White is fortunate that his extra material is enough to win, after Black misses several counterchances.

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O a6 8. d3 Nc6 9. Be3 Nge7 10. Bf2 O-O 11. a3 b5 12. Ba2 Rb8 13. e5 Qc7 Black should prefer 13... b4!? to the game continuation, where his Q gets pushed to an awkward square. 14. exd6 Qxd6 15. Ne4 Qxf4 16. Nxc5 Rfd8 17. Kh1 Ra8 17... Bxb2 18. Bg3 Qe3 is a risky line, but Black needs to risk something to get some play. 18. Bg3 Qg4 19. Bc7 Rdc8 20. Bg3 Nb8?? 21. Bxb8 Rxc5 22. Bd6 Black must have missed this move. 22... Rac8 23. Bxc5 23. c3 encourages the N to block the 5th rank, which the remaining bR uses in the game. The alternative 23... Bf8 (23... Bf6 24. Nd2! discovers on the hanging Bf6) 24. Bxc5 Rxc5 25. d4 Rh5 26. Ne5 brings the N to a good square, making it easier to kill off Black's counterplay. 23... Rxc5 24. d4 Rh5 25. c3 Bc6 26. Qe2 6k1/4npbp/p1b1p1p1/1p5r/3P2q1/P1P2N2/BP2Q1PP/R4R1K b - - 0 26 26... Nd5 26... Qf4! threatens ...Bxf3. Black looks to have sufficient counterplay for the exchange. 27. Bxd5 Bxd5 28. Ng1 Qxe2 28... Qg3 29. Nf3 e5 29. Nxe2 Rg5 30. Nf4 Bc4 31. Rf2 Bf8 32. Re1 Bd6 33. g3 h5 34. Re3 h4 35. Kg2 Rg4 36. h3? hxg3? 36... Rxg3+! 37. Rxg3 hxg3 38. Rf3 (38. Kxg3?? g5) 38... g5 39. Nh5 f5 and Black, with his two strong Bishops and mobile pawn mass, has turned the game around. 37. hxg4 gxf2 38. Nd3 e5? 39. dxe5 Bc5 40. Rh3 Bd5+ 41. Kf1 Bc4 42. b3 Bxd3+ 43. Rxd3 a5 44. Rd5 Bxa3 45. Rxb5 Bb2 46. c4 Bc3 47. Kxf2 Kf8 48. Ke3 Ke7 49. Ke4 Ke6 50. Rb6+ Ke7 51. Kd5 f6 52. exf6+ Bxf6 53. Rxf6 Kxf6 54. Kd6 Kg5 55. c5 1-0 [Ryan/Fritz]

Ruben missed an excellent chance to take down the eventual section winner.

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 Nf6 4. e5 Ng8 5. Nf3 d5 6. g3 Bg4 7. h3 Bf5 8. g4 Bc8 9. Bg2 h5 10. g5 g6 11. O-O e6 12. d3 a6 13. a4 Rb8 14. Ne2 b5 15. axb5 axb5 16. c3 Nge7 17. Ng3 Bb7 18. Be3 Nc8 19. Qc2 c4 20. dxc4 bxc4 21. Ne2 Be7 22. Nh4 Rg8 23. Nf3 Kf8 24. Nfd4 Bc5? 25. Nxe6+ fxe6 26. Bxc5+ Kf7 27. Rfd1 N8e7 28. Bxe7?! This strong B should not be traded off, especially when it has the d6 post available. 28... Nxe7 28... Qxe7 intending to trade if White plays Nd4. 29. Nd4 Qb6 30. Kh2 Bc6 30... Nc6?? 31. Nxe6! Nxe5 (31... Kxe6 32. Bxd5+) 32. fxe5 Qxe6 33. Rf1+ Kg7 34. Rae1 and White plants an R in f6. 31. Rdb1 Ra8 32. b4 cxb3 33. Rxb3 Qc5 34. Rbb1 Rgc8 35. Rxa8 Rxa8 36. Qb3 Tempting Black with the capture of the c-pawn, but it's not for free. 36... Ra3? 37. Qb8 Qxc3 1Q6/4nk2/2b1p1p1/3pP1Pp/3N1P2/r1q4P/6BK/1R6 w - - 0 38 38. Nxc6 38. Qh8! finishes the game - White's threat of Qf6+ and Rb8+ is too strong. For example, 38... Qxd4 39. Qf6+ Ke8 40. Rb8+ Kd7 41. Qf8 Bb7 42. Qd8+ Kc6 43. Qd6+ Kb5 44. Rxb7+ and Black is going to lose major material at best, and get mated at worst. 38... Qxc6 39. Qh8 Ra8 40. Rb8?? Right into a lost endgame, with the f4 pawn falling immediately after the trade of Rooks. 40. Qf6+ Ke8 41. Rb2 secures the 2nd rank and keeps the pressure on Black. White has ideas of Bf1, bringing in another piece, or f5, creating a passed pawn. 40... Rxb8 41. Qxb8 Qc4 42. Kg3 Nf5+ 43. Kh2 Qxf4+ 44. Kg1 0-1 [Ryan/Fritz]

