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• Copyright 1991,1996, 1997, 1998 John Richard Coffey.
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0       [Next]	White: Owen McDonald (class B) Black: John Coffey (class A) The Bird's opening can be positionally dangerous in a closed position against an unsuspecting opponent. I have always had problems when white plays b3, Bb2, Qe1 and Qh4 attacking the kingside if I castle there. Black to Move
1       [Next]	The From's Gambit is perhaps the sharpest reply. Black to Move
2       [Next]	Black to Move
3       [Next]	Black to Move
4       [Next]	White admited later that this is one of the more boring lines. Black to Move
5       [Next]	I am expecting the very sharp Ng5 that I studied ... ....What I get is a line that my database says favors black slightly. Black to Move
6       [Next]	Black to Move
7       [Next]	Black to Move
8       [Next]	Black to Move
9       [Next]	Be6 helped to prevent Bc4 Black to Move
10       [Next]	Everything up to here was played in 2 games in the database. The propper response is O-O-O, but I got scared -incorrectly so - about the possibility of Bb5, which I don't have to worry too much about because I can castle with a check. Black to Move
11       [Next]	I think that my Rg8 is not a good move because it encourages White to put his bishop on a better square. He should put his bishop on f6 where it ties down the black pieces and sits on a protected outpost. Instead .... Trading the bishop gets rid of one of white's best pieces. The bishop is needed to take advantage of the weak dark square holes in Black's position. Black to Move
12       [Next]	I am happy to put my king here now that white has no dark square bishop or queen. ... The check is frivilous because it costs a tempo and because the knight is the stronger of white's two minor pieces. The bishop on f1 will be bad when white plays c4 shortly. Black to Move
13       [Next]	Black to Move
14       [Next]	Black to Move
15       [Next]	I am far enough ahead in my developement that I can afford to try to get rid of a backward pawn on an open file. I was able to predict all the remaining moves before deciding on this plan... Black to Move
16       [Next]	Black to Move
17       [Next]	Black to Move
18       [Next]	White gives it up here, because what would follow is ....
19       [Next]	Bxf3
20       [Next]	Nxf3
21       [Next]	Rxf3
22       [Next]	Rg1
23       [Next]	0-1
24       [Next]

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