Quick Game

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Quick Game
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White: Bob Garn
Black: John P. Pratt
Date: 10 Dec 1976
Location: Hill Air Force Base, Utah

I'm a notoriously slow player, who has trouble visualizing the board quickly. So I bought a chess clock and began playing timed games to see if it would force me to see quickly. Most were a disaster. This game, where each player was given five minutes for the entire game, had no big mistakes and was probably my best. It took eight minutes total and was recorded afterward from memory (which was also a big deal!).

1. e2-e4, e7-e5.

2. d2-d4, e5xd4. White is comfortable with the Center Game.

3. Qd1xd4, Nb8-c6.

4. Qd4-a4, d7-d5.

5. Bf1-b5, Bc8-d7. These first five moves were automatic for both because we have often played this opening.

6. Nb1-c3, Ng8-f6.

7. e4xd5, Nc6-e5. Even though a pawn down, Black likes this game because he feels he is attacking a prematurely developed queen.

8. Bb5xd7, Qd8xd7.

9. Nc3-b5, Bf8-d6. White defends his queen and also attacks Black's queen bishop pawn. Black defends that pawn, not wanting to lose an exchange of queens.

10. Bc1-f4, Nf6xd5. White builds pressure, but Black decides to even up the pawn score.

11. Bf4xe5, Bd6xe5. Black is happy to trade bishops.

12. 0-0-0, Be5-f4+. White attacks the rook while defending, showing good balance. Black takes a chance by attacking White's king. In a fast game he could lose an exchange here.

13. Kc1-b1, 0-0. Black apparently felt the bishop move prepared for him to castle. Now both queens are unprotected.

14. Rd1-e1, a7-a6. Perhaps Black forsaw White's move and got his bishop out of the way. Now he can break up this queen confrontation.

15. Qa4-c4, Qd7xb5. White sees he cannot play Nb5-c3 to protect the queen, so he must sacrifice the knight. Good foresight for Black in a quick game.

16. Qc4xb5, a6xb5. White choice to trade queens is surprising because Black is a bishop ahead and all of his pieces are developed. White must be hoping for an endgame, which he usually wins, but Black has finally shown why he likes defending against the Center Game. Now he can play his game.

17. Ng1-h3, b5-b4. White offers another trade, which is okay by Black.

18. Re1-e4, Bf4-d6. White seems over agressive, ignoring defense, and Black is patient.

19. b2-b3?, Nd5-c3+. White tries to hold off the attacking pawn, but opens the door to a rook fork.

20. Kb1-b2, Ra8xa2+. Black is in no hurry to take that rook.

21. Kb2-c1, Nc3xe4. After White's forced move, Black takes one rook and is threatening to take the other with Ra2-a1+.

22. Kc1-b1, Ne4-c3+. White's king decides to handle the threat himself, but the knight returns to defend and attack.

23. Kb1-c1, Ra2-a1+.

24. Kc1-b2, Ra1xh1. Sure enough, Black got both rooks.

25. Resign. White's king cannot move, nor can he prevent mate by Rh1-b1.

1. e2-e4, e7-e5.
2. d2-d4, e5xd4.	White is comfortable with the Center Game.
3. Qd1xd4, Nb8-c6.
4. Qd4-a4, d7-d5.
5. Bf1-b5, Bc8-d7.	These first five moves were automatic for both because we have often played this opening.
6. Nb1-c3, Ng8-f6.
7. e4xd5, Nc6-e5.	Even though a pawn down, Black likes this game because he feels he is attacking a prematurely developed queen.
8. Bb5xd7, Qd8xd7.
9. Nc3-b5, Bf8-d6.	White defends his queen and also attacks Black's queen bishop pawn. Black defends that pawn, not wanting to lose an exchange of queens.
10. Bc1-f4, Nf6xd5.	White builds pressure, but Black decides to even up the pawn score.
11. Bf4xe5, Bd6xe5.	Black is happy to trade bishops.
12. 0-0-0, Be5-f4+.	White attacks the rook while defending, showing good balance. Black takes a chance by attacking White's king. In a fast game he could lose an exchange here.
13. Kc1-b1, 0-0.	Black apparently felt the bishop move prepared for him to castle. Now both queens are unprotected.
14. Rd1-e1, a7-a6.	Perhaps Black forsaw White's move and got his bishop out of the way. Now he can break up this queen confrontation.
15. Qa4-c4, Qd7xb5.	White sees he cannot play Nb5-c3 to protect the queen, so he must sacrifice the knight. Good foresight for Black in a quick game.
16. Qc4xb5, a6xb5.	White choice to trade queens is surprising because Black is a bishop ahead and all of his pieces are developed. White must be hoping for an endgame, which he usually wins, but Black has finally shown why he likes defending against the Center Game. Now he can play his game.
17. Ng1-h3, b5-b4.	White offers another trade, which is okay by Black.
18. Re1-e4, Bf4-d6.	White seems over agressive, ignoring defense, and Black is patient.
19. b2-b3?, Nd5-c3+.	White tries to hold off the attacking pawn, but opens the door to a rook fork.
20. Kb1-b2, Ra8xa2+.	Black is in no hurry to take that rook.
21. Kb2-c1, Nc3xe4.	After White's forced move, Black takes one rook and is threatening to take the other with Ra2-a1+.
22. Kc1-b1, Ne4-c3+.	White's king decides to handle the threat himself, but the knight returns to defend and attack.
23. Kb1-c1, Ra2-a1+.
24. Kc1-b2, Ra1xh1.	Sure enough, Black got both rooks.
25. Resign.	White's king cannot move, nor can he prevent mate by Rh1-b1.