I've checked with Rybs AND Tablebases and it wasn't a "silly" series of posts as it turned out... My g6&Kf3-g2 plan is an equally fast mate/it rules out the need to protect g5 from the ♗ attsack/and the g6 pawn is immune from an attack by the king/and the King on g2 ensures a certain promo unless the B is sacked

I like a most active king in these type situations and that's why I felt g6 gave that freedom -- turns out the tablebases even support the idea:

"resistance is futile"

(as you already knew - but still)

Cheparinov - Topalov 0-1 484
Radjabov - Aronian 1/2 4
Ivanchuk - Bu 1/2 3700>

Ivanchuk fans should be sure to check out this game, an incredible -blindfold- win over Van Wely from Amber Blindfold 2006 in which Chucky demolishes Van Wely's kingside defenses with an extraordinary sacrifical attack.

Position after 21 ♘c3-d5!!

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Position after 26 ♗d4xg7!

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Position after 29 ♖d1-g1+ 1-0

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heh....

A Very Pleasant and Polite Old Spanish fellow (1910) v Jess (1877) Yahoo (2 hours a side time control)

1.d4

<Oh No@! Heh just kidding actually thanks to OPEN DEFENCE (Deffi) I was actually practicing KID all morning before playing)>

1...Nf6!!

<Yes, the move clearly merits two exclamation points. Prove me wrong buddy!!>

2.f3? g6

<I figure he's going for the SAMMISCH variation by transposition and just trying to confuse me-- so business as usual>

3.e4 d6
4.Bd3 Bg7
5.Be3 0-0

<reaching this LION VARIATION game by transposition: J Cleal vs E Weinberg, 2005;

<My Shredder keeps telling me to play d5 instead of d6- and maybe he knows something cuz I eventually do play an early d5. He has his Bishops on the squares Morphy likes- I like them there too but he hasn't developed a Knight yet so I'm going to challenge for the center straight away-- KNIGHTS BEFORE BISHOPS people say>

White to move: and now he deviates from <Clean Underwear v. Mr. Wiener> and we are out of theory already. Needless to say, this isn't a Grandmaster Game:

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6.c3 Nbd7
7.Ne2 e5
8.Qc2 d5
9.exd5 Nxd5
10.Bf2 Nf4?

<My Engine is getting all Huffy that I didn't play 10...exd4 here but I wanted to stick a pawn in his throat early-- otherwise why play the KID in the first place? Soon, I will start throwing pawns at his Kingside in what I expect to learn is a most unsound manner.>

11. Nxf4 exf4

White to move:

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12.o-o f5?
13.Nd2 Nf6
14.Nc4 Nd5

<My Engine takes a dim view of my Pawn advance here-- However, the EVAL is always less than a pawn advantage for White through the first 14 moves-- IE- I haven't BLUNDERED yet- I will soon, however>

15.Rae1 g5
16.Ne5 Kh8
17.Bc4 c6
18.Bd3 Qf6
19.a3 h5
20.c4 Ne7
21.Qb3 Be6

<Crap this is a big blunder as it allows 22.Qxb7 without compensation for me. My brilliant "defense" idea is 22...Rfb8, which loses on the spot due to the Royal Knight Fork Black has on the f-7 square>

<Here we are and this won't be the first time he misses a game winning move>:

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22.Re2 g4
23.Qxb7 Rfb8?? (blunder)
24.Qa6 Rb6 (he also misses my blunder)
25.Qa4 gxf3
26.Nxf3 Rb7

<Now White is up FIVE PAWNS advantage and I feel it all slipping away. However, I play on anyways>

27.Ne5? Qg5

<27.Rfe1 is crushing here-- but he makes the error of closing off the e-file, which he should use to force my whole position to collapse-- so I start thinking maybe I can stay alive and swindle some counterplay.>

<The following sequence is HIGHLY EMBARRASSING as he is up as much as SIX PAWNS but refuses to find the KILL SHOT on multiple occasions. I am badly outplayed here, but he keeps letting me stay alive at the very moment he has me by the throat>

28.d5 cxd5
29.c5 Rab8
30.Rb1 Rg8
31.Nf3 Qg6
32.c6 Bf6
33.Bc5 Rc7
34.Bxe7? Rxe7
35.Rc1 Rc7
36.R1c2 Bf7
37.Qa5 Bd8

<Well I don't know why he didn't just take Qxf4 and I'm pretty much Crushed but I'm not quitting now- I've felt on the verge of defeat for over an hour now and I'm getting a second wind>

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38.Ne5 Qf6
39.Nxf7+ Qxf7
40.Qc3+ Bf6
41.Qd2 Bg5
42.Qa5 f3
43.Re5 Bf6
44.Rxf5 Bd4+
45.Kh1 fxg2+
46.Rxg2 Rxg2 <desperation here> 47.Kxg2 Qg7+ <heh> 48.Kf1 Qg1+ 49.Ke2 Qe3+

WHITE RESIGNS

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HOly Crap that was painful to analyze- not to mention play while he was beating the Crap out of me in the late Middle Game---

However-- HE COULDN'T CLOSE THE DEAL

And I punished him for it.

