By Larry Tamarkin
 
As I am working from my chess database, I have quite a lot of chess games that bring back many good and bad memories of this chess fish. In the coming months I hope to present some of my games from recent times, but also more of my games from long-ago when I was playing as a far younger man.
 
Today I have decided to present my most recent achievement -- A tie for 4th through 6th and U-2200 in the "10 Grand Prix Points Tonight!! Event" hosted by the Chess Center of NY. My finishing place was not so high but the result included a victory in the last round of the best player I have beaten in 24 years! -- International Master Justin Sarkar.
 
Before I present this game and my other games on April 26, 2007, I give a brief overview of my massive chess-training program which I have been using since around mid-may of 2006.
 
* Continue to obtain the best chess books and magazines available. Of course it would help if I actually read them! Some of these materials are the following: NEW IN CHESS MAGAZINE, NEW IN CHESS YEARBOOK, DANGEROUS WEAPONS THE SICILIAN by John Emms and Richard Palliser, THE FRENCH by I.M. John Watson and THE NIMZO-INDIAN by John Emms, Chris Ward and Richard Palliser.  Many STARTING OUT opening books. Kasparov's MY GREAT PREDECESSORS series. Kasparov's REVOLUTION IN THE 70 s. GARRY KASPAROV'S GREATEST CHESS GAMES VOLUMES 1 and 2 by Igor Stohl. KASPAROV'S FIGHTING CHESS 1993-98 and KASPAROV'S FIGHTING CHESS 1998-2005 by Tibor Karolyi and Nick Aplin. FIRE ON BOARD (Book one and two) by Alexei Shirov. Any series of chess thinking books -- Dvoretsky and Aagaard. Even some books by Andrew Soltis deserve attention, such as WHY LASKER MATTERS (Bastford 2006). I have all these books and many more. Perhaps one day I'll read a bit more then just the introductions and a game from here and there.

* Chess Software from ChessBase and Chessok (www.chessassistant.com). Every training disk I can get my hands on -- ChessBase's conventional opening training software particularly appeals to me because of the usual inclusion of a database of training questions -- it's much easier than going over all the annotated material! Convekta's disks are also fantastic -- many disks on the World Champions and on individual opening's have already been produced. Mostly I like CT-Art and CA 8.1 for its ability to observe individual's games on the Internet Chess Club while displaying the opening tree and game analysis.

* Foxy opening DVD's. I really like these as they personalize certain openings that I play and others that I might play. While they are aimed at mostly low-level club players (like me!), the authors usually give a very good overview of what to aim for in a specific opening variation and point me in the right direction for what lines to choose and play. If I am really unbelieving about the content of the material in these tapes (or DVD's), then I usually have a book or software on the same material to flesh things out.

* ChessBase DVDs. These are the most important to me right now -- I try to get every new ChessBase DVD that I can. These include:

1) DVDs on specific openings around a great players own games (Shirov, Kasimzhanov, Van Wely).
2) DVD s on how to attack (Aagaard).
3) DVDs on specific openings e.g., HOW TO PLAY by Martin. 
4) And last but not least, DVD's on how to play better in the ending by Karsten Muller.

I love all these DVDs by ChessBase because I can sit on my rump and just watch without having to do more then click the mouse now and then. This German company has astutely figured out that Americans are used to just sitting in front of their TV sets without having the energy to change the channel. They crank out these "chess on computer" disks so fast that all we have to do is click on the "add to cart" icon on the ChessBase server, secure in the knowledge that learning this gargantuan amount of material will be a snap!

* Subscription to the fantastic online chess university, www.chesslecture.com which includes many talented and fascinating International Masters and even some Grandmasters. This site has a new chess lecture every day of the week, many aimed at advanced players like myself, but it also has hundreds of hours of archived material for chess players of every level. It cost $12.95 per month but is worth every cent as the lectures are available 24/7 and can be watched as many times as you like. It has definitely had a positive impact on my play as detailed below!

* But finally I get to the most important addition to my arsenal of personal chess improvement tools -- the pocket PC! My young friend Peter Winkler recently sold me his Axim X31 pocket PC with pocket Fritz2 thrown in for a very-reasonable price. Though not the most recent model, it is very fine for running this Fritz and makes so many things so much easier for me in preparation for my tournaments. Here is how I use it: On the way to the tournament (a 45-minute journey to the city), I train by playing 5-minute game after 5-minute game against Pocket Fritz2. As it is rated (at minimum) 2450 in blitz, it beats me like a bug every time, but on the way to the tournament I have succeeded in studying various opening structures, middle game themes and even some basic technique in simple winning endings (by switching sides).

