"Would anyone like to play with a complete amateur, open board?"
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"Would anyone like to play with a complete amateur, open board?"
"I would be privileged, Mr Johnson," says Onsott, "...if the rec room are not tired of me". :)
Lt. Vaudreuil bemusedly looks around. "I see no sign of that as yet, Mr. Onsott. Please, gentlemen, begin when you're ready."
T'Var gets herself another cup of Vulcan spice tea, then settles in to watch the game.
With a slight shrug Johnson sets the board up the board and then holds up two pawns, one white and one black.
"It would be unfair of me to ask you to choose Mr Onsott. Lt. Vaudreuil, would you please do the honours."
The French officer thinks a moment and says, "Mr. Johnson, you haven't played yet. You may choose your color."
"I am more than agreeable," says Onsott politely.
Having expected to pick a hidden pawn, Johnson assumes this must be some differing rule for starting the game he didn't know about.
"Thank you, I choose White."
He replaces the pawns and then promptly moves. King pawn to e4.
T'Var continues to sip her tea. It will be nice to watch a game for a change.
White plays a typical opening move -- though the doctor is sure this game will be anything but "typical".
Onsott plays 1. ... e5 (1. ...P-K4) with barely a pause.
Johnson pauses slightly, weighs up a few options and plays 2 Nf3.
Onsott also weighs up a few options and decides that the well-worn 2. ... Nc6 will do just fine.
A slight nod and 3. Nc3 is played
Onsott responds with 3. ...Nf6, going into the ancient Four Knights' Game.
T'Var observes the beginning moves with great interest. The Four Knights Game is a solid opening for both white and black. She has used this opening on occasion as well.
The question now is -- will this opening continue to unfold -- or will it transform into a different one?
Unlike the others, Johnson hasn't a clue about openings, tries to remember all those games he used to play as a kid, and hopes he isn't making too much of a fool of himself.
4. Bc4 being the next move.
Onsott calmly takes the White King's pawn: 4. ... Nxe4. Having no idea what is going on in Johnson's head, he can only play the position on the board according to its objective merits.
Johnson scratches his head, realises his early error and hopes he doesn't go in too deep and moves 5. d3
Onsott appears irresolute for a moment, then continues with 5. ... Nxc3; unsure whether it be nobler in the mind to politely ask if his opponent has overlooked the loss of a pawn, or to hold his peace in order not to embarrass Mr Johnson before the rec-room.
6. bxc3
Johnson still wondering what would have happened if he had taken the Knight and thinking that although there was probably a way out of it, if Black had played 5...d5 he couldn't work ways any of it out without losing more pieces.
Lt. Vaudreuil rubs his chin as he watches the game unfold. There's always something to learn.
Onsott senses Johnson's puzzlement and deduces the likely cause. "Sir, you will have seen the pawn fork after 5. Nxe4, d5. But you are already ahead by a piece for a pawn and need only arrange to pick up a pawn while returning the piece in order to preserve the material balance. A simple possibility is 6. Bxd5, Qxd5, although I have the theoretical advantage of two Bishops and a pawn in the centre. More complicated is 6. Bd3, dxe4 (for I am obliged to regain my piece); 7. Bxe4 with, as I understand it, interesting play to follow. Alternatively, after 4. ...Nxe4 you can play 5. Bxf7+, dislodging my King, and only then take my Knight. Material is equal in all these lines, though Black is generally held to have equalised.
"And, if it comforts you to know this, any of these lines would have more or less exhausted my book knowledge in this position."
Onsott continues with 6. ... d5.
"My thanks, Mr Onsott, Bd3 was probably the best option I missed."
He studies the board and then moves 7. Bb5
Onsott nods acknowledgement and continues with 7. ... Bd6.
Johnson looks across the table 8. d4
Mulling it over for a while, Onsott rejects 8. ... f6 as giving his opponent just too many chances, and instead opts for 8. ... 0-0.
Johnson watches the move, nods and moves. 9 Bxc6
9. ... bxc6; Onsott has no rational alternative to recapturing.
Johnson sits and observers the board for several minutes, trying to trace through various options, each time coming to roughly the same conclusion.
He castles Kingside. 10. 0-0
Onsott continues with 10. ... e4, admiring Johnson's acumen in staying out of complications that would probably have not favoured White,
T'Var takes another sip of her Vulcan tea. She is enjoying the slow and steady pace of this most logical game of chess.
Vaudreuil thinks through what he would do, were he playing.
Johnson stares back at the board, wondering what to move next...
He takes a deep breath 11. Ne5
After some thought, Onsott takes the Knight. 11. ... Bxe5.
Johnson looks at the board, slightly puzzled, blinks a couple of times and then realises his jaw has dropped slightly.
He composes himself and with a shrug, takes the bishop as the only obvious sensible move. 12. dxe5
He wonders what Mr Onsott has planned.
A notable female player today: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/30/world/...rticle_sidebar
Notable doesn't say the half of it - the only woman in the world's top 100, the only woman ever to be in the world's top 10 though she is way out of it now; not the only woman ever to have beaten a male World Champion (Vera Menchik beat Max Euwe at least once) but by far the strongest woman of all time, whereas Menchik generally did poorly in tournaments against men and had a number of resounding last or nearly-last places. They both have this to their name, that during their career there wasn't a woman fit to tie their shoes and Polgar has never bothered to even compete for the women's championship which she could have won blindfold any time in the last twenty years.
Onsott continues with 12. ... Re8 as though nothing could be more natural.
In for a penny, in for a pound.
13. Qd4
Onsott approves of the sentiment and continues with 13. ... Qe7.
T'Var looks on with rapt attention. She analyzes each move, pondering what move she would make for each side.
With a nod Johnson moves. 14. Bf4
14. ... Be6 follows after a brief pause.
Followed after a brief pause from Johnson by 15. Qb4
To which Onsott responds with 15. ... c5.
Vaudreuil walks up next to T'Var and says quietly, "Penny for your thoughts, Doctor."
Johnson calmly moves 16: Qb5
"I am impressed with how well Mr. Johnson is playing against a clearly superior opponent," the doctor replies just as quietly. "Mr. Onsott is a mere pawn ahead in material at this point."
Mulling it over, Onsott continues with 16. ... Bd7. He gives T'Var a polite nod.
Johnson stares at the board for a while trying to run through as many ideas as possible before settling on 17. Qa5