Mike Serovey Draws Richard Booher

I have found what appears to be the very first correspondence chess game in which I played the Blackmar-Diemer gambit. This is the last of the old correspondence chess games that I will publish here. All things considered, it is doubtful that I will play this gambit ever again unless I chose to transpose into it from the Scandinavian defense and use it as a surprise weapon. The complete game, with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/RichardBooher-Blackmar-Diemer-Gambit.html. Here is the game in PGN.

[Event "89CC390"]
[Site "USCF Correspondence Chess"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "Game A"]
[White "Mike Serovey"]
[Black "Richard Booher"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. e4 dxe4 4. f3 Bf5 5. Bf4 e6 6. g4 Bg6 7. g5 Nd5 8. Nxd5Qxd5 9. Bg2 c5 10. c3 cxd4 11. Qxd4 Qxd4 12. cxd4 Bb4+ 13. Kf2 exf3 14. Bxf3 Nc615. Ne2 O-O 16. Rac1 Rac8 17. d5 exd5 18. Bxd5 Rfe8 19. Ng3 Bd3 20. a3 Ba5 21.Be3 Re5 22. Bxc6 bxc6 23. Rhd1 Bb5 24. h4 a6 25. b3 c5 26. a4 Be8 27. Rd6 Bc728. Rxa6 Rxe3 29. Kxe3 Bxg3 30. Rc4 Rb8 31. Rxc5 Rxb3+ 32. Ke4 Rb8 33. h5 f6 34.gxf6 gxf6 35. Rxf6 Bh4 36. Ra6 Rb4+ 37. Ke5 Bg3+ 38. Kf6 Bh4+ 39. Ke6 Re4+ 40.Kf5 Rxa4 41. Rxa4 Bxa4 42. Kg4 Be7 43. Rc8+ Kf7 44. Rc3 Bd1+ 45. Rf3+ Kg7 46.Kg3 {Draw agreed} 1/2-1/2

Mike Serovey Defeats John I. Bean

Here is another win from section 99SS7. I have yet to find a game from this section that I haven't won. The opening resembles a closed Sicilian so that is what I am calling it. White sacrificed a lot of material for a Kingside attack that failed. He was still down material after my Queen sacrifice so he resigned. The complete game, with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/JohnIBean-Sicilian.html. Here is the game in PGN.

[Event "90SS7"]
[Site "USCF Correspondence Chess"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "John I. Bean"]
[Black "Mike serovey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. Bc4 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. O-O d6 6. d3 Nf6 7. Ng5 O-O 8. Bxf7+Rxf7 9. Nxf7 Kxf7 10. Be3 Bg4 11. f3 Be6 12. Bg5 Qb6 13. b3 c4+ 14. Rf2 cxb3 15.cxb3 Nd7 16. f4 Bxc3 17. f5 gxf5 18. Qh5+ Kg8 19. exf5 Bxa1 20. Bh6 Bf7 21. Qg5+Kh8 22. Kf1 Qxf2+ {White resigns} 0-1

Mike Serovey Defeats Michael T. McCloskey

Here is another old correspondence chess game. This time I beat a lower rated player with the Benko Gambit. My opponent declined the gambit in an unusual way and I managed to get a good position with even material as a result. So far, it still looks like I won every game in this section. The complete game, with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/MichaelTMcCloskey-BenkoGambitDeclined.html. Here is the game in PGN.

[Event "90SS7"]
[Site "USCF Correspondence Chess"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Michael T. McCloskey"]
[Black "Mike Serovey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. b3 d6 5. Bb2 Nbd7 6. e3 bxc4 7. bxc4 g6 8. Nf3Bg7 9. Bd3 Rb8 10. Bc3 Nb6 11. O-O O-O 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. a4 Nxa4 14. Rxa4 Bxa415. Qxa4 Qc7 16. Ba5 Qd7 17. Qxd7 Nxd7 18. Rb1 Rxb1+ 19. Nxb1 Rb8 20. g3 Rb3 21.Bc2 Rb2 22. Bd3 Ra2 23. Bd8 Kf8 24. h3 Ne5 25. Nxe5 Bxe5 26. f4 Bf6 {White resigns}0-1

Mike Serovey Defeats Robert L. Eisert

I found an old correspondence chess game in which I deliberately chose to play the Black side of the French defense. Although the French has a reputation for being drawish I did manage to win this one. Even so, I rarely play the Black side of the French because I think that I have better winning chances with the Sicilian or Modern defense. The complete game, with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/RobertLEisert-French.html. So far, it looks like I won every game in this section. Here is the game in PGN.

