Welcome to my French Defense (ECO C02) game with Clifford Story page!

On this page is my win in a correspondence game against Clifford Story. This is my oldest correspondence game that I can find in my notebooks. At one point I was down 3 pawns but kept on playing because I had faith in my attack. Those of you who like playing the Milner-Berry Gambit will like playing over this game.

[Event "1976 Golden Knights Postal"]
[Site "Correspondence Game"]
[White "Mike Serovey"]
[Black "Clifford Story"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. O-O
Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3 Bb4 11. Nb5 Qxe5 12. Qf3 Bd6 13. g3 Bxb5 14. Bxb5+ Ke7
15. Bf4 Qxb2 16. Bxd6+ Kxd6 17. Rfb1 Qd4 18. Rd1 Qb6 19. Rab1 a6 20. Ba4 Qa5 21.
Qa3+ Ke5 22. Re1+ Kf6 23. Qf3+ {Black Resigns} 1-0
 

1976 Golden Knights Postal Championship
Correspondence Game
White: Mike Serovey Black: Clifford Story

This position is typical of the Advanced Variation of the French Defense. Black has to play the Bishop to d7 prior to capturing the pawn on d4 or else he loses his Queen to Bb5+. Now, White can play 8. Bc2 to protect the d pawn or sacrifice it by castling. I usually castle here and play the Milner-Barry Gambit.

8. O-O Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4

Things are going according to plan. White is down one pawn and is prepared to sacrifice another one in order to get a lead in development and an attack.

10. Nc3 Bb4

I was expecting 10... Qxe5 and was thus surprised by this move. White does not yet have any compensation for his sacrificed pawn but will gain time by chasing Black's Queen.

11. Nb5 Qxe5 12. Qf3

White would normally play Re1 after Black captures the pawn on e5 but cannot here because of the Black Bishop on b4. The Queen on f3 supports Bf4 followed by Nc7+. Also good was 12. Qg4 also supporting Bf4 and attacking the Black Bishop on b4.

Bd6 (Threatening checkmate.) 13. g3 (Stopping mate and supporting Bf4.) Bxb5 14. Bxb5+ Ke7

Now White has some compensation for his two sacrificed pawns! The Black King cannot castle because it has just moved and is thus stuck in the Center where it can be easily attacked. White shortly gets his remaining pieces into the game while Black never gets his kingside Knight and Rook into the game.

15. Bf4! Qxb2 (White is now down 3 pawns.) 16. Bxd6+ Kxd6 17. Rfb1 Qd4

White decided to centralize a Rook by attacking the Black Queen with Rd1. Black could have played for the draw by moving his Queen back and forth between d4 and b2 but wanted to win. After all, he is up three pawns! White can also get a couple of his pawns back by playing 18. Qxf7 threatening to capture on b7 and the check on d7.

18. Rd1 Qb6 (Moving the Black Queen to safety.) 19. Rab1 (Indirectly attacking the Black Queen.) a6 20. Ba4 Qa5

White is still down three pawns but notice that Black has two rooks and a knight that haven't moved from their starting squares! White, on the other hand, has all of his pieces in the game and now goes after Black's centralized King.

21. Qa3+ Ke5?

Moving the King into the open makes it easier to attack! I think that better was 21... Kc7 trying to hide the King in the corner. Play could have continued 21... Kc7 22. Rdc1+ Kb7 23. Qf8+ Ka7 24. Qxf7 (threatening Qxb7#) Rb8 25. Rc7! If instead of 22... Kb7 Black had played 22... Kd7?? White can still play 23. Qf8#!

22. Re1+ Kf6 23. Qf3+ 1-0

If 23... Ke7 then 23. Rxb7+ causes problems for Black. For example, if 23... Kd8 then 24. Rxe6! threatens Re8#. If then 24... Qxa4 25. Qxd5+ Kc8 26. Rxf7! Rb8 27. Rc6+!! Now then, if instead of 23... Kd8 Black had played 23... Kd6?? play could have continued with 24. Qa3#. Going back to the diagramed position, if instead of 23... Ke7 Black had played 23... Kg6 then play could have continued with 24. Bc2+ Kh6 25. Qf4+ Kh5 (Not 25... g5 because of 26. Qxf7 followed by 27. Rxe5+) 26. Re5+ f5 27. h4 h6 28. Rxf5+!! Kg6 29. Re5#

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