A strange draw and a fortunate win

Since my last entry I've got back to running a little bit, having ordered extra insoles to help protect my feet. I also ordered new shoes, but they sent the wrong size. The extra insole plus tightening the shoe serves to brace the foot a bit better when running, and I think there has also been a little more progress with the healing. However on the few 3.5 mile runs I have done I still find myself counting the (semi) 'clicks' from my right foot. They usually start from mile 2 - what fun! Quite subjective as well. It would almost be better if there was actual pain/discomfort, because then I would have a better idea when to stop, whether there is progress with healing etc.

I've played two more league games, which can be found below. Game 1 I played a terrible opening move (4.b3??) against the Benko gambit. My opponent didn't take full advantage of that mistake, but I still found myself with a distinctly uncomfortable position. My opponent played well, and it looked like I was heading for a loss. Surprisingly enough however on move 24 he offered a draw. I had thought about offering a draw as my position became increasingly unpleasant those last few moves, but thought it would be a bit insulting to do so, because black is up a pawn, and has a better position with good prospects of picking up a second pawn. Luckily for me my opponent felt a draw was a good result here because they had seen my grade... and because their grade was 68! Wait, what? It was a division 1 game for the B team as well, so completely unexpected. Bizarre.

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In my second league game I was playing the black side of a symmetrical English opening (exactly what I hated to come up against back when I played 1.c4 myself). My choice of plan out of the opening (13...a6 14...b5) soon proved a mistake after the c file became very weak, and my position became a bit of a mess. Soon after this the game became very tactical. Fortunately for me I came through the complications with some advantage, eventually leading to a fairly simple queen and pawn ending. I dislike queen and pawn endings because of the amount of your opponents checks you have to calculate, but I had enough pawns around my king to avoid any headaches. This game really deserves some detailed (computer assisted!) annotation, which I hope to add at a later date.

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Having mentioned getting back to taking some chess lessons again, I finally got around to it today, taking my first lesson from Woman International Master Vita Chulivska (ICC 'kvitka'). I say my first lesson, but what she wanted to do was to play two 15 minute games, with brief post-game analysis, so as to assess my 'level'. Privately I was a bit reluctant, both because of the pressure and also because I don't play rapid chess much, and thought maybe it would be more instructive to just look through this seasons club games to make an assessment. But mostly it was the pressure of playing rapid against someone of that strength in that situation. But I'm sure she has good reasons to start this way.

WIM Vita Chulivska, UKR, 2335 (Chessbase, 2009)

Game 1 appeared to confirm my worst misgivings, as by move 8 it was clear I was getting into trouble. My moves up to that point weren't book exactly, but I had played them with reasonable results in the past. I was lucky to hang in there and not just get checkmated, and from move 8 until at least move 22 my choices were mainly defensive, reactive type moves, without great prospects. Eventually I reached a quite playable endgame (move 33), but by then was down to 20 seconds vs my opponents 9 minutes! I lost on time, but the moves blitzed out during those final 20 seconds had weakened my position to something that was probably losing again anyway.

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Game 2, also 15 minutes per player, but this time I had the white pieces. I played an opening move (3.a3!?) which I have never tried before, but had seen in a couple of older games (probably either Capablanca or Lasker). I think it served its purpose quite well, avoiding my opponents opening knowlege (maybe) and giving me a fairly safe, playable position with good play on the queenside. I actually made good progress and liked my position right up until the tricky 26...Bxd4 tactic. I hadn't realised that my back rank was weak. Fortunately I found a way through this (though sadly missing 28.fxe3! in the process), and the endgame was simplified and equal. Vita offered a draw on move 36 which I was very happy to accept. Probably my best result against a very strong opponent, even if she likely wasn't trying her very best!

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After the game Vita was slightly critical of my choice of opening, but mainly agreed with the moves I had used to carry out my plan on the queenside. With this trial out of the way I have my second session - and hopefully first proper lesson - this coming Sunday.