[Event "90SS7"]
[Site "USCF Correspondence Chess"]
[Date "1991.10.04"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Robert L. Eisert"]
[Black "Mike Serovey"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bd3 c5 6. dxc5 Nc6 7. Nf3 d4 8. Ne2Qa5+ 9. Qd2 Qxc5 10. O-O O-O 11. Rac1 e5 12. c3 Qd6 13. cxd4 exd4 14. Bf4 Qd815. e5 Nd5 16. a3 Be6 17. Bg3 Nb6 18. Nexd4 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 Bg5 20. f4 Qxd4+ 21.Rf2 Rad8 22. Rd1 Be7 23. Kh1 g6 24. h3 Bc4 25. Rf3 Bxd3 26. Rxd3 Qxd3 27. Qxd3Rxd3 28. Rxd3 Rd8 {White resigns} 0-1

Mike Serovey Defeats Mark J. McClaughry

I finally found an old correspondence chess game that I won playing the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. This game was also a Teichmann defense. That seems to be the most popular reply to the gambit so far. In this game a low rated player freaked out over my kingside attack and resigned prematurely. Oh, well. I'll take a win any way that I can get one! The complete game, with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/MarkJMcClaughry-Blackmar-Diemer-Gambit.html. Here is the game in PGN.

[Event "90SS7"]
[Site "USCF Correspondence Chess"]
[Date "1991.09.09"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Mike Serovey"]
[Black "Mark J. McClaughry"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. f3 d5 3. e4 dxe4 4. Nc3 exf3 5. Nxf3 Bg4 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 c6 8.Be3 e6 9. Bd3 Nbd7 10. O-O Be7 11. Rf2 Qa5 12. Raf1 O-O 13. Qg3 Nh5 14. Qf3 Nhf615. Ne4 e5 16. Bg5 {Black resigns} 1-0

Mike Serovey Loses To William R. Killion

This is the third loss in a correspondence chess game using the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit that I have found so far. In this one I again lost to a lower rated player. So far, it looks like I lost every game that I played in this section. This game can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/WilliamRKillion-Blackmar-Diemer-Gambit.html. Here is is in PGN.

[Event "96RT25"]
[Site "USCF Correspondence Chess"]
[Date "1996.10.28"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Mike Serovey"]
[Black "William R. Killion"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 d5 2. d4 dxe4 3. f3 e5 4. Be3 exd4 5. Qxd4 Qxd4 6. Bxd4 Nc6 7. Bb5 Bd7 8.Bxc6 Bxc6 9. Nc3 Nf6 10. O-O-O O-O-O 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. fxe4 f6 13. Nf3 Bxe4 14.Rhe1 Bxf3 15. gxf3 Bd6 16. h4 Rhe8 17. c3 c5 18. Rxe8 Rxe8 19. Bg1 Bf4+ 20. Kc2b6 21. a4 Bg3 22. h5 Re5 23. h6 gxh6 24. b4 h5 25. Kb3 Re1 {White resigns} 0-1

Mike Serovey Loses To Lawrence D. Gladding

Here is another old correspondence chess game played in 1996. After looking over this game I am amazed that I was able to obtain a 1940 rating playing this badly! Obviously, I had better games than this one! This is another Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, Teichmann defense. I had a couple of missed opportunities in this game, but my loss was due mainly to the strong kingside attack that Black mounted against me. My opponent had a higher OTB rating than I did at the start of this but I had the higher correspondence chess rating. The complete game, with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/LawrenceDGladding-Blackmar-Diemer-Gambit.html. Here is the game in PGN.

