Danny and Joel agree to a premature draw

At the last Chess in the Schools tournament, my seventh graders played a quad rather than play in the actual tournament, for reasons of both space and quality. Joel and Danny both play the caro, and they semi-repeated a line from my game against Yaacov Norowitz in the USCL.

Danny Feng (1808) - Joel Ogunremi (1860)

1. e4 c6
2. d4 d5
3. exd5 cxd5
4. Bd3 Nc6
5. c3 Qc7
6. h3 e5
7. dxe5 Nxe5
8.Bb5+ Bd7

I played 8... Nc6 here, I believe I wanted to out-and-out sac a pawn and not deal with defending an IQP after 8... Bd7 9. Bxd7 Qxd7; I understand that that's maybe a little irrational of me.

9. Qxd5?


White shouldn't take. Black is much better now if he can find the right move, which is....



Joel and Danny analyzing the game with me. Black was much better, but then hung a piece, whereupon white immediately agreed to a draw. I made Danny wear the hat all day.

Joel should have played 9... O-O-O! The point is that d3 is terribly weak.

10. Nf3 Bxb5

11. Qxb5 Nd3+ (D)

12. Ke2 (12. Kf1 Nxc1; 12. Kd2 Nxf2)

12... Qe7+

13. Be3 Nf4+

14. Kf1 Rd1+ -+

ps check out the pre-entries for the JH Nationals k-8 section. :)