Readers of this series (click to see PART ONE and PART TWO) so far will know that after a torturous loss in my main defense to the king pawn, the Accelerated Dragon, I “rebounded” with a (three cheers) slightly dubious draw vs. GM Kovacevic. Thus encouraged, I decided to give the opening another outing against fellow American IM, Dmitry Schneider.

The result was the disaster you will find below …

Schneider vs. Taylor

1.e4 c5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.d4 cxd4
4.Nxd4 g6
5.c4 Bg7
6.Be3 Nf6
7.Nc3 0-0
8.Be2 d6
9.0-0 Bd7
10.Qd2           

SO FAR, ALL BOOK

The book move, which is more solid than Kovacevic's 10.f3, because now the Knight on c3 is protected. Meanwhile, ... Nh5 is at least temporarily prevented.

10…Nxd4
11.Bxd4 Bc6
12.f3 a5
13.b3              

The book move here is 13…Nd7, which I avoided because, one, my young and database friendly opponent undoubtedly knew reams of analysis on the line, and two, because I was at least hoping for active play!

13…Nh5
14.Bf2

More accurate is 14.Be3, keeping an eye on f4. If Black continues as in the game, 14…f5 15.exf5 Rxf5 (the trick 16.g4 Nf4! still works) White gets the edge with 16.Rac1!, and the Black pieces are all insecure and will be driven back. Therefore, Black has to play 14…gxf5, but the holes in his position, notably e6 and b6, do not bode well for the future.

14…f5
15.exf5 Rxf5!

BLACK IS FINE, BUT IT’S NOT TO MY TASTE

Now this works – Black can hope for a draw!! Hurrah!

16.Bd3

Black gets a good game after both 16.g4 Bxc3 17.Qxc3 Nf4, and 16.Rac1 Nf4.

16…Bxc3

Schneider was more worried about 16…Rf7, thinking Black could build up an attack, but this is an illusion. White can simply play 17.Rae1 Nf4 18.Nd5 (but not 18.Be4 d5 with tactical opportunities) with a clear advantage due to White's central control and play against Black's hanging pawns, especially the weakling on e7.

17.Qxc3 Nf4!

With this little tactic, Black successfully simplifies the position, leaving only opposite color bishops. Although Black's pawn structure is worse, the open lines and active play should give him just enough play to … say it again … DRAW!

The host of this website, Jeremy Silman, told me that the greatest friend of Accelerated Dragons, John Donaldson, would have been quite happy to draw these positions, but I have a different style.

At this point, psychological factors come to the fore: by nature, I'm an attacking player, and I like to play for a win with either color. Here I am in a position where, by best play, I will make a draw – and what's worse, I must aim for a draw in order to play the position correctly.

This caused me distress, for due to inadequate psychological and chess preparation, I found myself in positions I didn't even like! This is no way to defeat a strong IM like my friend Dmitry, and definitely not the way to beat a GM!

I had to take radical measures before I could beat a GM – but more on that in my next article.

Now we continue the game, which is really quite acceptable for Black now, as a draw at this level is a quite reasonable result.

18.Rfe1 Nxd3
19.Qxd3 Qd7
20.Bd4 Raf8
21.Re3 b5

I HAVE THE DRAW IN HAND

Simply to eliminate a pair of pawns. Black is still playing correctly, keeping the draw in hand.

22.Rd1 bxc4
23.bxc4 Rg5
24.Qe2 e5
25.Ba1

White plays for a win, when 25.Bxe5 Bxf3 26.Rxf3 Rxf3 27.Qxf3 Rxe5 gives him a shade the better of a probable draw.

25…Qf7
26.Kh1                       

FALLING ON MY OWN SWORD!

It's time to cash in and snare that draw! Correct is 26… e4! 27.fxe4 (but not 27.Qb2? Re5 28.Rxd6 exf3! winning) 27…Qf2 and Black's active play should secure the draw in the coming opposite color B ending. And that would have been a success!

After my failure to simplify, as the position demanded, I was killed following …

26. …Qe6??
27.c5! dxc5
28.Bxe5 Bb5
29.Qb2

I'm dead on the long diagonal now.

29…Ba4
30.R1e1 Qf7
31.Bd6 Qf6

Not a blunder, Black is lost anyway.

32.Qxf6 Rxf6
33.Be7 Rff5
34.Bxg5 Rxg5

35.Re5, 1-0. My flag fell, but time doesn't matter. I would have resigned soon.

Why did I lose? My temperament was at odds with my own position. To play under the weight of that psychological burden is too much for a chessplayer, who has to be thinking at the highest level. To put it very simply, it helps to be happy! And I was miserable in these three games with the Accelerated Dragon.

Did I dare THROW OUT all my preparation and enter uncharted waters? Answer in my next article