Well, at least things started off well. My preparation couldn’t have gone any better (I was able to surprise Lee, achieve a slightly better position, and perhaps most important is that my young opponent was uncomfortable). I was clearly better, winning a pawn, and only needed to SLOW DOWN! What was wrong with me? I played too fast in one critical moment, where if I had played 41.a4 (completely eliminating black’s counter-play and future mating net) the game would be over with a little technique. For some reason, I thought that allowing 41…Nb4 was unnecessary, and I chopped the f5-pawn with no further thought. I was wrong. No other way to put it. The game was still unlcear for sometime, but as I made my transfer to “playing only on the computer instead of on the board” Alejandro’s pre-match foreshadowing true: I remembered that I can’t play on ICC… All in all, the lost match probably falls on my shoulders. Anyway, I was not the only one who played the match, so let’s get to a review of the other games too.
Rogelio’s game was, well, unfortunate. I am a firm believer in the abilities of Arizona’s only “permanant” GM resident, but it seemed to me that Rogelio sort of out thought himself in this game. If there truly were no tactics after 11…e5 by black, then white’s 11.Nb5 can be nothing but an error. After the trade of minor pieces, Nakamura immediately imposed his will on the position, and was slightly better by move 15. I don’t know if Bonjo (my nickname for him, so don’t take it) lost his confidence, but his usual time advantage was non-existent (he was also playing one of the quickest thinking GMs in the world). Bonjo will be back with a vengance, mark my words…
Bonjo will be back like my man BW in the sequel...
Mr. Ginsburg on the other hand was in control from the get-go. After Mikhailuk employed a system with little bite, Mark took his opportunity to grab the initiative like a Filthy G (it means Gangsta’ in layman’s terms). Probably as early as 15…Nc5, and certainly after 20…Qh4, black was in control. This game was our only victory in the Match, and I must say that Mark played at a very high level, and grinded the ending perfectly. Good job professor!
Mark played like a G, and don't forget it...
A review of my game was basically given in my staple italicized introduction, but I will say that I feel some very important psychological and spiritual work was done following the game. I do feel that better days are around the corner in my USCL career…
Leo Martinez, our leader, played very well as black. He timed the required d5-breakthrough in the Hedge-Hog perfectly, and was pushing for the win. I am not exactly where his missed his chance to continue playing for the advantage (I thought perhaps 25…Ra8 would have allowed him to continue pushing, but I might be wrong). In any case, his draw, at the time, seemed like the perfect result as the person playing white on board 3 was supposed to come home with a victory. What an idiot on board 3! 
Until next time…
In my game I was just recreating the theme you and I co-created at the Copper State Intl Round 9! The theme is: attack white’s f4 pawn with a queen and a knight and white cannot guard it.