Chess Game Menu

King Chase

Pratt's Home Page
White: John P. Pratt
Black: Bob Garn
Date: 9 Aug 1976
Location: Hill Air Force Base, Utah









1. e2-e4, e7-e5. 
2. d2-d4, Nb8-c6. 
3. Ng1-f3, d7-d6.One fun thing about playing Bob was that he never opened the same way twice. Every game was a totally new experience.
4. Bf1-c4, Ng8-f6. 
5. d4xe5, d6xe5.Either Bob and I would exchange queens at this point if it caused the opponent's king to have to move, thus destroying any hope for a castle.
6. 0-0, Bc8-e6. 
7. Bc4xe6, f7xe6.White will take that bishop nearly every time to break up the castle.
8. Rf1-e1, Bf8-c5. 
9. Nb1-c3, Qd8-d6. 
10. Nc3-b5, Qd6-d7.White sees no reason to needlessly attack Black's king knight with his bishop, so he threatens both the enemy queen and to fork the king and knight.
11. Qd1xd7+, Ke8xd7.That went as White hoped, destroying any hope for Black to castle. If Black had interceded his knight, White would have done the next move he does anyway.
12. Bc1-g5, Nf6-g4.White is happy with Black's offense move as he has no desire to trade off his bishop for a knight. (I prefer bishops to knights). With Black's knight farther from his king, it opens the door to chase the black king around.
13. Ra1-d1+, Kd7-e8.White is proceeding with orderly development as he attacks. And now Black's king is again in the position to be forked.
14. Nb5xc7+, Ke8-f7.The patient white knight finally gets his chance.
15. Rd1-d7+, Kf7-g6.White is more interested in winning than trading off his powerful knight even for a rook. He wants to keep the pressure on the black king while he's unprotected.
16. Re1-e2, Ra8-f8.I have no idea why White did that move rather than either Nc7xa8 or Nc7xe6, attacking a bishop and threating Rd7xg7+.
17. Nc7xe6, Rf8-f7.Finally White does what appeared best on the last move, but this time it forks rook and bishop.
18. Ne6xc5, h7-h6.The knight wins a piece and protects the rook, but White is not seeing a quick victory against Black's exposed king. Black's move not only attacks a bishop, but gives the king a place to hide.
19. Rd7-d6+, Kg6-h7.Black has managed to build a make-shift castle and White is frustrated he could not end the game while the black king was roaming about. There was a player who was famous for "taking his king for a walk" around the middle of the board, just for fun.
20. Re2-d2, b7-b6.Both sides regroup and develop. If Black tries h6xg5 then Nf3xg5+ forks the rook.
21. Nc5-e6, Rh8-c8.Black sees no immediate danger, so he thinks attack.
22. Rd6-d7, Rf7xd7.Black is happy to trade rooks, knowing he can often win an end game with me.
23. Rd2xd7, Nc6-b4.Black appears to be ignoring threats, as if trying to clear the board for an end game, or at least distract me into saving pawns. But really I bet he had in mind Rc8xc2 to threaten a checkmate himself.
24. Rd7xg7+, Kh7-h8.Suddenly Black's new castle is gone. It's looking grim for him.
25. Nf3-h4, h6xg5.White's knight brings an unanswerable lethal threat. Black announces he's finally taking the bishop just for spite, rather than resigning.
26. Nh4-g6 mate.