White: Bruce Leverett
Black: Don Meigs
Pittsburgh Chess League (Alternate Pairing)
Round 3 (Nov. 14, 1999)
Benoni Defense

 1 d4       Nf6
 2 c4       c5
 3 d5       g6
 4 Nc3      d6
 5 e4       Bg7
 6 Bd3      O-O
 7 h3       Na6
 8 Nf3      Re8

   Against White's development of Bd3, h3, and Nf3, Black can play two ways:
   "slow" and "sharp".  An example of "slow" would be 8 ... Nc7 9 O-O Re8
   10 Re1 Bd7, and now White doesn't have an aggressive, noncommittal place
   to put his queen bishop.  An example of "sharp" would have been 7 ... e6
   8 Nf3 exd5 9 cxd5 (9 exd5 is also possible) b5!?

 9 O-O      e6
10 Re1      exd5
11 cxd5     Nc7
12 a4       Bd7
13 Bf4

   White has the best of both worlds.  There are no complex tactics to worry
   about, and his queen bishop is on an excellent diagonal and can stay
   there.

13 ...      Qe7?

   I expected 13 ... Bf8.  White's pawn should not be allowed to get to d6
   without paying a price.

14 e5       dxe5
15 Bxe5     Qd8
16 d6       Ne6
17 Qd2      a6
18 Bh2

   It took me a while to find this move.  White avoids exchanging the bishop,
   which is a strong piece, and prepares to invade with the king knight.

18 ...      Rc8
19 Bc4      Qb6
20 Ne5      Rcd8
21 a5       Qa7

   If 21 ... Qb4 the queen is nearly trapped.  After 22 b3, White's threat
   of 23 Nd3 will eventually win material; for instance, 22 ... Nd4 23 Bxf7+,
   or 22 ... Nh5 23 Qc1 (threatening 24 Nd5) Bxe5 24 Bxe5 Nd4 25 Nd5 Nxb3
   26 Bxb3 Qxb3 27 Ne7+.

22 Nxd7     Nxd7
23 Nd5      Nf6
24 Nc7      Nxc7
25 dxc7     Qa8

   Of course, 25 ... Rxd2 allows 26 Rxe8+ Nxe8 27 c8(Q) Kf8 28 Re1.

26 cxd8Q    Rxd8
27 Qc2      Qc8
28 Re7      Nd5
29 Bxd5     Rxd5
30 Rae1     Qc6
31 Bf4      g5
32 Bd2      g4
33 Re8+     Bf8
34 Rxf8+    Kxf8
35 Qxh7     Resigns


White: Antonio Ambrad, Pittsbugh Chess Club
Black: Bruce Leverett, Double Trouble
Pittsburgh Chess League
Round 4 (Dec. 5, 199)
Queen's Gambit, Semi-Slav defense, Anti-Meran variation

 1 d4       d5
 2 c4       c6
 3 Nf3      Nf6
 4 Nc3      e6
 5 Bg5      h6

   5 ... Be7 would transpose to the Orthodox Queen's Gambit Declined, in a
   variation where Black has played ... c6 slightly prematurely.  5 ... Nbd7
   would transpose to the Cambridge Springs defense.  5 ... dxc4 is the
   start of a well-known, very sharp gambit, sometimes called the Botvinnik
   Variation, which might continue 6 e4 b5 7 e5 h6 8 Bh4 g5 9 Nxg5 hxg5 10 Bxg5.

 6 Bh4

   6 Bxf6 is good.  Instead White offers a gambit.

 6 ...      dxc4
 7 e3

   White can't transpose to the Botvinnik Variation by 7 e4, because after
   7 ... g5, he can't get away with 8 Nxg5.  However 7 e4 is still playable.

 7 ...      b5
 8 a4       Qb6

   I thought this was better than 8 ... Bb4, because I was afraid to trade my
   black-squared bishop with so many loose black squares in the center.  But
   8 ... Bb4 is the right strategy.  Black should knock out White's knight on
   c3 before it turns into a monster.  8 ... a6? doesnt work because of
   9 axb5 cxb5 10 Nxb5!

 9 Ne5      Bb7
10 Be2      a6?

   My sense of danger deserted me.  I should have challenged the knight
   immediately by 10 ... Nbd7.

11 Bh5!     Nxh5
12 Qxh5     Qc7
13 O-O!

   Now, I can't complete my development, because both 13 ... Nbd7 and 13 ... Be7
   are impossible.  I spent a long time thinking about this move.

13          g6

   I don't remember why I didn't play 13 ... Bb4.  After 14 Qg4, Black must
   play 14 ... Kf8, with a pretty ugly position.  14 Ne4 might be even better;
   after 14 ... O-O 15 Nf6+ Kh8 16 Neg4 may be a forced win, unless I have
   missed something.

14 Qg4      Be7
15 Ne4      Bxh4
16 Qxh4     Nd7
17 Rfd1

   I was most worried about 17 Nxd7 Kxd7 (not 17 ... Qxd7 18 Nf6+), but the
   move chosen is even stronger.

17 ...      Kf8
18 Qf4      Nxe5
19 dxe5     Kg7

   Now White can win material by 20 Nc5, and either: (a) 20 ... Rad8
   21 Qf6+ Kh7 22 Rxd8 Rxd8 23 Nxb7, or (b) 20 ... Bc8 21 Qf6+ Kh7 22 Rd7!
   Instead he relaxes his grip, and I get a playable position.  But I was
   in severe time pressure.

20 Nf6?     Rad8
21 Ng4      Qe7
22 Nf6

   Now 22 ... c5 would be logical.

22 ...      Rxd1+
23 Rxd1     Rd8
24 Rd4

   Now Black must play 24 ... Rxd4, and after 25 exd4 Qd8 looks playable,
   or perhaps even 25 ... c5, as long as Black doesn't try to regain the
   pawn:  26 dxc5 Qxc5?? 27 Ng4 winning.  Instead I fell for a trap.

24 ...      c5?
25 Ng4!     Rxd4

   Not 25 ... cxd4 26 Qxh6+ Kg8 27 Nf6+ and even 27 ... Qxf6 28 exf6 doesn't
   stave off mate.  Also 25 ... g5 or 25 ... Qg5 both lose to 26 Qf6+ winning
   the rook.

26 Qxh6+    Kg8
27 exd4     f5

   I was in too much time trouble to resign.

28 Nf6+     Kf7
29 Qh7+     Kf8
30 Qg8 mate