That said, I have to say that the two hours I just spent analyzing this game was a lesson in humility. I certainly didn't win with "best play."

I won cuz of psychology. He kept letting up at the very moments he had a won game (and there were many such moments).

I stuck around for the point-- I"m not proud of the moves I made but I'm proud I was mentally tougher than this particular opponent on this particular day.

About your game - I played through it last night and you should give yourself some credit for the counterplay and its execution in the end -- he obviously wasn't equipped with the technique to exploit the weaknesses that had arisen in your position with <27 Rfe1> and not taking out the f4 pawn about some five moves onwards...

He obviously lacked some understanding and developed technique (practise playing out "won" positions - point being that they still have to be "won" and agaist some of your very strong moves towards the end he came up woefully short) in order to find the right moves when he could have taken away all your chances for counterplay.

That's where my advised use of engines comes into play -- practise that methodically against your engine etc etc - I've said it many many times already...

He too obviously found it hard to close the deal because there were left too many accounts open and he crumbled, got nervous/frustrated whatever -- he didn't see it in this game --- and HIM COMING UP SHORT should be expected at 1900 level.... It's the closing down deals while there are still quite a few pieces on the board that is the hardest, if met by resilient opposition...

Of course he lacked the skill to close it down -- even Van bloody Wely gave away a 6.0 advantage against Carlsen because he lacked the serene surgical approach needed in such positions, at that time...

Mind you van Wely is 2670 ELO for pete snake!

Your closing combination was exactly what he deserved.

Heh I'm spending the rest of the Chess day "investigating" since I played two games on Yahoo already.

Whoopa

I remember your computer post... I'm not sure, but my gut is telling me it was at your house?

I'm terrible with all of the Search Functions. If only <Eyal> were around!!!

I just read at the GMT page that yet another valuable contributor has left the team, and this is one of the reactions...

<Sometimes when we pour our heart and soul into an endeavor, our feelings about our work and our various contributions are more apparent and vulnerable; we become sensitive to the receptiveness of our ideas, comments, and feedback. Taking a few days off and putting some distance between ourselves and our passion, which in this case happens to be chess, can be a renewing experience. After a short break, the slights of yesterday seem less relevant and important.>

The dynamics and psychology involved in this experiment/challenge, between ONE MAN and his MACHINE vs. HUNDREDS OF MEN WITH THEIR MACHINES is quite remarkable...

'How Life imitates Chess' ?

We need a intimate look (like) 'Inside The World Team' - A Chess Odyssee (Limited Edition)

-- preferably be a super skilled and talented writer and Chess Affiniado

"Rocafella: This is really cool! I've already posted my vote ;)..."

It's the growth of that "living entity", through several phases of its development, that is so incredibly interesting...

I was daunted by the mere occasion itself, at the start of the GMAN game, and didn't see a role for myself in it, having just joined CG and my 1st internet-community ever, I was just in awe and followed from a respectable distance, developed an admiration for several key kibitzers/organizers/thinkers then, only later to develop the courage to discuss (let alone) some chess with "them"...

It'd be a lot of work as you said, and having to do all the work by yourself is not really an option... People like me could do some research and stuff, and there are luckily many skilled writers like yourself (and unlike me), who were there "in it" at the time.

It beats watching Television, I must say... (with the risk of getting lynched ;-))

2. f3? - Say effing what? In a hurry to get out of book, are we? Jess the Wonder Babe mused that this was some kind of accelerated Saemisch. That is way too convoluted. More likely he wants to play e4 next. 2...d5 would really gum up white's works. Your Shredded Wheat may have continued to call for d5, but this is the point where it does the most good.

<My Engine is getting all Huffy that I didn't play 10...exd4>

Good engine. With his uncastled king, Don Cisco is asking for an early exit. Opening the king file gives him the chance to hit the canvas with one more howler.

So far in this game, your intelligence is working against your common sense. Generally you should start with the obvious and use the obtuse only as a fallback plan.

<I haven't BLUNDERED yet>

Well, I would disagree but it may be a matter of semantics. I would say both 10...Nf4 and 15...g5 are blunders. Also 2...g6 is dubious for 2 reasons. First as mentioned, d5 is the best counter to f3. Second, you are stereotypically following the KID pattern rather than thinking in the position. You really wanted to play a KID and nothing as trivial as reality was going to deter you. Perhaps you were too tired when you played this game.

I think this is a good place to stop for now. The lessons here are:

1 - An open mind is flexible. Don't slavishly follow opening patterns.

2 - As mentioned a few months ago, when your opponent plays a surprise move, take extra time to orient yourself.

thanks for taking the time, and for such detailed comments as well <TIME BOMB>...

It's food for thought that I'll most certainly eat.

I just hope I can remember!!

Heh if you want to co-write just say so.

I'd be happy to help write an UNCENSORED TELL-ALL book about the <Great Jan Timman> v. the <Computer Expert GM-equivalent Sprawling, Brawling and Analyzing Hordes>.

I'm even a member of "Team White".

I almost voted today, but I didn't like any of the three candidate moves.