[Event "North American Open '01"]
[Site "Stillwater, OK"]
[Date "2001.09.02"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Steiner, Tim"]
[Black "Sulman, Robert M"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E32"]
[WhiteElo "1982"]
[BlackElo "2200"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2001.08.31"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[SourceDate "2002.12.12"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. Bg5 {5. a3 is more dependable.} d6
6. e3 e5 7. dxe5 {7. Nge2 has a better track record.} dxe5 8. Nge2 c6 9. Rd1
Nbd7 10. a3 Be7 11. Ng3 {Eyeing the nice e4,f5 squares.  Black may be tempted
to move g6 which would weaken his king position even further.} h6 12. h4 {Bold.
} Re8 13. Nf5 Bf8 14. g4 hxg5 $2 ({Fritz 8:} 14... Qa5 15. Bxf6 Nxf6 16. g5
Bxf5 17. Qxf5 Bxa3 18. Ra1 Qb4 19. Rxa3 Qxb2 20. gxf6 Qxa3 21. Qc2 gxf6 22. Bd3
a5 {[%eval -50,11]}) 15. hxg5 g6 $2 ({Fritz 8:} 15... Nh5 16. g6 Nf4 17. gxf7+
Kxf7 18. Ne4 Kg8 19. exf4 Qa5+ 20. Qd2 {[%eval 75,11]}) 16. gxf6 Qxf6 $18 17.
Ne4 Qd8 18. Nh6+ $2 ({Fritz 8:} 18. Nfd6 Bxd6 19. Nxd6 Re7 20. f3 Qf8 21. g5 b6
22. b4 Rb8 23. Qe4 Bb7 24. Bd3 f5 25. gxf6 {[%eval 234,13]}) 18... Kg7 $6 {
Black needed to swap that piece off to give his king more squares to escape to.
} ({Fritz 8:} 18... Bxh6 19. Rxh6 Kg7 20. g5 Qe7 21. c5 f5 22. gxf6+ Nxf6 23.
Nxf6 Qxf6 24. Rd6 Be6 {[%eval 56,0]}) 19. g5 Qa5+ $16 20. Rd2 f5 21. gxf6+ Nxf6
22. Rg1 Re6 $6 ({Fritz 8:} 22... Kxh6 23. Nxf6 Bf5 24. e4 Be6 25. Nxe8 Rxe8 26.
Qd3 Kg7 27. b4 Qc7 28. Qg3 Bf7 {[%eval 156,11]}) 23. Nf5+ {
Those knights are pesky.} Kh8 24. Nh4 Bg7 $2 ({Fritz 8:} 24... g5 25. Nxg5 e4
26. Ng6+ Kg7 27. Nxe6+ Bxe6 28. Nxf8+ Kxf8 29. Kd1 Ke8 30. Kc1 Rd8 31. Rxd8+
Kxd8 32. Bg2 Kc8 {[%eval 297,11]}) 25. Rxg6 $6 ({Fritz 8:} 25. Nxf6 Rxf6 26.
Nxg6+ Kg8 27. Ne7+ Kh8 28. Qe4 Rh6 29. Qg2 Rh7 30. Qg5 Qxd2+ 31. Kxd2 Be6 32.
Bd3 {[%eval 631,13]}) 25... Ne8 $6 ({Fritz 8:} 25... Nh7 26. Qd3 Nf8 27. Qd8
Qxd8 28. Rxd8 Re7 29. Rg1 {[%eval 384,12]}) 26. Ng5 Rxg6 $4 ({Fritz 8:} 26...
e4 27. Nxe6 Bxe6 28. Rxe6 Nf6 29. Re5 Qb6 30. c5 Qa5 31. Re7 b5 {[%eval 566,11]
}) 27. Qxg6 Nf6 28. Nf7+ $2 {Ooppsy daisy.  I can afford this oversight.} ({
Fritz 8:} 28. Qf7 Qxd2+ 29. Kxd2 Bf5 30. Nxf5 {[%eval 1719,9]}) 28... Kg8 29.