Black's tactical awareness earns him a quick win.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Bb5 Qb6 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. f4 Nh6 8. Ne2 Nf5 9. O-O Ba6 10. g4? r3kb1r/p4ppp/bqp1p3/2ppPn2/3P1PP1/2P5/PP2N2P/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 0 10 10... cxd4! 11. gxf5 dxc3+ 12. Kh1 cxb2 13. Bxb2 Qxb2 14. Nbc3 Bxe2 15. Nxe2 Qb4 16. fxe6? Qe4+ 17. Kg1 Bc5+ 0-1 [Ryan/Fritz]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. c4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 Ne7 7. Be2 Nd7 8. O-O Bxc3 9. bxc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 O-O 11. Qb3 11. Re1 and 12.Qd3 avoids weakening the Kside. 11... Bxf3 12. gxf3 Nb6 13. Bd3 Ned5 14. Bd2 Qf6 15. Be4 c6 16. Kh1 Nf4 17. Rg1 Nh3 18. Rg2 Nd5? 19. Bxd5 cxd5 20. Qxd5 Rfe8 21. Be3 Rad8 Black likes to throw pawns away. 22. Qxb7 Re7 23. Qb4 Rde8 24. Rg3 Nf4 25. Bxf4 Qxf4 26. Rag1 g6 27. d5 Qd2 27... Qxb4 28. cxb4 Rd8 gets a pawn back, and with White's weak Kside pawns, offers some drawing chances. 28. Qc5 Re2 29. Rf1 Qd3 30. f4 4r1k1/p4p1p/6p1/2QP4/5P2/2Pq2R1/P3rP1P/5R1K b - - 0 30 30... R2e3? Of course, te doesn't miss the hanging Rf1, so the net result of this "cute" move is that Black is forced to fix White's pawn structure. As Silman says, "Always expect your opponent to play the best move!" 31. Kg1 Rxg3+ 32. hxg3 Qf3 33. d6 What's the rush? 33. c4 33... Qg4? 33... Qd3 at least takes out the d-pawn, although Black is still lost. 34. Qxa7 h5 35. d7 Rd8 36. Re1 36. f5 Qxf5 37. Rd1 36... Rxd7 37. Qa8+ Kg7 38. Re8 Qh3 39. Re1 h4 40. Qg2 and White eventually won. 1-0 [Ryan/Fritz]