After the tournament is over, on the way home I enter the games I have just played into the program using the infinite analysis feature (so that the program does not respond). By doing this on the way to and from the event I have much more "instant feedback" than I would have achieved if I had waited till the next day to enter and analyze this stuff on the main computer. Never have I had such a great experience -- while the games are fresh in your mind and still "bothering you," you get to find out exactly what went wrong or right (One of the biggest dangers is missing your train while waiting in the ticket office!). I don't know how I ever lived without this thing! I envy the young, talented kids who use this tool because they have the perfect partner for their Borg-like brains and can assimilate the material far more efficiently then I do. Nevertheless, I intend to break every record there is for improvement of a player over 50 years of age. A look at the http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlTnmtHst.php?10116716 shows that I am accelerating in my rating progress from 2014 in Mid-May of 2006 to 2162 at the present time.
 
I am now concentrating on the Marshall Chess Club's weekly "4-rated games tonight! Event" to try to get a consistent gauge of the progress I am making in my chess self-improvement program.
 
Here is the first round game showing how poorly the human mind is at retaining information previously studied. However the result was expected.
 
B Ascherman (1688) - Tamarkin (2148) [B07]
New York, 2007
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Bc4 Be6! 7.Bxe6 fxe6

After the game my fairly young opponent was surprised that I would let my pawns become doubled in this way. But because I am such a big fan of Roman Dzindzichashvili's DVD recommendations, I was well familiar with this line analyzed by him in his DVD #6: RAPID AND COMPLETE OPENING REPERTOIRE FOR THE TOURNAMENT PLAYER FOR BLACK. Please note that while I often use lines recommended by Roman (and other authors), I do not believe everything he (and any other author) says. In fact, in one of his DVDs he was going on and on about how some position was a clear advantage for whomever, while all the while it was mate in 1! Anyway, it is very important to remember the salient points of a grandmaster's recommendations and some very specific moves as well.

8.Be3


An important opening tabiya!

8...c6?

I have been watching Andrew Martin's FOXY DVD #6: ANTI-FLANK OPENINGS (Old Indian System). This is a great DVD, but the lines he gives are often at odds with those Roman advocates in his DVD. Again, it's important to remember individual aspects of the positions you'll reach.

In this case, 8...Bd6! is best. Here's the latest example between two strong players: 9.f3 a6 10.Nh3 Ke7 11.Nf2 Nc6 12.Nd3 Nd7 13.Nd1 h6 14.c3 Na5 15.Bf2 c5 16.Bh4+ g5 17.Bg3 c4 18.N3f2 Nf6 19.Ng4 Nxg4 20.fxg4 b5 21.h4 Nb7 22.Nf2 Nc5 23.0-0-0 Nd7 24.Nh3 Nc5 25.hxg5 hxg5 26.Nxg5 Rxh1 27.Rxh1 Rg8 28.Rh7+ Ke8 29.Nf7 Be7 30.Nxe5 Bf6 31.Kd1 Bxe5 32.Bxe5 Rxg4 33.Rg7 Rxe4 34.Bd6 Nd3 35.Kd2 Nxb2 36.g4 a5 37.g5 b4 38.Re7+ Kd8 39.g6 bxc3+ 40.Kxc3 Nd1+ 41.Kd2 Rd4+ 42.Ke1 Rxd6 43.g7 Kxe7 44.g8Q Rd5 45.Qc8 Ne3 46.Qc7+ Kf6 47.Qf4+ Nf5, 1/2-1/2, Rublevsky, (2688) - Comas Fabrego (2495), Lugo 2006.

9.0-0-0+ Kc7?!

I was glued to the idea of having my King safely tucked on c7, but it's not too good here. Pocket Fritz 2 gives 9...Nbd7 10.Nf3 Ng4 11.Rd3 Ke8 12.Rhd1 Nxe3 13.fxe3 Nc5 14.R3d2±.

10.Nf3 Bd6?!

Again I was attached to a move that I thought I remembered from some DVD. Best would have been, 10...Bb4, though 11.Nxe5 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Nxe4 13.Rd3 Rd8 14.Re1 Rxd3 15.Nxd3! is winning for White according to Fritz 10 (+1.29), but not as by much as in the game.

