This was the last round of the North American & Carribean Youth Championships. I had 3 points so far and I was fighting for a top 10 finish.

I have never seen this before. Other moves that can be played are 6.Ndb5, 6.Nxc6 or 6.f3. 6... a6 7. Be3 Qc7 The last book move. 8. f3 b5 8... d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Qe2= says Fritz8. 9. Qd2 Bb7 10. Be2 Be7 11. a4 11. O-O O-O 12. Kh1 b4 13. Na4 d5 14. axb4 Bxb4 15. c3 Bd6 16. Bg5 Bxh2 17. Nxc6 Bxc6 18. Bxf6 Bf4 19. Qd4 gxf6 20. Qxf6 h6 and black later won in Tu-Ngo Viet. CH 2002. 11... b4 I thought it was important to keep my b-pawn. Fritz8 gave me the advantage after this move. 12. Na2 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 e5 14. Bf2 Fritz says 14. Be3 d5 15. Nxb4 dxe4 14... d5!

I think this deserves an exclam because i get rid of my backward d-pawn and I weaken whites center. 15. exd5 Nxd5 16. O-O O-O At this point, I was rushing my moves. I think better was 16... Rd8 17. Qc1 Rc8 18. Bd3 Nf4 17. c4! Striving for equality. 17... bxc3 I was intent of en passanting but Fritz8 says 17... Nf4 18. Rfe1 Rfd8 19. Qe3 Bg5 20. Kf1 a5 21. Rad1 Nxe2 22. Qxe2 Rxd1 23. Rxd1 e4 24. Bg3 Bf4 25. Bxf4 Qxf4 18. Nxc3 Rfd8 18... Nxc3 19. bxc3 (19. Qxc3 Qxc3 20. bxc3 Rac8 21. Rfc1 Rfd8 22. Be3=) 19... Rfd8 20. Qc2 Rac8 21. Rfc1 19. Nxd5 Rxd5 20. Rfc1 Qd8 20... Rxd2 21. Rxc7 Rxe2 I don't like it because white can chose which bishop he wants. I didn't think I had enough time to analyze all the diffrent possibilities. 21. Qc3 Bf6 22. Qb3! Rd7 23. Bb6 Qe8 24. Rd1 Rc8 I was trying to get the open file. 25. Bc4 Bd8 26. a5 26. Rxd7 Bxb6+ 27. Qxb6 Qxd7 28. Bxa6 Bxa6 29. Qxa6 Qd4+ 30. Kh1 Rb8 says Fritz8. 26... e4 27. Rxd7 Qxd7 28. Rd1 Bxb6+ 29. axb6 Qe7?

Better was 29... Qf5 30. fxe4 Qxe4 31. Bxf7+ Kh8 where I still put up a fight. 30. Bxf7+! Kf8? Back to Bac k blunders. At this point, I had a little less that 35 minutes to my oponents 20 minutes. Fritz8 caluculated the amazing 30... Qxf7 31. Qxf7+ Kxf7 32. Rd7+ Kf6 33. Rxb7 Rc1+ 34. Kf2 Rc2+ 35. Ke3 exf3 36. gxf3 Rxb2 37. Kd4= in less than 5 seconds. 31. fxe4 Qc5+? Another mistake. 31... Qxe4 32. Bd5 Bxd5 33. Qxd5 Qxd5 34. Rxd5 Rc1+ 35. Kf2 Rc2+ 36. Kf3 Rxb2= is another variation Fritz8 calculated. 32. Kh1 Bxe4 33. Rf1 Qf2 Some final tricks. 34. Qb4+ 34. Rxf2 Rc1+ 35. Rf1 Rxf1# 34... Qc5 35. Qxc5+ Rxc5 36. Bd5+ Ke7 37. Bxe4 White won in a few more moves. 1-0 [Barclay K.]