[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.03.07"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Chowdhury, B."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "26"]
[EventDate "2008.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 Qe7
8. O-O d6 9. Bd2 Ba5 10. Qe2 Ng4 11. Rae1 Bb6 12. h3 h5 13. Na4 Qe5 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1997.04.16"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ruta, Zacob"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[PlyCount "109"]
[EventDate "2007.??.??"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Bb5 a6 8. Bxc6
bxc6 9. O-O d5 10. Qd2 e6 11. Bh6 O-O 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. h3 f5 14. Ng5 Nb6 15.
b3 h6 16. Nf3 Nd7 17. Na4 Qe7 18. b4 Ra7 19. Nc5 Nxc5 20. bxc5 a5 21. Rfb1 Ba6
22. Rb2 Bb5 23. a4 Bc4 24. Rab1 g5 25. Rb8 Ra8 26. Rxf8 Qxf8 27. Qc3 Qc8 28.
Nd2 Qa6 29. Nxc4 Qxc4 30. Qxc4 dxc4 31. Kf1 Rd8 32. c3 h5 33. Rb7 Rc8 34. Ra7
f4 35. f3 h4 36. Ke2 Kf8 37. Rxa5 Rb8 38. Ra6 Rb2+ 39. Kf1 Rb1+ 40. Kf2 Rb2+
41. Kg1 Rb1+ 42. Kh2 Ra1 43. Rxc6 Rxa4 44. Rxe6 Kf7 45. Rc6 Ra7 46. Kg1 Ra1+
47. Kf2 Ra2+ 48. Ke1 Rxg2 49. Rxc7+ Ke6 50. Rc6+ Kd7 51. Rg6 Ra2 52. Rxg5 Ra6
53. Rf5 Ke6 54. Rf6+ Kd5 55. Rxa6 {stalemate} 1/2-1/2

[Event "King's Island Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.11.15"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Gregorz, R."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2050"]
[BlackElo "2039"]
[PlyCount "100"]

1. c4 e5 2. e3 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. d4 Nc6 6. d5 Nce7 7. Be2 f5 8. e4 Nf6
9. Nd2 O-O 10. b4 (10. O-O) 10... a5 11. Ba3 Bh6 12. bxa5 Rxa5 13. Bb4 Ra8 14.
a4 c5 15. Ba3 (15. dxc6 Nxc6 16. Ba3 Qa5 $17) 15... Bxd2+ 16. Qxd2 Nxe4 17.
Nxe4 fxe4 18. Bb2 Nf5 19. O-O Nd4 20. Bd1 Qh4 21. Ra3 Bg4 22. Bxg4 Qxg4 23.
Bxd4 exd4 24. Rb1 Qf5 25. Qe1 Rf7 26. h3 Raf8 27. Ra2 Qe5 28. Re2 e3 29. f3 (
29. fxe3 d3 30. Rd2 Rf1+ 31. Qxf1 Rxf1+ 32. Rxf1 Qxe3+ $19) 29... Qe8 30. Qd1
Qd8 31. Qe1 Qg5 32. Kh2 Re7 33. Qd1 Qf4+ 34. Kg1 Qg3 35. Kh1 Ra8 36. Ra1 Qe5
37. Ra3 Ra6 (37... b5 38. cxb5 c4) 38. Qb3 Qf5 39. Kh2 h5 40. Kg1 g5 41. a5 Rf7
42. Qd1 b6 43. Rea2 bxa5 44. Rxa5 Rxa5 45. Rxa5 Rb7 46. Rb5 Rxb5 47. cxb5 d3
48. b6 e2 49. Qd2 (49. Qe1 Qxd5) 49... Qe5 (49... Qxd5 50. b7 Qxb7 51. Qxg5+
Qg7 52. Qd5+ Kf8 53. Qxd6+ Qe7) 50. Kf2 Qd4+ 0-1

[Event "National All-Grade"]
[Site "Louisville KY"]
[Date "1999.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Matt Pullin"]
[Black "Enrique Rios"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "109"]
[EventDate "1999.??.??"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 d5 3. g3 c5 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. O-O Bg4 6. Ne5 Bd7 7. Nxd7 Qxd7 8.
c3 e6 9. Bf4 Rc8 10. e3 Be7 11. Nd2 O-O 12. Nf3 Nh5 13. Ne5 Nxe5 14. Bxe5 Nf6
15. dxc5 Rxc5 16. e4 Rd8 17. exd5 Nxd5 18. Qe2 Rcc8 19. Rad1 Qc6 20. b3 b5 21.
Rd4 f6 22. c4 bxc4 23. bxc4 Nc3 24. Rxd8+ Bxd8 25. Bxc3 Qxc4 26. Qxc4 Rxc4 27.
Rc1 Bb6 28. Bd2 Ra4 29. Rc8+ Kf7 30. Bc6 Rd4 31. Be3 Rd1+ 32. Kg2 Bxe3 33. fxe3
Rd2+ 34. Kf3 Rxa2 35. Rc7+ Kg6 36. Be8+ Kh6 37. h4 Ra5 38. Rc6 g6 39. Rxe6 Kg7
40. Re4 f5 41. Ra4 Re5 42. Rxa7+ Kh8 43. Ba4 h6 44. Bb3 g5 45. hxg5 hxg5 46.
Rf7 g4+ 47. Ke2 Rb5 48. Bc2 Rc5 49. Kd2 Rd5+ 50. Bd3 Ra5 51. Rxf5 Ra2+ 52. Bc2
Ra3 53. Rf4 Ra7 54. Ra4 Rd7+ 55. Bd3 1-0

[Event "State Individual Ch."]
[Site "Bloom Trail IL"]
[Date "1999.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Jameson Painter"]
[Black "Matt Pullin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "1999.??.??"]

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. Qe2 O-O 6. O-O Nc6 7. h3 Nd7 8. Bg5
Nb6 9. c3 Nxc4 10. Qxc4 h6 11. Bh4 g5 12. Nxg5 hxg5 13. Bxg5 Qe8 14. f4 b5 15.
Qb3 Na5 16. Qc2 Nc4 17. Rf3 f6 18. Bh4 Qh5 19. Qf2 Bb7 20. d5 e5 21. f5 Bh6 22.
g4 Qf7 23. Kh1 Kh7 24. b3 Nb6 25. Nd2 Nxd5 26. Rg1 Bg5 27. Bxg5 fxg5 28. h4 Qf6
29. Rh3 Kg7 30. Nf3 Nf4 31. hxg5 Nxh3 32. gxf6+ Rxf6 33. Qg3 Nxg1 34. Kxg1 Bxe4
35. g5 Rxf5 36. Nh4 Rf4 37. Qh3 Rh8 38. Qd7+ Rf7 39. Nf5+ Bxf5 40. Qxb5 Be4 0-1

[Event "Fall League Individual"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1999.10.30"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rasskazov, Ivan"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "1999.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. a3 a5 6. Nc3 Bd6 7. Bd3 dxc4 8. Bxc4
Nbd7 9. O-O O-O 10. e4 e5 11. Bg5 Qc7 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. Re1 Bg4 14. dxe5 Bxe5
15. g3 Rad8 16. Qe2 Rd4 17. Bd3 Rfd8 18. Rad1 Nd7 19. Qe3 Bxf3 20. Qxf3 Bf6 21.
Bc2 Ne5 22. Qe2 Rd2 23. Qe3 Rxc2 24. Rxd8+ Qxd8 25. Rd1 Rd2 26. Rxd2 Qxd2 27.
Qa7 g6 28. Qxb7 Kg7 29. Qb6 Ng4 30. h3 Nxf2 31. Kg2 Ng4+ 32. Kf3 Nh2# 0-1

[Event "Midwest Am. Team Ch."]
[Site "Northbrook IL"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Y Zazevskiy"]
[Black "Matt Pullin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "150"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. f4 e5 5. d5 Nc5 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. Bxd7+ Qxd7 8.
Qe2 a5 9. Nf3 exf4 10. Bxf4 Be7 11. O-O O-O 12. Rad1 Na4 13. Bd2 Nxb2 14. Rb1
Na4 15. e5 Nxc3 16. Bxc3 Nxd5 17. Ba1 Nf4 18. Qe4 Qg4 19. Nd2 Nh3+ 20. Kh1 Qxe4
21. Nxe4 Ng5 22. exd6 Nxe4 23. dxe7 Rfe8 24. Rxb7 Rxe7 25. Bd4 Nd6 26. Rb3 f6
27. h3 Ra6 28. a4 Rc6 29. c3 Kf7 30. g4 Ne4 31. Kg2 Nd2 32. Rb5 Nxf1 33. Kxf1
Rce6 34. Rxa5 Re1+ 35. Kf2 R7e2+ 36. Kf3 Ra2 37. Ra7 Kg6 38. h4 Ra3 39. a5 c5
40. h5+ Kh6 41. Be3+ Rxe3+ 42. Kxe3 Rxc3+ 43. Kf4 Ra3 44. a6 Ra4+ 45. Kf3 c4
46. Rc7 Rxa6 47. Rxc4 g6 48. hxg6 hxg6 49. Kf4 Ra1 50. Rc3 Ra4+ 51. Kg3 Kg5 52.
Rc5+ f5 53. gxf5 Ra3+ 54. Kf2 gxf5 55. Rc8 Kg4 56. Rg8+ Kf4 57. Rc8 Ra2+ 58.
Ke1 Kg4 59. Rg8+ Kf3 60. Rc8 Ra1+ 61. Kd2 f4 62. Rf8 Rf1 63. Rf7 Kg2 64. Rg7+
Kf2 65. Rf7 f3 66. Kd3 Rd1+ 67. Kc2 Rd5 68. Kc3 Kg2 69. Rg7+ Kf1 70. Rf7 f2 71.
Rf8 Kg2 72. Rg8+ Kf3 73. Rf8+ Kg3 74. Rg8+ Kf4 75. Rf8+ Rf5 0-1

[Event "Midwest Class Ch."]
[Site "Chicago IL"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Matt Pullin"]
[Black "Ali Moeini"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. d4 c5 2. d5 d6 3. e4 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Nf3 exd5 6. exd5 Be7 7. h3 O-O 8. Be2
a6 9. a4 Qa5 10. Nd2 Qb4 11. a5 Bd7 12. O-O Bd8 13. Nc4 Be8 14. Nxd6 Bxa5 15.
Bd2 Bd8 16. b3 Qb6 17. Nc4 Qc7 18. Bf3 Ra7 19. Qc1 b5 20. Bf4 Qb7 21. Nd6 Qa8
22. Nc8 b4 23. Bd6 Rd7 24. Bxf8 bxc3 25. d6 Nc6 26. Ne7+ Bxe7 27. Bxe7 Qc8 28.
Bxf6 gxf6 29. Bg4 Ne5 30. Ra4 c4 31. Bf5 Qc6 32. Rxc4 Nxc4 33. Qh6 Nxd6 34. Re1
Ne4 35. Bxh7+ Kh8 36. Bxe4+ 1-0

[Event "National HS Ch."]
[Site "Charlotte NC"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Matt Pullin"]
[Black "Sheel Dandehar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "93"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 a6 5. c5 Bf5 6. Qb3 Ra7 7. Bd2 Nbd7 8. Na4
Ne4 9. e3 e6 10. Be2 Be7 11. O-O O-O 12. Be1 Re8 13. Nd2 e5 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15.
Bc4 Bg6 16. Bc3 exd4 17. Bxd4 Qa5 18. Rac1 Qc7 19. Rfd1 Bh4 20. Nb6 Bh5 21. Rd2
Ne5 22. Bxe5 Qxe5 23. Rd7 Qf5 24. Rc2 Rf8 25. h3 Qg5 26. Bf1 h6 27. a4 Kh8 28.
a5 f5 29. Qc3 f4 30. exf4 Rxf4 31. Qe3 Qf6 32. Rd8+ Kh7 33. Bc4 Qxd8 34. Qxf4
Qd1+ 35. Kh2 Qxc2 36. Qxh4 Bg6 37. Qd8 h5 38. h4 Qxf2 39. Bg8+ Kh8 40. Bf7+ Kh7
41. Bxg6+ Kxg6 42. Qg5+ Kf7 43. Qxh5+ g6 44. Qh7+ Kf6 45. Qh8+ Ke6 46. Qe8+ Kf6
47. Qf8+ 1-0

[Event "Midwest Class Ch."]
[Site "Chicago IL"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Matt Pullin"]
[Black "Yanov Lazebnik"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "95"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. d4 f5 2. h3 Nf6 3. g4 d5 4. gxf5 Bxf5 5. Nf3 h6 6. e3 e6 7. c4 c6 8. Nc3 Bd6
9. Bd3 Ne4 10. Qc2 Bb4 11. Bd2 Bxc3 12. Bxc3 O-O 13. Bb4 Rf7 14. Ne5 Rf6 15. f4
Nd7 16. Rg1 Nxe5 17. dxe5 Rf7 18. O-O-O Qb6 19. Bd2 Rd8 20. h4 Rdd7 21. h5 Kh7
22. Kb1 Kh8 23. Bc1 Qc7 24. Ka1 a6 25. b3 b5 26. c5 a5 27. Bb2 b4 28. Bd4 Qb8
29. Rg2 Ra7 30. Kb2 Rfb7 31. Qe2 Qa8 32. Bc2 a4 33. Ra1 a3+ 34. Kc1 Qf8 35. Kd1
Ra5 36. Rc1 Rxc5 37. Bxc5 Nc3+ 38. Ke1 Qxc5 39. Bxf5 exf5 40. Qd3 Qb6 41. Rcc2
Ne4 42. Rg6 Rc7 43. Qd4 Qb7 44. e6 c5 45. Qe5 d4 46. Qxf5 Nc3 47. Qf8+ Kh7 48.
Rcg2 1-0

[Event "ETHS Invitational"]
[Site "Evanston IL"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Matt Pullin"]
[Black "Jameson Painter"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 h6 4. Bxf6 Qxf6 5. e4 c5 6. c3 cxd4 7. cxd4 d6 8.
Nc3 Qd8 9. Rc1 Be7 10. a3 O-O 11. Bd3 Nd7 12. O-O a6 13. Qe2 e5 14. dxe5 Nxe5
15. Nxe5 dxe5 16. Rfd1 Bd6 17. Nd5 Be6 18. Bb1 Bxd5 19. Rxd5 Qe7 20. Rcd1 Rfd8
21. Ba2 Bc5 22. Rc1 Bd4 23. b4 Rac8 24. Qd2 b5 25. g3 Qa7 26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 27.
Bd5 Rd6 28. Rc8+ Kh7 29. Kg2 Rf6 30. f3 Be3 31. Qc2 Qd4 32. Rc7 Kg8 33. Rxf7
Rxf7 34. Qc8+ Kh7 35. Bxf7 Qd2+ 36. Kh3 h5 37. Qf5+ Kh8 38. Qxh5+ Bh6 39. Qxe5
Qd8 40. Qe8+ 1-0

[Event "Chicago Open"]
[Site "Chicago IL"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Matt Pullin"]
[Black "Yahshua Hosch"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "25"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bg5 Be7 4. Nbd2 d5 5. e3 c5 6. c3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 b6 8. O-O
Bb7 9. Qa4 a6 10. Rae1 O-O 11. Ne5 Nxe5 12. dxe5 Nd7 13. Qh4 1-0

[Event "ETHS vs Niles North"]
[Site "Evanston IL"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Matt Pullin"]
[Black "Yelena Gorlin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "57"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c3 b6 4. Bg5 Bb7 5. Nbd2 Be7 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. e4 d6 8.
Bd3 Nd7 9. Qe2 e5 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Nxe5 Bxe5 12. O-O-O O-O 13. Kb1 b5 14. Rhe1
c5 15. Nf3 Qb6 16. Nxe5 dxe5 17. Bxb5 Rab8 18. Rd2 Bxe4+ 19. Qxe4 Qxb5 20. Red1
f6 21. Qd5+ Kh8 22. Qb3 Qa5 23. Qc4 h6 24. Rd6 Rb5 25. b3 Rfb8 26. Kb2 R5b6 27.
Rd8+ Rxd8 28. Rxd8+ Kh7 29. Qe4+ 1-0

[Event "Chicago Open"]
[Site "Chicago IL"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Jason Duncan"]
[Black "Matt Pullin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "36"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. f4 e5 5. Nf3 exd4 6. Qxd4 c6 7. Bc4 b5 8.
Bxf7+ Kxf7 9. Ng5+ Kg8 10. a4 Qb6 11. Qd3 Nc5 12. Qe2 b4 13. Qc4+ d5 14. exd5
Ba6 15. Qa2 b3 16. cxb3 Nd3+ 17. Kd2 Qf2+ 18. Kd1 Nb4 0-1

[Event "Chicago Open"]
[Site "Chicago IL"]
[Date "2003.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Matt Pullin"]
[Black "Abdoclaye Diallo"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "57"]
[EventDate "2003.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 b6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bd3
c5 9. Ne5 h6 10. h4 Be6 11. Rc1 Qc8 12. Bb1 Nc6 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Qd3 g6 15.
Nxg6 fxg6 16. Qxg6+ Bg7 17. Qh7+ Kf7 18. Bg6+ Kf6 19. g4 Rh8 20. g5+ hxg5 21.
hxg5+ Kxg5 22. Qxg7 Rxh1+ 23. Kd2 Qh8 24. f4+ Kh4 25. Rxh1+ Bh3 26. Qd7 Kg3 27.
Ne2+ Kg2 28. Qxd5+ Kf2 29. Rh2+ 1-0

[Event "Knights' Quest"]
[Site "Deerfield,IL"]
[Date "2007.03.18"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Gaul, Tom"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "2007.??.??"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 Nf6 3. Bb2 Bf5 4. e3 e6 5. d3 h6 6. Be2 Nbd7 7. Nbd2 c6 8. c4
Bc5 9. d4 Bd6 10. Rc1 O-O 11. O-O a5 12. Ne5 a4 13. c5 Bb8 14. b4 Ne4 15. Nxe4
Nxe5 16. Ng3 Ng6 17. Bf3 Nh4 18. Bg4 Qc7 19. f4 g6 20. Qe2 Bxg4 21. Qxg4 Nf5
22. Rf3 Kh7 23. e4 Nxg3 24. Rxg3 Qxf4 25. Qh3 a3 26. Rxa3 Rxa3 27. Bxa3 Qd2 28.
Rf1 Qxd4+ 29. Kh1 dxe4 30. Bc1 h5 31. g4 Qd5 32. Qe3 hxg4 33. Qh6+ Kg8 34. Rf6
e3+ 35. Kg1 Qd1+ {time} 0-1

[Event "Great Lakes Open"]
[Site "Battle Creek, MI"]
[Date "2007.04.28"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, M."]
[Black "Shtvilband, R."]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1860"]
[BlackElo "2300"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2007.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. Qe2 d6 5. c4 Be7 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8.
h3 Nd7 9. d3 f5 10. Be3 Nf6 11. Rd1 c5 12. b3 c6 13. Bc1 Qe8 14. Rh2 Bd8 15.
Kd2 Ba5 16. Kc2 Bxc3 17. Kxc3 a5 18. a4 Rb8 19. Kc2 fxe4 20. dxe4 Nxe4 21. g4
Nf6 22. Nh4 Qd8 23. g5 Ne8 24. Qxe5 Rxb3 25. Qxc5 Rb4 26. Bb2 Ba6 27. Bc3 Rxc4
28. Qa7 Qc8 29. Rd4 Rf7 30. Qb6 Rb7 31. Qxa5 Rc5 32. Qxa6 Rb2+ 33. Kxb2 Qxa6
34. Re4 Nc7 35. f4 Qd3 36. Rhe2 Rxc3 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2007.07.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Golischek, M."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[EventDate "2007.??.??"]

1. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. d4 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. Nf3 d6 7. O-O Nc6 8. Bg5
h6 9. Bc1 e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Qxd8 Rxd8 12. h4 Be6 13. Nd2 e4 14. Rb1 Ng4 15.
Nb5 Rd7 16. e3 Rad8 17. b3 a6 18. Nxe4 fxe4 19. Na3 Bf5 20. Nc2 Nge5 21. Bb2
Nf3+ 22. Bxf3 exf3 23. Bxg7 Kxg7 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2007.08.11"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Codenatti, M."]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "61"]

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 f5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. e3 g6 6. d3 Bg7 7. Nge2 O-O 8. Rb1
d6 9. b4 g5 10. b5 Ne7 11. d4 Ng6 12. Ba3 f4 13. dxe5 f3 14. Bxf3 Nxe5 15. Bg2
Be6 16. Bxb7 Rb8 17. Nd4 Bxc4 18. Bc6 Nd3+ 19. Kd2 Nxf2 20. Qa4 Bd3 21. Ne6 Qe7
22. Nxf8 Rxf8 23. Rbf1 Bxf1 24. Rxf1 N6g4 25. Qc4+ Kh8 26. Nd5 Qe5 27. Ke2 Qe4
28. Qxe4 Nxe4 29. Rxf8+ Bxf8 30. Bb2+ Kg8 31. Kf3 1-0

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2007.09.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Auger, Michael"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1860"]
[BlackElo "1950"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2007.??.??"]

1. c4 e5 2. g3 c6 3. d4 exd4 4. Qxd4 d5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Bg2 Be6 7. Nf3 Nc6 8.
Qa4 Qd7 9. O-O f6 10. Rd1 Bc5 11. Nbd2 Nge7 12. Nb3 Bb6 13. Nbd4 Bh3 14. Be3
Bxg2 15. Kxg2 Bxd4 16. Bxd4 O-O 17. Bc5 Rfe8 18. Nd4 Ng6 19. Nxc6 bxc6 20. e3
h5 21. Rd4 Ne5 22. Rad1 g5 23. Qc2 Kg7 24. Ra4 Ng6 25. h4 gxh4 26. gxh4 Kf7 27.
Rg1 Rg8 28. Kf1 Qh3+ 29. Ke1 Qh2 30. Rg3 Qh1+ 31. Kd2 Qf1 32. Qf5 Rg7 33. Rb4
Qa6 34. Bd4 Rag8 35. Rxg6 1-0

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2007.09.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Mitkov, Nikolai"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1860"]
[BlackElo "2600"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "2007.??.??"]