After passing up several earlier chances, White finally converts a won position in the ending.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c4 b4 12. Nc2 a5 13. Be2 O-O 14. O-O Ba6 15. Qd3 Rc8 This Rook's bound to get kicked. 15... Bg5 16. b3 Bg5 17. Rad1 Re8 18. g3 Rb8 19. Bg4 Bc8 20. Bxc8 Qxc8 21. Qf3 Re6 22. Qg4 Qd8 23. Rd3 Rg6 24. Rf3 Rb7 25. Rf5 Be3 26. Qe2 Bd4 27. Kh1 Bc5 28. Rd1 Rd7 29. Rd3 Qe8 30. Rff3 Qe6 31. Kg2 Rh6 32. Rf5 Kh8 33. h4 Bd4 34. Qd1 Qg6?? 35. h5? 35. Nxd4 Nxd4 36. Rxd4! and Black can't recapture due to 36... exd4 37. Nf4 trapping the Q. 35... Qe6 36. g4 Qe8 37. g5 Re6 38. Rg3 38. h6 g6 39. Nf6 Qd8 40. Rff3 and if Black saves the Rd7 - 40... Rb7 41. Nxd4 exd4 - White has the powerful sacrifice 42. Rxd4! Nxd4 43. Qxd4 and the Q/N battery wins the game for White. 38... g6 39. Rf6 Ne7?? 40. Rxe6 fxe6 41. Nxe7 41. Nf6 41... Qxe7 42. hxg6 hxg6 43. Nxd4 exd4 44. Qxd4+ e5 45. Qd5 Ra7 46. Qd2 46. f4 with f5 on deck, since 46... exf4?? loses immediately to 47. Rh3+ Kg7 48. Qd4+ Kf8 49. Rh8+ Kf7 50. Qd5+ Qe6 51. Rh7+ . 46... Qb7 47. f3 Qb6 48. f4 Rf7? 48... Qc6 to contest the d5 square. 49. f5? 49. Rh3+ is winning for White after 49... Kg8 50. Qd5 Qb7 (50... exf4 51. Qa8+ Rf8 52. Rh8+ Kxh8 53. Qxf8+ Kh7 54. Qh6+ Kg8 55. Qxg6+ Kf8 56. Qf6+ Kg8 57. g6) 51. fxe5 Qxd5 52. exd5 dxe5 . 49... Qb7 50. Qe3 50. Re3 Rxf5 51. Qxd6 maintains some winning chances. 50... gxf5 51. g6 Rg7 52. Qe2 Qxe4+ 53. Qxe4 fxe4 54. Kf2 Re7 55. Ke3 Kg7 56. Kxe4 Re6 57. Kd5 Rf6 58. Rg2 Kg8? Sitting back passively is death. 58... Rxg6 59. Rxg6+ Kxg6 60. Kxd6 (60. c5?? dxc5 61. Kxe5 c4 62. bxc4 a4 63. Kd4 a3! and ...b3 wins) 60... e4 and draws. 59. c5 dxc5 60. Kxe5 Rc6 61. Kd5 Rc8 62. Kc4 Kg7 63. Kb5 Rc7 64. Kb6 Rc8 65. Kxa5 Rf8 66. Kb6 Rf5 67. Rc2 Kxg6 68. Rxc5 Rf2 69. Ra5 Kf7 70. Kb5 Ke7 71. Kxb4 Kd6 72. a4 Kc6 73. Rb5 Rf4+ 74. Ka5 Rf8 75. Rb6+ Kc7 76. b4 Ra8+ 77. Ra6 Rh8 78. b5 Rh5 79. Ra7+ Kb8 80. Rf7 Rg5 81. Ka6 Rg4 82. a5 Rg8 83. b6 Rc8 84. Kb5 Rh8 85. Rc7 Ka8 86. a6 Kb8 87. a7+ Ka8 88. Ka6 1-0 [Ryan/Fritz]

Gerald Casteel, playing White, returns to tournament play after a hiatus of quite a few years. After obtaining a winning advantage, his rust begins to show with a series of second best moves that hand the game to Black.

1. d4 c6 2. c4 Black planned the Caro Kann if White had played 2.e4. 2... d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bg4 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Qxf3 Nbd7 11. e4 11. Rd1 Qc8 11... e5 12. d5 Nb6 13. Bb3 Rc8 13... cxd5 14. exd5 a5 15. Rd1 14. Bg5 14. dxc6 Rxc6 15. Rd1 Qe7 14... c5 15. Rad1 Black is being cramped. 15. a4 c4 16. Ba2 h6 15... c4 16. Bc2 Nbd7 17. d6 Qb6 17... h6 18. Bh4 18. Na4 18. Ba4 Post Mortem, White blamed much of his late game problems on this failure to bring the Bishop into action. In effect it was like playing a piece down. 18... Qxb2 19. Rb1 18... Qc6 19. Rd2 Black realized he is in trouble as White can double rooks on the d-file. 19... b5 20. Nc3 a6 To relieve the Black Queen of the defense of the b5 pawn. 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. Rxd5 All Black could say about this well posted wR is "Uh oh"! 22... Rfe8 23. Rfd1 Re6 24. Be7 2r3k1/3nBpbp/p1qPr1p1/1p1Rp3/2p1P3/5Q1P/PPB2PP1/3R2K1 b - - 0 24 24... Rb8 24... Bf6!? is an interesting idea 25. b3 Rb7 26. Qe3 26. bxc4 bxc4 27. Qa3 Bf8 26... Bf8 27. Qd2 Tripling on the d-file looks natural and good, but taking the bishop on f8, per Fritz, was better. 27. Bg5 27... Bxe7 28. dxe7 Rxe7 After the game, White confessed he completly missed Black's 28th move. All that rust needed some WD-40! 29. Qb4 Attacking the hanging black rook is tempting but 29.Rd6 looks better. 29... Re6 30. Qa5 30. bxc4 Kg7 30... Nb6 30... Kg7 should be examined more closely. 31. Rd8+ Kg7 32. Qb4 Playing through the game in the skittles room, White said he examined taking the a6 pawn, but changed his mind in hopes of a quick mate. This enabled Black to cut communication of the White Rooks. 32. Qxa6 Ree7 33. bxc4 Qxc4= 32... Nd7 33. Qa5?? This sour lemon is because White changes his plans once more and goes after the a6 pawn. Sufficient to say, neither player saw the 12 ply variation that Fritz now says leads to equality. 33. R1xd7 and White has air to breath 33... Rxd7 34. Qf8+ Kf6 35. Qh8+ Ke7 36. Qf8+ Kf6 37. Qh8+ Ke7 38. Qf8+ Kf6= 33... Rd6 And the initiative begins to shift... 34. Ra8? More lemon juice! White is fixating on the a6 pawn and it will cost him. 34. Rxd6 Qxd6 35. bxc4 bxc4 36. g3 34... Rxd1+ Black takes charge of the game. 35. Bxd1 Rb6 35... cxb3!? 36. axb3 Qc1 37. Qe1 36. Ra7 Nc5 37. Qc3?? White has completely lost the thread. 37. bxc4 Nb7 38. Qc3 (This move is OK now because 38... Qxe4 39. Bf3 hits the Nb7. -Ed.) 37... Qxe4 38. Bf3?! Harassing the opponent's queen just doesn't work! Black transfers to the dark squares. 38. bxc4 bxc4 39. Rc7 38... Qd4 39. Qe1 e4 40. Be2 Nd3 41. Qf1 Rf6 The obvious clincher. 42. Bxd3 exd3 With the attacked wR unable to return to help with defense quickly enough and the Black passed pawn ready to march, White resigned. 0-1 [Art Byers/Fritz 9]

