Printable View
T'Var checks the board positions carefully. Depending upon the next few moves, things could get rather complicated. The doctor smiles at the thought. Chess is such a logical game, and yet, it is also a game of chance. Which move will Johnson make in reply to her own?
16...Rac8
Seventeen moves and only one capture and response, but that just meant that any mistake would act like a trail of dominoes. Johnson just wished he could be as foresighted as T'Var had shown herself to be.
17. Nd2
17...Ng4
Johnson looks at the board, over and over. He knows there are probably better moves, he knows there are probably safer moves, but, but...he also knows he just can't resist it.
At least he is almost certain to last his 25 moves against T'Var he thinks. Johnson reaches forward to start the domino trail.
18. Nb5
18...Bxb5
19. Qxb5
19...f5
Twenty moves in, and still fairly balanced and then T'Var still managed to surprise him.
20. Bg5
T'Var scans the board. She is unsure as to which move would be the most logical. Why has she been so tentative in this game? Johnson's skill is increasing much faster than T'Var anticipated. She must tread carefully.
20...h6
21. Bxe7
21...Qxe7
22. h3
22...Nf6
It was all getting cluttered.
23. f3
T'Var checks the board positions carefully. Now is not the time to lose focus. She must find a way to gain the upper hand.
23...Nh5
It was too good to be true. He had looked over and over the board again and again and once more he had been out-manoeuvred.
24. exf5
24...Nxg3
25. Rfe1
25...Nxf5
Thirty moves was the next target, thirty five if he was really lucky.
26. a4
26...Nd4
T'Var is impressed with Johnson's ability to escape whatever traps she has set for him -- so far. The doctor allows herself a brief smile.
Johnson could count only two moves he could realistically make and only one of them made sense.
27. Qa6
T'Var answers with 27...Rc5
Actually, looking at the board now, neither of those made sense and he was well and truly being out through the wringer. Dominoes indeed.
28. Rb5
28...Nxb5
29. axb5
29...Rc7
Thirty moves, and effectively a bishop down, Johnson smiles ruefully at the board. Yeah, this probably wouldn't take T'Var too much longer.
30. Qa3
30...Rf4
Johnson looks over his rapidly diminishing possibilities. He shrugs, its probably not the best move, but it will do.
31. Ne4
"You continue to escape the traps I set for you," T'Var tells Johnson with a smile. "Well done."
The doctor then moves:
31...Rxc4
"At the moment, I don't thinks traps are necessary, you pretty much have me where you want me." replies Johnson.
32. Qxd6
"Not quite yet," T'Var answers, then moves:
32...Qxd6
33. Nxd6
33...Rc5
34. Rd1
34...Rd4
35. Rxd4
35...exd4
36. f4
36...d3
The race was on...
37. Kf1
"One of the many things I like about chess is the fact that a seemingly weak and insignificant piece has the potential to become something so powerful," T'Var says as she makes her latest move.
37...Rc1+
Johnson look across at the board and sees the inevitable sequence which will leave him further behind in terms of pieces and once again completely out-maneuvered by his far more skilled opponent.
He shakes his head ruefully before reaching across and toppling the White King over.
"Once again you have the better of me. Well played ma'am." he admits freely as he reaches across the board to shake T'Var's hand.
T'Var smiles at Johnson as she shakes his hand. "And you as well," she says. "Your skills are improving quite a bit with each game. I have no doubt you will defeat me in the near future."
"True, but working out where I went wrong is also a good idea."
Johnson starts looking back over the moves trying to work out what went wrong and where he could have done better.
"You made no glaring errors," T'Var says. "You played quite well."
The doctor also looks over the moves made. "Where do you think you went wrong?"
"I may have made no glaring errors, but overall, it still wasn't up to scratch. If I had to say, it was likely started by that failed attack down the queenside, which went kind of nowhere and left me stuck for support kingside."
Johnson rewinds the game to after Black's move 11. "I wonder if there was a better move than Qb3, perhaps just shifting the pawn forward to b5 would have been better. What do you think ma'am, am I in the right area?"
"It is always a good idea to protect your king," T'Var says. "Also, keeping your game focused on the center of the board -- whether you are making an offensive or defensive move, is a key element."
"Agreed, and having been caught up on that side left me open to attack against the king. I need some more practice." Johnson checks the time and sighs sadly realising his time off duty had come to an end. He looks across at his opponent and nods, "Sorry, duties call. But yes, I'll work out what to do, foodwise, with the Chess evening. I'm sure it'll be a great idea. Really looking forward to it."
He stands up and shakes T'Var's hand once again, "Thanks for all the practice. I'm sure we can continue at some point."