1. d4 e6 2. e3 d5 3. Bd3 Nf6 4. f4 c5 5. c3 c4 6. Bc2 Be7 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Nbd2 Ng4 9. Qe2 f5 10. O-O Nc6 11. h3 Nf6 12. Ne5 Qe8 13. Kh2 h5 14. Ndf3 g6 15. Bd2 Kg7 16. Be1 Rh8 17. Kg1 Ne4 18. Nxc6 Qxc6 19. Ne5 Qe8 20. Bxe4 dxe4? Black was doing fine until this oversight. With 20... fxe4 Black is still in the game. 21. Qxc4 Bd6 22. Bh4 Bd7 23. Nxd7 Qxd7 24. Bg5 Rac8 25. Qb3 Rc6 26. h4 Rb6 27. Qc2 Be7 28. Bxe7 Qxe7 29. g3 Rc8 30. Rfc1 Rbc6 31. Qd2 Qd7 32. Rd1 Qd5 33. Rdc1 b5 34. a4 a6 35. axb5 Qxb5 36. b4 Rc4 37. Ra5 Qb7 Here I missed 37... Qxb4! 38. Rc5 R4xc5 39. dxc5 Rc7 40. Rd1 Kf7 41. Qd8 Kg7 42. Rd6 1-0

1. d4 This is our fifth encounter. We previously split the first four games with 2 wins each. Oddly enough, I have been White and Harold has been Black in all of our games. 1... Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 Bd7 6... e5 is the usual move. 7. O-O h6 8. Bf4 Nh5 9. Be3 Not a waste as his Knight is still on the edge and e3 is a good place for the Bishop. 9... e6 Black is playing very passive. I intend to expand my space. 10. Ne1 Nf6 11. f4 Nc6 12. e5 Ne8 13. Nf3 Kh7 14. a3 Ne7 15. g4 Not the best plan but I was mesmerized with Black giving up space. 15... Ng8 16. g5 h5 17. Nh4 Ne7 18. Bxh5 I thought about this for awhile. I couldn't see it turn out bad for White. 18... Rh8 Best is 18... gxh5 but I wasn't surprised when he didn't take it as it looks very dangerous losing both the g and h pawns. 19. Be2 Kg8 20. Bf2 c6 21. Ne4 When I made this move I didn't fully realize just how good it was. This causes Black problems. 21... Qc7 22. Nf6+ Bxf6 23. gxf6 Nf5 24. Nxf5 exf5 25. Bg3 Qb6 26. b4 Qc7 27. Rc1 Rd8 28. Qb3 The queen is on a great diagonal (a2-g8). 28... Qb6 29. c5 dxc5 30. dxc5 Qc7 31. Bc4 Rh7 32. Rcd1 Qc8 33. Rf2 Nc7 34. Rfd2+- Passivity has caught up to Black. With one rook out of the picture, it is hard to hold the position. 34... Ne6? 35. Bxe6 fxe6 36. Qxe6+ Shock and awe. I saw this possiblity when I moved my Queen and Bishop to the diagonal. I am not sure if Harold saw this or realized the full danger. 36... Bxe6 37. Rxd8+ Qxd8 38. Rxd8+ Kf7 39. Rb8 Bc4 40. Rxb7+ Kg8 41. Rxh7 Here I thought about 41. Rb8+ and then claiming the d-file back. But with three pawns up I thought I could force a win. Seeing a win in sight made me impatient. 41... Kxh7 Now how do I break through.... 42. Kf2 Kg8 43. Ke3 Kf7 44. a4 a6 45. Kd4 Bf1 46. b5 axb5 47. a5 Okay but now what... 47... b4 48. Be1 b3 49. Kc3 b2 50. Kxb2 Bb5 51. Kc3 Ke6 52. Kb4 Kf7 53. a6 I figured the only way through was give back the passer. 53... Bxa6 54. Ka5 Bc4 55. Kb6 Bd5 56. Kc7 Ke6 57. Kd8 Kf7 58. Kd7 Be6+ Black had no good moves. Moving off the a2-g8 diagonal would allow e6+. 59. Kxc6 Ke8 60. Kd6 Kf7 61. Kc7 Ke8 62. c6 Bd5 63. Kd6 Bc4 64. e6 Ba6 65. f7+ Kf8 66. Bh4 With mate in 5. My games with Harold always are memorable battles and I am sure that he will even the score on our next encounter. 1-0