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. Nc3 Nge7 5. a3 a6 6. e3 Ba7 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2
d6 9. d3 Be6 10. Nd5 Qd7 11. Rc1 Nd8 12. d4 Ng6 13. h4 c6 14. h5 cxd5 15. hxg6
exd4 16. Qh5 (16. Rxh7 fxg6 17. Rh1 dxe3 18. f4 dxc4) (16. gxh7+ Kh8 17. Bxd4)
16... h6 17. Nh3 fxg6 18. Qxg6 Rf6 19. Qb1 dxc4 20. bxc4 Bf5 21. Qa1 Nc6 22.
Nf4 Re8 23. O-O Be4 24. Bh3 Qf7 25. Qa2 Ne5 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2007.09.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Meerovich, Ilan"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2080"]
[BlackElo "1986"]
[PlyCount "120"]
[EventDate "2007.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. g3 Bf5 6. Nh4 Be6 7. Qa4 g5 8. Nf3
h6 9. Bg2 Qd7 10. Qb5 O-O-O 11. Nfd2 Bh3 12. Bxc6 Qxc6 13. Qxc6 bxc6 14. f4 Be7
15. Nf3 g4 16. Nfd2 d3 17. exd3 Bc5 18. Ke2 Ne7 19. Nb3 Bg2 20. Re1 Bf3+ 21.
Kd2 Bf2 22. Rf1 Bd4 23. Na3 Nf5 24. Nc2 c5 25. Re1 h5 26. Ncxd4 cxd4 27. Kc2 h4
28. Nd2 hxg3 29. hxg3 Nxg3 30. Rg1 Ne2 31. Rf1 Rh1 32. Rxh1 Bxh1 33. Nf1 g3 34.
Nxg3 Nxg3 35. Bd2 Rh8 36. Rg1 Rh3 37. Be1 Nf5 38. Rg8+ Kd7 39. Rf8 Rh7 40. b4
Bf3 41. a4 Ke7 42. Rc8 Kd7 43. Rf8 Ne3+ 44. Kd2 Rh2+ 45. Kc1 Rc2+ 46. Kb1 Re2
47. Bh4 Nd1 48. Rxf7+ Kc8 49. Rf8+ Kb7 50. Rd8 Nc3+ 51. Kc1 Rh2 52. Bg5 Rh1+
53. Kd2 Rd1+ 54. Kc2 a5 55. bxa5 c5 56. f5 Rg1 57. Bd2 Bd1+ 58. Kb2 Rg2 59. Kc1
Bxa4 60. a6+ Ka7 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2007.09.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Chen, Byron"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "42"]
[EventDate "2007.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 b5 6. Bf1 h6 7. Nf3 Qxd5 8.
Nc3 Qe6 9. Bxb5 Bb7 10. O-O O-O-O 11. Qe2 e4 12. Bxc6 Qxc6 13. Ne1 Bc5 14. a3
Ba6 15. d3 Rhe8 16. Be3 Bb6 17. Nd1 h5 18. h3 Re6 19. b4 exd3 20. cxd3 Bd4 21.
Rc1 Qxc1 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2007.09.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Caveney, G."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "2007.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 c6 3. e3 Bf5 4. c4 e6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nh4 Bd6 7. Nxf5 exf5 8.
cxd5 cxd5 9. Bd3 g6 10. Qb3 Nc6 11. Qxb7 Nb4 12. Qb5+ Kf8 13. Bb1 Rb8 14. Qe2
Kg7 15. g3 Re8 16. Qf3 Qa5 17. O-O Ne4 18. Nxe4 fxe4 19. Qe2 Na6 20. a3 Nc7 21.
Ba2 Qb6 22. b4 Qb7 23. Bd2 Ne6 24. h4 f5 25. Rfc1 Rbc8 26. Qf1 g5 27. Qh3 g4
28. Qf1 Kh6 29. Rxc8 Rxc8 30. Rc1 Rxc1 31. Qxc1 Ng7 32. a4 a6 33. b5 axb5 34.
axb5 Qxb5 35. Qc8 Bxg3 36. fxg3 Qe2 37. Qc6+ Kh5 38. Qc1 Qf3 39. Be1 f4 40.
exf4 Nf5 41. Qc3 Ne3 42. Qd2 Qf1+ 43. Kh2 Qh3+ 44. Kg1 Qf1+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.01.06"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Delay, Joe"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "97"]
[EventDate "2008.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. e3 e6 3. Bd3 d5 4. Nd2 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. f4 Be7 7. Ngf3 O-O 8. O-O
Qc7 9. Ne5 cxd4 10. exd4 Ne8 11. Rf3 g6 12. Rh3 Nxe5 13. fxe5 f5 14. Nf3 Ng7
15. Bh6 Qd8 16. Qd2 Rf7 17. Ng5 Bxg5 18. Bxg5 Qf8 19. Rf1 Bd7 20. Rf4 h5 21.
Rf2 Kh7 22. Bf6 Ne8 23. g4 Nxf6 24. exf6 Rxf6 25. gxh5 gxh5 26. Rxh5+ Rh6 27.
Rxh6+ Qxh6 28. Qxh6+ Kxh6 29. Rg2 a5 30. Kf2 Re8 31. Ke3 b5 32. Kf4 Rf8 33. Ke5
b4 34. Kd6 Rf7 35. c4 f4 36. c5 f3 37. Rg6+ Kh5 38. Rxe6 Bxe6 39. Kxe6 Rf8 40.
c6 f2 41. c7 Kh4 42. Ke7 Rh8 43. Kd7 Kh3 44. c8=Q Rxc8 45. Kxc8 Kxh2 46. Kd7
Kg1 47. Kd6 f1=Q 48. Bxf1 Kxf1 49. Kxd5 1-0

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.02.13"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Christner, J."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2008.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Bc4 Qc7 7. Bb3 Nf6 8.
Be3 Bb4 9. f3 O-O 10. Qd2 d5 $2 (10... Ne5 11. Nde2 Nc4 12. Bxc4 Qxc4 13. Bg5
Ne8 14. a3 Bd6 15. e5 Bxe5 16. Be7 d5 17. Bxf8 Kxf8 $13) 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Bxd5
exd5 13. a3 Qa5 14. Nb3 Bxc3 15. Nxa5 Bxd2+ 16. Bxd2 Nd4 (16... Re8+ 17. Kf2
Be6 $11) 17. O-O-O Bf5 18. Bb4 $16 Rfc8 19. c3 $6 (19. Rxd4 Rxc2+ 20. Kd1 Rxb2
21. Re1) 19... Ne2+ 20. Kd2 b6 21. Kxe2 bxa5 22. Bxa5 Rab8 23. Rd2 Bd7 24. Kf2
Ba4 25. Re1 Bb3 26. Re7 Bc4 27. Bc7 Rb7 28. Bd6 Rxe7 29. Bxe7 f6 30. Bd6 Rc6
31. Bf4 Re6 32. Be3 Kf7 33. Bd4 Ke7 34. b4 Kd6 35. Rb2 $16 1/2-1/2

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.02.14"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Wharton, S."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "2008.??.??"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. e4 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 a6 7. N5a3 Nf6 8. Nc3
Be7 9. Be2 b6 10. Be3 Bb7 11. O-O O-O 12. f3 Ne5 13. Qb3 Ned7 14. Na4 Rb8 15.
Rfd1 Qc7 16. Qc2 Rfd8 17. Nc3 Ba8 18. f4 h6 19. f5 Ne5 20. fxe6 fxe6 21. Bf4
Qc5+ 22. Kf1 Nfg4 23. Bxg4 Nxg4 24. Qe2 Ne5 25. Na4 Qc6 26. Nc3 Rf8 27. g3 g5
28. Qh5 gxf4 29. gxf4 Rxf4+ 30. Ke2 Rxe4+ 31. Nxe4 Qxe4+ 32. Kf1 Rf8+ 33. Kg1
Qh1# {Black mates} 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.03.15"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Groeger, J."]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "63"]
[EventDate "2008.??.??"]

1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 Bg4 3. e3 Nf6 4. b3 e6 5. Bb2 Nbd7 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 c6 8. d3
Qc7 9. g4 O-O-O 10. Nd2 e5 11. f5 Ne8 12. e4 d4 13. Be2 f6 14. Kf2 Nd6 15. a4
Nf7 16. Bc1 Bb4 17. Nb1 a5 18. Na3 Nb8 19. h4 Qe7 20. Nc4 Nd6 21. g5 Nxc4 22.
dxc4 Nd7 23. Bd3 Rdf8 24. Ke2 Qf7 25. gxf6 gxf6 26. Bh6 Rfg8 27. Rag1 Rxg1 28.
Rxg1 Rg8 29. Rg4 Bf8 30. Bd2 b6 31. c5 Nxc5 32. Bc4 1-0

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.03.15"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Christian, T."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[EventDate "2008.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 Qc7 7. O-O Nf6 8.
Be3 h5 9. f3 b5 10. Nxc6 dxc6 11. Bd3 Bd6 12. f4 Ng4 13. Qe2 Qe7 14. Nd1 e5 15.
f5 Bc5 16. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 17. Nf2 Bb7 18. Kh1 Nf6 19. Nh3 O-O-O 20. Ng5 Qe7 21. Nf3
h4 22. h3 Nh5 0-1

[Event "Great Lakes Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.05.03"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Homa, Seth"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B08"]
[WhiteElo "1969"]
[BlackElo "2261"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "55"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. h3 O-O 6. Be3 d5 (6... c6 7. a4 d5 (
7... Nbd7 8. Qd2 e5 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Bc4) 8. e5 Ne4 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Ng5 c5 11.
c3) 7. exd5 (7. e5 Ne4 8. Nxe4 dxe4 9. Ng5 c5 10. dxc5 Bxe5 11. c3 Qxd1+ 12.
Rxd1 f5 13. Bc4+ Kg7 14. h4) 7... Nxd5 8. Nxd5 Qxd5 9. c3 Nc6 10. Qb3 Qxb3 11.
axb3 Bf5 12. Bb5 Nb8 (12... Be4 13. Nd2 Bxg2 14. Rh2 Bd5 15. c4 Be6 (15... Nb4)
16. d5) 13. Nd2 c6 14. Be2 Nd7 15. f4 a6 16. Rf1 Be6 17. Bc4 Bd5 (17... Bxc4
18. bxc4) 18. Bxd5 cxd5 19. f5 e6 20. fxe6 fxe6 21. Ke2 Rxf1 22. Rxf1 a5 23.
Bf4 e5 24. dxe5 Re8 25. Nf3 Nxe5 26. Bxe5 Bxe5 27. Nxe5 Rxe5+ 28. Kd3 1/2-1/2

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.05.04"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kabelec, J."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "58"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bd3 Qc7 8. f3
b5 9. g4 d6 10. Qd2 Be7 11. Nce2 Bb7 12. g5 Nd7 13. f4 Nc5 14. Ng3 h5 15. h4 g6
16. Rg1 O-O-O 17. f5 Rhe8 18. O-O-O Ne5 19. Kb1 Bf8 20. fxg6 fxg6 21. Qf2 Ng4
22. Qe2 Bg7 23. Nb3 Nxe3 24. Qxe3 Na4 25. c3 Nxb2 26. Nd4 Nxd1 27. Rxd1 Kb8 28.
Rc1 Be5 29. Nge2 Rc8 0-1

[Event "Chicago Open"]
[Site "Chicago"]
[Date "2008.05.26"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "McClanahan, Gavin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B08"]
[WhiteElo "1984"]
[BlackElo "1858"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "45"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. h3 Nbd7 (5... O-O 6. Be3 c6 7. a4
Nbd7 8. Qd2 e5 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Bc4) 6. e5 Ng8 (6... dxe5 7. dxe5 Ng8 8. e6
fxe6 9. Ng5 Nb6 10. Qxd8+ Kxd8 11. Nf7+) 7. e6 (7. Bf4) 7... fxe6 8. Ng5 Nb6 9.
a4 (9. Bd3 Nf6 (9... Bxd4 10. Nxh7 Bxc3+ (10... Rxh7 11. Bxg6+ Rf7 12. Qxd4)
11. bxc3 Rxh7 12. Bxg6+ Rf7 13. Qh5) 10. O-O O-O 11. Qe2 Qd7 12. Bd2) 9... Nf6
(9... Nh6 10. a5 Nd5 11. Nce4 O-O) (9... a5 10. Ra3) 10. Bd3 Nbd5 11. Qe2 Nxc3
12. bxc3 e5 (12... Qd7 13. Bc4 d5 (13... Nd5 14. Qf3) 14. Bb5 c6 15. Bd3) 13.
dxe5 dxe5 (13... Nd5 14. Nxh7 Bf5 15. Bxf5 gxf5 16. Qh5+ Kd7 17. c4) 14. Bc4
Nd5 15. Qf3 c6 16. Qf7+ Kd7 17. Bxd5 cxd5 18. Qxg7 Qf8 19. Qxe5 Qf6 20. Qxd5+
Kc7 21. Qc4+ Kd7 22. Be3 Qf5 23. Qd4+ 1-0

[Event "3rd Coast Challenge"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.06.01"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Parmet, Daniel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D01"]
[WhiteElo "1980"]
[BlackElo "1643"]
[PlyCount "70"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5 Bf5 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 Bb4 6. Nge2 O-O 7. a3 Be7 8.
Ng3 Bg6 9. h4 h6 10. h5 Bh7 11. Bd3 Re8 12. Bxh7+ Kxh7 13. Qd3+ Kh8 14. Nf5 Bf8
15. O-O-O Nd7 16. Nxd5 c5 17. Rh4 Rc8 18. Kb1 c4 19. Qc3 Nb8 20. Nb4 (20. e4)
20... a5 21. Na2 b5 22. d5 Na6 23. d6 Re5 24. e4 Nc5 25. f3 Qb6 26. Qe1 Rce8
27. Qg3 b4 28. axb4 axb4 29. b3 c3 30. Rg4 Rxf5 31. exf5 Qa5 32. Rxb4 Ra8 33.
Ra4 Nxa4 34. b4 Qa7 35. Rd5 Nc5 0-1

[Event "3rd Coast Challenge"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.06.01"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Lambert, Gwayne"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D03"]
[WhiteElo "1806"]
[BlackElo "1980"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "84"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bg5 Nbd7 4. e3 c5 5. dxc5 Qa5+ 6. Qd2 Qxc5 7. Bxf6 Nxf6
8. Bb5+ Bd7 9. Bxd7+ Nxd7 10. Nc3 e6 11. e4 dxe4 12. Nxe4 Qb4 13. O-O-O Rd8 14.
Nd6+ Qxd6 15. Qxd6 Bxd6 16. Rxd6 Ke7 17. Rhd1 f6 18. c4 Nb8 19. Rxd8 Rxd8 20.
Rxd8 Kxd8 21. Kc2 Kd7 22. Nd4 e5 23. Nf5 g6 24. Ne3 Ke6 25. Nd5 Nc6 26. b4 e4
27. Kc3 Ke5 28. b5 Nd8 29. Ne7 f5 30. Nc8 a6 31. bxa6 bxa6 32. Ne7 Kd6 33. Nd5
Nc6 34. Nb4 Nxb4 (34... a5 35. Nxc6 Kxc6 36. Kd4 Kd6 37. c5+ Kc6 38. g3) (34...
Ne5 35. Nxa6 Ng4 36. Kd4 Nxf2 37. Nb4 f4 38. c5+ Ke6 39. a4 e3 40. Nd5 Nd3 (
40... e2 41. Nxf4+) 41. Nc7+ (41. Kxd3 Kxd5) 41... Kd7 42. Kxd3 Kxc7 43. a5 Kb7
(43... Kc6 44. a6) 44. h4 h6 45. g3 g5 (45... fxg3 46. Kxe3) 46. gxf4 gxf4 47.
Ke2 Kb8) 35. Kxb4 f4 36. Kc3 (36. c5+ Kd5 37. c6 Kxc6 38. Kc4 f3 (38... Kb6 39.
Kd4 Ka5 40. Kxe4 Ka4 41. Kxf4 Ka3 42. Ke5 Kxa2 43. g4 a5 44. f4 a4 45. f5 a3
46. f6 Kb3 47. f7 a2 48. f8=Q a1=Q+ 49. Ke6) 39. gxf3 (39. g3 e3 40. fxe3 (40.
Kd3 exf2) 40... f2) 39... exf3 40. Kd3 Kb5 41. Ke3 Ka4 42. Kxf3 Ka3 43. Kg4
Kxa2 44. h4 a5 45. h5 a4 46. hxg6 hxg6 47. f4 a3 48. Kg5 Kb2 49. Kxg6 a2 50. f5
a1=Q 51. f6 Kb3) 36... Kc5 37. a3 g5 38. h3 h5 39. a4 a5 40. g3 (40. Kb3 Kd4)
40... e3 41. fxe3 fxg3 42. Kd2 g2 0-1

[Event "3rd Coast Challenge"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.06.01"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Ford, Sam"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B22"]
[WhiteElo "1941"]
[BlackElo "1980"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "88"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 e6 (2... d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 e6 7. O-O
cxd4 8. cxd4) (2... Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 dxc3 7. Nxc3) 3.
d4 Nf6 (3... d5 4. e5 (4. exd5 Qxd5 (4... exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. dxc5 Bxc5) 5. Nf3)
) 4. e5 (4. Bd3 cxd4 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Nb4 7. Nc3 Nxd3+ 8. Qxd3 d6) 4... Nd5
5. Nf3 cxd4 6. cxd4 Nc6 7. Nc3 (7. a3 d6 8. Bd3 dxe5 9. dxe5 Be7 10. O-O) 7...
Nxc3 8. bxc3 d5 9. Bd3 Be7 10. Qc2 g6 (10... Na5 11. Bxh7 g6 12. Bxg6 fxg6 13.
Qxg6+ Kd7) (10... h6) 11. h4 h6 12. Rb1 Na5 13. Bf4 b6 14. Bb5+ (14. Qd2 h5 15.
Bg5) 14... Kf8 15. Bd3 Kg7 16. Rh3 Bd7 17. Ke2 Rc8 18. g3 Nc4 19. Rbh1 Bb5 20.
Bc1 Na3 21. Qd2 (21. Bxa3 Bxd3+ 22. Qxd3 Bxa3 23. c4 Be7) 21... Nb1 22. Bxb5 (
22. Qb2 Nxc3+ 23. Ke3 Bxd3 24. Kxd3 Ne4) 22... Nxd2 23. Bxd2 a6 24. Bd3 b5 25.
g4 Rc4 26. g5 (26. Bxc4 dxc4) 26... h5 27. Rb1 Ra4 28. Rb2 Qc7 29. Rh1 Rc8 30.
Rc1 Ba3 31. Rcb1 Bxb2 32. Rxb2 Qe7 33. Bc2 Qa3 34. Rb3 Qxa2 35. Ne1 Rac4 36.
Kd3 b4 37. Bd1 (37. Rxb4 Rxb4 38. cxb4 Qc4+ 39. Ke3 Qxc2 40. Nxc2 Rxc2) 37...
Qxb3 38. Bxb3 Rxc3+ 39. Bxc3 Rxc3+ 40. Kd2 Rxb3 41. Nd3 Rxd3+ 42. Kxd3 a5 43.
Kc2 a4 44. Kb2 Kf8 0-1

[Event "3rd Coast G/60"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.06.29"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Szpisjak, Steve"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D00"]
[WhiteElo "1982"]
[BlackElo "2217"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "89"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 c6 3. Bg5 f6 4. Bf4 (4. Bh4 Nh6) 4... Bf5 5. e3 e6 6. Nge2 Bd6
7. Ng3 Bg6 8. Qg4 Kf7 9. Bd3 Bxf4 10. Qxf4 Ne7 11. e4 Qb6 12. O-O-O (12. exd5
exd5 (12... Qxb2 13. dxe6+ Kf8 14. Kd2 (14. O-O Bxd3 15. cxd3 Qxc3 16. Qc7 Na6
17. Qxb7 Rb8 18. Qxa6 Qxd4) 14... Bxd3 15. Kxd3 Qxc3+) (12... Nxd5 13. Nxd5
cxd5 14. O-O-O Bxd3 15. Rxd3) 13. O-O-O) (12. Nge2 dxe4 13. Bxe4 Nd5) 12...
Qxd4 13. Qd6 Qb6 14. exd5 cxd5 15. Qxb6 axb6 16. f4 Bxd3 17. Rxd3 Rd8 18. Rhd1
g6 19. Nge2 Nbc6 20. Nd4 (20. a3) 20... Nxd4 21. Rxd4 Nc6 22. R4d3 d4 23. Nb5
Rxa2 24. Kb1 Ra5 (24... Rda8 25. Na3) 25. Nxd4 Rad5 26. c3 (26. Nxc6 bxc6)
26... e5 27. fxe5 fxe5 28. Nxc6 bxc6 29. Rf3+ Ke6 30. Rdf1 Rd1+ 31. Rxd1 (31.
Kc2 R8d2+ 32. Kb3 Rxf1 33. Rxf1 Rxg2) 31... Rxd1+ 32. Kc2 Rg1 33. Rf2 e4 34.
Kd2 Ke5 35. g3 c5 36. Ke3 Re1+ 37. Re2 (37. Kd2 e3+ 38. Kxe1 exf2+ 39. Kxf2 Ke4
40. Ke2) 37... Rxe2+ 38. Kxe2 h5 (38... c4) 39. Ke3 Kf5 40. h3 g5 41. c4 g4 42.
h4 Ke5 43. b3 Kf5 44. Ke2 Ke6 45. Kf2 (45. Ke3 Ke5) 1/2-1/2

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.07.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, M."]
[Black "Stamnov, A."]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2030"]
[BlackElo "2200"]
[PlyCount "96"]
[EventDate "2008.??.??"]

1. c4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 dxc4 4. e4 b5 5. a4 b4 6. Nb1 Ba6 7. Nf3 Nf6 8. e5 Nd5
9. Ng5 e6 10. Be2 Be7 11. h4 h6 12. Nxf7 Kxf7 13. Bh5+ {
I don't remember this game but this sacrifice seems pretty ill conceived} g6
14. Qf3+ Kg7 15. Qg4 Qe8 16. Rh3 Kh7 17. Rg3 Rg8 18. Qe4 Nd7 19. Bxg6+ Rxg6 20.
h5 Nf8 21. Rh3 Kg7 22. hxg6 Bg5 23. Bxg5 hxg5 24. Nd2 Qxg6 25. O-O-O Qxe4 26.
Nxe4 Nf4 27. Re3 Nh7 28. g4 Rf8 29. Nc5 Bc8 30. Rh1 Rf7 31. Ne4 Kg6 32. Kb1 Ba6
33. Nc5 Bc8 34. Ne4 Rf8 35. Nc5 a5 36. Rh2 Rg8 37. Ne4 Rd8 38. Nd6 Ba6 39. Re1
c3 40. bxc3 bxc3 41. Kc2 Bd3+ 42. Kxc3 Kg7 43. Reh1 Bg6 44. f3 Rb8 45. Ne4 Rb4
46. Rxh7+ Bxh7 47. Nxg5 Nd5+ 48. Kd2 Rb2+ 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.07.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Demos, J."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[PlyCount "71"]

1. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 e5 4. Bg2 Bb4 5. Qc2 Bxc3 6. Qxc3 d6 7. d3 O-O 8. Bg5
a5 9. a4 Nc6 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. Nf3 c5 12. Nd2 h6 13. Bxf6 Rxf6 14. e4 Bb7 15.
f3 fxe4 16. fxe4 Qd7 17. Qb3 Bc6 18. Rf1 Rxf1+ 19. Nxf1 Qh3 20. Qd1 Qg2 21. Qe2
Qg1 22. Qf2 Qxf2+ 23. Kxf2 Rb8 24. Ra2 Rb4 25. Nd2 Rxa4 26. Rxa4 Bxa4 27. b3
Bc6 28. Nb1 a4 29. bxa4 Bxa4 30. Nc3 Bc6 31. Kf3 Kf7 32. h4 g6 33. g4 g5 34.
hxg5 hxg5 35. Nd5 Bxd5 36. exd5 1/2-1/2

[Event "Illinois Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.08.30"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Amanov, Mesgen"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C14"]
[WhiteElo "2011"]
[BlackElo "2450"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "47"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 e6 4. Nf3 (4. e4) 4... Be7 (4... Bb4 5. Qd3 O-O 6.
a3) 5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. e4 O-O (6... c5 7. exd5 exd5 8. Bb5+ Nc6 9. O-O) (6... dxe4
7. Nxe4 Nc6 8. c3 e5 9. d5 Ne7 10. Bc4) (6... c6) 7. Bd3 c5 8. e5 Be7 (8...
cxd4 9. Ne2 (9. Nxd4 Bxe5 10. Bxh7+ Kxh7 11. Qh5+ Kg8 12. Qxe5 f6) 9... Be7 10.
Nexd4 Qb6 11. Qb1) 9. h4 h6 (9... f6 10. Ng5 fxg5 11. Qh5 h6 12. Qg6 Rf5 13. g4
Bd7 14. Nxd5) (9... cxd4 10. Bxh7+ {Classical Bishop Sac} Kxh7 11. Ng5+ Kh6 (
11... Bxg5 12. hxg5+ Kg6 (12... Kg8 13. Qh5 f6 14. g6) 13. Qh5+ Kf5 14. g4+ Kf4
15. Ne2+ Ke4 16. f3+ Ke3 17. O-O-O {Mate in 3}) 12. Qd3 g6 13. h5 Bxg5 14.
hxg6+ Bh4 15. Qg3 fxg6 16. Rxh4+ Kg7 17. O-O-O dxc3 18. Rdh1 cxb2+ 19. Kb1) 10.
dxc5 (10. Ne2 c4) 10... Bxc5 11. a3 (11. g4 Qb6 12. Qd2 Bd7 (12... Qxb2 13. Rb1
Qa3 14. Rb3 Qa5 15. Rb5 Qc7 16. g5) (12... Bxf2+ 13. Qxf2 Qxb2 14. Kd2 {
Charousek-Maroczy 1895}) 13. O-O-O Bxf2 14. Kb1 {Davies}) 11... Qb6 (11... Nc6
12. Qd2 (12. b4 Nxb4 13. axb4 Bxb4) 12... a6) 12. Qd2 Bxf2+ (12... Bd7 13. Rb1
Be8 14. O-O f6) (12... Nc6 13. Na4) (12... Qxb2 13. Rb1 Qxa3 14. Nb5 Qa2 15.
O-O) 13. Qxf2 Qxb2 14. Kd2 Qb6 15. Qxb6 axb6 16. Rhb1 Nd7 17. Nb5 Ra5 (17... f6
18. Nc7) 18. Nd6 f6 19. exf6 gxf6 (19... Nxf6) (19... Rxf6) 20. Rb4 Kh8 21. h5
Rc5 (21... f5 22. Nd4) (21... Rg8 22. Nh4) (21... e5 22. Bf5) 22. Nh4 {
Black resigned} Ne5 (22... Rg8 23. Ng6+ Kg7 24. Ne7) (22... Kg7 23. Rg4+ Kh8
24. Ng6+ Kg7 25. Ne7+ Kh8 26. Nf7+ Rxf7 27. Rg8#) (22... Rd8) 23. Ng6+ Nxg6 24.
hxg6 1-0

[Event "3rd Coast Challenge"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.09.24"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Scott, Gene"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D00"]
[WhiteElo "2015"]
[BlackElo "2016"]
[PlyCount "43"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 c6 3. Bg5 Bf5 4. e3 Nd7 5. f4 Ngf6 6. Bd3 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 Qa5 8.
Nge2 Ne4 9. O-O f5 10. Bh4 Ndf6 11. b4 Qc7 12. Rfb1 Rc8 13. Na4 e6 14. Be1 g5
15. Nc5 Kf7 16. fxg5 Ng4 17. Nf4 Nxg5 18. Ncxe6 Nxe6 19. Qxf5+ Nf6 20. Qxe6+
Kg7 21. Qf5 Qd7 22. Nh5+ 1-0

