1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3

I was hoping for a Caro-Kann because this is a line I wanted to experiment with.

3... Nd7 4. Nc3

Apparently 4. e5 was better here. I didn't know that.

4... c5

This didn't look right... Surely it's just dropping a pawn. I spent a few minutes figuring out the best way to capture. I couldn't really decide if 5. Nxd5 e6 6. Nc3 cxd4 7. Qxd4 was better or worse, but I liked the idea of tempting the Queen trade leaving me a pawn up with the threat of Nc7+ winning the Rook, so that's what I went for.

5. dxc5 Nxc5 6. Qxd5 Qxd5 7. Nxd5

All going to plan so far. I was expecting Ne6 locking up the kingside development, but at least it covers c7 and stops Bf4...

7... Na6

Oops! Siofra said after the game that she completely forgot I could capture this with my Bishop. And at this point I also almost played Bf4 instead of capturing, as I did in the game! Chess blindness is real!

8. Bxa6

There is no easy way out now, but I'm glad she kept playing on, trying to cause problems. That's how we all learn.

8... Kd8 9. Bc4 e6 10. Nc3 Bb4 11. Ne2

I had been looking at 11. Bg5+ f6 12. Bd2 first but then realised the move order with Nge2 first is better.

11... f5

I think this was just a mistake.

12. Bg5+ Ke8 13. O-O-O h6

I think 13... Be7 was better here. I didn't understand h6.

14. Rd8+ Kf7 15. Bf4 Be7 16. Rd2

Apparently 16. Rhd1 was better but I didn't even consider returning material yet.

16... Kf8 17. Bd6 g5 18. Rhd1 b6

It took me a minute or two to figure out the move order here. I had been considering 19. Bxe7+ first but then noticed what I played in the game...

19. exf5 exf5 20. Bd5 Bxd6 21. Bxa8 Bxh2 22. g3

22. Rd8+ straight away was better but I had seen the Bishop trap on h2 a few moves earlier and just played this by reflex without doing any fresh calculation. Tut tut.

22... f4 23. Rd8+ Kg7 24. Rxc8 fxg3

At this point I knew there was a mating net coming, so I took some time and calculated it all through before playing anything.

25. Be4 g2 26. Rd7+ Kf6 27. Rc6+ Ke5 28. Rd5#

Time remaining 1:08.25 for me and 1:10.25 for Siofra.

1-0

Annotator(s): Edward Loane.

Source(s): Edward Loane, via Craig DuBose.

Event information: Tournament report.