1. e4 e6 For those of you who don't know me, the French Defense is my staple. 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Ne2 Be7 6. h3 O-O 7. O-O Be6 8. Nd2 Nc6 9. c3 Bd6 10. Nf3 Ne7 11. Nf4 Qd7 My friend Fritz doesn't like this move because of 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. Re1 12. Re1 Bxf4 13. Bxf4 Ng6 14. Bg3 Nh5? Flawed. I wanted to take White's dark Bishop out and failed to see the position. 15. Ne5 Nxe5 16. Bxh7+ Rather than just grab the errant Knight, Jasmine doesn't miss this opportunity. 16... Kxh7 17. Qxh5+ Kg8 18. dxe5 White can take this piece four different ways but takes it back the worst way. Being down a pawn, I see my advantage lies in my queenside pawn majority. 18... c5 19. Rad1 b5 20. b3 a5 21. Bf4 b4 22. c4 d4 Passer. 23. g4 a4 24. Rd3 axb3 25. axb3 Ra3 26. Red1 Rfa8 27. Bc1 Ra1 28. f4 Qc6 29. Qh4 R8a2 30. Qd8+ Kh7 I offer a draw. 31. Qh4+ Kg8 32. Qd8+ Jasmine spent a few minutes looking for a way out but eventually reciprocated the draw offer. 1/2-1/2

1. e4 Eric and I meet again in the final round of the Bluenose Open. Last year I was victorious with White. 1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 Two French Exchanges on the same day. I should note that I had Black 3 times and White once in this tourney (took a bye in round 3 to go to a Blue Rodeo concert). However, Eric just had two Blacks in a row so he was due for White. 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. h3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Be3 Be6 8. Nbd2 Eric is playing very quickly. I still don't know if that is his style or if he just wanted to finish up the tourney. 8... Nbd7 9. Rc1 c5 10. c3 c4 11. Bb1 b5 12. Ng5 Qe8 13. Ndf3 h6 14. Nxe6 fxe6 15. g4 Ne4 A bit too soon for this move. 15... Qf7 first is better because White has Bxe4. 16. Qe2 16. Bxe4 dxe4 17. Nd2 16... Qf7 17. Ne5 Again better was 17. Bxe4 17... Nxe5 18. dxe5 Ng5 19. f4 Ne4 20. Bxe4 Bh4+ 21. Kd2 dxe4 22. Kc2 Rad8 23. Rhf1 Rd3 24. Kb1 Rfd8 Here I offered a draw. Black isn't better but the doubled rooks look menacing. My pawn structure is bad. Eric accepted the offer. I think we both wanted to call it a tourney. 1/2-1/2

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. d3 O-O 6. Nf3 d6 7. O-O h6 8. Bd2 Be6 9. b3 Qd7 10. Re1 Bh3 11. Bh1 Rae8 12. Qc1 Kh7 13. a3 a5 14. Nd5 b6 15. Nxe7 Nxe7 16. Qc2 Kg8 17. b4 axb4 18. axb4 Ng6 19. Ra7 Nh5 20. Rea1 f5 21. Ne1 f4 22. Ng2 fxg3 23. fxg3 Qf5 24. Be3 c5 25. b5 e4 26. R7a2 exd3 27. Qxd3 Qf6 28. Rd1 Re6 29. Raa1 Bf5 30. Qd2 Kh7 31. Rf1 Qe7 32. Ra3 Ne5 33. Rc3 Ref6 34. Nf4 Nxf4 35. Bxf4 Bh3 36. Rd1 g5 37. Be4+ Kg7 38. Bxe5 Qxe5 39. Bg2 Bxg2 40. Kxg2 Rf2+ 41. Kg1 Rxe2 42. Qc1 Qe4 43. Rf3 Qxf3 44. Qa1+ Kg8 0-1

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. Nbd2 c5 6. c3 d5 7. O-O Bd6 8. Qe2 Ne4 9. Rd1 O-O 10. Nf1 Nd7 11. N3d2 f5 12. f3 Ng5 13. e4 fxe4 14. fxe4 e5 15. exd5 Bxd5 16. c4 e4 17. Bc2 cxd4 18. cxd5 Bc5 19. Kh1 d3 20. Bxd3 Rf2 21. Qe1 exd3 22. Nb3 Re2 23. Bxg5 Qxg5 24. Qg3 Qxg3 25. Nxg3 Rxb2 26. Rxd3 Rf8 27. Rd2 Rxd2 28. Nxd2 Nf6 29. Nge4 Nxd5 30. Nxc5 bxc5 31. Rc1 Rf2 32. Ne4 Rxa2 33. Nxc5 Ne3 34. g3 Ng4 35. h4 Ne5 36. Ne4 Nf3 37. Rc8+ Kf7 38. Ng5+ Nxg5 39. hxg5 Kg6 40. Rc7 a5 41. Ra7 a4 42. Kg1 a3 43. Kf1 Ra1+ 44. Kg2 h5 45. gxh6 Kxh6 46. Kf3 Kg6 47. Kg4 Kf6 48. Ra6+ Ke5 49. Kg5 a2 50. g4 Kd4 51. Kg6 Rg1 52. Rxa2 Rxg4+ 53. Kf5 Rg1 54. Ra6 Rf1+ 55. Kg6 Rg1+ 56. Kf5 Rh1 57. Rg6 Rf1+ 58. Ke6 1/2-1/2

