The attack

I'm getting pretty "good" (for my level) at coming up with some nice attacks. Let's be honest: Playing sound and positional chess is fun, but a wicked tactical demolition is what we live for.

I went into this game determined to take at least 30 seconds on each move. I didn't come close, but I did make it a good 15 or so on average, which is a small step in the right direction. I pondered move 14 for a good 1:10

[Event "ICC"]

[Site "Internet Chess Club"]

[Date "2009.09.07"]

[White "KyleMayhugh"]

[Black "jtnspace"]

[Result "1-0"]

[WhiteElo "1220"]

[BlackElo "1170"]

[ECO "A85"]

[Opening "Dutch with c4 & Nc3"]

[TimeControl "1800+10"]

1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7

Someone's been studying his opening theory, specifically hypermodern defenses

5. Bf4 O-O

6. e3 c6 7. Qb3 Kh8

I thought about this move for awhile. I wasn't sure I was accomplishing a ton, but it just seemed as if that king was not safe and pointing some pieces at it would be a good idea. His reply of 7 ... Kh8 shows he was aware of the discovered check, although I'm not sure it was threatening enough to need to be preempted.

8. O-O-O Na6

Castling queenside says "Hey, I'm coming for you, let's see what you got." (Let's try to make chess sound nice and manly :) ).

9. h3 Nc7

I'm trying to figure out where he wants his knight after this move. Obviously not b5 or d5. I guessed maybe d6 to help with the defense, but that just seems to be cramping his pieces quite a bit and giving me nothing to fear on the queen side as I throw it all on the king side.

10. g4 fxg4

11. hxg4 Nxg4

For once not a counting error, I was aware this trade put me down a pawn. But I need those files nice and clear for my rooks. Plus, that pawn on h7 is looking very vulnerable right now, and it is one of the primary defenders on the king.

12. Qc2 d5 13. Ng5 Bf5

And now here's a headscratching position to consider. The old Kyle would have just played Qe2 without thinking. The recent Kyle would have played Bd3 without much thinking. The new Kyle thought for over a minute and decided it was safe to play a diversionary move first and gobble that pawn.

14. Rxh7+! Kg8 (forced)

15. Bd3 Bxd3

I thought for sure he'd decline the trade and use his bishop to defend those key light square around his king. He saw the pawn dangling on f2 and the fork of the queen and rook with his knight. But moving my queen was exactly what I wanted to do.

From here, mate is forced as far as I can tell. Maybe we'll see what Crafty has to say.

16. Qxd3 Nxf2 17. Qxg6 Ne8 18. Qe6+

1-0

Verdict from crafty: Black's last chance to save the game was move 12, when he should have played kg8. That's nothing an ordinary player would see, and the combination from there was complicated and left white with a +0.68 advantage.

Then, Crafty says I should have played 13. Qxe6, which I really should have noticed. The rook pins the pawn and prevents recapture

16. Nxf2 did in fact offer forced mate in four, which I took.