11.Ng5! Re8 12.Nf7

Very strong was 12.Rd3!? Bb4 13.Rhd1 h6 14.Nf7 Ng4 15.Nxe5! Nxe5 16.Bf4. Analysis by Fritz 10.

12...Bb4 13.Nxe5

13.f3!? is good but only leads to a small advantage after 13...Nbd7 14.Bd2 Re7 15.Ng5 Bd6 16.Be3 Bc5 17.Rhe1.

13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 Nxe4 15.Kb2?! b5 16.f3

16.Rhe1 Nf6 17.Bc5! Nbd7 18.Bd6+ Kb7 19.c4! would have been very unpleasant.

16...Nf6 17.Bf4 Kb7

17...Nd5 18.Bg3 Nd7 19.c4 bxc4 20.Nxc4+ e5 is the typical computer way to fight on.

18.Nf7

Another slight mistake, 18.c4! is the way to go when after 18...bxc4 19.Nxc4 Rf8 20.Rhe1 Nd5 21.Bg3 the computer leaves White up + 3.26.

18...Kb6?!

Here 18...Ka6 19.c4 bxc4 20.Nd6 Rf8 21.Nxc4 Nbd7 22.Bd6 Rfe8 23.Rhe1 Kb5 24.Ne5 Nxe5 25.Rxe5+ Ka6 26.c4, + 1.29 Fritz 10, puts up a tougher fight but is still grim.

19.Rhe1 Nbd7 20.Nd6 Re7 21.Nf5 Rf7 22.Nd6 Rff8

22...Re7 is also losing after 23.c4 bxc4 24.Nxc4+ Ka6 25.Re3 -- +1.53, Pocket Fritz2.

23.Rxe6 Nd5 24.Bg3 Rf6 25.Rxf6 N7xf6 26.Bf2+

Once again, 26.c4! bxc4 27.Nxc4+ Kc5 28.Nd6! leaves Black in a bad way.

26...Ka6?!

26...Kc7 27.Bc5 Rd8 28.c4!? Nb6 29.Kc1 (29.cxb5?? Na4+!) 29...bxc4 30.Ne4± and while White is clearly better, Black is still fighting on.

27.c4! bxc4 28.Nxc4

+ 1.45. He's still winning.

28...Rb8+ 29.Ka1?!

Both sides can be forgiven for not being a computer and seeing some of the better lines available in the next few moves. Here 29.Kc1! Nc3 30.Rd6 Rb1+ 31.Kd2 Nfe4+ 32.fxe4 Nxe4+ 33.Ke2 Nxd6 34.Nxd6 Rb2 35.Kd3 Rxa2 36.Bd4+- was the way to go. This deep-line will essentially still win for White but requires master-level understanding to carry out.

29...Nc3 30.Re1 Nfd5 31.Bd4 Nb4

I was also in bad time-trouble and couldn't find better lines. 31...Rb4! 32.Bxc3 Rxc4 33.Bxg7 Rxc2 34.Rg1 Kb5, =.

32.Ne3 Ncd5 33.c3??

Finally my low-rated opponent cracks. Still good for White was 33.Rc1! Nxe3 34.Bxe3 Re8 35.Bc5 Kb5!? 36.Bxa7 Re2 37.a3! Nxc2+ 38.Kb2 (+ 0.66 Fritz 10). I think I would have found this line but probably would have thought it better for myself (even though it isn't).

33...Nxe3 34.cxb4 Nc2+ 35.Kb2 Nxe1 36.Kc3 Nxg2 37.Bxg7 Nh4 38.f4 Nf5 39.Be5 Rg8 and White resigned a few moves later.
 
Now on to round 2 where my opening preparation is shown to be totally non-existent. I have some interesting plans in mind for what I will do for White in the future.
 
Tamarkin (2148) - A Lenderman (2450) [C56]
New York, 2007
Now in round 2 I was once again paired with my young friend I.M. Alex Lenderman. Over the past few years I've often had very good, even winning positions against Alex without yet making even a draw, but this time my incompetence in remembering some lines cost me the game immediately.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.0-0 Bc5 10.Be3 Qe7 11.f3 Nd6

 
Another in an endless number of standard opening positions where both players really ought to know every single move.

12.Kh1??

Instantly losing. I simply needed to know the theory at the board. 12.Bf2 Nf5 13.c3 is the way White should handle this line.