[Event "Simul"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.09.24"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pasalic, Mehmed"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B11"]
[WhiteElo "2400"]
[BlackElo "2022"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "62"]
[EventType "simul"]

1. e4 c6 {I had never played this move before.} 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 {Two Knights
Variation.  Bobby Fischer played this against the Caro Kann before switching
to the Exchange Variation.  Current theory says Black can equalize with ...Bg4,
trading the bishop and fixing the pawns on light squares like a modified
French Defense} g6 {Hoping for 4.d4 Nf6} 4. d3 Bg4 {Okay, I will play ...Bg4
after all.  4...d4 5.Nb1 Bg7 also makes sense as White cannot develop the KB
actively to c4 anymore.} 5. h3 Bxf3 6. Qxf3 e6 7. g3 Bg7 8. Bg2 Ne7 9. O-O h6 {
Wasted move.  9...Nd7 meets the threat of Bg5-f6 sufficiently.  These are
difficult moves and because of the simul speed I often have less than 3
minutes for a move! Of course the simul giver has many moreproblems} 10. Qe2
Nd7 11. f4 Qb6+ 12. Kh2 O-O-O {It's time to get the king off the e file so
that maybe I can play ...f5 one day and fix his f4 pawn.} 13. e5 {
I am not sure why this move has to be played right away.} h5 14. a4 Nf5 15. a5
Qc7 {Rybka likes 15...Qc5 -0.07} 16. Qf2 h4 {
At this point my sole idea is to win control of the dark squares} 17. g4 Ng3
18. Re1 g5 {My intended 18...Nxe5 19.fxe5 Bxe5 is refuted by 20.Rxe5! Qxe5 21.
Bf4 and Black's fun has vanished.  The text move aims to destroy the dark
squares by any means necessary.  Much safer is 18...a6 +0.44} 19. d4 a6 {
controlling b5 to prepare the undermining ...c5} 20. b4 {20.fxg5 c5 (this was
my idea but it doesn't work) 21.Qxf7 cxd4 22.Nxd5 +-  Given the extra mental
load the simul giver may go to lengths to avoid complications, even favorable
ones.} f6 21. exf6 Nxf6 22. Rxe6 Nfe4 23. Nxe4 dxe4 {Black was once cramped
but now is very active, a good investment of a pawn especially in such a quick
game} 24. c3 Rdf8 {24...Rde8!?} 25. f5 {?? I'm not sure if he missed my queen
on c7, or underestimated Black's 27th move, or what, but this is just a
blunder.  25.Bxe4! gxf4 26.Bf3 and Black's dark square attack seems to be
going nowhere.} Nxf5+ 26. Kg1 Nxd4 27. Qa2 Nf3+ {
27...Nxe6 would only activate the White queen.} 28. Bxf3 exf3 29. Be3 {
29.Qf2 Qg3+ 30.Qxg3 hxg3 and the White king is under a dark cloud} Qg3+ 30. Kh1
f2 {the coup de grace, cutting the White queen off from h2.} 31. Rxc6+ Kb8 0-1

[Event "Evanston G60"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.10.25"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Lazebnik, Yakov"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A80"]
[WhiteElo "2022"]
[BlackElo "1811"]
[PlyCount "84"]

1. d4 f5 2. Bg5 Nf6 3. Bxf6 exf6 4. e3 (4. c4) 4... g6 5. g3 Bg7 6. c4 O-O 7.
Nc3 c6 8. Nge2 d6 (8... d5 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Nf4) 9. Qb3 b6 10. Nf4 Bh6 11. h4
Bxf4 12. gxf4 Kg7 13. O-O-O (13. Bg2 Be6 14. d5) 13... Bb7 14. Bd3 Qe7 15. Rdg1
Kh8 16. h5 g5 17. Bxf5 Na6 18. Ne2 (18. Rh3 gxf4) (18. h6) 18... b5 19. cxb5
cxb5 20. Rh3 Be4 21. Qxb5 (21. Bxe4 Qxe4 22. Kd2) (21. Bg6) 21... Rab8 22. Qd7
Rfc8+ 23. Nc3 (23. Kd1) 23... Qxd7 24. Bxd7 Rxc3+ 25. bxc3 Rb1+ 26. Kd2 Rxg1
27. Rg3 Rxg3 (27... Ra1) 28. fxg3 Kg7 29. g4 Nb8 30. Bb5 d5 31. Bd3 Bf3 32. Be2
Bg2 33. c4 h6 34. c5 Kf7 35. f5 Ke7 36. Kc3 Kd7 37. Kb4 Kc7 38. Kb5 Kb7 39. a3
Be4 40. Ka5 Nc6+ 41. Kb5 a6+ 42. Ka4 Bc2# 0-1

[Event "Illinois Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.11.02"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Covic, Mehmed"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B22"]
[WhiteElo "1800"]
[BlackElo "2011"]
[PlyCount "96"]
[EventDate "2008.08.29"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 c5 3. c3 Nf6 4. Bd3 cxd4 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Nb4 7. Nc3 Nxd3+ 8.
Qxd3 d6 9. O-O a6 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Rfe1 b6 12. Rac1 Bb7 13. Rc2 Rc8 14. h4 h6
15. Bf4 Nh5 16. Bh2 g5 17. hxg5 hxg5 18. Ne2 Rxc2 19. Qxc2 g4 20. Nd2 Bg5 21.
Nc4 g3 22. Nxg3 Bf4 23. e5 Qh4 24. Nxd6+ Kf8 25. Nxf7 Bxg3 26. fxg3 Qxd4+ 27.
Qf2 Qxf2+ 28. Kxf2 Kxf7 29. Rc1 Rc8 30. Rxc8 Bxc8 31. g4 Ng7 32. Bf4 Bb7 33. g3
Ne8 34. Be3 Kg6 35. b4 Nc7 36. Bxb6 Nd5 37. Bc5 Kg5 38. Bd6 Bc6 39. a3 Kxg4 40.
Ke2 Bb5+ 41. Kd2 Kxg3 42. Kc2 Kf4 43. Kb3 Nb6 44. Bc7 Ba4+ 45. Kb2 Nc4+ 46. Kc3
Nxa3 47. Kd3 Nb5 48. Bb8 Bb3 0-1

[Event "EC Economy Open 4"]
[Site "Evanston Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.11.07"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Brock, Bill"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2030"]
[BlackElo "1933"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "11.??.??"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 e6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 {Brock's usual move in this position is 4.
Qc2, which has a very solid reputation. However, in order to have more fun
Bill plays 4.Nc3 which invites Black to enter the Botvinnik variation with 4...
Nf6 5.Bg5 dxc4, or...} dxc4 {4...dxc4 which is the Noteboom variation. This
has been in my repetoire against the Queen's Gambit since I began playing
chess, but I have only achieved this position five times in my career; it is
difficult to reach because there are numerous ways for White to avoid it. Yet
in this tournament both of my White opponents allowed me to play this defense!}
5. a4 Bb4 6. e4 {6.e3 has a much better reputation, and is seen 69% of the
time. Whereas 6.e4 conquers more space in the center, the move is very double
edged as d4 is weakened and White may lose a tempo defending his e pawn. 6.e3
b5 7.Bd2 Bb7 8.axb5 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 cxb5 10.b3 a5 11.bxc4 b4 12.Bb2 Nf6 is the
mainline, where White recovers the pawn and has attacking chances in the
middlegame, but in an ending Black's connected outside passers are often worth
more than a piece.} b5 7. axb5 $6 {A premature capture. The most popular move
is 7.Bd2; 7.Be2 and 7.Bg5 are also reasonable.} cxb5 8. Be2 Bb7 9. e5 {
Extremely committal, but 9.Qc2 Nf6 =+} Ne7 10. O-O Bxc3 11. bxc3 Nd7 12. Qc2
Nb6 13. Ng5 h6 14. Ne4 Bxe4 {The knight must not be allowed to show up on d6.}
15. Qxe4 Nbd5 16. Bd2 a6 {Ra6 was a threat, but Crafty thinks that I was too
cautious here. 16...a5 17.Rfb1 Qd7 =+} 17. Bg4 Qc7 18. f4 g6 {Setting up a
blockade on the light squares. It is not suprising that two knights are doing
more work than two bishops in this position.} 19. Be2 h5 20. g3 Kd7 {With the c
enter closed, this is the perfect place for the king to be. If the queens and
light square bishop are traded Black can win by penetrating with the king on
the light squares.} 21. h3 {? Bill believes White's position urgently requires
an f4-f5 break. I believe this move is a mistake and white needs to spend more
time preparing the break. 21.Rf3 .: Be1 is a possibility we discovered after
the game.} Nf5 22. Qf3 h4 23. g4 Ng3 24. Rf2 Nb6 $6 {Crafty thinks I erred
here, giving 24...Nxe2+ -1.13 The point of 24...Nb6 is that if 25. Bd1 (Crafty
-0.72), saving the light square bishop, 25...Qc6 and White cannot dodge the
queen trade due to mate on h1. I would have been happy in either case; trades
in the Noteboom favor Black!} 25. Rg2 Nxe2+ {Now this trade is forced.} 26.
Qxe2 Qc6 27. Rf1 Rag8 $1 {Prophylactic against White's only aggressive move,
f4-f5. Since Bill is not one to grovel for a draw, he goes for it anyway!} 28.
f5 $2 gxf5 29. gxf5 Qxg2+ 30. Qxg2 Rxg2+ 31. Kxg2 Rg8+ $1 32. Kh2 {After this
ove the White king is cut off for a long time, but otherwise ...Rg3 and the
pressure on both wings is too much for White to handle in the bad bishop vs.
good knight ending.} Nd5 33. fxe6+ fxe6 34. Rf7+ Kc6 35. Rh7 Rg6 {The safest
ve. If 35...a5 36.Rh6 forces Black to worsen the position of one of his three
pieces. Crafty loves 35...a5 36.Rh6 Re8 -3.75, but I don't play endings like a
computer and I feel the g file is too important to give up.} 36. Rxh4 a5 37.
Rg4 {This ending is a forced loss, but at least White manages to activate the
king and trade off his inferior rook. 37.Ra8 Kb7 keeps White fighting a little
longer.} Rxg4 38. hxg4 b4 39. g5 Kd7 40. Kg3 b3 41. Bc1 Nxc3 42. g6 Ke8 43. Kg4
Kf8 44. Kg5 Nd5 {
White resigns. The Noteboom passed pawns will win by themselves.} 0-1

[Event "ECC vs NU Match"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.12.02"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Solomon, Andrew"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A80"]
[WhiteElo "2008"]
[BlackElo "1837"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "110"]

1. d4 f5 2. Bg5 h6 3. Bh4 g5 4. Bg3 (4. e4 Nf6 (4... Rh7 5. Qh5+ Rf7 6. Nf3 Nf6
7. Qg6 Nc6 8. Bxg5 fxe4 9. Ne5 Nxe5 10. dxe5 hxg5 11. exf6 d5 12. Be2 Be6 13.
Bh5 Kd7 $11) 5. e5 e6 6. Bg3 f4 7. Bd3 Rg8 8. exf6 Qxf6 9. Nc3 $14) 4... Nf6 (
4... f4 5. e3) 5. e3 d6 6. c4 $6 (6. h4 Rg8 7. Bc4 e6 8. hxg5 hxg5 9. Nc3 Nc6
10. Qe2 $14 {Pelts-Szpisjak, Lincolnwood 1990}) 6... Bg7 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d5 Nb8 (
8... Ne5 9. Nf3 Nxf3+ 10. Qxf3 a6 11. Bd3 Qd7 12. Qe2 e5 13. dxe6 Qxe6 14. Rc1
$14 {Malarkey-Lindstedt, Moscow 1994}) 9. Bd3 O-O (9... Na6 10. h4 g4 11. h5 {
Anisimov-Kim, Toliatti 2000}) 10. Nge2 Na6 11. h4 g4 12. Nd4 (12. h5 Ne4 13.
Bxe4 fxe4 14. Nxe4 Bxb2 15. Rb1 Bg7 16. Nf4) 12... Nh5 13. Bc2 Qe8 14. Rb1 Qf7
15. Nce2 Nb4 16. Bb3 a5 $2 (16... f4 $142 $3 17. Nxf4 (17. Bxf4 c5 $132 18. Nb5
Bf5) 17... Nxf4 18. Bxf4 c5 $132 19. Ne6 Bxe6 20. dxe6 Qxe6) 17. a3 Na6 18. Bc2
Nc5 19. b4 axb4 20. axb4 Ne4 21. Bxe4 fxe4 22. O-O Ra3 23. Qc2 Rd3 24. Rbd1
Nxg3 25. fxg3 Rxd1 26. Qxd1 Qxf1+ 27. Qxf1 Rxf1+ 28. Kxf1 Be5 29. Kf2 Bd7 30.
Nc3 c5 31. dxc6 bxc6 32. Nxe4 $2 (32. b5 $1 cxb5 33. cxb5 Kf7 34. b6 Bc8 35.
Nxe4 Bb7 36. Nd2 Ke8 37. Nc4 Bxd4 (37... Kd7 38. Nxe5+ dxe5 39. Nf5 h5 40. Ng7
e6 41. Nxh5 Ke7 42. Nf4 exf4 43. gxf4 $18) 38. exd4 Kd7 39. h5 Kc6 40. d5+ Kc5
(40... Kd7 41. Ne3 Ba8 42. Nxg4 Bxd5 43. Nxh6 Kc6 44. Nf5) (40... Kxd5 41. Na5
Bc8 42. b7 Bxb7 43. Nxb7 $18) 41. Ne3 Kxb6 42. Nxg4 Bxd5 43. Nxh6 Kc6 $13)
32... Kf7 33. Nc3 c5 $1 $11 34. bxc5 dxc5 35. Ndb5 Bc6 36. Nd5 (36. Na4 Bd6 37.
Nxd6+ exd6 38. Nc3 Kf6 39. e4 Ke5 40. Ke3 h5 41. Nd5 Bxd5 42. exd5 Kf5 43. Kd3
$11) 36... Ke6 (36... Bxd5 37. cxd5 Kf6 38. e4 c4 39. Ke3 Bxg3 40. Kd4 Bxh4 41.
Kxc4 Ke5 42. Kd3 Bf2 43. Na3 h5 44. Nc4+ Kf4 45. e5 Kf5 46. d6 exd6 47. exd6
Ke6 48. Ke4 $11) 37. Nbc3 Kd6 $2 38. Ne4+ Ke6 39. Nxc5+ Kd6 40. Ne4+ Ke6 41.
Nc5+ Kd6 42. Nd3 $5 Bxd5 43. cxd5 Kxd5 44. Nxe5 Kxe5 45. Ke2 Kd5 46. Kd3 h5 $1
47. e4+ Kc5 (47... Ke5 $144 48. Ke3 e6 49. Kd3 Kd6 50. Kd4 e5+ 51. Kc4 Kc6 52.
Kb4 Kb6 53. Kc4 Kc6) 48. e5 $1 (48. Kc3 e5 $19) (48. Ke3 e5 $19) 48... Kd5 (
48... e6 49. Ke3 (49. Ke4 Kc4 50. Kf4 Kd4 51. Kg5 Kxe5 52. Kg6 (52. Kxh5 Kf5
$19) 52... Ke4 53. Kf6 e5 54. Kg5 Kd3 $19) 49... Kd5 50. Kd3 Kxe5 51. Ke3) 49.
e6 $1 Kxe6 50. Ke4 $11 Kf6 51. Kf4 e5+ 52. Ke3 Kf5 53. Kd3 e4+ $6 (53... Kf6
54. Ke3 Ke7 55. Kd3 Kd6 56. Ke4 Ke6 57. Ke3 Kd5 58. Kd3 e4+ 59. Ke2 Kd4 60. Kd2
e3+ 61. Ke2 Ke4 62. Ke1 $11 Kd3 63. Kd1 e2+ 64. Ke1 Ke3) 54. Kd4 Kf6 (54... e3
$144 55. Kxe3 Ke5 56. Kf2 Kd4 57. Kg1 Ke3 58. Kf1 Kd3 59. Ke1 Ke3 60. Kf1 $11
Kd2 61. Kf2) (54... Ke6 $143 $4 55. Kxe4 Kf6 56. Kf4 Kg6 57. Ke5 Kg7 58. Kf5
Kh6 59. Kf6 $18) 55. Kxe4 Ke6 $11 1/2-1/2

[Event "IL Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.12.06"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "van de Mortel, Jan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D01"]
[WhiteElo "2008"]
[BlackElo "2460"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "90"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Bf5 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 Be7 6. Nge2 g6 7. Nf4 c6 8.
Bd3 Bxd3 9. Qxd3 f5 10. g3 (10. O-O O-O 11. Nce2 Nd7 12. b3 Nf6 (12... b5 13.
a4 b4 14. c4 bxc3 15. Rfc1) 13. c4) 10... h5 11. h4 Nd7 12. O-O-O b5 13. f3 (
13. Kb1) 13... b4 14. Nce2 Nf6 15. Kb1 O-O 16. Rdg1 (16. c4) 16... Kg7 17. Nh3
c5 18. dxc5 Bxc5 19. Nd4 Re8 20. Nf4 Qb6 21. Rd1 Re5 22. Rhe1 Rae8 23. Ng2 a5
24. Qd2 a4 25. Qf2 R5e7 26. Rd3 Kg8 27. Qd2 Kh7 28. Nf4 Qb7 29. Nh3 Nd7 30.
Ng5+ Kg8 31. g4 fxg4 32. fxg4 hxg4 33. Qf2 Ne5 34. Rd2 Nc4 35. Rde2 Qb6 36. Nf5
gxf5 37. Qxf5 Qg6 38. Qxd5 Nxe3 39. Qxc5 b3 40. h5 bxc2+ 41. Kc1 Qd3 42. Rd2
Qa6 43. Rd6 Qb7 44. Qc3 a3 45. b3 Nf5 0-1

[Event "IL Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.12.06"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Loncarevic, Robert"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A43"]
[WhiteElo "2008"]
[BlackElo "2062"]
[PlyCount "46"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. d5 g6 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 (5. f4) 5... Bg7 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O
b6 8. Nd2 Ba6 9. a4 Bxe2 10. Qxe2 Ne8 11. Nc4 e5 12. Be3 (12. f4) 12... f5 13.
f3 f4 14. Bf2 a6 (14... Bf6) 15. Rfb1 a5 16. Nb5 Na6 17. c3 Rf7 (17... Bf6) 18.
b4 axb4 19. cxb4 Nxb4 20. Nxb6 (20. Be1 Na6 21. Ra2 Rb7 22. Rab2 Nb8 23. Qc2)
20... Qxb6 21. Rxb4 Qa6 22. Rb2 Bf8 23. Be1 Rb7 1/2-1/2

[Event "IL Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.12.06"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Magness, Trevor"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B07"]
[WhiteElo "2164"]
[BlackElo "2008"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "97"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Be3 Nbd7 5. h3 Qa5 6. Bd3 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. O-O
O-O 9. Ne2 d5 10. Nxe5 (10. dxe5 dxe4 11. exf6 Nxf6) 10... dxe4 11. Nxd7 Bxd7
12. Bc4 Nd5 13. Ng3 f5 14. f3 Kh8 15. Bc1 Bd6 (15... Nb6 16. Bb3 Bd6 17. Bd2
Qa6 18. Qe1 e3) (15... e3) 16. fxe4 Bxg3 17. exd5 cxd5 18. Bd3 Rae8 19. Qf3 Qc7
20. Bf4 (20. Qxd5 Bc6 21. Qb3 Bh2+ 22. Kh1 Bxg2+ 23. Kxg2 Qg3+ 24. Kh1 Qxh3)
20... Bxf4 21. Qxf4 Qxf4 22. Rxf4 g6 23. h4 Kg7 24. Raf1 a6 25. Kf2 Re7 26. Re1
Rfe8 27. Rxe7+ Rxe7 28. b3 Be6 29. Rf3 Bf7 30. Re3 Kf6 31. c4 Rc7 32. c5 Be6
33. Re5 Bf7 34. Ke3 (34. b4 Re7 35. Rxe7 Kxe7 36. a4 Be8) 34... Rxc5 35. Rxf5+
gxf5 36. dxc5 Ke5 37. b4 (37. g3 d4+ 38. Kd2 a5) 37... d4+ 38. Kd2 Bxa2 39. g3
Bd5 40. Ke2 Bc6 41. Kd2 h6 42. Bb1 f4 43. gxf4+ Kxf4 44. Bg6 Kg4 45. h5 Kf4 46.
Bf7 Ke4 47. Bg6+ Kd5 48. Bf7+ Ke4 49. Bg6+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "EvanstonChess Bi-Level"]
[Site "EvanstonChess"]
[Date "2008.15.24"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, M."]
[Black "Davlatov, A."]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "63"]

1. e3 {The seldom-used Van 't Kruijs opening.} g6 2. f4 d5 3. Nf3 c5 4. Bb5+
Bd7 5. a4 Bg7 6. O-O Nf6 7. d3 O-O 8. Bxd7 Nbxd7 {
I think 8... Nfxd7, bringing the QN to c6, makes more sense.} 9. Qe1 Qc7 10.
Nc3 Rac8 11. e4 dxe4 12. dxe4 e5 {Black has serious positional difficulties
after this move. The problem is Black's forces are pointing at e5, and if that
pawn never moves, he'll be inactive. So the correct reaction for White must be:
} 13. f5 a6 14. a5 c4 15. Kh1 Nc5 16. Bg5 h6 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. Nd5 Qc6 19. fxg6
Qe6 20. gxf7+ Rxf7 21. Nh4 Rcf8 22. Nf5 Bg5 23. g4 h5 24. h4 Bd8 25. Qe3 hxg4
26. Qxc5 Rxf5 27. exf5 Qh6 28. Kg2 Qxh4 29. Rh1 Qg5 30. Rh8+ Kxh8 31. Qxf8+ Qg8
32. Rh1+ 1-0

[Event "3rd Coast G/60"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.06.29"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Scott, Gene"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E05"]
[WhiteElo "2040"]
[BlackElo "1982"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "112"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Qc2 Be7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 dxc4 7. Qxc4 a6 8. O-O
b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bf4 Bd6 11. Nbd2 Ra7 (11... Bxf4 12. gxf4) 12. a4 (12. Rfc1
Nbd7 13. Be5 Qa8) (12. e4 Bxf4 13. gxf4 Nc6 14. e5 Nd5 15. Ng5 g6) 12... bxa4 (
12... b4) 13. Bxd6 cxd6 14. Qxa4 Bc6 15. Qa3 Bb5 16. Rfe1 Qe7 17. e3 Rc8 18.
Rec1 Rac7 19. Rxc7 Qxc7 20. h3 Nbd7 21. Nb3 Qb6 22. Nfd2 e5 23. g4 h6 24. Qb4
Nf8 25. Na5 exd4 26. exd4 d5 27. Nab3 Ne6 28. Bf1 Nf4 29. Re1 Qb8 30. Nc5 Bxf1
31. Qxb8 Nxh3+ 32. Kxf1 Rxb8 33. b3 Nxg4 34. Nxa6 Ra8 35. Nc5 Ra2 36. Re8+ Kh7
37. Ke1 Ra1+ 38. Ke2 Ng1+ 39. Kd3 Nxf2+ 40. Kc2 Ra2+ 41. Kc1 Ngh3 42. Re3 Ra8
43. b4 Rb8 44. Rb3 Nf4 45. b5 Ne2+ 46. Kb1 Rxb5 47. Rxb5 Nc3+ 48. Kc2 Nxb5 49.
Nf3 Ne4 50. Kd3 f5 51. Nd7 Kg8 52. Nh4 Nbd6 53. Nb6 Nf6 54. Ng6 Kf7 55. Nf4 g5
56. Nfxd5 Nde4 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.07.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Vohra, S."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "70"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nf3 a6 7. a4 Qc7 8. O-O
Nf6 9. Re1 Bc5 10. h3 Ne5 11. Ba2 d6 12. Bg5 Qb6 13. Be3 Bd7 14. Nxe5 dxe5 15.
Bxc5 Qxc5 16. Qd2 O-O 17. Rec1 Qd4 18. Qe2 Bc6 19. Rd1 Qa7 20. b4 Rfd8 21.
Rxd8+ Rxd8 22. Bc4 Rd4 23. Rd1 Rxd1+ 24. Qxd1 Qd4 25. Qd3 Nxe4 26. Nxe4 Bxe4
27. Qb3 Bd5 28. Bxd5 exd5 29. Qc2 Qc4 30. Qd2 h6 31. Qe3 Qc7 32. a5 Qd6 33. Qc3
d4 34. Qc8+ Kh7 35. Qf5+ Qg6 0-1

[Event "Evanston G60"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.08.09"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Terry-Penak, Brent"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B49"]
[WhiteElo "1450"]
[BlackElo "2011"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "40"]
[EventDate "1913.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 Qc7 8.
O-O h5 9. h3 b5 10. a3 Bb7 11. Bf3 Ne5 12. Bf4 Bc5 (12... Nxf3+ 13. Qxf3 e5 (
13... d6 14. Bg5 $14) 14. Bg3 $14) (12... Bd6 13. Ndxb5 axb5 14. Nxb5 Nxf3+ 15.
Qxf3 Bxf4 16. Nxc7+ Bxc7) 13. Nb3 (13. Re1 $4 Bxd4 14. Qxd4 Nxf3+ 15. gxf3 Qxf4
) 13... Bd6 14. Bxe5 (14. Kh1 Rc8 $11 (14... Nxf3 15. Bxd6)) 14... Bxe5 15. Qd3
Ng4 (15... g5 16. g3 g4 17. hxg4 h4 18. g5 hxg3 19. gxf6 g2 $40) 16. Rfd1 Bh2+
17. Kf1 Ne5 18. Qe2 Nxf3 (18... Nc4 19. Ra2 Be5 20. Nd4 Rc8) 19. Qxf3 Be5 20.
Rd3 f5 $40 0-1

[Event "Chicago Open"]
[Site "Chicago"]
[Date "2009.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Friedman, David"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C00"]
[WhiteElo "1980"]
[BlackElo "2032"]
[PlyCount "110"]
[EventDate "2009.05.??"]

