BACK ON BOARD !

Readers who might, very vaguely, remember me know that I have left competition chess a few years ago. Last time I had played I had represented my former team, Grupo de Xadrez do Porto in a blitz competition back in the Summer of '05.

After having played 18 years (1987-2005) of competition chess, it's hard to just let it go, so it's with no surprise that I felt it calling again...

Now I live in a much smaller place than my hometown. Galway, on the west coast of Ireland, only has 70000 inhabitants, despite being Ireland's 3rd biggest city. There is nevertheless a Chess club that I recently visited for the first time... and back to the world of Chess I returned! I met great people, played a few games, and even managed a 2nd spot on a rapid chess tournament. Guess I haven't forgotten everything, heh?!

But of course you, gentle reader, want to know more about the games themselves, so here's a position I remember well, from my only defeat, playing black vs Zaidan Zulkipli. I played the opening very passively and my opponent punished me accurately, as we reached this position:



I haven't analyzed this position throughly, but I played the interesting 1...Rae8!? here, trying to expose white's weakness on the e column. The game proceeded:
2. Rg3 Qf5?! (pretty sure 2...Qh6 was better)
3. Rg5! Qxe4? (despair in time trouble)
4. Qxe4 Kd7
5. Re5 dxe5
6. dxe5? (6. f5! or 6.0-0-0!) h5? (6...Rxe5 7.Qxe5 Re8 might still give some chances on a blitz game...)
7. 0-0-0 and I lost soon after.

It seems a difficult but nevertheless interesting position. Can you see something better for black?

Anyway, the club championships start today, 3h games, and I've been preparing my openings, almost like in the old days! A report from that match will follow soon.

Glad to be back "on board" !

Pedro


Pedro Quaresma - Viriatovitch Chess


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