"I look forward to our next encounter," T'Var says with a smile.
"I look forward to our next encounter," T'Var says with a smile.
T'Var sits in front of the white pieces. She ponders her first move. Her normal playing style needs to change. Her opening moves must be different. If she ever hopes to defeat Cmdr. Vargas, that is.
The doctor makes her first move -- one she would never make.
1. d4
Johnson smiles at the opener. Maybe he was having an effect on T'Var, that was his usual move to stop the Sicilian.
1. ...Nf6
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
2. c4
2. ...e6
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
3. Nf3
3. ...b6
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
T'Var rarely -- if ever -- plays the Queen's Indian as an opening. However, a new opening sequence might just be what the doctor ordered when playing Vargas in future.
"I hope you do not mind if I use you as a guinea pig, Andy," T'Var says as she makes her next move.
4. Nc3
"Course not, T'Var. The whole point is to get you to change you strategy."
4. ...Bb7
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
5. a3
5. ...d5
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
T'Var looks over the board carefully. What move would be logical, yet still quite unlike her style of play? The doctor allows herself a brief smile as she makes her next move.
6. Qc2
Johnson looks over the board. T'Var was certainly playing differently although still logically. Perhaps he should do the same.
6. ...Nbd7
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
The standard rule of opening play is to castle kingside by move ten. T'Var is a bit reluctant to ignore this common chess rule, but if she wishes to defeat Vargas....
7. c x d5
7. ...exd5
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
8. g3
8. ...Be7
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
9. Bg2
9. ...0-0
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
10. 0-0
Johnson looks over the board, both sides well placed, and for once he's fairly happy with it. Of course, this being T'Var, there are always surprised in store, especially with her new way of playing.
There are a couple of options and he wonders if being more forceful might be better, it was the only way he had held her to a draw.
10. ...c5
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
T'Var sees two options open at this point. Does she play for a draw or a win?
11. Rd1
Johnson looks over the board at the pieces. The opening ten moves gone with both positions stable and he doesn't really want to move anything, then again looking across at T'Var, maybe she had the answer.
11. ...Rc8
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
12. Qf5
12. ...g6
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
T'Var must retreat for now. She normally does not bring her Queen into play this early. Will her aggressive stand work against Mr. Johnson? Against Vargas when next they meet across the chessboard?
13. Qh3
Johnson looks carefully at the board and smiles. He'd have to be careful, T'var was quite capable of turning defence into attack. Perhaps he should go first instead.
13. ...cxd4
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
14. Nxd4
14. ...Bc5
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
15. Bg5
Hmm, and already Johnson was beginning to get the inevitable sinking feeling in just a few moves. He didn't really want to move anything, but he still had to. Hmmm.
15. ...a6
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
16. Bxd5
and there we go, straight through the centre...and Johnson once again gets that sinking feeling.
16. ...Rb8
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
17. Nc6
17. Bxc6
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
T'Var returns the favor.
18. Bxc6
Johnson wonders if he is going to last 25 moves, let alone 40 this time around.
18. ...Qc7
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
19. Bxd7
19. ...Nxd7
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
20. Rxd7
Johnson looks over the board at rapidly decreasing numbers of moves he can actually make. What plans he had had for Black's defence smashed through by T'Var's aggression. The game is all but over, and a loss of pieces or even checkmate were not only likely now, but a foregone conclusion. Johnson didn't think that T'Var would be any less aggressive at this point in the game.
20. ...Qc6
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
21. Nd5
A shake of the head but still Johnson keeps playing on.
21. ...h5
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
22. Nf6+
22. ...Kg7
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
T'Var ponders her move for a brief moment. Best to keep pressure on her opponent's king.
23. g4
23. ...Qb5
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
24. Qc3
24. ...Bxf2+
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
25. Kxf2
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