[Event "Continental op"] [Site "USA"] [Date "1993.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Sales, Jesse Noel"] [Black "Saidy, Anthony Fred"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A48"] [BlackElo "2380"] [PlyCount "107"] [EventDate "1993.??.??"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2001"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2000.11.22"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2000.11.22"] [SourceQuality "1"] {Do you have cherished memories from your chess journey to share with friends? It's a common experience for chess players to reach their peak performance, which naturally may diminish over time due to aging. However, the undeniable facts of winning tournaments remain a testament to one's success in both chess and life."} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 {[#] I appreciate this move as it allows the bishop to advance first, without obstructing the possibility of castling on the queenside.} Bg7 {IM Anthony Saidy is a retired physician and the author of several books. Being aware of his solid play and technical skills, I knew I had to approach the game with both caution and aggression.} 4. e3 b6 5. Be2 Bb7 6. O-O c5 7. c3 {I was confident employing this variation, akin to the Reversed Slav Defense.} O-O 8. Nbd2 d6 9. b4 {Let's start by employing an innate strategy, which involves applying pressure early on to ultimately dominate the game."} Nbd7 10. h3 {'Yes, this is essential for a chess player with a safety-first mindset.'} Rc8 11. Qb3 cxb4 12. cxb4 Qc7 {This position has given me much to consider, particularly whether to trade my two rooks for the black queen. Intuitively, I feel there's a subtle opportunity for victory due to the queen's mobility and my pieces' harmonious arrangement, which allows for dynamic play."} 13. Rac1 Qxc1 {IM Saidy believed the exchange was fair, considering his control over the c file.} 14. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 15. Kh2 Rfc8 {[#] How do you approach this position? When playing as white, how do you execute your strategy as if piecing together a jigsaw puzzle?} 16. Qa4 R8c7 17. e4 {I appreciate this move; the bishop at g5 has served its purpose well. Fortunately, my pieces are strategically positioned in a 'Triangle Defense' formation, reminiscent of a basketball defensive stance ???} R1c3 ({IF} 17... Nxe4 18. Nxe4 Bxe4 19. Bxc1) 18. Bb5 {It's a beautiful move; I must employ creativity and strategically utilize my pieces to achieve an advantageous position."} Bc6 19. Bxc6 R3xc6 20. Qb5 Rc2 21. e5 dxe5 22. dxe5 Ne8 23. Bxe7 a6 ({IF} 23... Nxe5 24. Qxe8+) 24. Qxa6 Nxe5 25. Bh4 {Positioning the bishop on g3 will protect my king while also applying pressure on the rook at c7. Despite being a pawn ahead, the outcome of the game is still unclear.``} Nd7 26. Bg3 Rc8 27. Ne4 Bf8 28. Nc5 {It seems that IM Saidy overlooked this maneuver, marking the beginning of White's tactical and dynamic queen play."} R8xc5 29. bxc5 Rxc5 {[#] Now, when playing as white, how would you respond?"} 30. Qd3 Nef6 31. Nd2 Rd5 32. Qe2 Nh5 33. Bc7 Rc5 34. Bd8 Rc8 35. Bg5 {Catch me if you can move} Ng7 36. g3 Ne6 37. Be3 Bc5 38. Bh6 Bf8 39. Bxf8 Nexf8 {[#] In this case, I am slowly beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as an additional thematic element following the exchange of bishops.} 40. Nb3 Ra8 41. Kg2 Ne6 42. Qb2 Ra7 43. Nd2 Ra4 44. Nf1 {The knight's unpredictable strategic maneuver will be critical for black, as it creates pressure on the kingside.} Rd4 45. Ne3 h5 {Preventing Ng4.} 46. Qc3 {I believe that the queen overpowers black's rook, resulting in a losing position for black."} Kh7 47. Qc6 Rd2 48. Nc4 Rd3 49. Nd6 Ne5 50. Qxb6 h4 51. Nxf7 Nf4+ 52. gxf4 Nxf7 53. Qf6 Rd7 ({IF} 53... Nh6 54. a4 Rd7 55. a5 Ng8 56. Qc6 Rf7 57. a6) 54. f5 {Black has resigned. I am elated with this victory, which has positioned me as the sole leader in the tournament. I anticipate facing a Grandmaster or International Master in the final match. Nonetheless, it has been a fantastic day marked by a memorable triumph.} 1-0