My first chess coach, FM John Curdo, liked to call this variation the "Awry Lopez."
Position after 6...Nd5
To open analysis board with game score move by move, click here.
Niro, Frank (2240) – Phillips, Paul (2381) [B31]
Gameknot.com, September 17, 2010 to October 8, 2010
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0–0 Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.e5 Nd5
[see diagram above]
7.c3
More popular and less risky is 7.Nc3!?
7...0–0 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d6 10.Nc3 Be6
11.exd6
The stem game, with 11...exd6, is Gabor Kadar (2280) vs. Lajos Seres (2430), Hungarian Championship 1994/95: 11...exd6 12. Ne4 Qb6 13. Bxc6 Qxc6 14. Bg5 Qb6 15. Qd3 Rfe8 16. Nfd2 h6 17. Bh4 f5 18. Nc3 Nb4 19. Qb1 Qxd4 20. Nf3 Qc4 21. Bg3 Nd3 22. Re3 f4 23. Bxf4 Bf5 24. Bg3 Rxe3 25. fxe3 Qc5 26. Qd1 Qxe3+ 27. Kh1 Kh8 28. Qb3 Nxb2 29. Qxb7 Rc8 30. Qxb2 Bxc3 31. Qc1 Qxc1+ 32. Rxc1 Bb4 33. Rd1 Kg8 34. h3 a6 35. Nh4 Be4 36. Bxd6 Rd8 37. Rd4 Rxd6 38. Rxb4 Bc6 1/2-1/2. To play over the game, go here.
A new attempt by Julian Estrada Nieto (2285) vs. Misa Pap (2512) Budapest, May 5, 2011, continued 11.Bg5 (instead of 11.exd6) 11...dxe5 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Nxe5 Rc8 14.Nf3 Re8 15.h3 Nxc3 16.bxc3 c5 17.Be3 Bd5 18.Ne5 Qa5 19.Nd3 cxd4 20.Bxd4 Rxc3 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Nf4 Bc6 23.Qd2 Ra3 24.Qb2+ Qc3 25.Qe2 Qf6 26.Qg4 Kh8 27.Rac1 Rxa2 28.Qg3 Ra4 29.Nd3 Ra3 30.Re3 Ra1 31.Rxa1 Qxa1+ 32.Kh2 Bd5 33.Qc7 Qf6 34.Qxa7 Qd6+ 35.Kg1 f6 36.Qd4 e5 37.Qc3 Rb8 38.Qc2 Kg7 39.Re1 Be6 40.Ra1 Rb3 41.Ra7+ Kf8 42.Ra8+ Rb8 43.Qc5 Qxc5 44.Rxb8+ Qc8 45.Rxc8+ Bxc8 46.f3 g5 47.g4 Ke7 48.Kg2 Kd6 49.Nf2 f5 50.gxf5 Bxf5 51.h4 gxh4 52.Nh3 Ke7 53.Ng5 0-1. To play over the game, go here.
11...Qxd6N 12.Bg5
Nieto's novelty delayed a move. I wasn't aware of the Nieto-Pap game, of course, since it was played seven months after this encounter. I believe the game is still playable at this point, although I will probably choose 7.Nc3 from now on.
12...h6 13.Nxd5
The proper follow-up is 13.Bh4 keeping the tension in the position. I did not fare well after the upcoming exchanges.
12...hxg5 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Nc3 Bg4 16.Ne4= Bxf3 17.Qxf3 Qxd4 18.Nxg5 Qxb2 19.Qxc6 Qf6 20.Qb5 Rab8 21.Qa5 Qc3 =/+ 22.Qa6 Qc5 23.Ne4 Qc8 24.Qxc8 Rfxc8 25.Rac1 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Bh6 27.Ra1 f5 28.Nc3 Rb2 29.Rb1
If 29.Nd5 Kf7 (29...e6 30.Ne7+ Kf7 31.Nc6 Kf6 32.g3 and black is better) 30.Kf1 e6 31.Ne3 Bg7 32.Rc1 favoring black.
