9.Nc3 c6 10.Qd2 Bb4 11.Bd3 Be7 12.Rfe1 a6 13.Rad1 b5 14.c5 Re8 15.Ne4 Bb7 16.Qf4 Nd5 17.Qh4 N7f6 18.Nxf6+ Nxf6 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Qxh7+ Kf8 21.Ne5 Ke7 22.Qh5 Bxe5 23.dxe5 Rh8 24.Bh7 Qc7 25.Rd6 Qa5 26.Red1 Rae8 27.Rd7+ Kf8 28.Rxf7# 1-0 [Event "Idaho Closed Championship"] [Site "Twin Falls (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "3"] [White "Myers Hugh S"] [Black "Unger Graham"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "?"] 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 {The most boring line in one of the most boring openings. You need to examine such lines as 4 c4, or 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 Bf5.} Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.O-O Nf6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bxf6 $2 {What purpose does this exchange serve? Black really won't chase the B because his K will be forced to live on the kingside. 8 Bh4 or Bf4 look better. This pawn formation is drawish and you need to keep as many pieces on the board as possible.} Qxf6 9.Ne5 {More exchanges. Yawn. You are slightly better developed and Black hasn't castled yet. A player in a more aggressive mood might have tried 9 c4 to open things up while he can.} Bxe2 10.Qxe2 a6 11.Nd2 {Now playing for c2-c4 doesn't have much impact because too many pieces are gone to effect a brisk attack.} Bd6 12.Rae1 Bxe5 13.dxe5 Qf5 14.c3 Nc6 15.Nf3 O-O 16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.cxd4 Rac8 18.Rc1 Qf4 19.Qe3 {A drawn game is acceptible if that's what you really wanted, but you could and should have tried for more.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Idaho Closed Championship"] [Site "Twin Falls (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "4"] [White "Myers Hugh S"] [Black "Graff Elmer Barney"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "?"] 1.e4 e5 2.f4 f6 3.fxe5 {This may be premature. Develop first, exchange pawns later. 3 Nf3.Black will have a lot of problems developing properly if you leave the f6-square blocked. You might have been thinking that 3 Nf3 exf4 4 Bc4 g5 would be a problem, but that would be a position Joe Kennedy would love to get out of the King's Gambit.} fxe5 4.Nf3 d6 5.d3 {The light-squared B belongs OUTSIDE the pawn-chain in the King's Gambit.} Nc6 6.Be2 Nf6 7.O-O Be7 8.Qe1 O-O {Black's position is slightly better.} 9.Nc3 Nb4 10.Bd1 Nc6 11.Bd2 b6 12.Be2 Nb4 13.Rc1 Be6 {Your pieces really stink. Black would be justified in playing for a win.} 14.a3 Nc6 15.Ng5 Bf7 16.Qg3 h6 17.Nh3 Nd4 18.Bxh6 Nxe2+ 19.Nxe2 Nh5 20.Qg4 Bf6 21.Ng3 Nxg3 22.Qxg3 Be6 23.Ng5 Qe8 24.Nxe6 Qxe6 25.Bg5 Bxg5 26.Qxg5 a5 27.c4 c5 28.a4 Qd7 29.b3 {You have now carefully arrainged your pawns on the queenside in such a manner that you have no pawn breaks left or penetration points for your K. (This is a lot like what happened in you game against Danny Vellotti) This position is almost certainly drawn with good play on both sides.} Rae8 30.Rxf8+ Rxf8 31.Rf1 Rxf1+ {This helps you out quite a bit as the K and pawn ending is probably won for you; however, he wasn't forced to exchange, either.} 32.Kxf1 Qf7+ 33.Qf5 Qxf5+ 34.exf5 Kf7 35.Kf2 Kf6 36.g4 Kg5 37.Kg3 Kf6 38.h4 g6 39.fxg6 Kxg6 40.Kf3 Kf6 41.Ke4 Ke6 42.g5 Ke7 43.Kd5 Kd7 44.h5 Ke7 45.h6 Kf7 46.Kxd6 Kg6 47.Kxe5 Kf7 48.Kd6 Kg6 49.Kc6 b5 50.cxb5 c4 51.bxc4 Kh7 52.b6 1-0 [Event "Idaho Closed Championship"] [Site "Twin Falls (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "5"] [White "Hartwell T C"] [Black "Myers Hugh S"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "?"] 