Tim and Rick both play b3!!!
Capelle1999

Rick McMichael Annotates

As Tim had started writing a book on my favourite opening, a theoretical duel was obvious. (We were both hungover - Ghent festivals go on 'til way past dawn and as all our games seem to end up in tactical melees, we thought it best to save our energy for when we had recovered it around 4-5pm)

1. b3 d5 2. e3 e5 3. Bb2 Bd6 4. Nf3 Qe7 5. c4 d4 6. Be2 c5 7. exd4 cxd4 8. O-O Nf6 9. d3 O-O 10. a3 a5 11. Nbd2 Nc6 12. Re1 Bf5 13. Bf1 Qc7 14. Rc1 Rfe8 15. Nh4 Bg4 16. Be2 Bd7 17. g3 Rad8 18. Bf3 h6 19. Rc2 Be7 20. Ng2 Nh7 21. Bd5 Rf8 22. f4 exf4 23. Nxf4

White is now better but that means f*** all in our games

23 ... Bd6 24. Rf1 Nf6 25. Ne4 Nxe4 26. Bxe4 Bxf4 27. Rxf4 Be6 28. Rcf2 Ne7 29. b4

Position after 29. b4

b6 30. Qa1 Qe5 31. Bg2 Nf5 32. g4

Losing patience as usual - I never know what to do with good positions.

32 ... Nh4 33. Bxd4 Qg5 34. Re4 Bxg4 35. Bxg7

Here we go - another slugfest

35 ... Rxd3 36. Bxf8!

Luckily I'd remembered how to mate with 2 rooks and 2 bishops against the king.

36 ... Rd1+ 37. Qxd1 Bxd1 38. Be7 Qc1 39. Bxh4 Qxa3 40. Re8+ Kg7 41. Bf6+ Kg6 42. Rg8+ Kh7 43. Rg7+

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