Nh6+ Kh8 30. N4f5 $2 {White is getting careless.} ({Fritz 8:} 30. Bd3 e4 31.
Bxe4 Qxd2+ 32. Kxd2 Nxe4+ 33. Qxe4 Bxh6 34. Qe8+ Kg7 35. Qg6+ Kf8 36. Qxh6+ Ke7
37. Qg7+ Ke6 38. f4 {[%eval 763,10]}) 30... Bxf5 31. Nxf5 Qc7 32. f3 e4 $6 ({
Fritz 8:} 32... c5 33. Rg2 e4 34. Nxg7 Rg8 35. Qxf6 Rxg7 36. fxe4 Kg8 37. e5 {
[%eval 562,12]}) 33. f4 $6 ({Fritz 8:} 33. Rh2+ Kg8 34. c5 Rd8 35. Bc4+ Rd5 36.
fxe4 Kf8 37. exd5 cxd5 38. Bxd5 Nxd5 39. Rh7 Nf6 {[%eval 775,12]}) 33... Kg8 $4
{Second time 'round.  Will White succeed?} ({Fritz 8:} 33... Nh7 34. Rh2 Bxb2
35. Rxb2 Rg8 36. Qe6 Rb8 37. Ne7 Qa5+ {[%eval 497,11]}) 34. Rg2 Ne8 35. c5 {
And finally the last piece enters the fray.  This is by far and away the most
bizzarre and interesting game I have ever played.  My opponent, ten years ago,
used to be a 2450+ player from New York who just recently got back into chess.
He was complaining vehemently after the game that I was some sort of ringer
and that that the chess gods willed my victory without his permission. 
Anyways, I can't say that I've ever overlooked a two move mate especially
against such a strong player.  It should be noted that White never castled. 
I've also never played a game with so many inaccurate moves by both players. 
Ah well, a win is a win.} 1-0

[Event "Kansas City Open"]
[Site "Airport Hilton, KC, MO"]
[Date "2004.03.28"]
[Round "4.14"]
[White "Lyons, David"]
[Black "Steiner, Tim"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A48"]
[WhiteElo "1825"]
[BlackElo "1953"]
[PlyCount "120"]
[EventDate "2004.03.28"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[SourceDate "2002.12.12"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. Nbd2 d6 5. e4 O-O (5... h6) 6. Bc4 c6 (6...
Nxe4 {I was going to play this variation although I couldn't see how Black was
going to get an imbalance.  As the end results demonstrate, my decision to
pass on this variation was justified.} 7. Nxe4 d5 8. Bd3 dxe4 9. Bxe4 c5 10. c3
cxd4 11. Nxd4 h6 12. Be3 Nd7 {1/2-1/2 Meduna,E-Smejkal,J/CZE 1997/EXT 98 (12)})
7. c3 d5 (7... Qc7) 8. Bd3 dxe4 9. Nxe4 Nbd7 10. Ng3 Re8 11. Qe2 Qa5 12. O-O-O
$2 Qxa2 13. h4 h5 $15 14. Bc4 Qa5 15. Qc2 $6 Nd5 16. Rhe1 e6 17. Bd3 Nf8 {
Here I offered my opponent a draw.  It was clear he didn't want to press the
position and I was satisfied with a draw.  You'll see my opponent overstep his
position from here on out.} 18. Ne5 Qc7 19. Bd2 Ne7 $6 ({Fritz 8:} 19... c5 20.
Ne4 cxd4 21. cxd4 Qd8 22. Kb1 Re7 23. Rc1 Rc7 24. Qb3 Rxc1+ 25. Rxc1 Qxh4 26.
Bg5 {[%eval -66,11]}) 20. c4 $2 Nf5 21. Nxf5 exf5 22. Bf4 $6 Qa5 ({Fritz 8: 1)
} 22... Ne6 23. Nxg6 Qa5 24. Rxe6 Bxe6 25. Ne5 f6 26. Nf3 Rad8 27. Kb1 Bf8 {
[%eval -134,10]}) 23. Nxc6 $2 Qxe1 $3 24. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 25. Kd2 Re8 26. Ne5 Ne6
$17 27. Bh2 $2 {The last mistake.  The rest is just mop-up.  Please observe
the technique here, as it is very instructional.} ({Fritz 8:} 27. Ke3 f6 28.