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 Nf6 6. Ngf3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1
dxe4 9. dxe4 e5 10. c3 Qc7 11. Nc4 Be6 12. Qe2 Rad8 13. Nh4 b5 14. Ne3 c4 15.
a4 a6 16. axb5 axb5 17. Nhf5 Bc5 18. Ng4 Nxg4 19. Qxg4 Bxf5 20. exf5 Rd6 21.
Ra6 f6 22. Bh6 Kh8 23. Be3 Bxe3 24. fxe3 e4 25. Qxe4 Ne5 26. Rxd6 Qxd6 27. Qd4
Qb8 28. Ra1 Rd8 29. Ra8 Qxa8 30. Bxa8 Rxa8 31. Qb6 h6 32. Qxb5 Ra1+ 33. Kg2 Re1
34. Kf2 Rb1 35. Ke2 Rh1 36. h4 Rh2+ 37. Kf1 Rd2 38. g4 Kh7 39. g5 hxg5 40. hxg5
Nf3 41. g6+ Kh6 42. Qb7 Ne5 43. Qe4 Kh5 44. Ke1 Rxb2 45. Kd1 Ra2 46. Qb7 Kh6
47. Qb1 Ra7 48. e4 Rd7+ 49. Ke2 Rd3 50. Qe1 Kg5 51. Qc1+ Kg4 52. Qh1 Kg5 53.
Qh8 Rd7 54. Qh7 Kg4 55. Qh1 Rd3 1/2-1/2

[Event "Tim Just Winter Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.01.04"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Pavese, Jim"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B07"]
[WhiteElo "2100"]
[BlackElo "2008"]
[PlyCount "64"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. f3 Nbd7 5. Be3 e5 6. a4 Qa5 7. Bc4 Be7 (7... d5
8. exd5 Nb6) 8. Nge2 O-O 9. O-O Rd8 (9... d5 10. exd5 (10. Ba2 dxe4 11. Nxe4 (
11. fxe4 exd4 12. Bxd4 c5 13. Be3 Ne5) 11... Nxe4 12. fxe4 Nf6) 10... Nb6 11.
Bd3 Nbxd5) 10. d5 (10. Qe1 Qb4 11. Bb3 exd4 12. Nxd4 Nc5 13. a5) 10... Nb6 11.
Ba2 cxd5 12. Bxd5 Nfxd5 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14. Qxd5 Qxd5 15. exd5 Bf5 (15... f5 16.
Nc3 f4 17. Bf2 Bf5 18. Ne4 Rdc8) 16. Rfc1 h6 (16... Rdc8) 17. Ra3 Rdc8 18. c4
Bg5 19. Kf2 b6 20. g3 Bxe3+ 21. Kxe3 Bd7 22. g4 g6 23. h4 f5 24. gxf5 gxf5 25.
f4 e4 26. Nd4 Kf7 27. Raa1 Rg8 28. Rg1 Rxg1 29. Rxg1 Rg8 30. Rxg8 Kxg8 31. b4
Kf7 32. h5 Ke7 1/2-1/2

[Event "Evanston G60 Swiss Groups"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.01.31"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Stamnov, Alexander"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D10"]
[WhiteElo "2018"]
[BlackElo "2247"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "124"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. e3 Nc6 6. Bd3 e5 7. dxe5 Nxe5 8.
Nf3 (8. Bc2) (8. Bb5+) 8... Nxd3+ 9. Qxd3 Be6 10. Nd4 Be7 11. Qb5+ Qd7 12. O-O
a6 13. Qxd7+ Bxd7 {Rybka =} 14. b3 O-O 15. Bb2 Rac8 16. Rac1 b5 17. Nce2 Bd6
18. Rxc8 Rxc8 19. Rc1 Rxc1+ 20. Nxc1 b4 21. f3 Kf8 22. Nd3 a5 23. g3 h5 24. Kf2
Ke7 25. h4 g6 26. Nf4 Bc5 27. Nde2 Bc6 28. Nd3 Bd6 29. Be5 {Rybka +.25} Nd7 30.
Nd4 (30. Bxd6+ Kxd6 31. Nd4 Bb7 32. Nb5+ Ke6 33. a4 {Rybka =}) 30... Bb7 (30...
Nxe5 31. Nxe5 Bxe5 32. Nxc6+ Kd6 33. Nxe5 Kxe5 34. Ke2) 31. Bf4 Bxf4 32. exf4
Ba6 33. Ke3 Kd6 34. Ne5 {Rybka -1.22} (34. f5) 34... Nxe5 35. fxe5+ Kxe5 36.
Nc6+ Kd6 37. Nd8 (37. Nxa5 Kc5) 37... Ke7 38. Nc6+ Kd6 39. Nd8 f5 (39... f6 {
Rybka -1.00}) 40. Kd4 {Rybka =} f4 41. gxf4 Bc8 42. Nf7+ Ke6 43. Ne5 Kf5 44.
Kxd5 Kxf4 45. Nxg6+ Kg3 (45... Kxf3 46. Ne7 Bb7+ 47. Kc5 Be4 48. Kb5 Kg4 49.
Ng8 Bb1 50. Nf6+ Kxh4 51. Kxa5 Bxa2 52. Kxb4) 46. Ke5 (46. Ke4 {Rybka +.47}
Bb7+ 47. Kf5) 46... Kxf3 47. Nf4 Bg4 48. Nxh5 (48. Ng6) 48... Bxh5 49. Kd4 Ke2
50. Kc5 Kd3 51. Kb5 Kc3 52. Kxa5 Be8 53. Kb6 Kb2 54. Kc5 Ka3 55. Kc4 Bh5 56.
Kb5 Bg4 57. Kc4 Bh5 58. Kb5 Bg6 59. Kc5 Bb1 60. h5 Bxa2 61. h6 Bb1 (61... Bxb3
62. h7) 62. Kc4 Bh7 0-1

[Event "Evanston G60 Swiss Groups"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.01.31"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Ancheta, Rene"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B07"]
[WhiteElo "2041"]
[BlackElo "2018"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "42"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. g3 b5 5. Bg2 e5 (5... Nbd7 6. e5 dxe5 (6... b4
7. exf6 bxc3 8. fxg7 cxb2 9. gxf8=Q+ Rxf8 10. Bxb2 Rb8) 7. Bxc6) (5... Bb7 6.
a3 (6. e5 dxe5 7. dxe5 Qxd1+ 8. Kxd1 Ng4 9. Nxb5 Nxf2+ 10. Ke2 Nxh1 11. Nc7+
Kd8 12. Nxa8 Nxg3+ 13. hxg3 e6) 6... Nbd7 7. Nge2 e5) 6. Nge2 (6. dxe5 dxe5 7.
Qxd8+ Kxd8 8. f4 Bd6 9. Nf3 Nbd7 $11) 6... a6 7. h3 Nbd7 8. O-O Be7 9. Be3 Bb7
10. f4 Qc7 11. a4 b4 12. Na2 c5 13. fxe5 Nxe4 (13... dxe5 14. d5 O-O 15. c4
bxc3 16. Naxc3 c4) 14. exd6 (14. d5 $1 Nxg3 15. Nxg3 Nxe5 $18) 14... Bxd6 15.
g4 Bh2+ 16. Kh1 h5 17. g5 h4 18. Bf4 Bxf4 19. Rxf4 Ng3+ 20. Nxg3 (20. Kg1 Bxg2
21. Kxg2 O-O-O) 20... Bxg2+ 21. Kxg2 Qxf4 0-1

[Event "Evanston Swiss Groups"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.03.28"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Cohen, Jordan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D01"]
[WhiteElo "2022"]
[BlackElo "1945"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "21"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 h6 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 Bf5 6. Nge2 (6. Qf3 {Freeman}
Be6 7. Bd3) 6... Bd6 (6... c6 7. Ng3 Bg6 (7... Be6 8. Bd3 g6 9. e4 (9. O-O f5)
9... dxe4 10. Bxe4) 8. Bd3 (8. h4 Bd6) 8... Bd6 9. Qg4) 7. Nxd5 Bxh2 8. e4 (8.
Rxh2 Qxd5 9. Ng3 Bg6 10. Bd3) (8. Nec3 Bd6 (8... c6 9. Qf3 Be6 (9... Bxc2 10.
Rxh2 (10. Nb4 Bg6 11. Rxh2 Qd6) 10... cxd5 11. Rh5) 10. Nxf6+ Qxf6 11. Qxf6
gxf6 12. Rxh2) 9. e4) (8. c4 Bd6 9. Ndc3) (8. Nxf6+ Qxf6 9. Rxh2 Qd6 10. Ng3
Qb4+ (10... Bg6 11. c3) 11. c3 Qxb2 12. Nxf5 Qxc3+ 13. Ke2) 8... Bxe4 (8... c6
9. exf5 Qxd5 10. Rxh2) (8... Be6 9. Rxh2) (8... Bd6 9. exf5) 9. Ndc3 Bxc2 (9...
Qe7 10. Rxh2 Nc6 11. Nxe4 Qxe4 12. Qd3) 10. Qxc2 Bd6 11. Qe4+ 1-0

[Event "Evanston Swiss Groups"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.03.28"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Veech, John"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D01"]
[WhiteElo "2022"]
[BlackElo "1845"]
[PlyCount "70"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Bxf6 gxf6 6. Qh5 cxd4 7. exd4 e6 8.
O-O-O Bb4 9. Nge2 Bd7 10. h4 Qe7 11. Rh3 O-O-O 12. Re3 Qf8 13. Kb1 Kb8 14. Nc1
(14. a3 Be7 15. Nf4) 14... Rg8 15. N3e2 e5 16. Rg3 Rxg3 17. Nxg3 Qg7 18. Be2
Nxd4 19. Rxd4 exd4 20. Qxd5 Qf8 21. Qh5 Bc6 22. Qxh7 Bxg2 23. Qf5 Qd6 24. Nd3
Bd5 25. a3 Bxa3 26. bxa3 Qxa3 27. Nc1 Qb4+ 28. Nb3 Rd6 29. Qf4 Bxb3 30. cxb3
Qxb3+ 31. Kc1 Qc3+ 32. Kd1 Qa1+ 33. Kd2 Qc3+ 34. Kd1 Qa1+ 35. Kd2 Qc3+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "Evanston Swiss Groups"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.03.28"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Nelson, Daniel"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B41"]
[WhiteElo "1934"]
[BlackElo "2022"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "86"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 a6 3. Nc3 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qc7 6. e4 Nf6 7. a3 b6 8. Be3
Bb7 9. f3 Nc6 10. Be2 Rc8 (10... Be7) (10... Rb8) 11. Qd2 (11. Na4) 11... Na5
12. b4 Nxc4 13. Bxc4 Qxc4 14. Rc1 Qc7 15. O-O Qb8 (15... Qd6) 16. Nb3 Bd6 $15
17. g3 O-O (17... Bc6) 18. Na4 Bc7 19. Nxb6 Bxb6 20. Bxb6 Bd5 21. exd5 Qxb6+
22. Qf2 Nxd5 23. Rfd1 Qxf2+ 24. Kxf2 d6 25. Na5 Nc3 26. Re1 d5 (26... Rc7) 27.
Nb3 Na4 (27... Rfd8) 28. Ke2 e5 29. Kd2 f6 30. Rxc8 Rxc8 31. Rc1 Rxc1 32. Kxc1
Kf7 33. Na5 Ke6 34. Nc6 Kd7 35. Nb8+ Kc7 36. Nxa6+ Kb7 37. Nc5+ Nxc5 38. bxc5
Kc6 39. Kd2 Kxc5 40. Kc3 Kb5 41. Kb3 f5 42. a4+ Ka5 43. g4 f4 0-1

[Event "Chicago Open"]
[Site "Chicago"]
[Date "2009.05.23"]
[Round "1.3"]
[White "Pullin, Matthew"]
[Black "Perelshteyn, Eugene"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E90"]
[WhiteElo "2032"]
[BlackElo "2599"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "2009.05.??"]

1. Nf3 (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 (5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 {
Averbakh}) (5. f4 O-O 6. Nf3 {Four Pawns}) (5. Bd3 O-O 6. Nge2 {Serawain}) (5.
Nge2 O-O 6. Ng3 {Serper?}) 5... O-O 6. Be3 {Samsich}) 1... Nf6 2. d4 g6 3. c4
Bg7 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 O-O 6. Bd3 (6. Be2) (6. h3) 6... Na6 7. O-O e5 (7... c5 8.
h3 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nc5 10. Bc2 a5 11. Be3 b6 12. b3 Bb7 13. f3 {
Pullin - Sergatskov}) 8. h3 (8. d5 Nh5 9. Re1 Nf4 10. Bf1 f5 11. Bxf4 exf4 12.
e5 dxe5 13. Nxe5) (8. dxe5 dxe5 9. h3 Nh5 10. Bg5 f6 11. Be3) 8... exd4 9. Nxd4
Nc5 10. Bc2 Re8 11. Re1 c6 12. Nb3 Be6 13. Bf4 Bf8 14. Nd2 a5 15. Qf3 Nfd7 16.
Qg3 Ne5 17. Rad1 Qb6 18. b3 a4 19. Be3 axb3 20. axb3 Qb4 21. Bd4 b5 (21... Bg7
22. f4 Ned3) 22. f4 (22. Nxb5 cxb5 (22... Na6 23. Bc3 Qc5 24. Nd4 Nb4 25. Bb1)
23. Bc3 Qa3 24. Ra1) 22... bxc4 23. fxe5 (23. bxc4 Nxc4 24. Nxc4 Qxc4 25. f5
Bd7 26. Qf2 Bg7 27. f6 Bf8 28. Bxc5 dxc5) 23... cxb3 24. Nxb3 Nxb3 25. Bxb3
Bxb3 26. Rd3 dxe5 27. Bf2 (27. Bxe5 Qc4 28. Bd6 Rad8 29. e5 Bxd6 30. Rxd6 Rxd6
31. exd6 Rxe1+ 32. Qxe1 Qd4+ 33. Kh1 Qxd6 34. Qe8+ Kg7 35. Ne4 Qe6) 27... Bc4
28. Rf3 Ra3 29. Rb1 Qe7 30. Rc1 Rea8 31. Be3 Ra1 32. Qe1 Rxc1 33. Qxc1 Qa3 0-1

[Event "Chicago Open"]
[Site "Chicago"]
[Date "2009.05.23"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Melekhina, Alisa"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E90"]
[WhiteElo "2032"]
[BlackElo "2322"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "2009.05.??"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 O-O 6. Bd3 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5
Ne7 9. Re1 Ne8 (9... Nd7 10. Bg5 Nc5 11. Bf1 f5) (9... Nh5 10. h3) 10. a4 (10.
Bg5) 10... a5 11. Ra3 h6 12. Nd2 (12. Be3 f5 13. exf5 gxf5 14. Bb1 Nf6 15. h3)
12... f5 13. Nf1 f4 14. Be2 Nf6 15. h3 g5 16. Nh2 Ng6 17. Nb5 Nh4 18. Bf3 Nxf3+
19. Rxf3 h5 20. Rd3 b6 21. g4 hxg4 22. hxg4 Qd7 23. f3 Kf7 24. Kg2 Rh8 25. Rh1
Ba6 26. b3 Rh4 27. Nc3 Rah8 28. Bd2 Qd8 29. Be1 R4h6 30. Bf2 Bc8 31. Qg1 R8h7
32. Kf1 Qh8 33. Bxb6 Rxh2 34. Rxh2 Rxh2 35. Bxc7 Rh1 36. Qxh1 Qxh1+ 37. Ke2
Qg2+ 38. Kd1 Qf1+ 39. Kc2 Qf2+ 40. Kc1 Bf8 41. Bxa5 Bxg4 0-1

[Event "Chicago Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.07.19"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Smarty, Sylvester"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A04"]
[WhiteElo "2011"]
[BlackElo "2096"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "92"]

1. Nf3 b5 2. e4 (2. a4 $5 b4 3. e4 Bb7 4. d3 {takes away option to reinforce b5
}) 2... Bb7 3. d3 e6 4. a4 a6 5. axb5 axb5 6. Rxa8 Bxa8 7. g3 Nf6 8. Bg2 Be7 9.
O-O O-O 10. Nc3 $2 {terrible idea, too many wasted N moves to follow} b4 11.
Ne2 c5 12. Nf4 d6 13. h4 e5 14. Nh3 Nbd7 15. Nh2 d5 16. exd5 Nxd5 17. Ng5 h6
18. Ne4 f5 19. Nd2 N5b6 20. b3 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Nb8 22. Nc4 Nxc4 23. bxc4 Nc6 24.
Bb2 Bf6 25. f4 e4 26. Bxf6 Rxf6 27. dxe4 Qxd1 $6 (27... Rd6 28. Qh5 Rd2+ $15)
28. Rxd1 fxe4 29. Ng4 Re6 {Critical position} 30. Rd5 (30. Ne3 {
Passed pawns must be blockaded} Nd4 31. Ra1 Rd6 32. Kf1 (32. Ra5 Nxc2 33. Nxc2
Rd2+ $19) 32... g6 33. Ra5 Rc6 $11) 30... e3 31. Ne5 Nd4 32. Rd8+ $4 (32. Rxc5
Nxc2 33. Rc8+ Kh7 34. Kf3 {+0.50}) 32... Kh7 33. h5 Nc6 34. Rd5 Nd4 35. Rd8
Nxc2 36. Ng6 Rxg6 37. hxg6+ Kxg6 {White is already lost} 38. Rd6+ (38. Kf3 b3
39. Rb8 Nb4 40. Rd8 b2 41. Rd1 Na2 42. Rb1 e2 43. Kf2 (43. Rxb2 e1=Q) (43. Kxe2
Nc3+) 43... Nc3 44. Rxb2 Nd1+ 45. Kxe2 Nxb2) 38... Kf7 (38... Kf5 39. Kf3 $14)
39. Kf1 (39. Kf3 Nd4+ 40. Kxe3 Nf5+) 39... b3 40. Rb6 (40. Ke2 Nd4+ 41. Kd1 e2+
42. Ke1 b2 43. Rb6 Nc2+ 44. Kxe2 Nb4) (40. Rd1 Nd4 41. Rb1 h5) 40... Ke7 (40...
Nb4 41. Rd6) 41. f5 (41. Rxb3 e2+ 42. Kxe2 Nd4+) 41... Kd7 (41... Nb4 42. Re6+)
42. Rb7+ Kc6 43. Rxg7 b2 44. Rg6+ Kb7 45. Rg7+ Ka6 46. Rg6+ Ka5 0-1

[Event "Chicago Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.07.18"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "McLaughlin, Jim"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E90"]
[WhiteElo "2011"]
[BlackElo "2149"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "57"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. d4 O-O 6. Bd3 {
Ugly move but I have been making it my own lately} e5 {
I have also played against ...c5 and ...Na6} 7. O-O Nc6 {
This move brings the max pressure to d4 and pretty much forces d4-d5} (7...
Nbd7 8. Bc2 {White intends to hold the tension in the center}) (7... Na6 8.
dxe5 dxe5 9. h3 {I should have handled my game vs. Perelshteyn this way}) (7...
Bg4 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. h3 {...Be6 here would be an error because Nxe5 Nxe4 Bxe4!
and Black has a problem on b7.  But ...Bxf3 doesn't give White very much}) 8.
d5 Ne7 {Typical KID retreat} ({If Black wants a more open game he can try:} 
8... Nd4 9. Nxd4 exd4 10. Nb5) (8... Nb4 9. Bb1 {White will be able to play
a3+b4+c5 very quickly if he wants to, but without the Bishop on e2, is that
really in his best interests?}) (8... Nb8 9. Bg5 {Not the only possibility...}
(9. Re1) (9. Bc2) 9... h6 10. Be3 Ng4 11. Bc1 f5 12. h3 Nf6 13. exf5 gxf5 14.
Bc2 {A position typical of the whole line but with a black N on b8}) 9. Re1 Nh5
(9... Nd7 {9...Ne8 is basically the same thing} 10. Bg5 h6 11. Be3 f5 12. exf5
{In the Nf3+Bd3 variation as a whole White usually wants to take on f5 and
keep play going in the center.  The typical Classical variations allow ...
f5-f4 closing the center} gxf5 (12... Nxf5 {Any time a piece takes back on f5
White will try to organize a blockade on e4, preferably with a knight.}) 13.
Nh4) 10. a4 a5 {This response is taken for granted by KID players who see the
a4,a5 exchange in Black's favor as it inhibits White's natural c4-c5 break} (
10... Nf4 11. Bf1 f5 12. Bxf4 exf4 13. e5 {
A thematic counter in this line against a N coming to f4 early}) 11. Ra3 {
This R goes to the kingside sometimes} Bg4 {I hadn't seen this move before} (
11... Nf4 12. Bf1 f5 13. Bxf4 exf4 14. e5) (11... f5 12. exf5 Nxf5 (12... gxf5
13. Nxe5) (12... Bxf5 13. Ng5 Qd7 14. Bxf5 Qxf5 15. Nce4 {blockade}) 13. Ng5
Nf6 (13... Bf6 14. Bxf5 (14. Nce4 Be7 {White has no advantage in this line})
14... Bxf5 (14... Bxg5 15. Bxg5 Qxg5 16. Bxc8 Raxc8 17. Ne4) 15. Nce4 {
Not much here either but maybe white can try some ideas involving g4.  The Ra3
is closer to the action than theRa8} (15. Ne6 {leads to nothing} Bxe6 16. dxe6
Ng7 17. Bh6 Re8 18. Bxg7 Kxg7)) 14. Nb5 {stampede}) 12. h3 Bd7 (12... Bxf3 {
I recall spending a lot of time analyzing the consequences of allowing this
exchange only to have my opponent reply ...Bd7instantly} 13. Qxf3 f5 14. Bg5)
13. Rb3 b6 (13... Qc8 {I expected Qc8.  Seems more purposeful than ...b6}) 14.
Bd2 h6 {Maybe was afraid of Qc1?} 15. Nb5 {Black can't maintain a kicking pawn
on c6 so this is a good square for the knight} Kh7 16. g4 {Brave but correct}
Nf6 (16... Nf4 17. Bxf4 exf4 18. Qc1 (18. e5 {
I was going to play e5 in the game but the materialistic Qc1 is better}) 18...
Be5 (18... g5 19. e5+ Kg8 20. e6) (18... Kg8 19. Qxf4 g5 20. Qd2 Ng6 {
f4 will fall into Black's hands, but White is up a pawn}) 19. Nxe5 dxe5 20. c5)
17. Nh2 (17. Nh4) 17... Nfg8 18. f4 f6 {Surrenders any winning chances} (18...
exf4 19. Bxf4 {This is an interesting position; White has a lot of space and
his backward e pawn can be pushed}) (18... f5 19. exf5 gxf5 20. fxe5 dxe5 21.
gxf5 Nxf5 22. Ng4) 19. f5 {This move is not necessary} (19. Bc2 {
Eventually play h4-h5}) 19... g5 {Position has become very closed.  Unless
someone takes a chance a decisive result is unlikely} 20. Be3 Nc8 21. Nf1 Nge7
22. Qe2 Rh8 23. Ng3 {discourage ...h5} Be8 24. Qf2 {discourage ...c6} Kg8 25.
Be2 Kf8 26. Rd3 Bf7 27. b3 Rb8 28. Red1 {Black's breaks are locked down} Kg8
29. Kg2 {If white has a winning plan it is to advance b3-b4 and (after the
probable axb4) a4-a5 to slowly open lines on the queenside.  But Black can do
nothing here and because of the rating difference a draw is OK for White}
1/2-1/2

[Event "Chicago Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.07.18"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pavese, James"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A21"]
[WhiteElo "2082"]
[BlackElo "2011"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[EventDate "2009.??.??"]

