(1) Wheeler,J (2183) - Weiss,S (2131) [A56]
European Seniors Team Championship (6), 03.2004
[Wheeler, John]



1.d4 Nf6
(The first surprise. He has answered d4 with 1..f5 in all previous games, and plays 1.f4 as White. So all my preparation is wasted).

2.c4 c5 3.d5 e5 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 g6 6.f3 Na6 7.Be3 Nc7 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.Bd3 a6 10.a4 b6 11.Nge2 h6
Unnecessary. I have already decided against 11.Bh6 because of 11..Nxe4, 12.fe Qh4+ and 13.Qxh6

12.0-0
It seems better than O-O-O at this point

12...Bg7 13.b4
hoping to stir things up on the quuen's side while the black bishop is on the sidelines at g7

13...cxb4 14.Na2 a5 15.Bxb6 Qb8 16.Qe3 0-0 17.Nac1 Ra6
Another surprise.Did he plan the following sacrifice, or did he just not see Bxa6 after c5?

18.c5 Ncxd5 19.exd5 Nxd5 20.Qf2 Rxb6 21.cxb6 Nxb6
And now I have a rook for 3 pawns, and am not sure what I should be doing.Fortunately, he doesn't know either.

22.Bc2 Rc8 23.Bb3 d5 24.Ra2 Bf8 25.Kh1
I don't like my Q & K on the same diagonal when his bishop can get there too.

25...Nc4 26.Nd3 Bf5 27.Nec1 Kh7 28.g4 Be6 29.Re1 Bd6 30.Rae2 e4 31.fxe4 dxe4 32.Nb2 Bd5?
Qb7 may have lasted longer

33.Qd4 Bb7
Resigns is better

34.Bxc4 e3+ 35.Bd5 Bc5 36.Qe4 1-0