Nxg6 Nf8+ 29. Kf3 Nxg6 30. Bg3 Ne7 31. d5 Bd7 32. Qb3 b6 {[%eval -137,0]})
27... Nxd4 28. Qc3 $6 Rxe5 29. Bxe5 Bxe5 30. Qb4 Nc6 31. Qa3 Be6 32. Be2 Rd8+
33. Ke1 Rd4 34. Qc5 Bd6 35. Qb5 Re4 $1 36. Kd1 Rxe2 37. c5 $2 Re5 38. b4 Bc8
39. Qd3 Nxb4 40. Qc3 Rxc5 41. Qf6 Be6 42. Qd8+ Kg7 43. Ke1 Be5 44. Qe7 Rb5 45.
g3 a5 46. f4 Bf6 47. Qe8 Nc6 48. Qa8 Rb4 49. Kf2 a4 50. Ke3 Bb2 51. g4 fxg4 52.
f5 Bxf5 53. Kd2 Be6 54. Kc2 a3 55. Kd3 a2 56. Qe8 a1=Q 57. Ke2 Re4+ 58. Kd2
Qc1+ 59. Kd3 Qc3+ 60. Kxe4 Qd4# 0-1

[Event "KC Class Championship"]
[Site "Oak Park Chess Club"]
[Date "2004.06.05"]
[Round "3.1"]
[White "Steiner, Tim"]
[Black "Luther, Ron"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B28"]
[WhiteElo "1967"]
[BlackElo "2224"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "2004.06.05"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[SourceDate "2002.12.12"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Nf5 $6 {
Not a very accurate move on my part.  I can certainly find better.} d5 7. Bg5
Bb4 $4 {Very rare to find such a mistake land in your lap on move 7,
especially from such a strong player as Ron.} ({Fritz 8: 1)} 7... d4 8. Bxf6
gxf6 9. Ne2 Bxf5 10. exf5 Nc6 11. a3 Ne7 12. c3 dxc3 13. Nxc3 Nxf5 14. Qa4+ {
[%eval -41,12]}) ({Fritz 8: 2)} 7... Bxf5 8. Bxf6 gxf6 9. exf5 Bb4 10. Qf3
Bxc3+ 11. Qxc3 Nc6 12. O-O-O Rc8 13. Qa3 Ne7 14. Qb3 {[%eval -16,12]}) 8. Nxg7+
{The rest is just a matter of technique.} Kf8 9. Nh5 Bg4 $2 10. Qxg4 $1 Nxg4
11. Bxd8 Nc6 12. Bb6 d4 $6 13. a3 Bd6 14. Nd5 Rc8 15. Bd3 Rg8 16. O-O Rg6 17.
h3 Nh6 18. f4 Ne7 19. Ba5 Re8 20. f5 Rg5 21. Nhf6 Nxd5 22. Nxh7+ Kg7 23. Nxg5
Ne3 24. Rfe1 Kf6 25. Nf3 Rg8 26. Re2 Bc5 27. Bc7 Re8 28. g4 Nhxg4 29. hxg4 Nxg4
30. Rg2 Rc8 31. Rxg4 Rxc7 32. Kf2 b5 33. Rh1 Bf8 34. Rg8 Bd6 35. Re8 Be7 36.
Rh6+ Kg7 37. Rxe7 Rxe7 38. f6+ {This game could have been resigned about 20
moves ago, but my opponent was too proud.} 1-0

[Event "U.S. Class"]
[Site "Des Moines, IA"]
[Date "2004.08.21"]
[Round "2.73"]
[White "Steiner, Tim"]
[Black "IM Smetankin, Stanislav"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A57"]
[WhiteElo "2013"]
[BlackElo "2522"]
[PlyCount "109"]
[EventDate "2004.08.21"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[SourceDate "2002.12.12"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. f3 bxc4 5. e4 d6 6. Bxc4 g6 7. Ne2 Bg7 8. Nec3
O-O 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Na3 {We have now left book.} Rb8 11. Rb1 Ne8 12. Qc2 Nc7
