Ah good! Maureen. Should be easy if I'm careful.

1. e4 e6 The French. I used to play the Steinitz (2 P-K5), but not had too good results lately. 2. d4 d5 I'll play the Exchange variation. I've done quite well with it lately. Lasker used to play unfashionable drawish variations when he wanted to win, and besides Blackburne said it led to "pretty play with the minor pieces". 3. exd5 exd5 I don't know the theory of this beyond move three. Just develop minor pieces I guess. But first! Run to the car to get sunglasses so she can't see where I'm looking on the board. 4. Nf3 (Puff, pant) Back with sunglasses. Ask John Edge if he can see which way my eyes are going. He can't tell. 4... Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 She's just copying me. Maybe she doesn't know it either? Looks as though she'll castle k-side, so I'll try to go castle the other side. 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Be3 Bg4 I don't care about having my f-pawn doubled, it'll give me an attack route. 8. Qd2 Bxf3 9. gxf3 c6 I can't help feeling that a more aggressive player would have made it more difficult for me to do that. 10. O-O-O Qc7 This looks pretty good. I have a piece phalanx (see My Theory of Chess), and most things are bearing down on her king. I just have to watch the h-pawn. 11. h4 h5 It's time to go for the throat. 12. Rdg1 Nbd7 Wonder why she did that? Just general development I guess. After the game I looked at Rxg7 ch, but the text works anyway. 13. Bh6 g6 Just noticed I can't win the exchange because of Bf4. Better try something to justify the attack. 14. Bxg6 After the game, Maureen said I should have played Rxg6, but when we tried it, it didn't seem to be much different. 14... fxg6 15. Rxg6+ Kh8 16. Bg7+ Kg8 17. Bxf8+ Kxf8 18. Qh6+ Ke8 I've still got to watch Bf4. 19. Qh8+ Bf8 I am winning this, but Maureen keeps finding the best defensive moves. If I lose momentum, I've only got R+2P v B+N, which isn't a lot. 20. Re1+ Kf7 Now I'm in trouble. I'd planned Qh7ch, but forgot that the N still covers that square. this is why you should never try to think too far ahead. It's always wrong. In my case, 'too far ahead' means two moves! Now I lookk at Rh6, Rxf6 but eventually settle for... 21. Reg1 Re8 Now Maureen's got a few threats and my Q can't move. 22. Rg7+ Bxg7 Possibly Ke6 was better for her. 23. Qxg7+ Ke6 24. Re1+ Kf5 25. Qg5# 24....Kd6 would have lasted longer but would still have lost to 25 Qg3 White mates 1-0