1. d4 Nf6 2. e3 g6 3. f4 Bg7 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bd3 Nbd7 6. Nbd2 c5 7. c3 O-O 8. O-O b6 9. Qe2 Bb7 10. e4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Bxe4 Bxe4 13. Qxe4 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Nf6 15. Qe2 e6 16. Be3 Qc7 17. g3 Rad8 18. Rad1 Qb7 19. Qg2 Qxg2+ 20. Kxg2 Rd7 21. Nc6 Rc7 22. Ne5 Nd5 23. Bg1 Bxe5 24. fxe5 Rd8 25. Kf3 Rcd7 26. Ke2 Kf8 27. Rd4 Ke8 28. Rfd1 h5 29. Be3 b5 30. R4d3 Nxe3 31. Kxe3 Rxd3+ 32. Rxd3 Rc8 33. Kf4 Ke7 34. Rd4 Rc6 35. a4 a6 36. axb5 axb5 37. h4 Rc5 38. Rb4 Kd7 39. Rd4+ Ke8 40. Rd3 Ke7 41. b3 Ke8 42. Ke4 Ke7 43. Rf3 Ke8 44. Re3 Ke7 45. Kd3 Rd5+ 46. Kc2 f6 47. exf6+ Kxf6 48. c4 bxc4 49. bxc4 Rc5 50. Kc3 e5 51. Kb4 Rc8 52. Kb5 Ke6 53. c5 Rb8+ 54. Kc6 Rc8+ 55. Kb6 Kd5 56. Rd3+ Kc4 57. Rd1 e4 58. c6 e3 59. Kb7 Re8 60. c7 e2 61. Re1 Kd3 62. c8=Q Rxc8 63. Kxc8 Kd2 64. Rxe2+ Kxe2 65. Kd7 Kf3 66. Ke6 Kxg3 67. Kf6 Kxh4 68. Kxg6 Kg4 0-1

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. g3 f5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. e3 Bxc3 6. dxc3 O-O 7. Ne2 Nc6 8. O-O d6 9. b3 Qe8 10. f4 Kh8 11. Bd2 Bd7 12. Nc1 Rd8 13. Nd3 Ne4 14. Nf2 Nc5 15. Rb1 Bc8 16. Rb2 e4 17. Qe2 Qg6 18. Rd1 d5 19. cxd5 Rxd5 20. c4 Rd6 21. Bc3 Rfd8 22. Rxd6 Rxd6 23. Rd2 a5 24. Rxd6 Qxd6 25. Bf1 Be6 26. Qb2 Qd7 27. Qc2 Nb4 28. Bxb4 axb4 29. Be2 Kg8 30. Kf1 Kf8 31. Ke1 b6 32. Qd2 1/2-1/2

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2 Be6 7. b3 Qd7 8. Bb2 Bh3 9. O-O h5 10. Re1 Bxg2 11. Kxg2 h4 12. Ng1 O-O-O 13. Nd5 Nh6 14. b4 hxg3 15. fxg3 Nf5 16. b5 Nce7 17. a4 Rh7 18. e4 Rdh8 19. Nf3 Nxd5 20. cxd5 Nd4 21. Bxd4 exd4 22. Rc1 Be5 23. Qe2 Rxh2+ 24. Nxh2 Qh3+ 25. Kh1 Bxg3 26. Qg2 Qh4 27. Re2 Qf4 28. Rf1 Rxh2+ 29. Qxh2 Qxf1+ 30. Qg1 Qxe2 31. Qxg3 Qxe4+ 32. Kg1 Qxd5 33. Qh3+ Qf5 34. Qh8+ Kd7 0-1

1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 d6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e4 dxe5 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. O-O Bc5+ 7. Kh1 Qe7 8. c3 Nf6 9. b4 Bb6 10. d3 O-O 11. Bg5 a5 12. bxa5 Rxa5 13. c4 Bg4 14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. Nbd2 Bd4 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. Nb3 Bxa1 18. Nxa5 Bc3 19. Nb3 Ra8 20. Qc2 Qb4 21. h3 Be6 22. Nh4 Kg7 23. Qf2 Qe7 24. Nc1 Bd4 25. Nf5+ Bxf5 26. Qxf5 Qe6 27. Qh5 Be3 28. Ne2 Bf4 29. Nxf4 exf4 30. Rxf4 Rxa2 31. Rg4+ Kf8 32. Qh6+ Ke7 33. Qe3 1/2-1/2

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Bc4 Nc6 8. Bf4 Bg4 9. h3 Bh5 10. g4 Bg6 11. Qd2 Na5 12. Bd3 d5 13. O-O-O c6 14. h4 Bxd3 15. Qxd3 Nc4 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 O-O 18. g5 b5 19. Qd4 f6 20. gxf6 Bxf6 21. Rhg1 Bxe5 22. Qxe5 Qf6 23. Qxf6 Rxf6 24. Rde1 Rxf2 25. Re7 Rf7 26. Re6 Rc8 27. h5 a5 28. Kd2 Kf8 29. a4 bxa4 30. Rg4 Rf2+ 31. Kd3 Kf7 32. Re3 Kf6 33. Rxa4 c5 34. Rxa5 c4+ 35. Kd4 Rd2+ 0-1