13. Be2 a6 14. Bd2 Ne5 15. b3 h6 16. Nc4 Kh7 17. a4 ({Fritz 8:} 17. Ne3 Nb5 18.
Nxb5 axb5 19. f4 Nd7 20. b4 c4 21. Bc3 Qb6 22. Rf3 Bd4 23. Bxd4 {[%eval 47,11]}
) 17... e6 $11 {
So far so good.  An equal game by move 17.  I had to be pleased.} 18. dxe6 (18.
Ne3) 18... Bxe6 19. Be3 Qe7 20. Rfd1 Rfd8 $15 (20... Nc6) 21. Nxe5 ({Fritz 8:} 
21. Na5 Qe8 22. Nc4 Qh8 23. Na2 Nc6 24. Rxd6 {[%eval -28,10]}) 21... Bxe5 22.
f4 Bg7 23. Bf3 (23. Bd3) 23... Rb6 $6 24. a5 $6 ({Fritz 8:} 24. e5 d5 25. Nb5
Nxb5 26. Bxc5 Rc8 27. Bxe7 Rxc2 28. axb5 Rxb5 29. h4 Rb7 30. Bd6 {[%eval 0,0]})
24... Rbb8 (24... Rb4) 25. Bf2 Qf6 26. Ne2 Nb5 27. Qc1 Qe7 28. e5 $6 dxe5 29.
Rxd8 Qxd8 30. fxe5 Bf5 $17 31. Rb2 Bxe5 32. Rd2 Qc7 33. Qxc5 Bxh2+ 34. Kf1 ({
Fritz 8: 1)} 34. Kh1 Qxc5 35. Bxc5 Be5 36. Bb6 f6 37. Rd1 Be6 38. Bd5 Bxd5 39.
Rxd5 h5 40. Rd7+ Kh6 {[%eval -106,11]}) ({Fritz 8: 2)} 34. Kf1 Qxa5 35. Rd1 Be6
36. g3 Bxb3 37. Rd4 Be6 38. Kg2 {[%eval -169,11]}) 34... Qxa5 $19 35. Rd1 Rc8
36. Qe7 Qc7 37. Qh4 Be5 38. g4 Bc2 39. Rd5 Bxb3 40. Rc5 Qxc5 41. Bxc5 Rxc5 42.
g5 h5 $2 {This was the move I was hoping for.  Sometimes you need a little
luck.  It was a natural move on Smetankin's part.  Probably a move I would
have made in a similar situation.} 43. Qb4 Bd6 44. Qxb3 Rf5 45. Kg2 Rxg5+ 46.
Kf1 Rf5 47. Ke1 Kg8 48. Be4 Re5 49. Bd3 Nd4 50. Qb6 Bc5 51. Qxa6 Nf3+ 52. Kd1
h4 53. Qc8+ Kg7 54. Qg4 Nd4 55. Qxh4 {From about move 39 I had just under 5
minutes on my clock compared to a half hour for my opponent.  By move 55 I had
30 seconds left.  Over the next dozen moves or so the knights and his g6 pawn
came off the board.  At that point I had 1 second left on my clock and he had
about 50 seconds.  Over the next 80 moves or so I checked furiously.  The
sequence was about 5 checks per every time he dodged check.  He had moved his
f-pawn a few times but the two TDs watching were recording how many moves I
was making.  After a while I got bored and asked the TDs if I had to prove my
case much longer, since I thought we had at least played 50 moves.  The TDs
agreed and then stopped the game and awarded me the draw.  The IM argued we
didn't have the exact game score or move count.  The TD begged to differ. 
