Welcome to my English Opening (ECO A10) game with Jose Rodriguez page!

On this page I have posted one my chess games in which I played the White side of the English Opening . The game includes analysis and diagrams. Winning this game would have gotten me the Under 1600 prize in this tournament, but I blew it. Perhaps I will win the rematch.

[Event "Tampa Chess Club Under 1800"]
[Site "Tampa Chess Club"]
[Date "2010.07.25"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Mike Serovey"]
[Black "Jose Rodriguez"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 d6 4. Bg2 c6 5. d3 Qc7 6. e4 Nf6 7. Nge2 O-O 
8. O-O Nbd7 9. h3 Re8 10. Be3 e5 11. f4 exf4 12. gxf4 Nh5 13. f5 Ne5 
14. fxg6 hxg6 15.Rb1 Be6 16. b3 c5 17. Nd5 Bxd5 18. cxd5 Qe7 19. Qd2 
Rac8 20. Bg5 f6 21. Bh4 g5 22. Bf2 Bh6 23. Ng3 Nxg3 24. Bxg3 Kg7 
25. Qe2 Rh8 26. Rf5 Kg8 27. Rbf1 Bg7 28. Bxe5 dxe5 29. Qf2 Rh6 30. Qg3 
b5 31. Rc1 a5 32. Qe3 Bf8 33. Qd2 b4 34. Rc4 Rc7 35. Qf2 Qg7 36. Qg3 
g4 37. hxg4 Rg6 38. Bf3 Qh6 39. Qf2 Rcg7 40. Kf1 Qh3+ 41. Ke2 Rh7 42. 
Rh5 Rxh5 43. gxh5 Rg3 44. h6 Bxh6 45. Rxc5 Qh4 46. Rxa5 Qg5 47. Ra8+
Kg7 48. Ra7+ Kg6 {And Black eventually checkmated White} 0-1

Tampa Chess Club Under 1800
Round 4, Board 4
Game Played: 25 July 2010
White: Mike Serovey (1509) Black: Jose Rodriguez (Unrated)

1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 d6 4. Bg2 c6

English Opening after 4... c6.

When White puts his Bishop on g2 Black will often put his pawn on c6 to block it. However, this takes a good square away from Black's Queen's Knight.

5. d3 Qc7 6. e4 Nf6 7. Nge2 O-O 8. O-O Nbd7 9. h3 Re8

English Opening after 9... Re8.

White has the Botvinnik system that he wanted. White's next move keeps the Black Queen off b6 and supports d4 if White should decide to play it.

10. Be3 e5 11. f4 exf4

English Opening after 11... exf4.

Many years ago I saw a game in Which Black recaptured with the g pawn in a similar position. Computer analysis shows that recapturing with the Knight is best.

12. gxf4 Nh5 13. f5 Ne5 14. fxg6 hxg6 15.Rb1 Be6 16. b3 c5

English Opening after 16... c5.

Black's last move doesn't really prevent d4 but does allow my Knight to go to d5. The doubled pawns on the d file are OK if I can get Black's d pawn off the board because then I will have a passed pawn in the Center.

17. Nd5 Bxd5 18. cxd5 Qe7 19. Qd2 Rac8 20. Bg5 f6

English Opening after 20... f6.

I wanted Black to put his pawn of f6 because it limits the range of his Bishop at g7. Although the pawn at f6 is adequately defended it is still a target and now it can't defend the Black pawn at g6.

21. Bh4 g5 22. Bf2 Bh6 23. Ng3 Nxg3 24. Bxg3 Kg7

English Opening after 24... Kg7.

Although I was tempted to play 25. d4 to undouble my pawns the Queen recapturing on d4 allows the Black Rook to penetrate at c2 and also leaves the pawn at e4 a little weak. Instead, White decided to go after Black's kingside pawns.

25. Qe2 Rh8 26. Rf5 Kg8 27. Rbf1 Bg7 28. Bxe5

English Opening after 28. Bxe5.

If Black recaptures with the f pawn then the g pawn is isolated. However, recapturing with the d pawn gives White a passed pawn in the Center, which is what I wanted.

dxe5 29. Qf2 Rh6 30. Qg3 b5 31. Rc1 a5 32. Qe3 Bf8

English Opening after 32... Bf8.

Realizing that I can't win the f pawn I decided to prevent Black's queenside expansion. Now, Black's c pawn is a target.

33. Qd2 b4

English Opening after 33... b4.

Playing the White Rook to c4 was unnecessary because Black can't advance his c pawn anyway. Stockfish thinks that Rcf1 was better, putting pressure on the Black f pawn again.

34. Rc4 Rc7 35. Qf2 Qg7 36. Qg3 g4?

English Opening after 36... g4?

Black's last move gives away a pawn and I don't see that he gets enough compensation for it. With all of the play being on the Kingside the White Rook at c4 is out of play. Even though we have bishops of opposite colors here this game isn't a draw as long as the rooks and queens are still on the board.

37. hxg4 Rg6 38. Bf3 Qh6 39. Qf2 Rcg7

English Opening after 39... Rcg7.

Black can't win the White g pawn without losing the exchange, Rook for a Bishop, but White needs to be careful not to allow the Black Queen to penetrate on the dark squares!

40. Kf1 Qh3+ 41. Ke2 Rh7 42. Rh5 Rxh5 43. gxh5 Rg3

English Opening after 43... Rg3.

I thought that trading pawns here was a good idea but now believe that 44. Rc1 followed by 45. Rh1 was better.

44. h6 Bxh6 45. Rxc5 Qh4!

- English Opening after 45... Qh4!

The Rook has to stay on the c file in order to keep the Black Queen off c1 and d2! Stockfish says that 46. d6 Qf4 47. Rc2 wins for White.

46. Rxa5? Qg5 47. Ra8+ Kg7 48. Ra7+ Kg6 0-1

English Opening after 48... Kg6.

I looked at playing 49. Rc6 but couldn't see clearly after 49... Qd2+. I missed that after 50. Kf1 the White Queen still protects the pawn at a2! The Black Rook at g3 is hanging so Black must either trade queens down 2 pawns or play either the Rook or Queen to g5. Any way the Black plays this White is OK. I hate losing won games!

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