12...Nc4!

Splat! Black is winning instantly.

13.Bf2 Nxb2 14.Qc1 Nc4 15.f4 0-0 16.Nc3 f6 17.Na4 Ba3 18.Qe1 fxe5 19.Nb3 exf4 20.Qc3 Ne3 21.Nbc5 Bxc5 22.Nxc5

See, I finally completely blockaded that pesky c5-square!

22...Nxf1 23.Rxf1 Bf5 24.Re1 Qf7 25.Bd4 Rae8 26.Rf1 Be4 27.Kg1 Qg6 28.Rf2 Rb8 29.Qe1 Bxc2, 0-1.
 
Now I'm paired with the player who beat I.M. Justin Sarker in round 1 (but I didn't even realize it!).

M Peljto (1803) - Tamarkin (2148) [A54]
New York, 2007
1.d4 d6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nbd7 4.g3 e5 5.Bg2 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3 c6 8.Qc2 Qc7 9.Rd1

This is currently one of my favorite openings. I am following recommendations by Andrew Martin on his fantastic FOXY DVD Volume 6, ANTI-FLANK OPENINGS (Old Indian System). I think this is one of his best -- IM Martin gives a number of games he played himself that led him to be convinced that this was a stable and solid opening system to recommend to his viewers.

9...Re8 10.h3 Bf8 11.e4 a6 12.Be3 b5!

This good move is encouraged, especially after White has already played e4.

13.b3 b4 14.Ne2 exd4

More consistent (with my preparation) would have been 14...Bb7 15.Nd2 exd4 (Waiting a little more with 15...a5 16.a3 exd4!? 17.Bxd4 Be7 18.Nf1 bxa3 19.Ne3 Rab8 20.Bc3 d5! is also interesting.) 16.Nxd4 a5 17.a3 Nc5, =.

15.Nfxd4 g6??

 
A terrible move revealing that the weakest part of my game is still in simple and basic tactical analysis -- good thing I didn't know how bad my position has suddenly become or that my opponent had just beaten Sarker in round 1!

15...Rb8? is also a mistake because of the still strong 16.Nxc6! Qxc6 17.e5 Qc7 18.exf6 Nxf6 19.Bd4± when White is in the driver's seat again.

Correct would have been 15...Ne5! 16.Bg5 Be7 17.f4 Ned7 18.Nf5 Bf8, =. Fortunately, it was a 30-minute game where my opponent could do even more wrong then me!

16.f3??

Which he does! My young opponent missed the very strong, 16.Nxc6! Qxc6 (16...Bb7 17.Nxb4+-) 17.e5 d5 18.exf6 Nxf6 19.Nf4 Bf5 20.Qb2 Be4 21.cxd5 Qd6 22.Rac1±. Black is still alive, but just barely.

16...c5

Now the rest is simple. Games like this are played every week all over the country between 2150 players and 1800 players. Every now and then the 1800 will win one.

17.f4 cxd4 18.Bxd4 Rb8 19.f5 Bg7 20.Nf4 Bb7 21.fxg6 hxg6 22.Re1 Ne5 23.Rac1 Nfd7 24.Bf2 Nc5 25.Nd5 Bxd5 26.cxd5 Rbc8 27.Qd2 Ned3 28.Bxc5 Nxc5 29.Qxb4 Nd3

Simpler is 29...Qa7 30.Kh2 Nd3 31.Rxc8 Rxc8 +.

30.Rxc7 Nxb4 31.Rxc8 Rxc8 32.a3 Bd4+ 33.Kf1 Na2 34.Rd1 Be3 35.Bf3 Rc2 36.Be2 a5 37.e5 Bc5 38.e6 fxe6 39.dxe6 Kf8

39...Rxe2!? 40.Kxe2 Nc3+ 41.Ke1 Nxd1 42.Kxd1 Bxa3 is also extremely easy.

40.Rd3 Ke7 41.Bg4 Rf2+ 42.Ke1 Rf8 43.a4 Nc3 44.Kd2 Ne4+ 45.Kc2 Rf2+ 46.Kd1 d5 47.h4 Rf8 48.Ke2 Nf6 49.Kd2 Nxg4 50.Rxd5 Bb4+ 51.Ke2, 0-1.
 