1. d4 d6 2. c4 e5 3. Nc3 exd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Qd1 Nf6 6. e4 Be7 7. h3 O-O 8. Nf3
Re8 9. Bd3 Nd7 10. Nd5 Nc5 11. O-O Nxd3 12. Qxd3 Ne5 13. Nxe5 dxe5 14. Qg3 Bh4
15. Qf3 c6 16. Ne3 Qf6 17. Qxf6 Bxf6 18. Rd1 Be6 19. b3 Be7 20. Bb2 f6 21. Kf1
Red8 22. Ke2 Kf7 23. a3 Rxd1 24. Rxd1 Rd8 1/2-1/2

[Event "Evanston Chess Tri-Level"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.11.07"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Pullin, M."]
[Black "Stamnov, A."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C47"]
[WhiteElo "2014"]
[BlackElo "2200"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2009.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 O-O
8. O-O d5 9. exd5 cxd5 10. Bg5 c6 11. Qf3 Bd6 12. Rfe1 Rb8 13. Na4 $5 (13. Rab1
) 13... h6 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. Qxf6 gxf6 16. b3 c5 (16... Bd7 17. c4 Rfe8 18.
Rad1 Re5 19. Bf1 (19. cxd5 $1 cxd5 20. Nc3 Rxe1+ 21. Rxe1 Bb4 22. Rc1 (22. Nxd5
Bxe1 23. Nxf6+ Kg7 24. Nxd7 $13) 22... Rc8 23. Ne2 Rxc1+ 24. Nxc1 $14) 19...
Be6 20. Rxe5 fxe5 21. cxd5 cxd5 22. Nc3 d4 23. Nb5 Bc5 24. Re1 f6 25. Rc1 Bb6
26. Rc6 Kf7 27. Bd3 Ke7 28. Nd6 Rd8 29. Ne4 Bd5 30. Rc1 f5 31. Ng3 e4 32. Bc4
Bxc4 33. Rxc4 d3 34. Rc1 Ke6 35. Nf1 f4 {
0-1 Schneider,I-Lin Ta/Bad Zwesten 2003/CBM 92 ext}) (16... Be6 17. Rac1 Rb4
18. c3 Rh4 19. g3 Rg4 20. Bf1 {De Hoyos - Palau, 2000} (20. f3 Rg5 21. Kf2 Rh5
22. h4 Re5 23. f4 Rxe1 24. Rxe1 $14) 20... f5 21. Nb2 Ba3 22. Rc2 Re4 23. Rd1
Re8 24. Bg2 Rg4 25. f4 Rg6 26. Nd3 Bc8 27. b4 Rge6 28. Kf2 a5 29. Rb1 Ba6 30.
Bf1 Bc4 31. Ne5 Bxf1 32. Kxf1 f6 33. Ng6 axb4 34. cxb4 Rb8 35. Rb3 Bxb4 36.
Rcb2 c5 37. a3 c4 38. Rxb4 Rxb4 39. Rxb4 c3 40. Rb8+ Kf7 41. Rc8 Kxg6 42. Rxc3
Re4 {1/2-1/2 De Hoyos,I-Palau,M/Cartagena 2000/EXT 2001}) 17. c4 (17. Rad1 $14)
17... dxc4 (17... d4 18. h3 Bd7 19. Nb2 $11) 18. Bxc4 Be5 19. Rad1 Bd4 20. Rd3
(20. Re7 $14) 20... Rd8 (20... Bf5 21. Rg3+ Kh8 22. Kf1 $11) 21. Nxc5 Bf5 22.
Rg3+ (22. Ne4 Kg7 23. Red1 $16) 22... Kf8 23. Nd3 a5 24. Rf3 Bd7 25. Nf4 Rb6
26. Kf1 Rd6 27. Ne2 Bc5 (27... Be5 $11) 28. Ng3 Bg4 (28... Bc6 29. Ne4 $14) 29.
Rf4 Rd2 (29... h5 $16) 30. Ne4 (30. Rxf6 $18) (30. Rxg4 $4 Rxf2+ 31. Kg1 Rf4+
$19) 30... R2d4 31. Rxg4 Bb4 (31... f5 32. Rg8+ Kxg8 33. Nxc5 $18) 32. Nxf6
Bxe1 33. Rxd4 Rxd4 34. Kxe1 Ke7 35. Ng8+ Kf8 (35... Kd6 36. Nxh6 Rh4 37. Nf5+)
36. Nxh6 f6 (36... Rh4 37. Nxf7 Rxh2 38. g4 $40) 37. g4 Re4+ (37... Ke7 38.
Nf5+) (37... Kg7 38. Nf5+) 38. Kd2 Kg7 39. Nf5+ Kg6 40. Bf7+ $1 Kg5 (40... Kh7)
(40... Kxf7 41. Nd6+) 41. f3 Rb4 (41... Re5 42. h4+ Kf4 43. h5 $40) 42. Ke3 1-0

[Event "Martinovsky Memorial"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.11.28"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Sat, Vijay"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B09"]
[WhiteElo "2049"]
[BlackElo "1840"]
[PlyCount "79"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. e5 dxe5 6. dxe5 Qxd1+ 7. Kxd1 Ng4 8.
Ke1 c6 9. Nf3 f6 10. h3 Nh6 11. exf6 exf6 12. g4 Nf7 13. Bd3 Nd7 14. Be3 O-O
15. Rh2 Re8 16. Re2 Bf8 17. Ne4 Nd6 18. Nxd6 Bxd6 19. Rd1 Nc5 20. Bxg6 hxg6 21.
Rxd6 Ne4 22. Rd3 Be6 23. b3 c5 24. Nd2 Nxd2 25. Rdxd2 b6 26. Bf2 Kf7 27. Rd6
Rad8 28. Rc6 Rc8 29. Rxc8 Bxc8 30. Rxe8 Kxe8 31. Ke2 Ke7 32. Ke3 f5 33. Bh4+
Kd6 34. Bg3 Ke7 35. g5 Kd6 36. Be1 Kd5 37. Bc3 Be6 38. Be5 c4 39. b4 b5 40. c3
1/2-1/2

[Event "Martinovsky Memorial"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.11.28"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Menon, Gopal"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B23"]
[WhiteElo "2049"]
[BlackElo "2110"]
[PlyCount "61"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g4 $6 {This move I've been trying on the internet some
success but after this game I believe it's time to look for another answer to
2...a6.} (3. f4 b5 4. Nf3 Bb7 5. d3 e6 6. g4 {
is a similiar idea which has been played}) (3. a4 {
stopping Black's expansion is also possible.}) 3... b5 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. d3 e6 6.
Be3 (6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Bf4 {
is an artificial development that I did not consider but is probably OK.}) (6.
f4 Qh4+ 7. Kf1 {Believe it or not I was considering going into this and now I
think it is objectively better than what I played.  That is how much trouble
White is in.} Qd8 (7... Nc6 8. g5 $5) 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. Kf2 b4 10. Ne2 Qb6 11. Kg3
$13 {Oh, boy}) 6... d5 7. exd5 b4 $1 (7... exd5 8. d4 {
I thought this would give me a slight advantage}) 8. Ne4 Bxd5 9. Nf3 Nd7 10. g5
{My reasoning was to stop ...Nf6 but Black develops in comfort anyway with ...
Ne7-f5} (10. Bf4 $1 {This repositioning may be best for White.  Rybka
indicates equality after 10...Ngf6.}) 10... Qc7 11. Qe2 Ne7 {Although White
has more pieces out his position is in shambles, I cannot really castle either
side and I couldn't see a plan to improve my position faster than Black can
improve his.  So I gain space on the kingside} 12. h4 Nf5 13. h5 Be7 {
Black definitely has an advantage.  The g5 pawn will be difficult to hold for
long and Black can do anything he wants with his king.  I try some weird stuff:
} 14. Kf1 $6 c4 (14... h6 15. gxh6 Nxe3+ $17) 15. Nd4 cxd3 16. cxd3 Nxe3+ 17.
fxe3 (17. Qxe3 h6 18. g6 O-O $17) 17... O-O $15 18. Kg1 {
Getting off the f file which may open} Rad8 {White's problem was the a8 rook
hanging after ...Bxe4 Bxe4 but why not play to the open file?} (18... Qd8 $17)
(18... Rac8 $17) 19. Rh3 {
Covering e3 and g3.  Also I was going to continue Kh1 and Rg1 given time!} Nc5
$2 {Moving a piece away from the king and allowing White to develop his worst
piece with a pin?  I have to give this a question mark as Black can win a safe
pawn with ...Bxe4 which Rh3 did not prevent.  There is nothing to fear:} (19...
Bxe4 20. Bxe4 Bxg5 21. Nc6 Rc8) 20. Rc1 Qb6 {Again moving a piece away from
the king.  Here I start on a combination to win control of the dark squares
which does not quite succeed... but only because White's position was so poor
to begin with} 21. h6 {First undermine the g pawn's support of f6} g6 22. Rxc5
$5 {Now divert the Be7 from covering f6} Bxc5 (22... Bxe4 23. Rc6 {
This was my idea had he continued ...Bxe4 but it does not pass the Rybka test:}
(23. Rc1 {This retreat is objectively better but Black should win without
breaking a sweat as White's rook pair is disfunctional} Bxg2 24. Qxg2 Rd5 $15)
23... Bxc6 24. Nxc6 Bxg5 25. Nxd8 Rxd8 $19 {
Only up a pawn now but every Black piece is much better than its counterpart})
23. Nf6+ Kh8 24. Bxd5 (24. Qf2 Be7 $8 25. Bxd5 exd5 26. Rf3 Qd6 $17) 24... Bxd4
25. Qf2 Be5 (25... Bxe3 26. Qxe3 Qxe3+ 27. Rxe3 exd5 28. Kf2 {Although Rybka
gives Black -2.07 in this ending I think White's practical chances are not too
bad given both players have under 5 minutes at this point.  Gopal avoided this.
}) 26. d4 $19 {Allows Black to simplify favorably.  There were two
alternatives that would have kept the position complicated but objectively are
losing as well:} (26. Bc4 Qc5 27. Ne4 Qe7 28. Rf3 Rc8) (26. Be4 b3 $1) 26...
exd5 27. dxe5 Qe6 {I missed this move} 28. Rf3 Qxe5 29. Nxh7 $2 {
"All in" as they say} Kxh7 30. Rxf7+ Rxf7 31. Qxf7+ {And White has nothing.   
A lively game.  The exchange sac was unsound but had to be played as it brings
the only positive features of the position into play.  Aside from my 3rd move
I'm still not sure what serious mistake I made with White that warranted
losing the game! Very nice reaction by my opponent.} 0-1

[Event "Martinovsky Memorial"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.11.28"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Cen, Kent"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C01"]
[WhiteElo "2049"]
[BlackElo "1900"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "2009.??.??"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Bd6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 c6 7. Qe2+ Be6 8.
Ng5 O-O 9. Nxe6 fxe6 10. Qxe6+ Kh8 11. Be3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Qc7 13. g3 Nbd7 14.
O-O Rae8 15. Qh3 Nb6 16. Bb3 g6 17. Rac1 Nfd7 18. Nb5 Qb8 19. Nxd6 Qxd6 20.
Rfe1 Qb4 21. Qf1 Nf6 22. Bh6 Qxd4 (22... Rxe1 23. Rxe1 Rd8 (23... Re8 24. Rxe8+
Nxe8 25. Qe2) 24. Re6) 23. Bxf8 Rxf8 24. Rcd1 Qxb2 25. Qe2 Qc3 26. Qe3 Nbd5 27.
Bxd5 Qxe3 28. fxe3 Nxd5 29. e4 Nc3 30. Rd7 Nxa2 31. e5 Re8 32. Rf1 Kg8 33. Rff7
Rxe5 34. Rg7+ Kf8 35. Rdf7+ Ke8 36. Rxb7 Kf8 37. Rxh7 Kg8 38. Rbg7+ Kf8 39.
Rxa7 Kg8 40. Rhb7 Re8 41. Rxa2 Rc8 42. Raa7 c5 43. Rg7+ Kf8 44. Raf7+ Ke8 45.
Rc7 1-0

[Event "Evanston Chess vs. TMCC"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.04.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Markovic, Arandel"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C29"]
[WhiteElo "2045"]
[BlackElo "2000"]
[PlyCount "47"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Qe2 Nxc3 (6... Ng5 $1 {
would be the Karpov defense, against which I think White can't get an advantage
}) 7. dxc3 b6 $6 (7... O-O 8. Bf4 Nc6 9. O-O-O f6 10. e6 $5) 8. Bf4 a5 (8...
Ba6 {I thought this was his idea but apparently not.} 9. Qf2 Bxf1 10. Rxf1 $14)
9. O-O-O c6 {too many pawn moves} 10. Qf2 Nd7 $2 (10... O-O 11. Qg3 Bf5 12. Bd3
Qc8 $14) 11. Qg3 (11. Nd4 {This would have been stronger than what I played. 
e5-e6 and Nxc6 are both threatened.}) 11... g6 (11... O-O 12. Bh6) 12. e6 $1 {
An enemy king in the center can only be exploited via violence} fxe6 (12... Nf6
13. exf7+ Kxf7 14. Ne5+ Kg8 15. Nxc6) 13. Bc7 {
Queen is checkmated, Black loses a piece} Bh4 14. Nxh4 Qf6 15. Bd3 g5 16. Nf3 (
16. Ng6 $1 hxg6 17. Rhf1 {I missed this - I was looking at various
combinations but decided to go with the slow Nh4-f3-e5, trading off the Black
N and invading on the f file}) 16... Rg8 17. Rhf1 Qh6 18. Ne5 Nxe5 19. Qxe5 b5
20. Rf6 Qg7 21. Rdf1 {There is no hurry. Black can't improve his position.} Ra7
{I was waiting for this move to come.  Now c8 is unprotected} 22. Rxe6+ Bxe6
23. Qxe6+ Qe7 24. Qc8+ 1-0

[Event "Saturday G30"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.06.19"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Cen, Kent"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C15"]
[WhiteElo "2045"]
[BlackElo "1980"]
[PlyCount "65"]

1. d4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. e4 Bb4 4. Nge2 dxe4 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Nxc3 f5 7. Bc4 Nf6 8.
Bg5 c6 9. f3 exf3 10. Qxf3 Qxd4 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. O-O-O O-O 13. Rhe1 Re8 14. h4
Nd7 15. Qf4 Kh8 16. Rd6 Nf8 17. h5 Bd7 18. Kb1 a5 19. Na4 Qe7 20. Nb6 e5 21.
Qd2 Rad8 22. Rd1 Qh4 23. h6 Re7 24. hxg7+ Rxg7 25. Qxa5 Qe7 26. Nxd7 Nxd7 27.
Qc7 h6 28. Be6 Rxg2 29. Bxf5 Rg7 30. Rxh6+ Kg8 31. Be6+ Rf7 32. Rg1+ Kf8 33.
Rh8# 1-0

[Event "Chicago Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.07.17"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Auger, Michael"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D01"]
[WhiteElo "2045"]
[BlackElo "2103"]
[PlyCount "71"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 g6 4. Qd2 Bg7 5. O-O-O c6 6. f3 Bf5 7. g4 Be6 8. Bh6
O-O 9. h4 b5 10. h5 Qa5 11. Bxg7 Kxg7 12. hxg6 fxg6 13. Qh6+ Kf7 14. g5 Nh5 15.
Qxh7+ Ke8 16. Qxg6+ Bf7 17. Qf5 Nd7 18. g6 Ng3 19. gxf7+ Kd8 20. Qh3 Nxh1 21.
Qxh1 b4 22. Nb1 Qxa2 23. e4 a5 24. Qh6 Rc8 25. Bh3 a4 26. Rd3 Qc4 27. Qe6 Rc7
28. Ne2 Nf6 29. Nf4 b3 30. Na3 Qb4 31. c3 Qb8 32. e5 Ne8 33. Qd7+ Rxd7 34. Ne6+
Kc8 35. Nxf8 Nf6 36. Nxd7 1-0

[Event "Chicago Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.07.18"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Kasiurak, Zach"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B46"]
[WhiteElo "2060"]
[BlackElo "2045"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "53"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. f3 Qa5 (7...
Bb4 8. Qd2 d5 9. O-O-O Qa5 10. Nb3 Bxc3 11. Nxa5 Bxd2+ 12. Bxd2 dxe4) 8. Qd2
Bb4 9. Nb3 Qc7 (9... Bxc3 10. Nxa5 Bxd2+ 11. Bxd2 d5 12. exd5 exd5 (12... Nxd5
13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. c4)) 10. a3 Be7 11. O-O-O d6 (11... b5 12. Bc5) 12. g4 Rb8 (
12... b5 13. Bxb5 axb5 14. Nxb5 Qb8 15. Nxd6+ Bxd6 16. Qxd6 Qxd6 17. Rxd6) 13.
g5 Nd7 14. f4 b5 15. Kb1 b4 (15... Nc5 16. Nxc5 (16. Nd4 b4 17. axb4 Nxb4)
16... dxc5) 16. axb4 Nxb4 (16... Rxb4 17. Nd5 exd5 18. exd5 Rxb3 19. dxc6 (19.
cxb3 Nd8) 19... Qxc6 20. Bg2 Rxb2+ 21. Kxb2 Qb5+) 17. Nb5 axb5 (17... Qxc2+ 18.
Qxc2 Nxc2 19. Nc7+ Kd8 20. Nxe6+ fxe6 21. Kxc2 Bb7) 18. Qxb4 O-O (18... Bb7)
19. Nd4 Ba6 (19... Bb7) 20. f5 Rfc8 (20... Ne5 21. fxe6 d5 22. Qb3) 21. fxe6
fxe6 22. Bh3 Nf8 (22... e5 23. Qb3+ Kh8 24. Nf5 Bf8) 23. Qb3 Qc4 24. Nxe6 Qxb3
(24... Bb7) 25. cxb3 Ng6 (25... Bb7) 26. Nf4 Bb7 27. Be6+ 1-0

[Event "Chicago Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.07.18"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Karklins, Erik"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B46"]
[WhiteElo "2052"]
[BlackElo "2045"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "2010.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 Nge7 {Taimanov's .
Blacks wishes to simplify via a "trade and kick" manuever. He will take on d4
and bring another N to c6.} 7. Be3 b5 (7... Nxd4 $2 8. Qxd4 Nc6 9. Qb6 {
is unpleasant}) 8. Bg2 Rb8 {controlling b6 (preventing a White Qb6) and
removing itself from the Bg2's stare} 9. O-O Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Nc6 11. Re1 $5 ({
I expected something like} 11. Be3 Bb7 12. f4 Be7 {
with a typical position for this variation}) 11... Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Qb6 13. Qe5 $1
{I saw this possibility during my opponent's move. It prevents me from
developing the KB actively due to the attack on g7, and it is hard to move the
queen due to the attack on b8. Also, Nd5 is in the position. Sure enough my
opponent played Qe5, and I decided there was nothing better than ...d6.} d6 (
13... Bc5 $2 14. Qxg7 Bxf2+ 15. Kh1 Bd4 16. e5 $1 Rf8 17. Ne4 {
is very bad for Black}) 14. Qg5 h6 15. Qd2 Be7 16. Rad1 O-O 17. Kh1 $2 {
Enabling f4. But this is a tactical error which I did not take advantage of.}
Bb7 (17... b4 $1 {I missed this thrust several times in this game. It gains
queenside space and provides Black with some key threats. Here it is
especially good because the N cannot go back to e2.} 18. Nb1 (18. Ne2 Qxf2 {
Black is just up a pawn}) (18. Na4 Qa5 19. b3 Bd7 20. Nb2 Qc5 {
with a clear advantage}) 18... e5 {The N is so far away from d5, Black can get
away with this dynamic move. After following up with development like ...Be6
and ..Rfc8 Black has a lot of queenside pressure. The Bg2 is no better than
the Be7.}) 18. f4 Rfd8 {Too passive.} (18... b4 19. Ne2 Rfc8) 19. Qe2 Rbc8 {
Again missing ...b4 with a good game for Black. After this, the move ...b4
becomes less and less good until finally it is impossible.} (19... b4 20. Nb1
Bf6) 20. Rd2 Qa5 21. a3 Bf6 22. Nd1 Qc7 23. c3 {
With ...b4 prevented Black has little counterplay. White now has the advantage.
} d5 24. e5 {Of course closing the position for the knight.} (24. exd5 Bxd5 25.
Bxd5 Rxd5 26. Rxd5 exd5 {Black would have been better here as White can't
penetrate on the e file, White's kingside is weak and ...d4 is impossible to
prevent.}) 24... Be7 25. Ne3 Bc5 26. Nc2 g6 $6 {Going for a kingside blockade
but it was probably better for Black to just sit tight.} 27. Nd4 Qb6 28. h4
Bxd4 $6 {Starting a race to liquidate pieces before White makes a breakthrough
on the Kingside.} (28... Ba8 {
Even this was preferable to what I played in the game.}) 29. Rxd4 Rc4 30. Red1
Rdc8 31. h5 Rxd4 32. Rxd4 Rc4 $2 {Consistant but bad. White is already winning.
} 33. hxg6 fxg6 34. Qg4 Kh7 (34... Kg7 35. Qh4 Rc7 36. Qf6+ Kh7 37. Bh3 Bc8 38.
f5 {is also game over}) 35. Qh4 $4 {Missing a decisive move:} (35. Be4 $1 {If}
dxe4 36. Rd7+ {is mating}) 35... Qc7 36. Qf6 Rxd4 37. cxd4 Bc8 {
With the idea of passive defense. The Bc8 holds a6 and e6.} 38. Qf8 Qc1+ 39.
Kh2 Qc2 40. Qf7+ (40. b4 {Trying to put Black in zugzwang.} Qc7 (40... h5 $5
41. Qf7+ Kh8 42. Kh3 {
Black must trade queens or get mated Nigel Short style after Kh3-h4-g5-h6!}
Qf5+ 43. Qxf5 gxf5 44. Kh4 {with grim prospects for Black}) 41. g4 {
Played at a moment when Black can't enter the h4-e1 diagonal} Qc2 42. g5 Qf5
43. Qxh6+ Kg8 {White has won a pawn but I'm not sure how he makes progress.})
40... Kh8 41. Qf8+ Kh7 42. g4 $6 {I think White loses much of his advantage
after this move. He should play it when my Q is on the passive c7 square.} Qf2
$5 {I played this move, which creates counterplay based on the h4-e1 diagonal
now being open. It was the only good defensive idea I saw. The Bishop can't be
declined because then I would just take one of White's dark square pawns.
After 5-10 minutes of thought, my opponent said "it's a draw." Legally I am
entitled to demand he make a move first, but I saw no reason to do so. I said
"I agree" which I suppose was a lie as I think Black is losing. This is why ..
.Qf2 is the last move of the game. I would never offer another Expert a draw
in this position.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Midwest Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.10.16"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Parker, Anthony"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B09"]
[WhiteElo "2049"]
[BlackElo "2187"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "61"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. a3 {I don't feel White should get an
advantage from this move but I play it anyway, to avoid the sharp lines that
may happen after 5.Nf3 c5} O-O 6. Bd3 c5 7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. O-O Ng4 10.
Qe1 Nd4 11. Nxd4 {forced.  ...c4, ..Nb3 were possible threats} cxd4 (11...
Qxd4+ 12. Kh1 Rd8) 12. Nd1 {Looks like Sicilian Grand Prix attack structure!}
Qb6 13. Qb4 {I like this idea.  Qe1 is usually played in order to go to h4 and
start a kingside attack but here white's queen comes out to the queenside!} Qc7
(13... Qxb4 14. axb4 {I would have been happy with this endgame.}) 14. h3 Nh6
15. f5 {beginning a very strong attack} gxf5 16. exf5 a5 17. Qe1 Ra6 {
excellent practical decision.  Black offers white to exchange active B for
inactive R.  If white does not accept the Ra6 can play a role in the defense. 
After 'normal' moves black is just getting crushed.} 18. Bxa6 (18. Bf4 {
more precise according to rybka} Qc5 19. Bxa6 bxa6 20. f6 exf6 21. Qd2 Nf5 22.
g4 $18) 18... bxa6 19. f6 exf6 20. Bf4 {I offer a second pawn for the exchange
to activate my QR with tempo but this is not a good move, black is beginning
to acheive good compensation} (20. Rf2) 20... Qxc2 21. Rc1 Qg6 22. Qg3 {
bad move, white has lost the thread} (22. Kh2 $18) 22... Nf5 23. Qxg6 {
straightens out black's pawns, giving away nearly all of white's advantage} (
23. Qf2 Be6 24. Kh2) 23... fxg6 24. Rc7 Rd8 25. g4 Nh4 26. Kf2 g5 27. Bg3 f5
28. Bxh4 gxh4 29. gxf5 Bxf5 30. Rg1 Bg6 31. Rg5 {
With the bishop pair Black is better but in a mutual time scramble White won}
1-0