Stan shook my hand and stormed off.  The TD said we had played 60 moves
without a pawn move or capture.  Long live time delay.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "North American Open"]
[Site "Las Vegas, NV"]
[Date "2004.12.29"]
[Round "5.47"]
[White "Itkis, Hana"]
[Black "Steiner, Tim"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A26"]
[WhiteElo "2075"]
[BlackElo "2012"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "2004.12.26"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[SourceDate "2002.12.12"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 d6 6. d3 Nge7 7. Rb1 f5 8. O-O
O-O 9. Qc2 a5 10. a3 h6 11. b4 axb4 12. axb4 Qd7 13. b5 Nd8 $11 14. Bb2 Ne6 15.
Ra1 Rb8 $5 {An interesting idea I picked up from IM Michael Brooks.  It is his
contention that attempted queenside play to win the b7 pawn will be wasted
moves.} 16. Nd5 (16. Ra7 Qe8 17. Nd5 f4 18. Rfa1 fxg3 19. hxg3 Nxd5 20. cxd5
Nc5 21. d4 Bf5 22. Qc4 exd4 23. Bxd4 Qf7 24. Bxg7 Kxg7 25. Nd2 {
I still like Black's position here.}) 16... g5 17. Nd2 Ng6 18. Qa4 $6 {
White is attempting to lead an attack with the Queen.} (18. Ra7 Qd8 19. Qb3 Kh8
20. Rfa1 g4 21. e3 h5 22. f4 gxf3 23. Nxf3 h4 {I like this for Black.}) 18...
Qd8 19. Qa7 Bd7 20. Nb3 h5 21. Nc3 b6 22. Nd5 h4 23. Nb4 g4 24. Bd5 Rc8 25. Qa2
$2 {White admits there's not much down there.} (25. Bb7 f4 26. Bxc8 Bxc8 27.
Nd5 hxg3 28. hxg3 Qg5 {
This appears that White gets more play, but I still like Black's chances.})
25... Kh8 26. Qb1 {White is now hurridly attempting to relocate all of his
pieces to the kingside.  However, it is too late.} Qg5 27. Bc1 Qh5 28. Ra2 f4
29. Nd2 Nd4 {Black is slowly but surely building this attack.} ({Fritz 8:} 
29... hxg3 30. fxg3 fxg3 31. Rxf8+ Rxf8 32. Nf1 Qf5 33. Be3 {[%eval -319,10]})
30. Ne4 Rf5 31. Re1 (31. gxf4 {This was the last attempt to slow Black up.}
exf4) 31... Rcf8 {Finally, getting the last piece into play.} ({Fritz 8: 1)} 
31... hxg3 32. fxg3 f3 33. e3 Ne2+ 34. Rexe2 fxe2 35. Rxe2 Rcf8 36. Bb2 Ne7 {
[%eval -109,11]}) ({Fritz 8: 2)} 31... f3 32. e3 hxg3 33. fxg3 Ne2+ 34. Rexe2
fxe2 35. Rxe2 Rcf8 36. Bb2 Ne7 {[%eval -109,11]}) 32. Bb2 hxg3 33. hxg3 $2 (33.
fxg3 {This move was far superior.} f3 34. Bxd4 exd4 35. exf3 gxf3 36. Nf2 Nf4)
33... Qh3 {Now there is only one move that does not lead to a forced mate in
less than 5 moves.} 34. gxf4 $4 {and that wasn't it.} ({Fritz 8:} 34. Ng5 Rxg5
35. Bg2 fxg3 36. Bxh3 gxf2+ 37. Kg2 g3 38. Nd5 Nh4+ 39. Kh1 Bxh3 40. Ne3 Nhf3
41. Rg1 Rh5 42. Ng2 Be6+ 43. Nh4 Rxh4+ 44. Kg2 Rh2+ 45. Kxg3 (45. Kf1 fxg1=Q#)
45... Nxe2#) 34... Nf3+ 35. exf3 gxf3 ({Fritz 8:} 35... Nh4 36. fxg4 Nf3# {
[%eval -32765,0]}) ({Fritz 8:} 35... Nxf4 36. fxg4 Qg2# {[%eval -32765,0]}) 0-1