[Event "96RT25"]
[Site "USCF Correspondence Chess"]
[Date "1996.10.28"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Mike Serovey"]
[Black "Lawrence D. Gladding"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. e4 dxe4 4. f3 exf3 5. Nxf3 Bg4 6. Be3 e6 7. Bd3 Bb4 8.O-O O-O 9. Qe1 Nbd7 10. Qh4 Be7 11. Bxh7+ Nxh7 12. Qxg4 f5 13. Qg3 g5 14. Ne5Nxe5 15. dxe5 Qe8 16. Ne2 Kh8 17. Bf2 c5 18. Be1 b6 19. Bc3 Qb5 20. Nc1 Kg7 21.a4 Qe8 22. b3 Qh5 23. Nd3 Kh8 24. Rf3 Rac8 25. Nb2 g4 26. Rd3 Rcd8 27. Rad1 f428. Qf2 Rxd3 29. Rxd3 Ng5 30. Rd7 Ne4 31. Qe1 f3 32. Nd1 fxg2 33. Kxg2 Qh3+ 34.Kg1 Bh4 35. Qe2 Nxc3 36. Nxc3 Bf2+ 37. Kh1 Bd4 {White resigned} 0-1

Mike Serovey Loses To David Buckley

This is yet another old correspondence chess game from 1996. In this one I lost to a 1909 rated player with the White side of a Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. This game is a perfect example of how not to play the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. The entire fiasco, complete with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/DavidBuckley-Blackmar-Diemer-Gambit.html. Here is the game in PGN

[Event "96UA15"]
[Site "USCF Correspondence Chess"]
[Date "1996.10.28"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Mike Serovey"]
[Black "David Buckley"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. e4 dxe4 4. f3 exf3 5. Qxf3 Qxd4 6. Be3 Qd6 7. h3 Nc6 8.Bd3 Ne5 9. Qe2 Nxd3+ 10. Qxd3 Qxd3 11. cxd3 Bf5 12. O-O-O O-O-O 13. d4 e6 14.Nf3 Bb4 15. Ne5 Bxc3 16. bxc3 Rhf8 17. Rhf1 Nd5 18. Bd2 f6 19. Nf3 Rd6 20. Kb2Bd3 21. Rf2 Rb6+ 22. Ka1 Rd8 23. Ne1 Bc4 24. Rb1 Rxb1+ 25. Kxb1 e5 26. dxe5 fxe527. Nc2 Nf6 28. Bg5 Rd6 29. Ne3 Bd3+ 30. Ka1 h6 31. Bh4 g5 32. Bg3 Rb6 33. Rb2Re6 34. Rb4 Nh5 35. Be1 Nf4 36. h4 Bg6 37. Rb3 Be4 38. hxg5 hxg5 39. g4 Rh6 40. Bd2 Rh1+ 41. Kb2 Nd3+ 42. Ka3 Rh6 43. Rb5 Ra6+ 44. Kb3 c6 {White resigned} 0-1

Mike Serovey Defeats Timothy A. Nalepa

Here is another one of my old correspondence chess games from 1996. My opponent was about 100 points higher rated than I was and he resigned on move 20 for reasons that I have no clue about. The complete game, with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/TimothyANalepa-English.html. Here is the game in PGN.

[Event "96UA15"]
[Site "USCF Correspondence Chess"
][Date "1996.10.28"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Timothy A. Nalepa"]
[Black "Mike Serovey"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Ne2 c5 6. O-O O-O 7. Nbc3 Nc6 8. f4Be6 9. Nd5 Qd7 10. d3 Bh3 11. Nxf6+ Bxf6 12. Bxh3 Qxh3 13. f5 g5 14. Nc3 Bd4+15. Kh1 h6 16. Qe2 Be5 17. Qg2 Qxg2+ 18. Kxg2 Nb4 19. Rd1 e6 20. h4 {Black resigned} 1-0

Mike Serovey Loses To Fanevil Adams Jr.

