Wartime streak, Day 3: Win (1534-1571)

Could the war be winding down? Today was the first day since it started that none of my Zoom classes was interrupted by an air raid siren. There were also no sirens overnight in Jerusalem, such that I awoke in the morning feeling fresh and rested. My last class ended at 13:40, and shortly after two o'clock I sat at a computer in the staff room for game three of my streak.

In today's game Chess.com paired me with one PramodKadyan, rated 1562 out of India. It was a Queen's Gambit Accepted, and I hung a pawn on move six -- but Pramod missed it and played poorly thereafter. The scariest moment came around move 27 when a teacher came to talk to me about her experience Zooming from school and I had to split my attention between her and the game. Fortunately, Black's position was hopeless by then and my moves effectively played themselves. Current streak record: 2-0-1.

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Move 6: Black missed my hung pawn

Assigned the white pieces, I opened 1.d4, and after 1...d5 2.c4 dxc4 we were in the Queen's Gambit Accepted and I continued 3.e4. When Black pursues the line 3...b5 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5 6.Nc3 Bd7, I know the best move for White is 7.d5 but struggle from there. In this game, Black's move three was the quiet 3...e6. That allowed 4.Bxc4, to which Black replied 4...Bb4+. I blocked with 5.Nc3, the top move, and Black attacked my undefended e4-pawn with 5...Nf6. Here I blundered a pawn with 6.Qc2, when what I should have played was 6.e5, but Black failed to capitalize and instead castled with 6...0-0.

7.Nf3 was the top move, and after 7...h6 I castled with 8.0-0. Black deployed a second attacker targeting my d4-pawn with 8...Nc6, and I double-defended with 9.Be3. Black initiated an exchange of minor pieces with 9...Bxc3 and 10.bxc3 and prepped a fianchetto with 10...b6. Now I pushed 11.e5, and after 11...Nd5 the Game Review praises my 12.Qe4. Black fianchettoed with 12...Bb7, and I threatened checkmate with 13.Bd3. Black replied 13...g6, allowing me to chop a free pawn with 14.Bxh6. After 14...Nc3 I was proud of 15.Qe1 because it was a dual attack, but the engine wanted 15...Qg4.

Move 30: Family fork

The piece Black prioritized saving with 15...Nd5 was his knight, so I chopped Black's rook with 16.Bxf8. Black recaptured with 16...Qxf8, and after 17.Be4 Nde7 18.Qc3 Rd8 19.Rfd8 Nd5 I simplified with 20.Bxd5 Rxd5. 21.Rac1 increased my pressure on the c-file, and Black's 21...Na5 invited 22.Qxc7. Black sought counterplay via his open h-file with 22...Qh6, which also targeted my rook on c6, and I could have given a check with 23.Qb8+ but correctly prepped 24.Rc7 with 23.Qe7. My plan changed when Black hung his bish with 23...Nc6, and I chopped with 24.Qxb7. Black chopped a pawn with 24...Nxd4, probably hanging his hope on 25.Nxd4 Rxd4 26.Rxd4 Qxc1#, but I saw that 25.Rc8+ was safe; and after 25...Kg7 I could chop with 26.Nxd4. Black chopped a free pawn with 26...Rxe5, and I set up a queen-and-rook battery with 27.Rc7. Black set another trap with 27...Qd2, but I had time for 28.Rxf7+. After 28...Kh6 29.Rh7+ Kg5 I family-forked with 30.Nf3+, and after 30...Kf6 31.Nxd2 Re1+ 32. Rxe1 e5 33.Qf7+ Kg5 34.Ne4+ Kg4, I checkmated with 35.Qf3#.