1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.Nf3 {STOP! What opening would you have been playing if Ted had tried 3 e4? Are you really prepared to play a Classical or Winawer variations of the FRENCH Defense? If you want to play the Dutch, answer with 1 ...f5 and don't mess around. If you get into something like the Staunton Gambit, so be it.} Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 f5 {It's sort of a Dutch, but now White has two opportunities to play c4xd5.} 6.e3 Nf6 7.c4 c6 8.cxd5 cxd5 {Exchanging within the center is more reliable - 8 ...exd5 gives the B more scope.} 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 {10 ...Nbd7 has its points; the N covers e5 and can eventually be redeployed to that big black hole on c4.} 11.Ne5 Qc8 {Think about taking some space here with 11 ...Qa4.The only good spot for White's B is on a3 and that move would prevent it from getting there. 11 ...Qa4 also prepares to take advantage of the hole on c4.} 12.O-O O-O 13.Bb2 Nc6 14.c4 Rd8 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Qa4 Qd7 {Black still has quite a bit of an advantage and this is especially true in an endgame. It would be a good idea to continue playing with the idea of exchanging all the major pieces and leaving a bad-B vs. good-N ending in which Black's K can get out a little faster that White's K.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Idaho Closed Championship"] [Site "Twin Falls (ID)"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "6"] [White "Lawlor Brian"] [Black "Myers Hugh S"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "?"] 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nxd5 4.Bc4 $1 Nxc3 $2 {Black should either play 4 ...e6 or 4 ...Nb6.The text move is inferior. If you can't find this variation under the Scandinavian, try Alekhine's Defense 1 e4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 exd5 Nxd5 4 Bc4!} 5.Qf3 e6 6.dxc3 {White's opening knowledge peters out rather quickly too. 6.Qxc3! makes it difficult for Black to castle without breaking up his kingside pawn formation or going into other contortions.} Be7 7.Bf4 O-O 8.Rd1 Nd7 9.Bd3 g6 10.Bh6 Re8 11.Qe3 Bf6 12.Nf3 Qe7 13.h4 Nb6 14.h5 Nd5 15.Qe4 Bh8 16.hxg6 hxg6 17.Bg5 f5 18.Qh4 Qg7 19.Kd2 Kf7 20.Qh7 Qxh7 21.Rxh7+ Bg7 22.Bh6 Rg8 23.g4 Kf8 24.Ne5 Bxh6+ 25.Rxh6 Nf4 26.Ke3 Nd5+ 27.Kf3 Ne7 28.Bb5 Kg7 29.g5 Rh8 30.Rxh8 Kxh8 31.Rd8+ Kg7 32.Bd7 b6 33.Ke2 Ba6+ 34.Ke1 Rxd8 35.Bxe6 Bb7 { It shouldn't have taken as long to win this endgame as it did. With this much of an material advantage you need to be ruthless about one thing - exchange pieces, not pawns! You can always pick up stray pawns when the piece count goes down to one vs. none in your favor.} 36.Bb3 b5 37.Nd3 Bd5 38.Bxd5 Rxd5 39.Nf4 Re5+ 40.Kd2 Re4 41.Nd3 Nd5 42.f3 Rh4 43.Nc5 Rh2+ 44.Kc1 Rf2 {You should be thinking about using your K to force the White N to retreat to a place where it can be eaten by your R. K and one beats a K and none.} 45.Ne6+ Kg8 46.Nd4 a6 47.Kd1 c5 48.Ke1 Rh2 { Let the R go! 48 ...cxd4 49 Kxf2 dxc3 really would speed things along.} 49.Ne2 Ne3 50.Kd2 Nc4+ 51.Ke1 Nxb2 52.Nf4 Kf7 53.Nd5 Rxc2 54.Ne3 Rxc3 0-1