[Event "48th Mid-South Open"] [Site "Memphis"] [Date "2008.11.29"] [Round "1"] [White "Craig, Aaron"] [Black "Ford, Jay"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C10"] [WhiteElo "1467"] [BlackElo "1737"] [Annotator "Fritz 11 (57s)"] [PlyCount "93"] [EventDate "2008.??.??"] {C10: French with 3 Nc3: Unusual Black 3rd moves and 3...dxe4} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Nxf6+ Nxf6 8. Bd3 O-O { last book move. Black has a cramped position} 9. O-O h6 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c4 c5 (11... Bxd4 $4 {a horrible slip} 12. Nxd4 Qf6 13. Re1 $18) 12. dxc5 Bxb2 13. Rb1 {White threatens to win material: Rb1xb2} Bf6 (13... Ba3 14. c6 bxc6 $11) 14. Qe2 (14. Be4 $142 $5 {is an interesting alternative} Qxd1 15. Rfxd1 $14) 14... Qc7 $15 {Black threatens to win material: Qc7xc5} 15. Qe4 {White has a mate threat} Rd8 16. Qe3 (16. Qh7+ Kf8 $15) 16... Bd7 17. Nd2 Bc6 18. Ne4 (18. Nf3 $142 $5 $17) 18... Bd4 $19 19. Qe2 Be5 (19... Rd7 20. Kh1 $19) 20. f4 $2 ( 20. g3 $142 $19) 20... Bxf4 21. Qg4 (21. Nd6 Bxd6 22. cxd6 Rxd6 $19) 21... Bxe4 (21... Bxh2+ $142 {and Black has triumphed} 22. Kh1 Rxd3 $19) 22. Bxe4 Be3+ ( 22... Bxh2+ $142 $5 {might be the shorter path} 23. Kh1 Rab8 24. Rxf7 Qxf7 25. Kxh2 $19) 23. Kh1 Rd4 $4 {Black threatens to win material: Rd4xc4. Black is ruining his position} (23... Rab8 24. c6 bxc6 25. Rxb8 Rxb8 26. Qg3 Qxg3 27. hxg3 $19) 24. Rxb7 $4 {not a good decision, because now the opponent is right back in the game.} (24. Qf3 $142 $5 {and White can hope to live} Bg5 25. Rxb7 $11) 24... Qe5 (24... Qxb7 $142 25. Bxb7 Rxg4 26. Bxa8 Bxc5 $19) 25. Qf3 $4 { the position is going down the drain} (25. Rfxf7 $142 Kh8 26. Rxa7 $17) 25... Qf4 (25... Rxe4 $142 {and Black takes home the point} 26. Qxf7+ Kh7 $19) 26. Rxf7 Kxf7 $4 {lets it slip away} (26... Qxf3 27. Bxf3 (27. R7xf3 $2 Rxe4 28. Re1 Rd8 $19 (28... Rxc4 $6 29. Rfxe3 Rb8 30. Rxe6 $11)) 27... Kxf7 28. Bxa8+ Ke7 29. Bf3 $11) 27. Qxf4+ (27. Qh5+ $142 {and White has it in the bag} Ke7 28. Rxf4 Bxf4 29. Bxa8 $18) 27... Bxf4 $11 28. Bxa8 Ke7 29. g3 Bg5 30. h4 {White threatens to win material: h4xg5} Bf6 31. Rf4 Rd1+ 32. Kg2 Rd2+ 33. Rf2 Rxf2+ 34. Kxf2 {A bishop endgame occured} Bd4+ {Black forks: f2+c5} 35. Ke2 Bxc5 36. Kd3 Kf6 37. Ke4 Bd6 38. g4 a5 39. a4 Bg3 40. h5 {This push gains space} Kg5 { Black threatens to win material: Kg5xg4} 41. Kf3 {White threatens to win material: Kf3xg3} e5 $4 {throws away the game} (41... Bd6 42. Be4 $11) 42. c5 ( 42. Kxg3 Kf6 43. c5 $18) 42... Bf4 43. c6 {Don't underestimate that pawn} e4+ 44. Kxe4 Kxg4 45. Bb7 {Praise the bishop!} Bc7 46. Kd5 Kxh5 $4 (46... Kf5 $142 $11 {was a good chance to save the game}) 47. Ke6 $18 1/2-1/2