29...Rd2 30.Rd1 Rc2 31.Nd5 Kf7 32.Nb4
The material is even, but the a-pawn is vulnerable and will soon be lost. With an open board and pawns on both wings, the bishop supported by the more active rook is much more effective. My opponent will not give me any chances for counterplay.
32...Rb2 33.a3 Rb3 34.Nc6 Rxa3 35.g3 Bg5 36.Rd7 a6 37.Rd5 Bf6 38.Kg2 Rb3 39.Nd8+ Ke8 40.Ne6 Rb6 41.Nc5 e6 42.Rd2 Be7 43.Na4 Rb4 44.Ra2 a5 45.f4 Kd7 46.Kf3 Kc6 47.Rc2+ Kd5 48.Nc3+ Kd6 0-1
The position is hopeless due to the outside passed pawn. Black can also make the e-pawn a passer without allowing my g- and h-pawns to safely advance, so I resigned rather than wait for the inevitable. Since this was a correspondence game, I spent a couple of days looking for tricks. The following line took away all of my optimism: 49.Ke2 g5 50.fxg5 Bxg5 51.Ra2 Bf6 52.Na4 Rb3 53.Rd2+ Kc6 54.Rc2+ Kb5 55.Nc5 Rb4 56.Nd3 Rc4 57.Ra2 a4 58.Kd2 Bc3+ 59.Kc1 Bd4+ 60.Kb1 e5 61.Rg2 a3 62.Ka2 Rc3 63.Ne1 Kc4 64.Nc2 Bc5 65.Ne1 f4 66.gxf4 exf4 67.Rg4 Be3 -+.
As a result of this game I undertook a serious study of rook and minor piece endgames, not only to learn how to play them better, but more importantly to understand when the position may devolve into an inferior endgame of this type. Such positions are more common than I previously understood. Knowing when to steer away from materially equal but theoretically inferior lines, or encourage an unaware opponent to drift into the kind of superficial liquidation that I demonstrated in this game, is critical to overall chess improvement. It will require work, but will be worth the time invested.
Additonal games in this variation:
Niro,F (2154) - nyctalop {Romania} (1961) [B31]
Gameknot.com, March 26, 2010 to June 27, 2010
Play along on the analysis board for this game
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.c3 0-0 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 Nc7 10.Nc3 Nxb5 11.Nxb5 a6 12.Nc3 d6 13.exd6 exd6 14.Bg5 Qb6 15.Nd5 Qa5 16.Nf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxf6 Be6 18.d5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 Bxd5 20.Ng5 h6 21.Rad1
Even in Internet based correspondence games, notation errors still happen. Here I played 21.Red1! on my board at home intending 21...Bxa2 22.Rxa2 hxg5 23.Rxd6 Rae8 24.Kf1. Instead, I moved the a-rook rather than the e-rook and has to struggle to hold the draw.