[Event "Midwest Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.10.16"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Chen, Michael"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B07"]
[WhiteElo "2014"]
[BlackElo "2049"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "79"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Bd3 e5 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Nf3 Qc7 7. O-O Bg4 8. h3
Bh5 9. Be2 {
Had I known white was going to play this timidly I might have played 1...c5}
Nbd7 10. Nh4 Bg6 11. Nxg6 hxg6 12. Be3 Bc5 13. Qd2 O-O-O 14. Rfb1 {
surely white should put a rook on the d file} Nf8 (14... Nb6 15. Qc1 (15. Bd3
Nc4 $1) 15... Bd4 {This would have held up white's game quite nicely}) 15. Bd3
Ne6 {Optically the N on e6 is better than a N on b6, but here White can push
the b pawn and justify his rooks} 16. b4 Bd4 17. Bxd4 Nxd4 {Rxh3 threat} 18.
Qe3 Rh4 {This turns out to be a very silly move!} (18... g5 {The problem in
this game was even though Black was doing well in the center, white could
create pressure on the queenside but there never was any pressure on white's
kingside}) 19. b5 c5 20. a4 (20. b6 {I was very concerned about this move
during the game but objectively black is OK because of the weakness of e4 (the
Rh4 helps)} axb6 21. Na4 b5) 20... c4 {
winning material but I felt White had compensation} 21. Bf1 Nxc2 22. Qg3 Nxa1 (
22... Rf4 $1 {Not sure why I rejected this.  Black will play ...Rd2 to follow
with pressure on f2}) 23. Qxh4 Nb3 24. Nd5 {This N should be taken} g5 {
A ridiculous continuation.  I felt I was losing control over the position and
my instinct was tocomplicate} (24... Nxd5 25. exd5 c3 $1 {
Another key idea missed by Black!}) 25. Qxg5 Nxe4 26. Qf5+ Qd7 27. Ne7+ Kb8 28.
Qxe5+ (28. Nc6+ $1) 28... Qc7 {
Allowing White to simply trade into a pawn up endgame} (28... Ka8) 29. Qxc7+
Kxc7 30. Bxc4 Ned2 31. Rb2 Nxc4 32. Rxb3 Rd1+ 33. Kh2 Nd2 {
With ideas of Nf1-g3-f1 perpetual check, but white has a nice resource} 34.
Nd5+ Kd6 35. Ne3 Nf1+ {The final missed opportunity for Black...} (35... Nxb3
36. Nxd1 {I distrusted the knight endgame, but Black might actually be winning
because of the active king!!!} Kc5 37. Kg3 Kb4 38. Kf4 Kxa4 39. Nc3+ Kb4 40.
Ne4 Kxb5 41. Nd6+ Kc6 42. Nxf7 Kd5 $1) 36. Nxf1 Rxf1 37. Rf3 Ke7 {
The best defense involves making the fewest pawn moves} 38. Rf4 Rb1 39. h4 Rb3
40. g3 {White offered a draw which was quite generous.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Midwest Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.10.17"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Tallo, Emily"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C47"]
[WhiteElo "2049"]
[BlackElo "1900"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "100"]
[EventDate "2010.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8.
exd5 cxd5 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 c6 11. Qf3 Be7 {I have never had this move played
against me before and realized I had no meaningful preparation against it.} 12.
Na4 {The entire game I regretted this move. But the time the N is able to come
to c5 blockading the hanging pawns White is substantially worse.} (12. Rae1 {
This makes more sense and has been played many times.} Rb8 (12... h6 $2 13.
Bxh6 $1 gxh6 14. Qe3 Rb8 15. Qxh6 Ne4 16. Nxe4 f5 17. Re3 Kf7 18. Qh5+ Ke6 19.
Ng5+ Kd7 20. Nf7 Qb6 21. Qg5 Ke8 22. Rxe7# {
1-0 Ivanov,V-Feoktistov,A/Moscow 1996/CBM 56 ext}) 13. Nd1 Re8 14. h3 Be6 15.
Re2 c5 16. Rfe1 d4 17. Bf5 Bc4 18. Re5 Bb5 19. b3 Bd6 20. Rxe8+ Bxe8 21. Nb2
Bb5 22. a4 Ba6 23. Bd3 Bxd3 24. Nxd3 h6 25. Bh4 a5 26. Ne5 Rc8 27. Ng4 Be7 28.
Rxe7 Qxe7 29. Nxf6+ gxf6 30. Qg4+ Kh7 31. Qxc8 {
1-0 Spielmann,R-Yates,F/Semmering 1926/HCL}) 12... Bg4 13. Qf4 Bh5 14. Qh4 Bg6
15. Bxg6 hxg6 {I felt trading should give White a positional advantage since I
can threaten to come to the h file but that does not come about} 16. Rfe1 Rb8
$1 {I more or less assumed Black had to play ..Re8, but ..Rb8! threatens ..
Rb4! So I have to waste time with c3 and then Black has time for ..Rb7 later.}
17. c3 Re8 18. b4 (18. Re3 Rb7 19. Rae1 Ne4) 18... Rb7 {Black is simply better
here, there is no possibility of a winning rook lift and black is going to
blow white away in the center} 19. Qd4 (19. Re3 Ne4 20. Bxe7 Rbxe7 21. Rh3 f5
$1) 19... Ne4 20. Bxe7 Rbxe7 21. f3 Nd6 22. Qf2 Nc4 23. Nc5 Qd6 24. Nd3 {
Black seems to have the better everything, but Rybka seems to think Black has
only a marginal advantage here... mentally I was completely in 'scrap for
counterplay' mode though. Maybe the truth is that the N on d3 will allow white
to trade off all the heavies (via e1 square) and then white will be better
because of his superior structure? Well, I played much too poorly to realize
this idea.} Ne3 $2 {
A mistake but it's hard to find a move to improve Black's position.} 25. Rac1
$2 (25. Re2 {I'm not sure how I missed this during the game, White seems to be
getting back in the drivers seat!}) 25... d4 {
This move should not have been allowed.} 26. c4 a5 27. a3 axb4 28. axb4 Ra7 29.
Ra1 {After this White is just lost, the rest doesn't need comment} (29. c5 Qd5
30. Ra1 Rea8 31. Rxa7 Rxa7 32. Nf4) 29... Rxa1 30. Rxa1 Nxc4 31. Ra7 g5 32. Qa2
Qe6 33. Ra8 Qe3+ 34. Kh1 Rxa8 35. Qxa8+ Kh7 36. Qxc6 Qxd3 37. h4 Ne3 38. Kh2
gxh4 39. b5 Nf1+ 40. Kg1 Ng3 41. Kh2 Qf1 42. Kh3 Qh1+ 43. Kg4 d3 44. b6 d2 45.
b7 (45. Qc2+ f5+ $1 {and white must say "touchee"}) 45... d1=Q 46. b8=Q Qd4+
47. f4 Qdd1+ 48. Qf3 f5+ 49. Kg5 Qxf3 50. gxf3 Qxf3 0-1

[Event "1st NA Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.11.26"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Stone, George"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B23"]
[WhiteElo "2046"]
[BlackElo "1882"]
[PlyCount "117"]
[EventDate "2010.11.26"]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. a3 d6 6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O Nge7 8. d3
O-O 9. Qe1 d5 10. Ba2 Nd4 11. Nxd4 cxd4 12. Nd1 Bd7 13. f5 exf5 14. Qh4 Be6 15.
Bg5 f6 16. Bd2 fxe4 17. dxe4 Nc6 18. Nf2 Bf7 19. Rae1 Rc8 20. Ng4 dxe4 21. Nh6+
Bxh6 22. Bxh6 Re8 23. Bxf7+ Kxf7 24. Bg5 Kg8 25. Bxf6 Qd5 26. Qh6 Rc7 27. Rf4
Rf7 28. g4 e3 29. g5 Re4 30. Qh4 Rxf4 31. Qxf4 Qf5 32. Qxf5 gxf5 33. b4 Rxf6
34. gxf6 Kf7 35. Kf1 Kxf6 36. Ke2 Ke5 37. Kf3 f4 38. b5 Ne7 39. Rg1 Nf5 40. Rg4
d3 41. cxd3 Nd4+ 42. Kg2 f3+ 43. Kf1 e2+ 44. Kf2 Nc2 45. Re4+ Kd5 46. h4 e1=Q+
47. Rxe1 Nxe1 48. Kxe1 Kd4 49. Kf2 Kxd3 50. Kxf3 Kc4 51. a4 a5 52. bxa6 bxa6
53. Ke4 Kb4 54. Kd4 h5 55. a5 Kxa5 56. Kc5 Ka4 57. Kc4 Ka3 58. Kc3 Ka2 59. Kc2
1/2-1/2

[Event "1st NA Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.11.26"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Craigmile, Charles"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B07"]
[WhiteElo "1781"]
[BlackElo "2046"]
[PlyCount "109"]
[EventDate "2010.11.26"]

1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 e6 6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 O-O 8. h3
Bxf3 9. Bxf3 d5 10. e5 Nfd7 11. Ne2 c5 12. c3 Nc6 13. Be3 cxd4 14. cxd4 Nb6 15.
b3 Bb4 16. Bd2 Rc8 17. a3 Bxd2 18. Qxd2 a5 19. Ng3 Qh4 20. Rab1 Qxd4 21. Qg5 f6
22. exf6 Qxf6 23. Qe3 Nd4 24. Bg4 Rc2 25. f3 Qf4 26. Bxe6+ Nxe6 27. Qxe6+ Kh8
28. Re2 Rc6 29. Qg4 Qxg4 30. hxg4 Rfc8 31. Rbe1 g6 32. Re8+ Kg7 33. Rxc8 Nxc8
34. Re5 Rd6 35. Kf2 Kf7 36. Ke3 Ne7 37. Kd3 Rb6 38. Kc2 Rc6+ 39. Kd3 Rc1 40.
Ne2 Ra1 41. a4 Nc6 42. Re3 Ra2 43. Nf4 Nb4+ 44. Kc3 d4+ 45. Kxd4 Nc2+ 46. Kd3
Nxe3 47. Kxe3 Ra3 48. Kd4 Rxb3 49. Nd5 b5 50. axb5 Rxb5 51. Kc4 Rb2 52. Ne3 a4
53. Kc3 Rb3+ 54. Kd2 Rxe3 55. Kxe3 0-1

[Event "1st NA Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.11.26"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Girardo, Christopher"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B13"]
[WhiteElo "2046"]
[BlackElo "1853"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[EventDate "2010.11.26"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Qc7 6. Ne2 Bg4 7. f3 Bd7 8. f4
Nf6 9. Nd2 Bg4 10. O-O e6 11. h3 Bxe2 12. Qxe2 Bd6 13. Nb3 O-O 14. Bd2 Rad8 15.
Rae1 Rfe8 16. g4 g6 17. Qf2 Ne7 18. Qh4 Kg7 19. Re5 Neg8 20. g5 Bxe5 21. fxe5
Ne4 22. Bxe4 dxe4 23. Nc5 Rd5 24. Nxe4 Red8 25. Bf4 R8d7 26. Nf6 h5 27. Ne8+
1-0

[Event "1st NA Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.11.27"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Mei, Mike"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B07"]
[WhiteElo "1999"]
[BlackElo "2046"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "2010.11.26"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 e6 6. O-O Be7 7. h3 Bh5 8. Nh2
Bg6 9. Bd3 e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Be3 Nbd7 12. Qe2 b5 13. a3 O-O 14. f4 exf4 15.
Bxf4 Nh5 16. Rad1 Bc5+ 17. Kh1 Qh4 18. Qf3 Qxf4 19. Qxf4 Nxf4 20. Rxf4 Ne5 21.
Rff1 Rad8 22. Nf3 Bd4 23. Nxd4 Rxd4 24. Ne2 Rd7 25. Nf4 Rfd8 26. Rde1 a6 27.
Kh2 c5 28. Rf2 c4 29. Bf1 Rd2 30. Ree2 Rxe2 31. Rxe2 Rd1 32. Kg1 f6 33. Kf2 Bf7
34. g4 g5 35. Ng2 Be6 36. Ne3 Rb1 37. Nd5 Kf7 38. Nc7 Rxb2 39. Nxa6 c3 40. Nb4
Nc4 41. Nd3 Nxa3 42. e5 Rxc2 0-1

[Event "1st NA Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.11.27"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Kosteris, Dimitri"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C00"]
[WhiteElo "2046"]
[BlackElo "1838"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "2010.11.26"]

1. e4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. c3 Nh6 6. Na3 Bd7 7. Nc2 Qb6 8. a3 Rc8
9. b4 Be7 10. b5 Na5 11. Rb1 O-O 12. Be2 Nf5 13. O-O f6 14. Kh1 Qd8 15. d4 Qe8
16. g4 Nh6 17. Rg1 cxd4 18. cxd4 Nc4 19. a4 f5 20. gxf5 Nxf5 21. Ng5 Bxg5 22.
Rxg5 Qd8 23. Bd3 Qc7 24. Qg1 Be8 25. Ne1 Bg6 26. Rxg6 hxg6 27. Nf3 Qe7 28. Ng5
Nb6 29. Qg4 Rxc1+ 30. Rxc1 Qa3 31. Rd1 Qxa4 32. Bxf5 gxf5 33. Qh5 Rc8 34. Qf7+
Kh8 35. Qh5+ Kg8 36. Qh7+ Kf8 37. Qh8+ Ke7 38. Qxg7+ Kd8 39. Qf6+ Kd7 40. Qf7+
1-0

[Event "1st NA Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.11.27"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Richmond, Barrie"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C00"]
[WhiteElo "2046"]
[BlackElo "1740"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "2010.11.26"]

1. e4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. c3 Qb6 6. Na3 a6 7. Nc2 Bd7 8. d4 cxd4
9. cxd4 Nge7 10. Bd3 g6 11. Bd2 Bg7 12. Bc3 Rc8 13. Qd2 O-O 14. O-O f6 15. exf6
Bxf6 16. Kh1 Nf5 17. Bxf5 exf5 18. Ne5 Nxe5 19. dxe5 Be7 20. Qxd5+ Be6 21. Qf3
Rfd8 22. Rfd1 Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Bxa2 24. Ne3 Rd8 25. Nd5 Bxd5 26. Rxd5 Qb3 27.
Rxd8+ Bxd8 28. h3 Be7 29. Kh2 Kf7 30. Qd3 Ke6 31. Qd4 Qb5 32. b4 Qc6 33. Be1
Qe4 34. Qb6+ Qc6 35. Qd4 Qe4 1/2-1/2

[Event "1st NA Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.11.28"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Miller, Steven Craig"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A48"]
[WhiteElo "1934"]
[BlackElo "2046"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "2010.11.26"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 g6 3. e3 Bg7 4. Nf3 O-O 5. h3 d6 6. Be2 Nfd7 7. O-O e5 8. Bh2
Nc6 9. c4 f5 10. Nc3 Kh8 11. Rc1 g5 12. d5 Ncb8 13. b4 a5 14. a3 b6 15. Nd2 Na6
16. Qb3 Nf6 17. e4 f4 18. Na4 Bd7 19. c5 axb4 20. cxd6 cxd6 21. axb4 f3 22.
Bxf3 g4 23. hxg4 Bh6 24. Rcd1 Nc5 25. Nxc5 bxc5 26. Qc3 cxb4 27. Qxb4 Bxg4 28.
Bxg4 Nxg4 29. Bg3 Bf4 30. Nc4 Qg5 31. Rd3 Bxg3 32. Rxg3 Qh4 33. Rh3 Qxf2+ 34.
Rxf2 Ra1+ 0-1

[Event "1st NA Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.11.28"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Villarreal, Brian"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B21"]
[WhiteElo "2046"]
[BlackElo "1766"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "2010.11.26"]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Na3 (4. Nc3) 4... Nc6 5. Bb5 Nd4 6. Nxd4 cxd4
7. O-O e6 (7... a6 8. Bd3 d5 9. e5) 8. c4 (8. f5 a6 9. fxe6 fxe6 10. Bd3 Nh6) (
8. e5 Ne7 9. Nc4 O-O 10. Nd6 f6) (8. Nc4 Qc7 9. e5 Bf8 10. Na3 (10. b3 a6 11.
Nd6+ Bxd6 12. exd6 Qxd6 13. Bd3) 10... a6 11. Bd3) 8... dxc3 (8... d3 9. e5) (
8... Ne7 9. d3) (8... a6 9. Ba4) 9. dxc3 (9. d4 cxb2 10. Bxb2 Nf6 $13) 9... Ne7
(9... a6 10. Be2 b5 11. Nc2 $14) 10. Be3 a6 (10... O-O) 11. Qd6 axb5 (11... O-O
12. Bb6 Qe8 13. Bc4 $16) (11... Nc6 12. Bxc6 bxc6 (12... dxc6 13. Qxd8+ Kxd8
14. Bb6+ Ke8 15. Nc4 $16) 13. Nc4 $16) 12. Nxb5 (12. Bb6 $4 Ra6 13. Bxd8 Rxd6
$19) 12... Ra6 (12... O-O 13. Bb6 Ra6 (13... Qe8 14. Nc7 Qd8 15. Nxa8 Qe8 16.
Nc7 Qd8 17. Nxe6 Qe8 18. Nc7 Qd8 19. Nd5 Qe8 20. Nxe7+) 14. Bxd8 Rxd6 15. Bxe7)
(12... Kf8 13. Bb6 Ra6 (13... Qe8 14. Nc7 Qd8 15. Nxa8 Qe8 16. Nc7 Qd8 17.
Nxe6+) 14. Bxd8 Rxd6 15. Nxd6) 13. Nc7+ Kf8 14. Nxa6 bxa6 15. Bb6 (15. f5 gxf5
(15... f6 16. fxe6) 16. exf5 f6 17. fxe6) 15... Qe8 16. f5 gxf5 (16... f6 17.
e5) 17. exf5 exf5 (17... f6 18. fxe6 (18. Rae1 Kf7) 18... dxe6 19. Bc5 Kf7) 18.
Rae1 Bb7 19. Rxe7 Qxe7 20. Qb8+ {Black resigned} Qe8 21. Bc5+ d6 22. Bxd6+ Kg8
23. Qxe8+ Bf8 24. Qxf8# 1-0

[Event "1st NA Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.11.28"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Vitkauskas, Vito"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B07"]
[WhiteElo "1708"]
[BlackElo "2046"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "2010.11.26"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Be2 Qa5 5. Bd2 Qc7 6. a4 e5 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. Be3
Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. h3 Bh5 11. Nh4 Bg6 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. d5 Nbd7 14. Qd2 Rfe8
15. b4 cxd5 16. exd5 a6 17. a5 Nh7 18. Na4 f5 19. c4 Nhf6 20. Bd3 e4 21. Be2
Ne5 22. Nb6 Nfd7 23. Nxa8 Rxa8 24. Rfc1 1/2-1/2

[Event "IL Class"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.12.05"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Young, Angelo"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B21"]
[WhiteElo "2045"]
[BlackElo "2450"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "66"]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Na3 a6 $1 5. c3 d6 6. d3 Nf6 7. Be2 Nc6 8. O-O
O-O 9. Qe1 b5 10. Bd1 $5 Qc7 11. Kh1 b4 $1 12. Nc4 a5 $2 13. Ba4 $1 Bb7 14. Bd2
(14. Ne3 $11) 14... d5 15. exd5 Nxd5 16. Nfe5 (16. Bxc6 Qxc6 17. Nfe5 $11)
16... Nxe5 (16... e6 17. Qg3 Nce7 $11) (16... Rfd8 17. Bxc6 Bxc6 18. f5 $14)
17. fxe5 Rad8 18. Bb5 (18. Bb3 Bc6 19. a4 $14) (18. a3 $14) 18... Ba8 $11 19.
Rf2 (19. Qf2 f5 $11 (19... Bxe5 $6 20. Nxe5 Qxe5 21. Rae1 $14)) 19... Qb8 $1 (
19... Qb7 20. a4 bxa3 21. Nxa3 $14) 20. Ba4 (20. a4 bxa3 21. Nxa3 Bxe5 $15)
20... Nb6 21. Nxb6 Qxb6 22. Bg5 $2 (22. Bc2 $11) 22... Qc7 $6 (22... Qe6 $15) (
22... f6 $15) 23. Rd1 $2 (23. e6 $1 $13) 23... bxc3 24. Bf4 $4 (24. bxc3 Bxe5
25. Bh6 $13) 24... cxb2 25. Bb3 Bd5 26. Rxb2 Bxb3 27. Rxb3 Rd5 (27... Rd4 $17)
28. Rb5 Rfd8 29. a4 Bxe5 30. Bxe5 Rxe5 31. Qxa5 Qxa5 32. Rxa5 Rxd3 33. Rc1 Red5
$19 0-1

[Event "G45"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.01.23"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Pullin, M."]
[Black "Muradian, S."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2031"]
[BlackElo "1712"]
[PlyCount "70"]

1. e4 c6 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. d4 d6 5. Bd3 Bg4 6. c3 Nd7 7. Nbd2 e6 (7... e5
8. Nc4 Qc7 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Bc2 $14) 8. Nc4 $6 {
looks good but the direct attack on d6 doesn't amount to as much as I thought}
(8. h3 $1 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 d5 10. f5 $1) 8... Qc7 9. e5 Bf8 10. exd6 $2 {
No! Don't release the tension and let Black develop} (10. O-O d5 11. Ne3 $14)
10... Bxd6 11. h3 $6 {weak move} (11. Nce5) (11. O-O {sets a nice trap:} Bxf4
12. Bxf4 Qxf4 13. Nfe5) 11... Bf5 12. Nfe5 Ne7 13. g4 $2 {
incredibly weakening, Black gets the advantage now} (13. Be2) 13... Bxd3 14.
Qxd3 f6 15. Nxd7 Qxd7 16. Be3 Nd5 17. Nxd6+ Qxd6 18. O-O (18. Rf1 $11) 18...
Nxe3 $6 (18... O-O-O {White's position is very awkward}) 19. Qxe3 O-O-O 20.
Rae1 Rhe8 21. b4 {Here it is about equal again, I felt confident that I could
outplay my opponent in this endgame but I was incorrect, Black does not make
any mistakes in what follows and a draw is the just result.} Re7 22. g5 {
undermining support of e5 square} Rf8 23. gxf6 Rxf6 24. Qe5 Qxe5 25. fxe5 Rff7
(25... Rf5 {
I thought this was the most precise defense but Rff7 is sufficient as well})
26. Kg2 Kd7 27. Kg3 h6 28. Kg4 Rf5 29. Rxf5 exf5+ (29... gxf5+ 30. Kh5 Rg7 31.
h4 $14) 30. Kf4 Ke6 31. h4 b5 32. a4 a6 33. axb5 axb5 (33... cxb5 $2 34. Rg1
Rg7 35. d5+ Kxd5 36. h5 g5+ 37. Kxf5 {With serious winning chances}) 34. Ra1
Rg7 {I discovered much to my chagrin that the White R can do nothing by
penetrating through the queenside, so let's just go back to the g file and
hold the draw} 35. Rg1 Rg8 1/2-1/2

[Event "G45"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.01.23"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Vitkauskas, V."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1678"]
[BlackElo "2031"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. c3 a6 5. Bc4 {
quiet move, 5.Ba4 or 5.Bxc6 are more critical} d6 6. h3 Bg7 7. d4 Qe7 8. O-O h6
(8... Nf6 {is more straightforward, only after Re1 is ..h6 needed}) 9. Re1 Nf6
10. Nbd2 (10. d5 Nd8 {Black would like White to close the center so Black can
launch a KID style attack}) (10. dxe5 Nxe5 {as Michael Goeller explains in his
articles on the fianchetto system in the Open Games, Black wants to exchange
this N because it blocks his c pawn.  White could play the painful b3+Ba3
otherwise.}) 10... O-O 11. Nb3 $6 {strange square} Nd7 $1 12. Qc2 Nb6 13. Bd3
Qf6 (13... exd4 $1 {I saw White couldn't take with c pawn, but I figured I was
allowing my opponent to correct the placement of his worst piece, the N on b3.
So I rejected 13..exd4.  However Black gets a very free game based on using
the e5 square.  It's not so easy for White to play f4 here and reclaim that
square.} 14. Nbxd4 (14. cxd4 Nb4 $15) 14... Ne5 15. Bf1 Bd7 $11) 14. Bd2 Bxh3
$6 {I don't feel I should have played this.  It allows my opponent to sacrfice
a pawn for some play; he is able to make me uncomfortable and I made several
errors.} 15. gxh3 Qxf3 16. Re3 Qf6 (16... Qh5 17. Rg3 exd4 18. cxd4 Nxd4 19.
Nxd4 Bxd4 20. Qxc7 Na4 {
is the Rybka preferred line where Black takes as much material as possible})
17. Rf1 Rac8 (17... d5 $1 {asserting myself in the center would have been a
better challenge to white's sacrifice.  Still, opening the position with White
having the two bishops defies human logic.}) 18. Rg3 exd4 19. f4 dxc3 (19... d5
20. e5 Qh4 21. Be1 dxc3 22. Rxg6 Qe7 {
Is another Rybka preferred continuation which I wanted no part of.}) 20. bxc3
Rce8 21. Kh2 Qd8 (21... Re7 {doubling rooks}) (21... Qh4 22. Be1 Qe7) 22. Rfg1
Qh4 23. Rg4 Qh5 24. R1g2 {after this move I thought white was going to play
e4-e5 with a sacrifice on g6 and ripping open the g file.  But that is not
quite working for White, Black has many things to try in this position} Ne5 $6
(24... d5 25. e5 Nc4) (24... a5) (24... Na5) 25. fxe5 Bxe5+ {I sacrificed a N
to blockade my opponent's e4 pawn.  I have 3 pawns for the piece and rybka
feels Black is still better, but this was definitely not necessary.} 26. Bf4
Kh7 {in fear of the g file} (26... Nd7) (26... Bxf4+ 27. Rxf4 Qe5 28. Qd2 Nd7)
27. Qd2 Nd7 28. Nd4 c5 $2 (28... Nf6 $1) 29. Nf3 g5 $4 (29... Bxf4+ 30. Qxf4
Ne5 31. Nxe5 Qxe5 $11) 30. Nxg5+ $1 hxg5 31. Rxg5 Qh6 32. Rxe5 $1 {
This takes Black's defenses apart.} Nxe5 33. Bxe5 $4 {
A serious error after a well played pressure game by Vito.} (33. Bxh6 Nf3+ 34.
Kh1 Nxd2 35. Bxf8 Nxe4 36. Bxe4+ Rxe4 37. Rg7+ Kh8 38. Rxf7 Kg8 39. Rf2 Re3 40.
Kg2 Rxc3 41. Bxd6 $16 {Black has potential counterplay but only one pawn for
the bishop.  I believe White should win.  It doesn't help that the white K
can't approach and both the white pawns are rook pawns though.}) 33... Qxd2 34.
Rxd2 dxe5 {Black is back on top.} 35. Bc4 Rd8 36. Rb2 b5 37. Bd5 f5 38. Bb7
fxe4 39. Bxe4+ Kh6 40. Rg2 Rf6 {After many moves I was able to simplify to a
R+P+P vs. R ending with the a and b pawns, and won.} 0-1