Here is another old correspondence chess game played in 1996 to 1997. I lost this game by misplaying a Benko Gambit Accepted. We transposed into this from an Old Benoni Defense. The complete game, with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/FanevilAdams-BenkoGambitAccepted.html. Here is the game in PGN. After analysing this game some I realized that my resignation was premature. I had winning and drawing chances in this game that I failed to see at the time I resigned. Oh well, live and learn!

[Event "96CA283"]
[Site "USCF Correspondence Chess"]
[Date "1996.11.04"]
[Round "Game A"]
[White "Fanevil Adams Jr."]
[Black "Mike Serovey"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. c4 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 g6 6. Nc3 Bxa6 7. Nf3 d6 8. g3Bg7 9. Bg2 Nbd7 10. O-O Nb6 11. Re1 O-O 12. Bf4 Nh5 13. Bg5 h6 14. Bd2 Nc4 15.Qc2 Qa5 16. Rac1 Nxd2 17. Qxd2 Nf6 18. e4 Nd7 19. b3 Rfc8 20. Bf1 Bxf1 21. Kxf1Bxc3 22. Rxc3 Qxa2 23. Qxh6 Qb2 24. Ng5 Nf8 25. Ree3 f6 26. Ne6 Nxe6 27. dxe6 {Black Resigns} 1-0

Mike Serovey Draws Tom G. Schrade Again

Here is my second game with Tom G. Schrade. This one also ended in a draw despite my many errors. I feel lucky to have drawn this game all things considered. Drawing this game brought my USCF correspondence rating down to 1903. The game was a Queen pawn opening that transposed into a Pirc defense, Byrne variation. The complete game, with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/TomGSchrade-Pirc.html. Here is the game in PGN.

[Event "96CA283"]
[Site "Correspondence Chess"]
[Date "1996.11.04"]
[Round "Game B"]
[White "Tom G. Schrade"]
[Black "Mike Serovey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. Bg5 Bg7 5. f4 h6 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Bd3Bg4 9. e5 Bg7 10. Be4 c6 11. O-O d5 12. Bd3 e6 13. Qe1 Bxf3 14. Rxf3 Nd7 15. g4c5 16. dxc5 Nxc5 17. Rd1 Qb6 18. Kg2 d4 19. Ne4 Nxe4 20. Qxe4 f5 21. exf6 Rxf622. g5 hxg5 23. fxg5 Rxf3 24. Kxf3 Rf8+ 25. Kg2 Rf5 26. h4 Qd6 27. Rf1 Rxf1 28.Kxf1 Qf8+ 29. Kg2 Qf5 30. Qxf5 {Draw agreed} 1/2-1/2

Mike Serovey Defeats Stephen D. Cohle

I just finished another correspondence chess game at ICC. This win leaves me with 2 wins, 0 losses and 2 draws in this section. I don't know how I placed in this section because ICC hasn't updated the cross table in quite a while. At the start of this section my opponent was rated 1622 and he dropped to 1596 as a result of this game. My rating increased to 1580. It is very unlikely that I will finish my remaining correspondence chess game by the end of the year so I still won't make my goal of getting my rating over 1600 by the end of the year.

The complete game, with analysis and diagrams, can be found at http://www.mikeseroveyonchess.com/sdcohle-Sicilian.html. Here is the game in PGN.

[Event "ICC correspondence 2007Class.01.08"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2007.07.14"]
[Round "-"]
[White "sdcohle"]
[Black "OnGoldenPawn"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ICCResult "White resigns"]
[Opening "Sicilian defense"]
[ECO "B30"]
[NIC "SI.31"]
[Time "19:40:17"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nc3 Qe6+ 6. Qe2 Qxe2+ 7. Nxe2g6 8. Bg2 Bg7 9. O-O Nf6 10. c3 O-O 11. b3 Bd7 12. Bb2 b6 13. c4 Rac8 14.Rfe1 e6 15. Rad1 Rfd8 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Bc6 18. Bh3 Ne8 19. Bxg7 Kxg720. Nf4 Bf3 21. Ne2 Rd6 22. Bg2 Bxg2 23. Kxg2 Rcd8 24. d4 cxd4 25. Rd3 e526. Red1 Nc7 27. f4 f6 28. fxe5 fxe5 29. g4 Ne6 30. Kf3 Nc5 31. R3d2 e4+ 32.Kg2 d3 33. Nc3 e3 34. Rb2 e2 35. Nxe2 dxe2 36. Rxd6 Rxd6 37. Rxe2 Re6 38.Rc2 a5 39. g5 h6 40. gxh6+ Kxh6 41. h3 Kh5 42. Rf2 g5 43. Rb2 Kh4 44. b4 Nd345. Rb3 Nxb4 46. a3 Na6 47. Rd3 Nc5 48. Rd4+ Kh5 49. Kf3 Rc6 50. Ke3 Ne6 51.Re4 Nf4 52. h4 Kxh4 53. Kd4 Rd6+ 54. Kc3 Rd3+ 55. Kb2 Kg3 56. Re5 g4 57. Rb5Rd6 58. Rb3+ Kf2 59. Kc2 g3 {White resigns} 0-1