21...Rae8 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.f3 Bxa2 24.Ne4 d5 25.Nc5 b6 26.Nxa6 Re6 27.Bh4 g5 28.Bf2 Re2 29.Bxb6 Bc4 30.Rc1 Rxb2 31.Be3 f6 32.h3 Kf7 33.Nc5 Kg6 34.Bf2 h5 35.h4 gxh4 36.Ne6 h3 37.gxh3 Ne5 38.Rc3 Rd2 39.Nd4 h4 40.f4 Nd3 41.f5+ Kh5 42.Be3 Rd1+ 43.Kh2 Re1 44.Bg1 Re4 45.Ra3 Ne1 46.Bf2 Rxd4 47.Bxd4 Nc2 48.Bc5 Nxa3 49.Bxa3 d4 50.Bc5 d3 51.Be3 Bd5 52.Bd2 Be4 53.Bf4 Bxf5 54.Kg2 Be6 55.Bd2 Kg6 56.Be1 Kg5 57.Bd2+ Kh5 58.Be1 Bg4 59.Bd2 Bc8 60.Bf4 Kg6 61.Bd2 Kh5 62.Bf4 Bg4 63.Bd2 f5 64.Bf4 Kg6 65.Bd2 Kf6 66.Bf4 Ke6 67.Bg5 Ke5 68.Kf2 f4 69.Ke1 Ke4 70.Bxh4 Bxh3 71.Kd2 Bf5 72.Bf2 Kf3 73.Ba7 Be4 74.Ke1 Kg2 75.Bb8 f3 76.Ba7 Kg3 77.Bf2+ Kf4 78.Kd2 Kg4 79.Bc5 Kg3 80.Ke1 Kg2 81.Ba7 ½-½
Niro,F (2165) - Aleksei V. (1924) {Ukraine} [B31]
Gameknot.com, April 8, 2010 to June 10, 2010
Analysis board for this game
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.c3 Nc7 8.Bf1 0-0 9.d3 d6 10.exd6 exd6 11.Bf4 Nd5 12.Bg3 Qb6 13.Qb3 Qxb3 14.axb3 Rd8 15.Nbd2 Bg4 16.Ng5 Bh6 17.Bh4 f6 18.Nge4 Bxd2 19.Nxd2 g5 20.Bg3 f5 21.h3 Bh5 22.Bh2 Rd7 23.Be2 Bxe2 24.Rxe2 Rad8 25.Nf3 Rg7 26.Re6 f4 27.h4 gxh4 28.Nxh4 Rf7 29.Nf3 b6 30.Re4 Rdd7 31.Rae1 Rfe7 32.Bxf4 Nxf4 33.Rxf4 Rxe1+ 34.Nxe1± Rf7 35.Rxf7 Kxf7 36.Kf1 Na5 37.b4 cxb4 38.cxb4 Nc6 39.Nc2 a6 40.Ke2 h5 41.Ke3 d5 42.b5 axb5 43.Nd4 Nxd4 44.Kxd4 Ke6 45.Kc3 Ke5 46.Kb4 Kd6 47.g3 Ke5 48.Kxb5 1-0
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Games with 7.Nc3 instead of 7.c3
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Niro,F (2205) - Ghezzi, C {Italy} (1794) [B31]
Gameknot.com, March 26, 2010 to May 17, 2010
Analysis board for this game
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Nf6 5.Re1 Bg7 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nc3 Nc7 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.Ne4 Ne6 10.d3 0-0 11.Be3 b6 12.Qd2 Nd4 13.Nxd4 cxd4 14.Bh6 c5 15.Qf4 Bb7 16.h4 Bxh6 17.Qxh6 Qd5 18.f3 Qxe5 19.Ng5 Qg7 20.Qxg7+ Kxg7 21.Rxe7 Bd5 22.Rae1 Rfb8 23.a4 h6 24.Ne6+ Bxe6 25.R1xe6 Kf8 26.Re4 a5 27.Kh2 b5 28.axb5 a4
28...Rxb5 29.b3 a4 30.bxa4 Rxa4 31.Rc7
29.Rc7 Rxb5 30.Ree7 Rxb2 31.Rxf7+ Kg8 32.Rg7+ Kh8 33.Rxg6 a3
If 33...Rxc2 34.Rxh6+ Kg8 35.f4 a3 (35...Rf8 36.Rg6+ Kh8 37.Ra6) 36.Rg6+ Kh8 (36...Kf8 37.f5) 37.f5 Rf2 38.f6 a2 39.Rh6+ Kg8 40.Rg7+ Kf8 41.Rh8#
