White: Bruce Leverett
Black: Ed Formanek
Pennsylvania state championship, round 3
July 29, 2000
English Opening (by transposition)

 1 d4     Nf6
 2 c4     c5
 3 Nf3    cxd4
 4 Nxd4

   We have transposed into the English Opening; for instance, the position could be
   reached by 1 c4 c5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4.

 4 ...    e6
 5 Nc3

   In the 1988 state championship, I played the same opponent with the same colors, and
   the game started 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Nf3 c5 5 g3 cxd4 6 Nxd4.  That was
   another transposition to the English Opening, and the present game could have
   transposed to the older game if we had continued with 5 ... Bb4 6 g3.  In this position
   both 5 ... Nc6 and 5 ... Bb4 are theoretically important.

 5 ...    Nc6
 6 g3     Bb4

   Usually Black will dislodge White's knight from d4 before playing this.  6 ... Qb6 is
   well-known, but even 6 ... Bc5 7 Nb3 Bb4, deliberately losing a tempo, is good.

 7 Bg2    O-O
 8 O-O    Bxc3
 9 bxc3   Qa5
10 Qb3    d5

   This is necessary to enable Black to finish his development, since neither 10 ... b6
   nor 10 ... d6 is possible.

11 cxd5   Nxd4
12 cxd4   exd5
13 Rd1?!

   13 Bf4 was better all around, not only non-committal, but also, as we shall see next
   move, putting useful restraint on Black's queenside.

13 ...    Bd7!

   Of course if now 14 Qxb7 Rab8 wins the queen.  (But not 14 ... Rfb8 15 Bd2.)  If
   White's bishop were on f4, this idea would not be available.

14 a4

   Black threatened 14 ... Ba4.

14 ...    Bc6
15 Bg5    Qb6
16 Qc2    Qd8

   Black has a solid position.  17 Qc5, threatening to disrupt Black's pawns by 18 Bxf6,
   can be answered by 17 ... Re8, so that if 18 Bxf6 Qxf6, or 18 e3 Re6.

17 e4     dxe4
18 d5?!!

   This turns out to be a bluff, as I realized almost as soon as I had played it.
   Instead, 18 Bxf6 Qxf6 19 Bxe4 Bxe4 20 Qxe4 is a level position.

18 ...    Bd7?!

   Black can and probably should play 18 ... Bxd5.  Then 19 Bxf6 Qxf6 20 Rxd5?? hangs a
   rook, while after 19 Bxe4 Bxe4! White's own queen is hanging and he loses a piece.
   Also, 19 Qc5 doesn't regain the piece because of 19 ... Rc8, after which 20 Qxa7 h6
   21 Bxf6 Qxf6 leaves Black in fine shape.  I'm not even sure White can equalize.
   However, in this last position, 22 Qd4 might be adequate; also, 19 Rac1 Qa5
   20 Bxf6 gxf6 21 Bxe4 gives White reasonable drawing chances, since Black's king is
   so exposed.  Since we didn't do a post-mortem, I don't know why my opponent didn't play
   this move.

19 Bxe4   h6
20 Bxf6   Qxf6
21 Qc7    Bg4
22 Re1    Rae8?!

   Simply 22 ... Rab8 is fine.  Then White doesn't gain anything by 23 d6 because of
   23 ... Rfd8 and 24 ... Qxd6.  But without the threat of pushing the queen pawn, White
   would not have many more tricks.  Also, 22 ... Qb6 might be OK, although White could
   keep some life in the position by 23 Qf4 Bd7 24 a5.

23 Rac1

   Black was threatening 23 ... Rxe4.  Black should now admit his error with 23 ... Rb8,
   which should still be a sufficient defense.

23 ...    Re7??
24 Qxe7   Resigns

   After 24 ... Qxe7 25 Bh7+ wins.