Chess Goals For 2008

Upon reviewing my chess goals for 2007 I see that I failed to meet all of them! I only played in one USCF rated chess tournament in 2007 and I went 2.5 out of 4. That brought my USCF regular rating up to 1537. My goal was to get over 1600 by the end of the year. I won't make that goal. I did manage to win my class prize in that one tournament, though. My current rating at Stan's Net Chess is 2162. My goal was to get over 2200 by the end of the year. I have one game in progress now, but even if I do manage to win this game by the end of the year, that won't put my rating over 2200. I haven't played in any quick chess tournaments, so that rating remains 1588. I haven't played in any USCF rated correspondence chess tournaments, so that rating remains 1893. I had a goal to get both my standard rating and my correspondence chess rating over 1600 at ICC. I still have two correspondence chess games going at ICC, but unless I win both of them by the end of the year my correspondence chess rating will not go over 1600. Currently, it is at 1562. My standard rating at ICC is 1540. I would have to start playing a whole bunch of rated games at ICC and win most of them in order to get my standard rating over 1600 by the end of the year. I don't see that happening right now.

So, what are my chess goals for 2008? I will be starting back to college in January to finish my masters degree in information systems management. Because classes are only 8 weeks long I cannot afford to get behind in my homework or to miss any classes. That may not leave me with enough time for chess. Even so, I do plan to play in some rated tournaments and thus get my USCF standard rating over 1600 by the end of 2008. I also want to win at least one more class prize. I plan to enter into an USCF rated correspondence chess tournament and to get that rating over 1900 by the end of the year. That may not happen because of how long it can take to complete correspondence chess games. I plan on getting my rating at Stan's Net Chess over 2200 by the end of 2008.

I am owed some money by the VA. Eventually, I will receive that money. When I do, I want to buy the latest version of Fritz so that I can really train and improve my game.

I Am Unhappy With ICC

As mentioned in a previous post I still have 2 correspondence chess games going on at ICC. In Game #23 my opponent went over the time limit on move number 11. I complained about this twice and it took about 3 weeks for the tournament director to issue a warning! What I don't get is why ICC issues warnings when players exceed the time limit! Why have a time limit if you are not going to enforce it? My opponent was warned and given an extra 20 days to play the game! I really do not believe that this is fair! Why let someone get away with cheating? I wasn't given an extra 20 days to play the game! Why let a cheater have extra time? If this was an over the board game my opponent would have lost! There would have been no warning and extra time given. Why allow this bull shit in a correspondence game?

My ICC membership expires on December 23 if I remember correctly. I have no intention of renewing it if I can finish these 2 games by then. I am up a knight and a pawn in one game, so I know my opponent will accept a draw if I offer one just to get the game over with. In the other game I am down material but about to get it back. With even material I may be able to get a draw out of that game too. I would like to win that one on time forfeit, but we will see.

Stan's Net Chess has the server keep track of time used just like ICC does. However, at Stan's Net Chess the server will award a time forfeit win if one player exceeds the time control. It is done automatically and thus there is no need for me to submit a time complaint. I will us Stan's Net Chess for correspondence games and let my ICC membership expire. Again, this is contingent upon my being able to finish these 2 games in time.