That was harder then I thought it should be! Well, the last round had to be easy. I already played the strong I.M. in round 2, right? And being #5 in a field of 31 should promise me easy pairings from here on? However I forgot that I.M. Justin Sarker -- who has made several Grandmaster norms in the last year -- was still in the tournament despite losing to Mirza Peljto (Didn't I just beat this guy?), in round 1. Doesn't make sense. Sarker could have reentered this event with a half point bye and had much better chances of winning serious money. Guess he must have forgot because suddenly there it is -- I am stuck with him in the last round. Asa Hoffmann proceeds to tell me that, "You're lucky. Sarker's a known time-trouble fish in these tournaments. Get him on the clock." 

Well I was not feeling so confident. The guy is rated 2470 and has already lost to a fish in the tournament. Surely he's going to be a lot more careful against me, no matter how hard I've been studying! Plus he beat me the other two times we played. Oh well, on to the game!
 
Tamarkin (2148) - Sarkar (2470) [B06]
New York, 2007
1.e4

I had another Pirc (from a very different move order) vs. another strong player this year: 1.Nc3 g6 2.e4 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.f4 Bg7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Nf3 c5 7.Ng5 (Even though I "only drew" this game, I came very close to winning it using a line recommended by I.M. John Watson on the www.chesslecture.com site, as well as in his new book, MASTERING THE CHESS OPENINGS, VOLUME I, Gambit, 2006) 7...cxd4 8.e6 Qa5 9.exf7+ Kf8 10.Ne6+ Kxf7 11.Nxd4 Nb6 12.Be3 Nc6 13.Qd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Bf5 15.0-0-0 Rhc8 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Kb1 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Rxc4 19.Qe2 Rxc3 20.Qxe7+ Kg8 21.bxc3 Qxc3 22.Qe2 Rc8 23.Rd2 d5 24.Rhd1 Be4 25.Rd3 Bxd3 26.Rxd3 Qc4 27.Qe6+ Kg7 28.Qe7+ Kg8 29.Qe6+ Kg7 30.Qe5+ Kf7 31.Qxd5+ Qxd5 32.Rxd5 Ke6 33.Re5+ Kf6 34.Rd5 Ke6 35.Rd3 Rc7 36.Kc1 Kf5 37.g3 Kg4 38.h4 h6 39.Ra3, 1/2-1/2, Tamarkin (2145) - M Molner (2362), Marshall Chess Club, NY 2007.

1...g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.f4 c5!?

Okay, transposing to my game with Molner is not going to happen. Only now did I remember that Justin plays this line on a regular basis.

4.dxc5

A solid move, but 4.d5 has to be the most testing move: 4...d6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Nc3 0-0 7.Be2 b5!? 8.e5 with complications that have turned out pretty well for White in recent practice.

4...Qa5+ 5.Bd2

5.c3 Qxc5 6.Qd3 Nf6 7.b4 Qb6 8.Be3 Qe6 9.Nd2 d5 10.e5 Ng4 11.Ngf3 f6 12.Be2 fxe5 13.fxe5 0-0 is great for black.

5...Qxc5 6.Nc3 d6

6...Nh6 7.Nd5! Bxb2 8.Bb4 Qd4 9.Qxd4 Bxd4 10.0-0-0 Bb6 11.Bxe7 Ng4 12.Nf3 Nf2 13.Bc4 Nxh1 14.Rxh1 Nc6 15.Bd6 is a clear advantage for White -- Fritz 10 against Pocket Fritz2!

7.Bb5+

I am striving to keep the position as solid and simple as is reasonably possible -- a good policy against the superior player. Most often played here is, 7.Nf3 Nf6 (7...Bg4 8.h3 Bd7 9.Nd5!? Bxb2? 10.Rb1 Bg7 11.Rxb7+-) 8.Bd3 0-0 9.Qe2=.

7...Bd7 8.Bxd7+ Nxd7 9.Qf3 Ngf6 10.Nge2

I have achieved my aim and connecting the Knights is the right thing to do here. Perhaps I don't have great winning chances, but at the same time I am keeping a slight edge.

10...0-0 11.Be3 Qh5

11...Qb4 12.a3! is obviously good for White, while 11...Qc7 12.0-0 gives me a pleasant advantage.

12.0-0-0

12.Qxh5 (A move that Pocket Fritz 2 loves) 12...Nxh5 13.0-0-0 Nhf6 14.Rhe1 is certainly possible, but 12.0-0?! Ng4 13.Qg3 Nxe3 14.Qxe3 Nb6 is good for Black now that he has won the dark-square bishop.

