[Event "Spielvogel 2018"] [Site "Mechanics Institute"] [Date "2018.02.22"] [Round "5"] [White "Patrick Cook"] [Black "Rodney Jacobs"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1652"] [BlackElo "1681"] [ECO "D32"] [Opening "QGD Tarrasch"] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 cxd4 {The Von Hennig-Schara gambit. The idea is to sacrifice a pawn for long-lasting initiative. I had spent a long and enjoyable time preparing the gambit for this game. There are many fascinating, almost fantasy lines. But I was quickly undone by Pat's calm and extremely accurate play. (RJ) I remembered that we had played this before, but the details were vague...I knew that I take the offered pawn...(P.C.)} 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Qd1 exd5 7.Qxd5 {I remembered that we reached this position in our previous game in this line. (P.C.)} Be6 {Unusually for a gambit, inviting an exchange of queens. Standard in this gambit. (RJ.) I later found our previous game...P. Cook-R. Jacobs Koelle 'A', 2014 Rd. 6 1-0 (45 moves).In that game Rod played 7...Bd7, and the Queens stayed on the board for the whole game (P.C.)} 8.Qxd8+ Rxd8 9.e3 {If White plays the tempting 9. a3 Ne5! and White is lost. (RJ)} Nb4 10.Bb5+ Ke7 {So far following the line I had prepared for this game. (RJ)} 11.Rb1! {Diverging from the line I prepared. According to Jonathan Schranz, 11.Kf1... is the only move here. All my preparation was based on that. But Pat's move, essentially a waiting move, is pretty good! The logic is that the rook probably has to go to b1 anyway, but White keeps his options open as regards the king until he sees how Black proceeds. It gave me a dilemma I could not resolve. (RJ)} Nf6 {Black can regain the gambit pawn here with 11...Nxa2. But I was after more. (RJ)} 12.a3 Nc2+?! {The Knight boldly jumps right into White's position, with check! ...But it never leaves...! (P.C.)} 13.Ke2 {Rodney sank into a very long think here, (over 30 minutes!) before playing his next move...(P.C.) My problem was that I was out of the line I had prepared, and I could not decide on the best continuation. I looked for a long time at 13... Bf5, but did not like the look of my position after 14.f3! (RJ)} Bb3? {The decisive mistake. 13... Bf5 would have been better. So would have 13.....a6 14. Bd3 Ne1! Black is now lost. (RJ)} 14.Nf3 Nd5 15.Nd2! Nxc3+ 16.bxc3 Be6 17.Ba4 {The daring Knight is lost...It's always a pleasure to play Rod, and this was another of our memorable fights. You know he is coming to the board armed to the teeth and you'll have to fight for your life! (P.C..)} {#r} 1-0