1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 I hope he's not going to play one of my traps. 3. d4 The Scotch. All I know about this is that Black should swap pawns, and then not swap knights. 3... exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 That's a surprise. Surely this must be to my advantage? I'll end up with a piece developed. 5... bxc6 6. Bc4 I've got to watch this now. I've been caught out like this a couple of times recently. e.g. 7 Bxf7 Kxf7 8 Qh5 picking up my bishop and winning a pawn. Wait a minute - what if I play Qh4 first? It looks a bit premature, but it stops his tactic. Dare I do it? 6... Qh4 Mate in 1 threatened. His only reasonable move is Qe2. 7. Qe2 Nf6 8. Nc3 That protects his e-pawn, but misses my other knight move. I don't think I've got enough to force mate, but I'm committed now. 8... Ng4 9. g3 I don't even think about retreating my queen. 9... Bxf2+ I keep worrying about Bxf7. I'll keep checking. 10. Kd1 Damn! He saw that 10 Kf1 Qh3 is mate! 10... Bxg3 I'm glad I saw that, else I might've lost a piece. 11. Be3 Hmm. 11....Nf2ch fails to 12. Bxf2 Bxf2 13 Rf1 and then when my knight moves, f7 falls. 11... Bf2 12. Bxf2 Nxf2+ 13. Kd2 I could play Nxh1 straight away, but what I play gives the opportunity to win the rook for nothing if he goes Ke1. 13... Qf4+ 14. Qe3 Qxe3+ 15. Kxe3 Nxh1 16. Rxh1 OK, that should be enough to win. I need to get my rooks moving and free my bishop. 16... O-O 17. Rf1 d6 18. Rf4 I haven't got a clue why he played that. I'll just keep developing, and if he wants to swap, that's fine by me. 18... Be6 19. Bxe6 fxe6 20. Ne2 e5 21. Rg4 d5 22. c3 I didn't see that. The centre's a bit precarious now. 22... Rf1 23. Ng3 I'd seen that move, but underestimated it's strength. I had planned to mop up some Q-side pawns, but Nf5 is too dangerous. 23... Rf7 24. h4 Raf8 25. Nf5 26 Nh6 looks a bit nasty. I'm on the back foot now. I should still win, but must be very careful. I think about saccing rook for knight, but I don't think it's good enough. 25... Kh8 26. h5 dxe4 27. Nh4 Rf4 28. Rxf4 It's going to be fiddly, but on balance, I think taking with the rook is better 28... Rxf4 29. Ng2 Rg4 30. Kf2 Kg8 31. Ne3 I'm getting worried about repeating moves leading to a draw. Must keep my king moving. 31... Rf4+ 32. Ke2 Kf7 33. Nc4 Ke6 34. Ke3 I should be home clear now. I'll shove the g-pawn. I don't see how he can stop it. 34... g5 35. hxg6 hxg6 36. Nd2 Kf5 37. Ke2 g5 38. Nf1 Clever! I wondered how he'd get his knight over. I reckon the sac should work now. 38... Rxf1 39. Kxf1 Kf4 40. Kf2 He's keeping the opposition. Still, surely he must lose soon? 40... e3+ 41. Ke2 g4 White resigns. 0-1