My good friend Senior Master Ilya Figler emailed me the following, "My Congratulation. You played active by 0-0-0, but I don't like e5, I would provide f5, then after the queen-exchange the g-file is open and you will use the g-file for the rook, perhaps after Ng3 first -- He has activity on the queen's flank, but no queens. Good luck and beat next time 2500! Respectively, Ilya."

Well, let's take a look at his suggestion: 12.f5 Qxf3 13.gxf3 gxf5 14.Nd4! fxe4 15.Nf5 is quite probably what Ilya had in mind but unfortunately seems to be failing to 15...Kh8! 16.Rg1 Rg8! 17.Nxe7 Rge8 18.Nf5 exf3! 19.Kf2 (19.Rxg7?! Rxe3+!) 19...Bf8 20.Bd4 Ne5. Unfortunately it's + 0.73 for black, Fritz 10. As usual these computer lines are giving me a headache, but since all young and talented players are using them I have to as well in order to anticipate what kind of move-thoughts they are having!

12...Qxf3?!

Better is the typically computer-generated and unprejudiced return with 12...Qa5 13.Qh3 Rac8 14.Kb1 and the battle rages on.

13.gxf3

Now I like my rock-solid position in every way and against most other players I would simply expect to win from here.

13...a6 14.Kb1 b5 15.a3 Rfc8 16.Rhg1 Rab8 17.Bd4

17.f5 b4 18.axb4 Ne5! 19.fxg6 hxg6 20.f4 Nc4 21.Bc1 (21.Rd3) 21...Rxb4 works for Black according to Fritz 10.

17...a5 18.e5!? Ne8 19.Nd5 Bf8 20.exd6!?

Taking this pawn was a critical decision but I had to do it in a hurry -- Justin was in more time-trouble then I was and I felt that I had to just accept that my intuition would lead me down the right path.

20...Nxd6 21.b3

Perhaps better was 21.Be5!? Nxe5 22.fxe5 Nc4 23.f4 b4 (23...e6?! 24.Nf6+ Kg7 25.Rd7 Bxa3?! [Yikes!] 26.Nd4! wins) 24.axb4 e6 25.Nf6+ Kg7 26.Nd4 Rxb4= Junior 10. Justin was in even worse time-trouble though (We were using a Khronos clock set to 25 minutes with a 5-second delay), and I sensed his poor form was going to lead to the win for me.

21...Nf5 22.Bb2 Rb7 23.Ng3 Nh4 24.Rgf1?!

24.Ne4!? e6! 25.Nef6+ Nxf6 26.Nxf6+ Kg7 27.Ne4+ Kg8! is only equal according to the programs, but who sees such lines?

24...e6 25.Ne3 a4 26.Ng4 h5??

A horrible losing move, which normally Justin would never do, but I think these 30 minute tournaments don't fit him well right now. Maybe he also regards them as inexpensive training for more serious events.

Fritz 10 likes Black after 26...Be7! 27.Ne4 Kf8 (27...f5?? 28.Rxd7 Rxd7 29.Ngf6++-) 28.Ng5 (28.Ne5 Nb6 29.Rd6) 28...Ke8 29.b4 (29.Nxh7 b4! lets the game get completely out of control again.) 29...h5 30.Nh6 Nf5 31.Nxf5 gxf5 32.Rg1 Nf8.  I'm not sure where I am going wrong but the game will continue to be under examination until I understand what do to do in the above sharp positions.

27.Rxd7!

 
I have to admit it -- I enjoyed making this kind of move against a strong International Master very much!

27...Rxd7 28.Nf6+ Kh8 29.Nxd7+ Bg7 30.Ne5

Better then exchanging. Black could resign but was playing on out of inertia.

30...Kg8 31.Ne4 Nf5 32.Rd1 Ne3 33.Rd7 Rxc2 34.Rd8+, 1-0.

After Justin resigned I told him that he was the strongest player I've beaten in 24 years (IM Rohde in 1983 -- LOL! See my first article for that tale.), so I showed him my Pocket Fritz 2 which "warmed me up on the way to the tournament" and told him not to feel too bad.

As one might have guessed, I recommended Pocket Fritz to all players of every level who want the ultimate little tool to improve their results. Using it before and after the tournament is the closest thing to cheating without actually doing so!