34.Rxh6+ Kg8 35.f4 a2 36.f5 a1Q 37.f6 Qa2 38.Rg7+ Kf8 39.Rh8+ Qg8 40.Rhxg8# 1-0
Niro,F (2200) - artal (1855) [B31]
Gameknot.com, February 1, 2011 to February 11, 2011
Analysis board for this game
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nc3 Nb6 8.a4 a6 9.Bxc6 dxc6 10.Ne4 Nd7
10...c4 11.a5 Nd5 12.d4 cxd3 13.Qxd3 0-0 14.h3 b5 15.axb6 Qxb6 16.Bd2
11.e6± fxe6 12.Nfg5 Ne5 13.Nxc5 Qd5 14.d4 0-0
14...b6 15.Nce4
15.a5 h6 16.f4 Nd3
16...Nd7 17.Ngxe6 Nxc5 18.Nxg7 Rd8 19.Re5± Qxd4+ 20.Qxd4 Rxd4 21.Be3 Re4 22.Bxc5 Rxe5 23.fxe5 Kxg7 24.Bxe7 Bf5 25.c4
17.Qxd3 Bxd4+
17...Qxd4+ 18.Qxd4 Bxd4+ 19.Be3 Bxe3+ 20.Rxe3 hxg5 21.fxg5 Rf5 22.Nd3± (22.Ne4 Bd7±) 22...Rxg5 23.Ne5+-;
17...hxg5 18.Re5 Bxe5 (18...Qd8 19.Qxg6) 19.fxe5 Kg7 20.Bxg5±
18.Be3 Bxc5
18...Bxe3+ 19.Rxe3 Qxd3 (19...Qxc5? 20.Qxg6+ Kh8 21.Qh7#) 20.Rxd3 hxg5 21.fxg5
19.Qxg6+ Black resigned Kh8 20.Qh7# 1-0
Niro,F (2207) - wwgia (1772) {Italy} [B31]
Gameknot.com, August 16, 2011 to August 30, 2011
Analysis board for this game
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nc3 Nxc3 8.bxc3 0-0 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 d5 11.exd6 Qxd6 12.c3 Bg4 13.h3 Bf5 14.a4 Rac8 15.Ba3 Qf4 16.Re3 Bf6 17.Qe1 a6 18.Bxc6 Rxc6 19.Bxe7 Bxe7 20.Rxe7 Rxc3 21.Qxc3 1-0
Niro,F (2247) - blacklab {Trumbull, CT} (2315) [B31]
Gameknot.com, August 28, 2013 to August 31, 2013
Analyis board for this game
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nc3 Nc7 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.Ne4 Ne6 10.d3 b6 11.Be3 Qc7 12.a3 0-0 13.Qd2 Rd8 14.b4 Nd4 15.Bxd4 cxd4 16.Qf4 h6 17.h4 Be6 18.h5 g5 19.Nexg5 hxg5 20.Nxg5 Qd7 21.Nf3 Bf8
21...a5 22.h6 Bf8 23.Re4 c5 24.bxc5 bxc5 25.Qh4=
22.h6 a5 23.Re4 axb4
23...c5 24.bxc5 bxc5 25.Qh4=
24.Rxd4 Qc7 25.Rxb4 c5 26.Qg3+ Kh8 27.Rf4= Qc6 28.Re1 Ra4 29.Re3 Rxf4 30.Qxf4 Bd5
30...c4 31.Ng5 cxd3 32.cxd3 Ra8 33.Rg3 Rc8 34.Nxf7+ Bxf7 35.Qxf7 Bxh6 36.Kh2 Rf8 37.Qxe7 Qa4 38.Rf3 Rxf3 39.gxf3 Qd4 40.Kg2 Qxd3 41.Qf6+ Bg7 42.Qxb6 Bxe5 43.Qh6+ Qh7 44.Qxh7+ Kxh7=
31.Ng5 f6 32.e6 fxg5 33.Qe5+ Kh7
33...Kg8? 34.h7+ Kxh7 35.Qf5+ Kh8 36.Rh3+ Bh6 37.Rxh6+ Kg7 38.Qxg5+ Kf8 39.Rh8#
34.Qf5+ Kh8 35.Qe5+ Kh7 36.Qf5+ Kh8 37.Qe5+ ½-½
Niro,F (2247) - guardiao {Portugal} (2497) [B31]