1. e4 c6 2. e5 d5 3. exd6 exd6 4. d4 d5 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 Nbd7 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nb6 Art: "To control the d5 square. White seems to like to push pawns and I wanted to prevent that." 11. Bb3 Qc7 12. h3 12. Re1 Bg4= 12... Bf5 13. Nh4 Bd7 14. Nf3 Art: "It was apparent that White wants to post his f3 knight on e5." 14... Rad8 Art: "White's subsequent troubles stem from leaving his Queen on the same file as the black rook." 15. Ne5 Be8 Brad: "15....Be8 is a psychological move. It convinces an attacker that you are retreating into a defensive shell when you really have an attack in mind." 15... Be6= Art: "Fritz claims equality. All I saw after 15....Be6 was 16. Bxe6 fxe6 and I did not like my pawn structure." 16. f4 Brad: "and true to form, white attacks." Art: "The lack of a pawn on f2 will cost White later." 16. Re1 "is the best option White has" 16... c5 17. Be3= 16... c5 Brad:"Give the move an exclamation point because it not only attacks but also opens up a diagonal for the blackBishopone8!" 17. Be3?? Fritz: "strolling merrily down the path to disaster" Art: "Fritz sure has a wiseguy mouth!" 17. Re1 17... cxd4 18. Bxd4 3rbrk1/ppq1bppp/1n3n2/4N3/3B1P2/1BN4P/PP4P1/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 18 18... Bc5 Brad:"Why not 18... Rxd4! immediately? The rook is immune - if 19. Qxd4 then 19... Bc5 is the killer - pinning the Queen." Art :"Ouch! I missed that because I was fixated on pinning the White Bishop twice and, to my discredit, did not look at other alternates. I suppose that's why my rating is not higher!" 19. Ne2 Art: "I thought 19.Nf3 was better even though, as Fritz points out, it does not hold." Brad: "You should understand that, a la Lasker, psychology can be an important factor in Chess. I have played Andrew Flores and he is an aggressive player and was probably reluctant to retreat the well posted Knight." 19. Nf3 Rxd4! Fritz "Eliminates the defender d4" 20. Nxd4 Qd8 Art:"and if 21. Nce2 then 21... Bb5 does the damage." 19... Bb5 20. Nf3? Art: "Fritz points out that Rc1 would have made me think and calculate long and hard - but Fritz's varation still shows Black winning. Would I have found it over the board? Maybe, maybe not!" 20. Rc1 Ne4 21. Rxc5 Nxc5 22. Qc2 Bxe2 23. Qxc5 Qxc5 24. Bxc5 Bxf1 25. Kxf1 20... Bxe2 Brad: "Ah, old removal of the defender!" Art: "After some thought, White resigned." 0-1 [Art Byers B.]