White: Don Meigs
Black: Mark Eidemiller
Abrams Memorial, May 25, 1999
Pirc Defense

 1 e4     d6
 2 d4     Nf6
 3 Nc3    g6
 4 f3     a6

   This is playable, but 4 ... c6 is more flexible, as we shall see.

 5 a4

   "For the whole game, I played only to deny him counterplay," was
   Don's comment, and his last two moves are consistent with that idea.

 5 ...    Nbd7?!
 6 Be3    Bg7
 7 Bc4!

   The king bishop is White's problem piece in the 4 f3 variation, but
   Black has carelessly allowed White to solve the problem.  To see why
   it's so tricky to develop the bishop, let's look at some well-known
   traps:  (A) 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Bc4 Bg7 5 Nf3 O-O 6 O-O Nxe4!
   7 Nxe4 d5, with easy equality; (B) 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f3 c6
   5 a4 Bg7 6 Be3 Nbd7 7 Bc4 d5! 8 exd5 Nb6, again with at least equality.
   In the game, by the time Black could enforce ... d5, White could answer
   it with e5, maintaining his pawn phalanx.

 7 ...    O-O
 8 Nge2   e6
 9 Bb3    Rb8
10 Qd3

   Still trying to prevent counterplay.  White delays ... b5, but the queen
   looks awkward here.

10 ...    c6

   Black might consider 10 ... b6, to be followed by 11 ... c6 and 12 ... b5.
   It seems slow, but the text achieves less than nothing.

11 a5!    Qe7
12 h4     c5

   12 ... h5 could have been answered by 13 Bg5.

13 g4     cxd4
14 Bxd4

   White must give up bishop for knight, and this way is better than
   14 Nxd4 Nc5.

14 ...    Ne5
15 Qe3    Nc6
16 h5     Nxd4
17 Nxd4   Bd7

   The opening is over.  It looks to me like Black's back is to the wall,
   but White doesn't have anything tangible, just an advantage in space.

18 hxg6   hxg6
19 Nde2

   If 19 g5 Nh5 20 f4, Black could spoil the party with 20 ... e5, so White
   prevents this.

19 ...    Rfc8
20 g5     Nh5
21 f4

   Now if 21 ... e5 22 f5.

21 ...    Bc6
22 Nd4    e5??

   Fatal.  Black may as well have tried 22 ... Bd7.  Then 23 ... e5 is a
   serious threat, and White may not have anything better than 23 Nde2,
   repeating the position.

23 Nxc6   bxc6
24 f5

   Threatening both 24 fxg6 and 24 f6.

24 ...    Nf4
25 Qg1

   Not 25 f6? Ng2+.

25 ...    Rxb3

   If 25 ... Bf8 or 25 ... Bh8, then 26 Qh2 forces 26 ... Bg7, and 27 f6
   wins.

26 cxb3   f6
27 gxf6   Qxf6
28 fxg6   d5
29 O-O-O  d4

   A last desperate trap.  If the knight moves, then 30 ... Ne2+.

30 Qg4    Rb8
31 Na4    Qd6

   If 31 ... Rxb3 32 Qc8+ Bf8 33 g7!

32 Nb6    Qc5+
33 Kb1    Qa5
34 Qd7    Rf8
35 Rh7    Nh5
36 Qe6+   Resigns