Gameknot.com, August 13, 2013 to September 24, 2013
Analysis board for this game
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. e5 Nd5 7. Nc3 Nc7 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. d3 O-O 10. h3 Ne6 11. Ne2 Nd4 12. Nexd4 cxd4 13. Bd2 c5 14. Qc1 b6 15. Bh6 Bb7 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Qf4 Qd7 18. Ng5 Qf5 19. Qxf5 gxf5 20. h4 Rac8 21. b3 Rg8 22. Nh3 Kh6 23. Nf4 Rg4 24. g3 Rxf4 25. gxf4 Rg8+ 26. Kf1 Bf3 27. Rec1 Rg4 28. Ke1 Rxf4 29. Kd2 Rxh4 30. c3 Rh2 31. cxd4 cxd4 32. Rf1 Kg5 33. Rac1 Kf4 34. Rc7 e6 35. Rxa7 h5 36. Rxf7 Bg2 37. Re1 Bf3 38. Rf1 Bg2 39. Re1 1/2-1/2
Niro,F (2207) - wwgia (1772) {Italy} [B31]
Gameknot.com, April 2, 2013 to April 16, 2013
Analysis board for this game
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. e5 Nd5 7. Nc3 Nc7 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. Ne4 b6 10. Nf6+ exf6 11. exf6+ Kf8 12. fxg7+ Kxg7 13. b3 Ne6 14. Rxe6 Bxe6 15. Bb2+ f6 16. Ng5 Qd5 17. Qe1 Rae8 18. Ne4 Rhf8 19. Qe3 Bd7 20. d3 Kg8 21. Qf4 Bf5 22. Nxf6+ Rxf6 23. Bxf6 Qe6 24. Bc3 b5 25. h3 Rf8 26. Re1 Qd5 27. Re7 1-0
Niro,F (2207) - wwgia (1772) {Italy} [B31]
Gameknot.com, October 6, 2013 to October 9, 2013
Analysis board for this game
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. e5 Nd5 7. Nc3 Nc7 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. Ne4 b6 10. Nf6+ exf6 11. exf6+ Kf8 12. fxg7+ Kxg7 13. b3 Ne6 14. Re4 Re8 15. Bb2+ f6 16. d3 Bd7 17. Qd2 Qc7 18. Rae1 Rad8 19. Qc3 Nd4 20. Nxd4 cxd4 21. Qxd4
1-0
And finally, one that ends with the "Philidor Position."
Niro,F (2235) - Todorov,D {Bulgaria} (1905) [B31]
Gameknot.com, May 18, 2014
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nc3 Nc7 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.Ne4 Ne6 10.d3 0-0 11.Be3 b6 12.Qd2 Nd4 13.Nxd4 cxd4 14.Bh6 c5 15.Qf4 Bb7 16.h4 Qd5 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.f3 h6
18...Rae8 19.Nf6 Lutz 19...exf6 20.exf6+ Kh8 21.Qh6; 18...Rad8 19.h5 Timman
19.Nf2=
19.Nf6? exf6 20.exf6+ Kh7!-+