[Event "G45"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.01.23"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Pullin, M."]
[Black "Sun, A."]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2031"]
[BlackElo "1708"]
[PlyCount "79"]

1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. f4 $6 {The Halasz gambit.  A blitz weapon of mine.  I
do not believe it is sound but I like some of the positional aspects of it.}
Nc6 4. Nf3 Bc5 5. a3 d6 (5... a5 {is a standard response to a3}) 6. b4 Bb6 7.
Bd3 {White intends to blockade, not recapture, the d4 pawn.  Play is
reminicient of a reverse color Elephant gambit.} a6 8. O-O Nf6 {
..Nge7 followed by ..f5 seems like a reasonable defense} 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. Qe1 $6
{Perhaps this natural move is incorrect, but how to get the Q to an effective
square for the attack?} Re8 $1 {This sets up a simplifying tactic ..Nxe4 which
I wrongly ignored and my opponent wrongly did not play.} 11. h3 $2 (11. Kh1
Nxe4 12. Nxe4 Bf5 13. Nfg5 h6 14. Qg3 $17) (11. Qh4 Ng4 12. Qg3 Ne3 13. Bb2
Nxf1 14. Rxf1 $13 {This exchange sacrifice seems forced if White is to keep
the position complicated}) (11. Qg3 Nh5 $17) (11. Qf2 Ng4 $17) 11... h6 $2 {
Clearly my opponent does not understand the position} (11... Nxe4 12. Nxe4 Bf5
13. Nfg5 d5 14. Nxf7 Kxf7 15. Ng5+ Kg8 16. Qg3 $17) 12. Qh4 Ne7 13. g4 Ng6 14.
Qg3 Nd7 {pointless.  Black is drifting.} (14... Qd7 $5 {
preparing to get the Bb6 to a useful diagonal d8-h4 is interesting}) 15. Nc4
Ba7 16. Bd2 Nb6 17. Nb2 {I am not interested in trading a good piece for a
poor piece.  The Nb6 in front of the Ba7 looks ridiculous} Nd7 18. Rae1 b5 19.
Kh2 {everything is in order, white is ready to punch in the center} c5 20. e5
c4 (20... dxe5 21. f5) 21. Be4 Rb8 22. c3 dxe5 23. Bxg6 fxg6 24. fxe5 d3 25.
Nd1 {Nothing can be acheived yet so I improve the position of the worst piece
first of all} Nf8 26. Nf2 Bb7 27. Ne4 Bxe4 28. Rxe4 {This is exactly the type
of position I wanted.  Black's extra pawn is blockaded and only useful in the
longterm.  All white's pieces are active and there is a passed pawn for Black
to worry about.  Black is objectively better but I was able to manufacture
winning tactics against my weaker opponent} Ne6 $1 {
very important to blockade the pawn} 29. g5 h5 30. Nh4 {targeting g6} Kh7 (
30... Rf8 31. Ree1 Qe8 32. Qg2 Rc8 {would have been a good defense}) 31. Rf7
Re7 32. Qf3 Qe8 $4 (32... Qb6 $1 {This queen move, leaving the R hanging and
hitting g1, is what I didn't account for.  Be3 can't be played due to ..Nxg5. 
White has nothing here.}) 33. Nxg6 {
This suggests itself.  White is winning by force now.} Rbb7 34. Nxe7 (34. Rh4 {
mate in 6 missed}) (34. Qxh5+ {mate in 9 missed}) 34... Rxe7 35. g6+ Kg8 36.
Rxe7 Qxe7 37. Qxh5 {Not as good as what I could have had obviously (blind spot
to Rf4-h4 manuever) but still winning} Qb7 (37... Nf8 38. Rf4 Nxg6 39. Qxg6 Bb8
40. Kg2) 38. Qh7+ Kf8 39. Rf4+ Nxf4 40. Qh8+ {The Q is lost.  I am not sure I
will repeat this gambit in a tournament situation.  My opponent had good
chances to defend up until Nxg6!} 1-0

[Event "G45"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.01.23"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Girardo, C."]
[Black "Pullin, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1813"]
[BlackElo "2031"]
[PlyCount "36"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 e6 6. dxe6 {I find this move
hard to believe, it gives Black a big pawn center and semi-open f file for the
cost of his QRP. But it does get played quite a bit.} (6. Nc3) 6... fxe6 7. Nc3
{Usually this is not played, White does something like e3, Nf3, g3, etc. But
Chris's approach of Nc3+Bg5+e4 is entirely logical and I'm not sure why more
people don't play this way. I couldn't find any examples of the position that
was reached.} d5 (7... Nxa6 8. e4 Bb7 9. Bd3 Nb4 10. Bb1 Be7 {Nikolayev}) 8.
Bg5 Be7 {Maybe ..Be7 is the culprit} (8... Bxa6 9. e4 Bxf1 10. Kxf1 $16 {
The Black center collapses}) (8... d4 {
I am never in favor of this type of premature push} 9. Ne4 Nxa6 $14) (8... Qb6
{This is what I will play next time} 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Rb1 Bxa6 $13) 9. e4 O-O (
9... Nfd7 $5) 10. e5 (10. exd5 Nxd5 (10... exd5 11. Bxf6 Rxf6 12. Qxd5+ Re6+
13. Be2 Raxa6 14. Qxd8+ Bxd8 15. O-O-O $18) 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 {
Losing the d5 pawn is a little depressing but this may be an option}) 10...
Nfd7 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. Nxd5 $2 {An incorrect sacrifice.} (12. Nf3 Qf7 {
very important manuever, this forces white to defend against ..Nxe5 threat and
also stops} 13. Qd2 Bxa6 14. Bxa6 Rxa6 15. O-O $11) 12... exd5 (12... Qf7 $1 {
Would have been very simple refutation}) 13. Qxd5+ Qf7 14. Bc4 $1 {
A very good move. Black has only one good response:} Nxe5 $1 15. Qxf7+ (15.
Qxa8 Qxc4 $19) 15... Nxf7 16. Nf3 (16. O-O-O {
Chris suggested this variation but it is insufficient as well:} Ra7 $1) 16...
Bxa6 17. Bd5 $2 {Losing a piece} (17. Bxa6 Nxa6 {
White has a couple pawns for the piece and can struggle}) 17... Re8+ 18. Kd2
Rd8 0-1

[Event "Highland Park G45"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.01.30"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Hazners, Daumants"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1776"]
[BlackElo "2034"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "84"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 e6 6. dxe6 fxe6 7. e3 d5 {
The immediate occupation of the center is not best.  Black should prefer to
develop the pieces.} (7... Nxa6 8. Nc3 Be7 9. Bd3 Nb4 10. Bb1 Bb7 {Nikolayev})
8. Bb5+ Bd7 (8... Nbd7) 9. Qa4 Rxa6 $6 (9... Nxa6) 10. Bxd7+ Nfxd7 $6 {
No sense in avoiding a Queen trade and then accepting one later on better
terms for White} (10... Qxd7 11. Qxd7+ Kxd7 12. Nf3 Nc6) 11. Qc2 Qg5 $6 (11...
c4 $40) 12. g3 Qh5 13. Qe2 $1 Qxe2+ (13... Qf7 {I reasoned that on e2 the
White Q is doing more things than the Black Q on f7.  Still after ...Bd6 ..O-O
Black should have adequate compensation.}) 14. Nxe2 Ne5 15. O-O Bd6 16. Rd1 {
Visually Black has a lot of space and activity for the pawn, but White hasn't
made any big mistakes} O-O 17. Kg2 Nbd7 18. Nbc3 c4 19. e4 Nd3 20. f4 Re8 21. b3
N7c5 22. e5 Bf8 23. Nd4 $2 {Allows Black to regain the gambit pawn} cxb3 24.
Rd2 Nxc1 25. Rxc1 b2 $4 (25... bxa2 26. Rxa2 Rxa2+ 27. Nxa2 Rb8 28. Rc2 Rb6 $11
) 26. Rb1 Ra3 (26... g5 $5) 27. Ncb5 (27. Ndb5 $16) 27... Rxa2 28. Rbxb2 Ra1 (
28... Rxb2 29. Rxb2 Rb8) 29. Ra2 Re1 30. Kf2 Rc1 31. Rac2 Ne4+ 32. Ke2 $2 (32.
Kg2 $1 $18) 32... Rh1 33. Rd1 Rxh2+ 34. Kf3 Rxc2 35. Nxc2 Bc5 36. Ncd4 Rb8 $4 (
36... Bxd4 37. Nxd4 Kf7 $17) 37. Rd3 $4 (37. Nxe6 Rxb5 38. Rxd5 $18) 37... Kf7
38. g4 Bxd4 39. Nxd4 Rb2 40. Ne2 Rb3 (40... Nd2+ 41. Kg3 Nb3) 41. Rxb3 Nd2+ 42.
Ke3 Nxb3 {Drawn in time pressure due to improperly set clock with no
delay.  A terrible game in which a victory would have been undeserved.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Highland Park G45"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.01.30"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Bikus, Joey"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2034"]
[BlackElo "1685"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "84"]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Nc6 {Very obliging move order.} 4. Bb5 Bg7 5. Bxc6 $5
{To ensure I inflict structural damage.  But this is objectively premature.}
bxc6 6. O-O e6 $2 7. e5 $1 {The black c pawns will be very weak if White can
take on d6.  If not a White N will move to e4.} d5 8. exd6 Qxd6 9. d3 Ne7 10.
Na3 Ba6 11. Qe1 $1 {Menacing Qa5 as well as Ne5.} h5 $6 {
attack plan of ..Nf5 ..h4 ..Bd4+} 12. Qa5 {
Incredibly disruptive.  Black may be lost already.} Bb7 13. Nc4 Qd5 (13... Qd8
14. Qxc5 Nf5 {It is bad to be down a pawn but worse to allow the White Q into
c7 like in the game}) 14. Qc7 Ba6 15. Nfe5 (15. Nd6+ {According to Stockfish
this is winning.  I don't remember why I didn't play this.} Kf8 16. Ne5 $18)
15... Bxc4 16. dxc4 Qd4+ 17. Kh1 Rc8 (17... Rd8 $1 {
Both players missed this resource} 18. Nxc6 Nxc6 19. Qxc6+ Kf8 20. c3 Qf2 $1 {
Black is alive and kicking}) 18. Qxa7 Bxe5 19. fxe5 Qxc4 (19... Qxe5 20. Bf4
$18) 20. Bg5 $18 Nd5 $2 (20... Nf5 21. Rxf5 O-O 22. Rff1 {White is up a piece})
21. Qxf7# 1-0



[Event "Highland Park G45"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.01.30"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Bungo, Greg"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C21"]
[WhiteElo "2012"]
[BlackElo "2034"]
[PlyCount "82"]

1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 Qe7 4. cxd4 (4. Qxd4 d5 $11) 4... Qxe4+ 5. Be2 $6 {
Offering a second pawn, dubiously, on g2.} (5. Be3 {Danish players like to
tout this move as the salvation of White's position, but the B can be exposed
to attack from a N on d5} Nf6 6. Qd2 (6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Nf3 (7. Qd2 Nc6 8. Nxe4
Nxe4 $15) 7... Nd5 8. Qd2 Nxe3 9. fxe3 Qe7 $15) 6... Nc6 $1 7. a3 d5 8. Nc3 Qg6
9. Nb5 Ne4 $1 $15) 5... Bb4+ 6. Nc3 Nf6 $6 (6... Qxg2 7. Bf3 Qg6 8. Nge2 Ne7 {
Taking both pawns is the way to go! Just make sure the Black Q has room to
rove on the 3rd rank and everything will be fine.}) 7. Nf3 d5 $6 {This is not
prudent, giving up control of e5 as well as the a3-f8 diagonal.  White is
going to get the kind of pressure he wants for the pawn.} 8. O-O Bxc3 9. bxc3
O-O 10. Re1 Nc6 11. Ba3 Rd8 $4 (11... Re8 $8 12. Bd3 Qf4 13. Rxe8+ Nxe8 14. Qb3
Nf6 15. Re1 Rb8 $11) 12. Bb5 $1 Qf5 13. Bd3 $2 (13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Re5 Qd7 15.
Re7 Qf5 16. Ne5 Be6 17. f3 $16) 13... Qh5 14. Qc2 Be6 {White missed his chance
to crush me (13.Bxc6) - now Black should be ok although White probably has
enough movement for the pawn.} 15. Ne5 Ng4 16. Nxg4 Bxg4 17. Re3 Re8 18. Rae1
$11 Bd7 19. Qd2 f5 20. f4 $6 {Creating some weaknesses} Qf7 21. Bb5 $2 {
I don't see the point of this, as Black can occupy e4 before White occupies e5}
Re4 22. g3 Rae8 23. Bd3 Na5 $1 {Even the computer engine Stockfish likes my
exchange sacrifice.  The Black N will dominate on c4.} 24. Bxe4 (24. Bb4 Nc4
25. Bxc4 dxc4 26. Rxe4 fxe4 27. Re3 b6 $17 {Stockfish}) 24... fxe4 25. Qc1 Bg4
26. Rf1 Qh5 27. Qb1 Nc4 28. Bc1 Bh3 $1 29. Rfe1 Nxe3 30. Bxe3 Qf3 31. Qb2 Re6
32. Qe2 Qxe2 33. Rxe2 Rb6 {Black is up a pawn with the better pieces.} 34. Kf2
Bg4 35. Rd2 Rb1 36. Kg2 Bf3+ 37. Kf2 Rh1 38. h4 g6 39. f5 gxf5 40. Bf4 c6 41.
Bb8 b5 0-1

[Event "1st NA Am Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.05"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Peng, David"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2039"]
[BlackElo "1817"]
[PlyCount "51"]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. Bxc6+ {I no longer take so early on c6.} bxc6
5. d3 Ba6 6. Nc3 e6 7. Nf3 Nf6 8. Ne5 $6 {Also premature} Qc7 9. Qf3 Bd6 10.
Ng4 {Dubious opening setup} Be7 11. O-O O-O-O 12. Re1 (12. f5 $13) 12... h5 13.
Nxf6 $2 {Terrible decision.  I overlook the strength of Black's gxf6 option.} (
13. Nf2) 13... gxf6 14. exd5 cxd5 15. f5 Bd6 $2 (15... Qd7) 16. Qh3 $2 (16.
fxe6 Bxh2+ 17. Kh1 Qg3 18. Re3 Qh4 19. Qh3 Qxh3 20. Rxh3 Be5 $14) 16... exf5
17. Qxf5+ Kb8 18. Nxd5 Bxh2+ 19. Kf1 Qc6 (19... Rxd5 $5 20. Qxd5 Bb7 21. Qb3
Rg8 22. Re2 Qg3) 20. Bf4+ Bxf4 21. Qxf4+ Qd6 22. c4 $4 {Dreadful.  I can't
believe I made this move.  I must have been too relieved that he did not play
the exchange sacrifice on move 19, that I went into auto-pilot chess.} (22. Re7
$14) 22... Qxf4+ 23. Nxf4 Rd4 24. Nd5 (24. Nh3 Rxd3 25. b3) (24. Re4 Rxe4 25.
dxe4 Bxc4+ 26. Kf2 Re8 27. Kf3 Re5) 24... Rxd3 25. Nxf6 Bxc4 26. Kg1 1/2-1/2

[Event "1st NA Am Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.05"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Vitkauskas, Vito"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1660"]
[BlackElo "2039"]
[PlyCount "66"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 (5. Bg5) 5... Bg7 6. Nxc6 bxc6
7. Bc4 d6 8. Nc3 Nf6 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 Qe8 $1 11. Bxf6 $2 {
Absolutely unnecessary} Bxf6 12. Qf3 Qe5 $15 13. Rfe1 Rb8 14. Rab1 Kg7 {
Guarding f6, now threatening ..Rxb2} 15. Qe3 (15. Bb3 Be6) 15... Rxb2 16. Ne2 {
Of course he makes Ne2 in 15 seconds, sidestepping the endgame I had been
evaluating for severalminutes} (16. Rxb2 Qxc3 17. Qxc3 Bxc3 18. Reb1 Bxb2 19.
Rxb2 Re8 20. f3 Re5) 16... Qa5 17. c3 Rb6 (17... Rxb1 18. Rxb1 Be6 {Stockfish})
18. Bb3 {Trying to make the Rb6 look silly} Re8 19. f4 $2 Be6 (19... Bf5 $1)
20. Nd4 Bxb3 21. axb3 c5 22. e5 $2 {"In for a penny, in for a pound"  This
describes Vito's playing style pretty well} (22. Ne2 Qa2) 22... dxe5 $2 (22...
Bh4 $1) 23. Nf5+ $4 {White gets nothing for this piece.  Black's defensive
forces are well coordinated.} gxf5 24. Qg3+ Kf8 25. fxe5 Bg7 26. c4 Rbe6 27.
Qh4 Qc3 28. Rbd1 Rxe5 29. Rxe5 Qxe5 30. Rd8 Qe3+ 31. Kh1 Qc1+ 32. Rd1 Qxd1+ 33.
Qe1 Qxe1# 0-1

[Event "Highland Park G45"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Sergatskov, Dimitri"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B47"]
[WhiteElo "2034"]
[BlackElo "1892"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "77"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Ndb5 Qb8 7. Be3 a6 8.
Bb6 {The Ponomariov Attack} axb5 9. Nxb5 Bb4+ 10. c3 Ba5 11. Nc7+ Qxc7 (11...
Kf8 12. Nxa8 Qxa8 13. Qd6+ Nge7 14. Qa3 $18) 12. Bxc7 Bxc7 13. Qg4 Be5 {
Semko's move, Black loses time with the pieces but he usually gets to castle} (
13... g6) (13... Kf8) 14. f4 Nf6 15. Qf3 Bc7 16. Bd3 (16. e5 Nd5 17. Bc4 Nb6
18. Bd3 {Usually this is played and White is thought to have a slight
advantage.  I created a new line by misremembering the move order!}) 16... e5
$5 17. f5 {Can't allow Black's pieces to use e5} O-O {Now threatening central
action with ...d5.  Only one logical thing to do about this:} 18. g4 d5 19. g5
dxe4 20. Bxe4 Nxe4 21. Qxe4 Ne7 22. Rf1 $1 (22. f6 Ng6 23. h4 Ra6 $13) 22...
Ra6 23. a3 Rd6 24. Rd1 Rxd1+ (24... Rfd8 25. Rxd6 Rxd6 26. f6 Ng6 27. fxg7 Kxg7
28. h4 $36) 25. Kxd1 Rd8+ 26. Kc1 g6 27. fxg6 (27. Qc4 $3) 27... hxg6 28. Qc4 {
Winning material but the game is far from over} Nd5 29. Rd1 Be6 30. Rxd5 Rxd5
31. Qxc7 e4 {White's Q is friendless, Black has a passed e pawn to go with his
R and B.  However White can create havoc by advancing kingside pawns, and
White has a 3 on 1 Queenside majority.} 32. Qb8+ Kh7 33. Qf4 Bf5 34. h4 Rd3 35.
h5 {Critical position} e3 {
Black's R is on a bad square now and it will be hard to advance the pawn.} (
35... Rf3 {And I thought all White had was a draw after this move!  But White
is winning here too.} 36. Qc7 Rf1+ 37. Kd2 Bg4 38. h6 Rd1+ 39. Ke3 Rd7 40. Qe5)
(35... Rh3 {
I thought Black could win with this move during the game but I was mistaken}
36. h6 e3 37. b4 $18 {Neatly avoiding mate threats}) 36. Qe5 f6 $4 {
Time trouble blunder} (36... e2 {Stockfish says just giving up the pawn is best
} 37. Qxe2 gxh5 38. Qxh5+ Kg8 39. Qe2 {
White will win by advancing queenside pawns.}) 37. Qe7+ Kg8 38. Qe8+ Kg7 39.
h6+ 1-0

[Event "US Am Team North"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.19"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Taylor, Andrew"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1878"]
[BlackElo "2031"]
[PlyCount "68"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 b6 5. Nc3 Bb7 6. Bg5 e6 7. f3 (7. Ndb5
d6 8. e4 a6 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nd4 Nc6) 7... Be7 8. e4 d6 9. Qa4+ $5 Nbd7 10. Nc6
Bxc6 11. Qxc6 Qc8 (11... O-O) 12. Qxc8+ Rxc8 13. O-O-O a6 (13... Ne5) 14. Kb1
Ne5 15. c5 Rxc5 16. Be3 Rc6 17. Bxa6 O-O 18. Rd4 Rb8 19. Rhd1 (19. Bb5 Rc7 $11)
19... b5 $2 {
Looks tactically sound but leads to a bad endgame if White plays correctly.} (
19... h6) 20. Bxb5 Rxc3 21. bxc3 Rxb5+ 22. Kc2 $2 (22. Rb4 $1 Rxb4+ 23. cxb4 d5
{Something must be done to shake up the position otherwise White's connected a
and b pawns will carry the day} 24. Bd4 Nc4 25. Bxf6 gxf6 26. exd5 Bxb4 27.
dxe6 fxe6 $14) 22... d5 23. Ra4 h6 24. Ra7 Nc4 25. Bf2 $2 (25. Bc1 $8 {
White had to prevent Black from entering via b2}) 25... Rb2+ 26. Kc1 Nxe4 $3 {
The Ns are too strong for White to survive} 27. Rxe7 (27. fxe4 Bg5+ $19) 27...
Nxf2 28. Rd4 Rxa2 29. Kb1 Re2 30. Rf4 f5 31. g4 Nd1 32. Rxc4 dxc4 33. gxf5
Nxc3+ 34. Kc1 exf5 0-1

[Event "US Am Team North"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.19"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Kane, Jeremy"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C54"]
[WhiteElo "2034"]
[BlackElo "2226"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "83"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 d5 7. Bb5 Ne4 8. cxd4
Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Be7 {A really solid move I was not prepared for} 10. O-O (10. Nc3
Bf5 11. O-O O-O 12. Rc1 Nb4 $13) 10... O-O 11. Be3 Bg4 12. Bxc6 (12. Nc3) 12...
bxc6 13. Qc2 c5 $1 14. dxc5 Bxf3 15. gxf3 Ng5 16. Bxg5 (16. Nd2 Qd7 (16... d4
17. Bxg5 Bxg5 18. Nb3) 17. Kh1) 16... Bxg5 17. Qf5 Rb8 18. Nc3 Rb4 $1 19. Rfd1
Rf4 (19... g6) 20. Qh3 Rh4 21. Qg2 c6 22. Ne4 Bf4 23. Ng3 Qg5 24. b4 Bxe5 25.
Rab1 a6 26. Rb3 Rb8 27. a3 h5 28. Qf1 Rc4 29. Qd3 h4 $2 (29... Rd4 $1) 30. Qf5
$1 Qe7 31. Re3 hxg3 32. Qxe5 gxh2+ 33. Qxh2 Qg5+ 34. Qg3 Qxg3+ 35. fxg3 a5 36.
Re7 (36. Rde1 $1 Kf8 37. Re7 axb4 38. axb4 Rcxb4 39. Rc7 $11) 36... axb4 37.
axb4 Rbxb4 38. Kg2 Rxc5 39. Ra1 Rc2+ 40. Kh3 Rb8 41. Raa7 Rf8 42. Rec7 {
Some more moves were played in time trouble and I should have lost the Rook
ending but it wasdrawn} 1/2-1/2

