Tagra-Potot

This game was played on September 11 against College of Commerce. I played white with the engineering team and I was sitting at board 1.

[Event "USC intrams '96"]
[Site "USC, Cebu City, Philippines"]
[Date "1996.09.11"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Tagra, Ronald"]
[Black "Potot, Ariel"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 a6 6. Nd6 Bxd6 7. Qxd6 Qf6 8. Qd1 Qg6










A Sicilian Defence Lowenthal Variation. I am not familiar with this defence while my opponent brought this game which is one of his favorite. Ariel supposed to play the Pelican but he knows that I am prepared of it. I consumed 20 minutes for my next move.

9. Nc3 Nge7 10. h4 h5 11. Bg5 O-O 12. Qd2 ... I want to Castle.
12 ...b5 13. f3 ... Bolstering my e4 pawn so that I can move Nd5 after 13...b4 b4 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. exd5 ... I think 15. Qd5 is better, maintaing the pressure on d-file. Nd4 16. O-O-O Bb7

My king is in danger his next move is obviously Rc8. I consumed 30 minutes with this move because I was afraid of the threat 17 ... Nc2 8. Qc2 followed by Rfc8, losing my queen but I found refutation because after 17. .... Nc2 simply 18. Bd3. Early 17. Bd3 won't work because of the Qd6 removing my valuable d-pawn. 17. Be3! ... The only move, removing the attacking pieces. 17. ... Rfc8 18. Bxd4 exd4 19. Bd3 Qb6 I have clear advantage this time because of his pawn structure, the d-pawn is hanging. But my time was 15 minutes left. 20. Be4 b3 21. axb3 Qxb3










22. Qxd4? ... Better is 22. Kb1. 22. ... Qa2 23. Qb4 Rab8 24. Qa3 Qc4 25. Rd2 f5 26. Bxf5 Bxd5 27. Rhd1 Be6 28. Rd4 Qb5 29. Bxe6 dxe6 30. Qa2 Qf5 31. R4d2 Rc6 32. Kb1 Kh7 33. Qa4? Rcb6 34. Qd4 Rb4 35. Qc3 Rb3 36. g4 hxg4 37. fxg4 Qe4 38. Qd4 Qxd4 39. Rxd4 Rxb2 40. Kc1 Rb1 41. Kd2 R8b4 42. Kc3 Rxd1 43. Rxb4 Rg1 44. Kd3 0-1

I could play at least draw but my time is up..:-(