19...Qe6 20.a4 Rad8 21.a5 b5 22.Ng4 Rh8 23.a6 Bd5 24.b3 Qc6 25.Qg3 Be6 26.Nf2 Kh7 27.Ne4 Rb8 28.Qf2 Rhc8 29.f4 Bd5 30.f5 gxf5 31.Qxf5+ Qg6 32.Qxg6+ fxg6 33.Ng3 Be6 34.Rf1 Rc6 35.h5 Rg8 36.Ra5 Rb6 37.hxg6+ Rxg6 38.Ne4 Bd5 39.Rf8 h5 40.Kf2 Kg7 41.Rd8 Bxe4 42.dxe4 Rg4 43.Rd7 Kf7 44.g3 h4 45.gxh4 Rxe4 46.Rxa7 Rg6 47.Rxe7+ Kxe7 48.a7 Rf4+ 49.Ke2 Rg2+ 50.Ke1 Rxh4 51.Kf1 Rg8 52.a8Q Rxa8 53.Rxa8 Kd7 54.b4 c4 55.Ra6 Ke7 56.Rd6 Rh2 57.Rxd4 Ke6 58.c3 Rc2 59.Rd8 Kxe5 60.Re8+ Kf4 61.Ke1 Rxc3 62.Rb8 Re3+ 63.Kd2 Re5 64.Kc3 Ke4 65.Rc8 Rd5 66.Re8+ Kf5 67.Re3 Rd1 68.Kc2 Rf1 69.Re8 Rh1 70.Rb8 Ke4 71.Rxb5 Kd4 72.Rg5 Rh2+ 73.Kc1 Kc3 74.Rg3+ Kxb4
75.Rf3 (position above) Philidor ½-½
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Here's what can happen if Black plays 5...e5 instead of Nf6 (from coach Curdo's games):
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Curdo,John - Wolk,Elliot [B31]
Wethersfield, CT, July 25, 1981
Notes by FM John Curdo (originally published in the Boston Globe)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 e5 6.c3 Nge7 7.d4!? exd4 8.cxd4 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4? 10.Nc3 0-0 11.Bg5 f6
11...Bg7 12.e5!; 11...d6!?
12.Bh6 Re8 13.Ne2! Nc6 14.Qb3+ Kh8 15.Qf7 Rg8 16.Bxc6 dxc6 17.Nxd4 Qxd4
17...cxd4 18.e5
18.Rad1 Qe5
19.Rd8!
Black resigned 19...Be6 20.Bg7# 1-0
Curdo,J - Mishkin,P [B31]
Tewksbury, MA, October 6, 2002
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 e5 6.c3 Nge7 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 exd4 9.e5 0-0 10.Bg5 Qb6 11.Na3 Nf5 12.Qd2 d5 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.g4 Ne3 15.fxe3 Bxg4 16.Rf1 Bxf3 17.Rxf3 Bxe5 18.Rb1 dxe3 19.Bxe3 Qc7 20.Nc2 Qd7 21.Rf2 f5 22.Bc5 Rf7 23.Nd4 Bc7 24.Re1 Bb6 25.Qc3 Re8 26.Rxe8+ Qxe8 27.Re2 Qd7 28.Bxb6 axb6 29.Qxc6 Qxc6 30.Nxc6 Rd7 31.Kf2 Kf8 32.Kf3 Rc7 33.Re6 b5 34.Kf4 b4 35.Ke5 b3 36.axb3 d4 37.Nxd4 Kf7 38.b4 Rc1 39.Rf6+ Ke7 40.Rc6 Re1+ 41.Kd5 Rd1 42.b5 Kd7 43.Rf6 Ke7 44.Ra6 f4 45.b6 f3 46.b7 f2 47.b8Q f1Q 48.Qc7+ 1-0
Curdo,John - Mishkin,Paul [B31]
Natick, MA, November 5, 2002
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 e5 6.c3 Nge7 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.e5 0-0 11.Bg5 Qe8 12.Nd2 Nc6 13.Ne4 Qe6 14.f4 d5 15.exd6 Qf5 16.Bd3 Qg4 17.Qd2 f6 18.Bc4+ Kh8 19.Nxf6 Bxf6 20.Bxf6+ Rxf6 21.Re8+ Kg7 22.Rg8+ Kh6 23.f5+ g5 24.Rf1 Ne5 25.Be2 Rxf5 26.Bxg4 Rxf1+ 27.Kxf1 1-0
John Curdo lives in Massachusetts and will turn 83 on November 14.
