[Event "Spielvogel 2019"] [Site "Mechanics Institute"] [Date "2019.03.21"] [Round "7"] [White "Rodney Jacobs"] [Black "Patrick Cook"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1657"] [BlackElo "1649"] [ECO "A05"] [Opening "Reti: 1...Nf6"] 1.Nf3 {Rodney decides to avoid the French! (P.C.)} Nf6 2.d4 d5 3.c4 c6 4.e3 e6 5.a3 $10 {A bit slow in the Semi-Slav...Rod wanted to prevent ...Bb4.(P.C.)} Nbd7 6.Nc3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 {don't like this move bishop d6 is better say fritz16 [jb]} 8.Be2 a6 9.O-O c5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.b4 Be7 12.Bb2 O-O 13.Qb3 $10 Bb7 14.Rfd1 Qb6 15.Nd4 {Intending Bf3, to challenge Black's powerful white squared bishop, to put one of my knights on e2, giving my black squared bishop more scope and freeing up my position. (RJ)} Rfd8 16.Rd2 {I now saw that Bf3 loses to 16......e5 17. Bxb7 ed and Black's pawn just keeps chewing up pieces. If 17.Nf5 Bxf3 18. Nxe7ch Kf8 19. Nxg6ch hg 20. gf and my king is not safe.I was a loss as to what to do. About the same time I learned that Jamie had won his game against Kevin. (RJ)} Rac8 $15 {black has an edge say fritz16 [jb]} 17.Qd1 Ne5 18.Rc1 Nc4 19.Bxc4 Rxc4 20.Qe2 {black is slightly better say fritz16-fritz 16 is the number 3 in the world [jb]} Rdc8 21.Rdc2 Nd5 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 $15 23.e4 Rxc2 24.Rxc2 Rxc2 25.Qxc2 Bb7 {Black offered a draw...Rod didn't hesitate. (P.C.) of course he only need a draw to win its dead equal away say fritz16 good game by you both congratulations Rodney Jacobs [jb] Thanks Jamie. I thought this was a really good, vigorous game by Pat. I constantly felt I was just hanging by a thread. In the end, I preferred his position, with the two bishops and pawns on both sides of the board, so was relieved and happy to get a draw offer. (RJ)} {#d} 1/2-1/2