[Event "US Am Team North"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.19"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Karagianis, Petros"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A57"]
[WhiteElo "2237"]
[BlackElo "2031"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "61"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3 e6 $4 {Oops!} (5... axb5 6. e4 b4
7. Nb5 d6 8. Bf4 {is rather forced.  Black should be fine.}) 6. e4 exd5 7. e5
Ng8 (7... Qe7 8. Qe2 Ne4 9. Nxd5 Qxe5 10. Nb6) 8. Qxd5 Ra7 {
The rest of this game is worthless.} 9. Bc4 d6 10. Nf3 Be6 11. Qe4 dxe5 12.
Bxe6 fxe6 13. O-O Nf6 14. Qxe5 Bd6 15. Qxe6+ Re7 16. Qb3 Nbd7 17. bxa6 Qa8 18.
Bg5 Ne5 19. Nxe5 Bxe5 20. Qb5+ Kf7 21. Qc4+ Kg6 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. Rad1 Rhe8 24.
Nd5 Rg7 25. Rd3 h5 26. b3 Bd4 27. Rg3+ Kh6 28. Rxg7 Kxg7 29. Nc7 Qe4 30. Nxe8+
Qxe8 31. Qd5 1-0

[Event "US Am Team North"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.20"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Klug, Steffen"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2034"]
[BlackElo "2124"]
[PlyCount "47"]

1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. Nc3 Nxc3 4. bxc3 d5 5. Ba3 {Saemisch Variation} Bf5 $6 (
5... b6 6. d4 c5 {Is the most critical line at top levels.} 7. f4 $5) 6. d4 {
I figured the obvious space-gaining plan used in the Caro Kann Advance should
be applicable here.} (6. Nf3 $1 {Supposedly this N can go to d4 and attack the
Bf5 at some point, which may support an e5-e6 punch.  I didn't remember the
theory here.}) 6... Nd7 7. Bd3 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 e6 9. Bxf8 Kxf8 10. f4 g6 11. Ne2 {
The Q must be free to use the 3rd rank.  White will try with all his might to
play f4-f5 and get the N to f4.} c5 12. O-O h5 13. Rab1 c4 {
Curious decision.  You'd think Black would want to play on the c file.} 14. Qh3
b6 {Probably the worst way to guard b7, as this prevents Black pieces from
going to the Q-side.  Black must have been playing for a draw.} 15. g4 Kg8 {
I had only looked at Kg7, which allows f5-f6 to come with check.  Well, now
White is committed to go down this path...} 16. f5 Qg5 17. fxe6 fxe6 18. Rf4 (
18. Nf4 $1 {Why did I foresake my whole strategy of breaking f4-f5 and then
bringing the N into play? I should have spent more time on this move.  It
looks a lot more exciting than the game.} hxg4 (18... Nf8 19. Qe3 Qxg4+ 20. Kh1
$40) 19. Qg2 Re8 20. Nxd5 (20. Rf2 $5 g3 21. hxg3 Rh7 22. Rbf1 Qg4) 20... exd5
21. Qxd5+ Kg7 22. Qxd7+ Re7 23. Qc6 Qe3+ 24. Kh1 Rxh2+ 25. Kxh2 Qh3+ 26. Kg1
Qe3+ $11) 18... Rf8 19. Rbf1 {
The heavy pieces will all be exchanged and there will be nothing to play for.}
Rxf4 20. Rxf4 Kg7 21. Qf3 Rf8 22. h3 hxg4 23. Qxg4 Qxg4+ 24. hxg4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Highland Park G30"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.27"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Vilker, Leo"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C61"]
[WhiteElo "1420"]
[BlackElo "2049"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "89"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4 4. Ba4 Bc5 5. c3 Nxf3+ 6. Qxf3 Qf6 (6... Nf6 7.
d4 exd4 8. e5 Qe7 9. Kd1 $13) 7. Qxf6 Nxf6 8. d3 $11 {The Birds' Defense is
not a good choice for beating low rated players, if White can decline the N
trade on d4 and force a sterile position} c6 9. b4 Bb6 10. O-O O-O 11. Bg5 Ng4
$6 (11... d5) 12. Be7 Re8 13. Bc5 (13. Bh4 $1) 13... Bxc5 (13... d6 $1) 14.
bxc5 b6 15. h3 Nf6 16. cxb6 axb6 17. Bb3 d5 18. Nd2 Ba6 $15 19. c4 Rad8 20.
exd5 cxd5 21. Nf3 (21. Rfd1) 21... e4 $1 22. dxe4 dxe4 $4 (22... dxc4 {Wow.}
23. Bc2 Nxe4) 23. Nh2 Rd4 24. Rfd1 Red8 25. Rxd4 Rxd4 26. Rc1 Nd7 27. Nf1 Nc5
28. Ne3 Bb7 29. Rd1 Nxb3 $4 {
Making white pawns healthy and exchanging white's bad bishop} (29... Rxd1+ 30.
Nxd1 {With the better minor pieces}) 30. axb3 Rxd1+ 31. Nxd1 $11 Kf8 32. Kf1
Ke7 33. Ke2 Kd6 34. b4 Ba6 35. Nb2 Ke5 36. Ke3 f5 37. f4+ $2 (37. b5 f4+ 38.
Kd2 Bb7 39. Kc3 e3 40. f3) 37... exf3 38. gxf3 (38. g3 f2 39. Kxf2 Kd4 $19)
38... f4+ 39. Kd3 b5 $4 (39... Bb7 $1 40. Na4 Bxf3 41. Nxb6 Be4+ 42. Ke2 g5 $19
) 40. Kc3 bxc4 41. Nxc4+ Kd5 42. Nd2 Be2 43. h4 g6 44. Ne4 h5 $4 (44... h6 $19)
(44... Bxf3 45. Nf6+ Ke5 46. Nxh7 Bc6 47. Kd2 $11) 45. Ng5 $11 {
You can't play 4 blunders in a game and expect to beat anyone.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Highland Park G30"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.27"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Divinsky, Greg"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A21"]
[WhiteElo "2049"]
[BlackElo "1629"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "59"]

1. c4 c5 2. g3 e5 3. Nc3 d6 4. Bg2 f5 {Very committal} 5. d3 Nf6 6. Nh3 Be7 7.
f4 {Nh3+f4 is my favorite anti-clamp setup} Nc6 8. O-O O-O 9. Kh1 (9. b3 Qe8
10. Bb2 Bd8 11. Nd5) 9... Kh8 (9... Qd7 10. b3 b6 11. Bb2 Bb7 12. Qd2) 10. b3
h6 11. e3 {I'm not sure this is needed here} (11. Bb2 Ng4 12. Nd5 $14) (11. a3
{This keeps a Black N off b4 and was certainly worth consideration.}) 11... Be6
12. Nd5 {As usual White wants to be able to meet ..Be6 with Nd5} Bxd5 $2 (12...
Qd7 {Keeping the tension is to be preferred}) 13. cxd5 Nb4 14. e4 {White has a
space advantage, bishop pair, and black has the bad bishop, but the center is
fairly locked.} fxe4 15. dxe4 Qe8 16. a3 Na6 17. Qe2 $6 {Like e3 this turns
out to be a waste of time given Black's plan.  I thought Black might have been
trying for counterplay on the queenside with ..Qb5 and ..c4} (17. Ra2) (17.
fxe5 dxe5 18. Bb2 Bd6 19. Nf2) 17... Qh5 18. Qxh5 Nxh5 {White has a definite
plus in minor piece placement but must be wary of Black counterplay on the
Queenside} 19. fxe5 (19. Bf3 $1 Nf6 20. Bb2 Nd7 21. Bg4 Nf6 22. Bf5 Nxd5 23.
fxe5 $19) 19... dxe5 20. Bb2 Bd6 21. Nf2 Nf6 22. Nd3 Rae8 23. Rae1 $6 {
Intending Bh3 + Kg2.  But this move is clunky.} (23. Rac1 {It's worth putting
a R on the queenside to not give Black a free hand to expand there, which he
never manages in this game}) 23... Nc7 (23... b5 $1 {
...b5 can be played right away!} 24. Rc1 Ng4 25. Rf3) 24. a4 $2 (24. Rf5 $1 g6
25. Rxe5 Bxe5 26. Bxe5 Nb5 27. a4 $18 {Stockfish}) 24... b5 (24... b6) 25. Ba3
b4 26. Bc1 Re7 27. Nb2 Ref7 28. Kg1 Nd7 29. Nc4 Ne8 30. a5 {And White won.} 1-0

[Event "Highland Park G30"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.27"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Kushinsky, Seth"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A57"]
[WhiteElo "1632"]
[BlackElo "2049"]
[PlyCount "34"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. f3 e6 6. dxe6 {I am never a fan of
this capture on e6 that so many people play against me in various variations
of the Benko.  It is very committal, gives Black a pawn center majority,
halfopens the f file, etc.} (6. e4 c4 $5 {is the Predojevic gambit, Black is
offering two pawns for the opportunity to expose White on the dark squares.  I
had read about this recently in "Dangerous Weapons in the Benoni/Benko".  I
did not read the whole chapter on it, but I had skimmed the introductions to
all the chapters, so I knew it existed.}) 6... fxe6 7. e4 c4 $5 {
See the note above, but here White is already committed to a capture on e6.} 8.
Bxc4 (8. Be3 axb5 $15) 8... axb5 9. Bb3 (9. Bxb5 {White is supposed to eat the
second pawn and try to hang on for dear life.  After Bb3 it's clear Black has
enough play for one pawn.}) 9... Bc5 10. Bg5 Qb6 11. Nh3 O-O 12. Bh4 $6 {
White wants to play Bf2 and get castled, but it does not quite happen that way}
(12. e5 Nh5) (12. Nc3 Nc6 13. Qd2 h6 14. Bf4 d5) 12... Bb4+ 13. Nc3 $2 (13. Ke2
{Ke2 should be tried here, facing the facts that the White K will remain in
the center forever.} Nc6 14. Bf2 Bc5) (13. Nd2 $4 Qe3+ 14. Qe2 Qxb3 $1) 13...
Qe3+ 14. Qe2 $4 {White is now lost} (14. Kf1 Nxe4 $19 {With Kf1 White survives,
but it is safe to say Black's opening gambit has worked.}) 14... Bxc3+ 15. bxc3
Qxc3+ {White must guard the rook at a1} 16. Kf2 Qd4+ {
White K can't go to the back rank or ..Qxa1+, and Qe3 Ng4+ wins} 17. Kg3 Qe5+ {
Nf4 is met by ..Nh5+, and ..Nxe4+ crushes other moves.} 0-1

[Event "Highland Park G30"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.27"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Wallach, Ken"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2049"]
[BlackElo "2206"]
[PlyCount "37"]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Na3 $5 Nc6 5. Bb5 Qc7 $3 {
This move probably refutes White's 4.Na3} 6. d3 (6. O-O {would be ideal, if
White can soundly sacrifice the f - and maybe the e - pawn. My instinct over
the board was White doesn't get enough} Qxf4 7. d4 $5 {[Matt Freeman]} Qxe4 8.
Bd3 Bxd4+ 9. Kh1 Qg4 10. Nb5 Kf8 {Stockfish thinks Black is better.}) 6... a6
7. Bxc6 Qxc6 8. Nc4 b5 9. Ne3 {This line looks harmless.} e6 10. Qe2 Ne7 11.
O-O O-O 12. Ne5 {Does nothing} (12. c3) 12... Qc7 13. c3 {
White wishes the Q were on e1 and not e2, so Qh4 could be played} d6 14. Nf3 f5
15. Bd2 Bb7 $2 {Giving up control of e6 allows White a gasp of fresh air} (
15... fxe4 $5 16. dxe4 Rxf4 17. Nd5 (17. Ng5 e5 18. Rxf4 exf4 19. Nd5 Nxd5 20.
exd5 Be5 $15) 17... Nxd5 18. exd5 (18. Bxf4 Nxf4 $19) 18... Rf7 19. Ng5 Rxf1+
20. Rxf1 e5 21. Rf7 $11) (15... Bd7 $1) (15... h6 $1) 16. Ng5 Qd7 17. exf5 exf5
18. Nc2 $1 Nd5 (18... Rf6 $1 $15 {A difficult move for a human to play but
probably necessary if Black wants to win} 19. Rae1 Re8 20. c4 h6 21. Nf3 b4 22.
b3 $13) 19. Qe6+ $11 1/2-1/2

[Event "2nd NA Am Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.03.05"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Kosteris, Dmitri"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C00"]
[WhiteElo "2047"]
[BlackElo "1821"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "71"]

1. e4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Na3 Qb6 6. c3 Bd7 7. Nc2 Nh6 8. Ne3 (
8. a3 Rc8 9. b4 Be7 10. b5 Na5 11. Rb1 O-O 12. Be2 {
was my previous game vs. Kosteris}) 8... Rc8 9. Bd3 {
The Bc1 will not play a role in the opening} Be7 10. g4 $5 {
with the idea of playing against the Nh6} (10. O-O Ng4 11. Nxg4 c4+ 12. Nf2
cxd3 $13) 10... d4 11. Nc4 Qc7 12. a4 Na5 (12... Nxg4 {may have been possible}
13. Rg1 f5 14. h3 Nh6 15. Rxg7 Kf8 16. Rg1 Rg8 17. Kf2 Be8 $11) 13. Rg1 Nxc4
14. Bxc4 a6 15. Qe2 Bc6 16. Ng5 Qd7 17. a5 Bd5 18. d3 Ng8 $6 (18... Bxg5 19.
fxg5 Ng8 20. Bxd5 Qxd5 (20... exd5 21. cxd4 cxd4 22. Bf4 Ne7 23. Kf2) 21. c4
Qd7 22. b4) 19. Ne4 Bxc4 20. dxc4 Bh4+ 21. Kf1 Be7 22. Rg3 f6 23. b3 Nh6 24.
exf6 gxf6 25. cxd4 cxd4 26. f5 Nf7 27. g5 (27. Nxf6+ Bxf6 28. fxe6 Qe7 29.
exf7+ Kxf7 30. Qf2 $18) 27... fxg5 (27... Rc6 $1) 28. Bxg5 $6 (28. Nf6+ $1 Bxf6
29. fxe6 Qe7 30. exf7+ Kd7 $18) 28... Nxg5 29. Nxg5 Bxg5 30. fxe6 $4 (30. Rxg5
$18) 30... Rf8+ $2 (30... O-O+ $1 {
Yes I did look at this move but not deeply enough} 31. Kg1 Qg7 $15 {threatening
d3... I must have missed this idea thinking White could just play h4 and be
better}) 31. Kg1 Qd6 32. Qh5+ $2 {not precise} (32. Rxg5 $1 {
holding Qh5+ in reserve is even better}) 32... Kd8 33. Qxg5+ Kc7 34. Re1 d3 35.
Qd5 {not the strongest Q move but good enough to win} d2 $4 (35... Rg8 36.
Qxd6+ Kxd6 37. Kf2 $18) 36. Rg7+ 1-0

[Event "2nd NA Am Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.03.05"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Bian, Alex"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C56"]
[WhiteElo "1839"]
[BlackElo "2047"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "104"]
[EventDate "2011.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5 d5 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bc5 8.
Be3 Bd7 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. O-O O-O 11. f3 Ng5 12. f4 Ne4 13. Nd2 f5 14. Nxe4 fxe4
15. c3 Qh4 (15... Bb6) 16. Qe1 Qe7 17. Qf2 Bb6 18. h3 Rae8 19. a4 a5 20. g4 g5
$1 {undermining} 21. f5 Qxe5 22. Bxg5 e3 $5 {maybe premature} (22... c5 {
intending ...d4 looks strong}) 23. Qf4 e2 24. Rfe1 Qxf4 25. Bxf4 Re4 26. Bg3 (
26. Bh6 Rb8 {was my intention, to take on d4 and come to b3}) 26... h5 $1 {
another undermining move} 27. Kg2 hxg4 28. hxg4 Bxd4 {
the third best move, after which Black barely has an advantage} (28... Rxg4 29.
Rxe2 Bxd4 30. cxd4 Bxf5) (28... c5 29. Nf3 Rxg4) 29. cxd4 Rb8 (29... Rxg4 30.
Rxe2 Bxf5 {transposes to one of Black's better options}) 30. Ra2 $2 {
what an awful square for a rook} (30. Bxc7 Rxb2 31. Kf3 Rb3+ 32. Kf2 Rxd4 33.
Rxe2 Rxg4 34. Bxa5 Bxf5 {could be difficult for Black to convert}) 30... Rb3
31. Bxc7 Rxg4+ 32. Kf2 Bxf5 33. Rxe2 {
positioning another R awkwardly on the 2nd rank} Be4 34. Ra3 $1 {
Clever move, otherwise Black might create a mating attack} Rg2+ 35. Kf1 $2 (35.
Ke1 $1 Rg1+ (35... Rxa3 36. Rxg2+ Bxg2 {is not a check, white White's K on e1}
37. bxa3) 36. Kf2 (36. Kd2 Rxb2+ 37. Ke3 Rb7 $1) 36... Rg2+ {
Black may have to settle for a draw} (36... Rxa3 37. bxa3 Rd1 38. Bb6 Kf7 $11))
35... Rxa3 36. bxa3 (36. Rxg2+ Bxg2+ 37. Kxg2 Rxa4) 36... Rg7 {
threatening ..Bd3 and ..Rxc7} 37. Rxe4 (37. Bxa5 Bd3 38. Kf2 Bxe2 39. Kxe2 Ra7
40. Bb4 Rxa4 {requires a little technique but shouldn't be too difficult}) (37.
Be5 {Preventing the loss of the exchange is the worst way to play:} Bd3 38.
Bxg7 Kxg7 39. Kf2 Bxe2 40. Kxe2 Kg6 {is dead lost}) 37... dxe4 38. Bxa5 Kf7 (
38... Ra7 {This is obvious, but I reasoned bringing the king in was more
important than winning one of the a pawns} 39. Bb4 Rxa4 40. Ke2 Ra8 41. Ke3 Re8
42. a4 Kf7 43. a5 Kf6 44. Bc5 Ra8 45. Bb6 Kf5 {
might have been better than the game, in retrospect}) 39. Bb6 Ke6 40. a5 Kd5
41. a6 $2 {maybe the losing blunder} (41. Kf2 $1 Rg8 (41... e3+ 42. Kxe3 Rg3+
43. Kf4 Rxa3 44. Kf5 {is also unclear}) 42. a4 (42. a6 Kc4 43. Ke3 (43. a7 Kd3)
43... Kb5) 42... Rf8+ 43. Ke2 (43. Ke3 Rf3+ 44. Kd2 Ra3) 43... Ra8 (43... Rh8
44. a6 $11) 44. Ke3 {I'm not sure how Black makes progress}) 41... e3 $1 {
creating a powerful threat of ..Ke4-f3} 42. a7 Rg8 43. Bc7 (43. Ke2 Ke4 44. d5
cxd5 45. Bxe3 d4 46. Bd2 Ra8) 43... Ke4 {
Black can disregard the Bb8 threat and counterattack} 44. Be5 (44. Bb8 Kf3 45.
a8=Q e2+ 46. Ke1 Rg1+ 47. Kd2 e1=Q+ 48. Kd3 Qb1+ 49. Kc3 Rc1+ 50. Kd2 Qc2#)
44... Kf3 45. Bh2 Rh8 46. Bg1 Rh1 47. a8=Q e2+ 48. Ke1 Rxg1+ 49. Kd2 e1=Q+ 50.
Kd3 Qe2+ 51. Kc3 Rc1+ 52. Kb4 Qb5# 0-1

[Event "2nd NA Am Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.03.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Pullin, Matt"]
[Black "Britt, Jeff"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B21"]
[WhiteElo "2047"]
[BlackElo "1836"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "39"]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Bb5 {Compare with 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.Nd5 Bc5} Nd4 4. Bc4
d6 (4... e6 {is more typical, e.g.} 5. c3 Nc6 6. Qe2 Be7 7. d3 d5 8. Bb3 {
with a closed, positional struggle ahead}) 5. c3 Nc6 6. Nf3 (6. Qe2 Nf6 7. d3
d5 8. Bb3 {was an option if White still wanted to go for the Big Clamp, but
with no ...e6 Black can meet Nf3 with ..Bg4 and have a solid position}) 6...
Nf6 7. e5 $1 (7. Qe2 d5 {removes the white e pawn and probably equalizes.})
7... dxe5 8. fxe5 Nd5 (8... Ng4 9. d4) 9. O-O e6 (9... Nb6 10. Bb5 (10. Ng5
Nxc4 11. Nxf7 Qd3 12. Nxh8 N4xe5 {and white's development is difficult})) (9...
Bg4 10. Qb3) 10. d4 {An interesting position.  Compare with the mainlines of
the 1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 Sicilian but with white missing the f pawn and
Black the d pawn.} Be7 11. a3 O-O $2 {This gives White a stock plan of forcing
a concession by arranging a Q+B battery threatening mate on h7} (11... h6 $5
12. b4 (12. Qd3 a6 13. Qe4 b5 14. Bd3 Bb7 15. Qg4 g5 $13) 12... cxd4 13. cxd4
a6 14. Qd3 b5 $11) 12. Qd3 a6 $2 {passive} (12... a5 $5 {
This is an interesting idea I found for Black after the game} 13. Bb3 b6 14.
Bc2 g6 $13 {White must respect Black's ...Ba6 threat}) 13. Bb3 b5 14. Bc2 f5 (
14... g6 15. Bh6 Re8 16. Nbd2 {looks scary for Black}) 15. exf6 Nxf6 16. Ng5 c4
17. Qe2 $6 {An inaccurate move after which Black has some good resources} (17.
Qh3 $1 h6 18. Nxe6 Qd6 19. Bf5 $1 {
And White will be up a pawn with a lasting attack}) 17... Qd5 $2 {
Looks active but becomes a target for white's Bishop} (17... Qe8 $1 {Excellent 
defensive move and hard to see.  Black stops Qh5s, and prepares a liberating ..
.e5 push, since after dxe5 Bc5+ the Q is on the e file.  White has an
advantage but he must play both sides of the board:} 18. a4 $1) 18. Rxf6 $1
gxf6 $2 {The weakest recapture} (18... Bxf6 19. Bxh7+ Kh8 20. Be4 Bxd4+ 21.
cxd4 Qxd4+ 22. Be3) (18... Rxf6 19. Bxh7+ Kf8 20. Be4 Qd7 21. Qh5 Bd8 22. Be3 {
with a promising initiative}) 19. Qh5 fxg5 20. Qxh7# 1-0

[Event "2nd NA Am Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.03.06"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Felecan, Florin"]
[Black "Pullin, Matt"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A36"]
[WhiteElo "2404"]
[BlackElo "2047"]
[Annotator "Pullin,Matt"]
[PlyCount "63"]

1. c4 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. a3 (5. e4 {
Florin has been playing this move in the past}) 5... d6 6. Rb1 a5 7. e3 e5 8.
Nge2 h5 (8... Nge7 9. O-O O-O {doesn't look very interesting}) 9. h3 Nge7 (9...
f5 {Why not? No White piece can use g5}) (9... Rb8 {
I have learned b8 is the right square for Black's R in a lot of these positions
}) 10. b3 h4 11. Bb2 (11. g4 f5 {Black N would be better on f6}) 11... Bf5 $6 (
11... f5) (11... hxg3 12. fxg3 Bf5 13. d3 Be6 14. Nd5 Nf5 15. Kf2) 12. d3 Qd7
$6 13. g4 Be6 14. Nd5 Ra6 $2 {This is a pretty stupid idea.  After White plays
d4 and opens up the game this piece will be very poorly placed.  There were
better moves:} (14... Rb8) (14... Bxd5 15. cxd5 Na7) 15. d4 $1 {of course} exd4
16. exd4 Bxd5 17. cxd5 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 cxd4 19. Bxd4 Bxd4 (19... Be5 20. f4 $1 {
unfortunately this works pretty well for White} Bxd4 21. Qxd4 O-O 22. O-O) 20.
Qxd4 O-O 21. O-O Qd8 {I am now in a position with no play.  The only trumps in
Black's position are the advanced h pawn and the possibility of having a N vs
bad B ending.  But White's Q and Rs are dominating} 22. Rfe1 g5 23. Bf1 (23.
Be4 {I was expecting this move, preventing ..Ng6}) 23... Ng6 $2 {immature excha
nge sacrifice.  This is a position where Black should just play defense and
make White earn the full point.} (23... Ra8 24. Bd3 Rc8 25. Re2 f6 26. Rbe1 Rf7
27. Re6 Qc7 28. Qe4 Kf8 {
etc.  White is clearly winning but there's work to be done}) 24. Bxa6 bxa6 25.
Re4 {White can always sacrifice the exchange back, on his own terms, so Black
can't just throw the N into the battlefield} f6 26. Rc1 Ne5 27. Rc3 Qe8 (27...
f5 28. Rxe5 Qf6 29. Rc6) 28. f4 $1 Qf7 (28... f5 29. gxf5 Rxf5 30. fxe5 dxe5
31. d6) (28... gxf4 29. Rxf4) 29. fxe5 fxe5 30. Qd1 Qf2+ 31. Kh1 {
Black's fun is over.} Qb2 32. Rf3 1-0