[Event "Upside Down Chess: Right-side up is for sissies!"] [Site "SchemingMind.com"] [Date "2009.05.19"] [Round "-"] [White "Dragon Fire"] [Black "xare"] [Result "1-0"] [Variant "upsidedown"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "RNBQKBNR/PPPPPPPP/8/8/8/8/pppppppp/rnbqkbnr w - - 0 1"] [WhiteCountry "ENG"] [BlackCountry "USA"] [WhiteElo "1854"] [WhiteRD "142"] [BlackElo "1843"] [BlackRD "99"] [GameID "205248"] 1. Na6 { Dragon Fire: Hi. SM Master here I come (LOL). Good luck! } 1... Nf3 { xare: I'm sorry you have to play me then... the resulting mental pain can last a lifetime in this variant! ;) } 2. b8=Q { Dragon Fire: Not with white it can't. I am convinced this game is always a win for white. } 2... Na3 { xare: That's your downfall. It isn't. } 3. Nc5 Ne5 { Dragon Fire: Have just decided I need to research this whole variant. Do I will take a little time to move. It is not as easy as I thought it would be and there are many traps for the unwary. } 4. Bb7 b1=Q { xare: Mate, just go to my site and use the w5eco. I assume you don't play on one of the live sites (icc, fics, etc). Click on my profile to get the link. Be forewarned though, this is actually the variant I specialized in for years (best rating- 3000+ on both icc and fics). Corr chess, not as good. :) } { Dragon Fire: I couldn't play this fast. I'd lose rapidly I am sure. CC gives me a chance to work things out and research it so provided I don't screw up in the opening (and I've looked at other games to check that out as there are not many lines for the first 6 moves or so) I may be OK here. Might even win as white! } 5. c8=Q { Dragon Fire: There are a lot of traps in this game and very few good moves at the start so I imagine it is fairly easy to learn the opening lines and avoid blunders if you specialise in it and that will get you many quick wins in blitz or even 30 minute "live" chess. This variant is very difficult to play quickly as the mind wants to make the pawns go the other way. I still think it should always be a win for white unless he blunders badly. White has all the attack! } 5... Bb2 { xare: Actually, most games don't really begin until move 7 in master games. Unless you choose one of the rarely played inferior lines that don't lose immediately but aren't the standard. My site has the eco I wrote (reversed chess/w5 position is the mirror of upside down, thus, white king would be on d8 correctly, not e8. So, if you play Nc6, it translates to the correct move of Nf6. I'll have to get started on adding to that part of my site - the atomic site is about 95% done. And there aren't that many traps, really. I enjoy this game because it doesn't focus on the opening but rather focuses on the middlegame (for master games). Then there are a few endgames that allow good practice. But the rarest of results is the no material draws. I've played thousands of games and I've probably gotten maybe 5 of those type of games. } { Dragon Fire: I have been searching the net for a DB of this opening but could find nothing. have you a link to something. } 6. Bxg2 { Dragon Fire: I am probably making a mistake here but I figure I've just taken a Queen. It will take me a while to understand the tactics of the openings. Once pieces come off and we get activity it will become a more traditional middle game (I hope) and get easier to play. } 6... Bxg2 { xare: Bxg2 is a nontraditional move, not exactly the best either. } 7. Nf6 c1=Q 8. g8=Q { Dragon Fire: I kind of feel alright here. Lots of Qs now so getting safer! } 8... Rg1 { xare: That isn't quite the way it works... :) } 9. Bh6 Qdc2 { Dragon Fire: Away until June 6th at our cottage in St Ives, Cornwall. } 10. Nb3 h1=Q { xare: Nb3 was a good spatial move - a real advantageous move for you. } 11. Bxd2+ { Dragon Fire: So far I have lost 3 from 4 so if I've made a good move its the exception. You'll probably tell me I'm wrong again seeing I'm now back to giving up minor pieces for Ps but when I get to this stage I can't see anything better. } 11... Q1xd2 { xare: Adding pressure would have been a bit better but in this position Bxd2 isn't that terrible since you are weakening my defenses. } 12. Nxd2 { Dragon Fire: Here I go exchanging pieces for Qs again which is probably a bad idea. } 12... Qxd2 { xare: Sorry mates, off on holiday for a long weekend in St. Louis. The only games I'll be making moves in are those that I can access via mobile phone and getting low on time. I also can't read comments via mobile phone on heavily commented games so it may take a few days for me to reply. Cheers! } 13. f8=Q { Dragon Fire: Have a few points in this tournament now. 6/9 - its almost respectable. } 13... Qbd3 14. Qdb6 f1=Q 15. Qxb2 { Dragon Fire: In fact my results almost look respectable. 9/14 for an almost ceratin 4th place although that masks some comprehensive defeats offset by some very simple wins. } 15... Rd1 { xare: I don't play upside down "seriously" anymore - I mainly play it for fun these days. :) I also play a lot via mobile phone! But after the summer is done, I should get a lot of my old w5 material up on my site. } 16. Qxd2+ Qxd2 17. Qg3+ Qf2 18. Qxf2+ Kxf2 19. Ne4+ Ke3 20. Nxd2 Qh5+ { xare: Looks like you're finally getting the hang of this game. (And Nb3 was the start of it) } 21. Kd8 a1=Q { xare: Will you restore our crazyhouse game? Austin said he would do it if you agreed. } 22. Qb6+ { Dragon Fire: I'll have a look at it.... } 22... Kxd2 23. Qf4+ { Dragon Fire: Thanks. Guess after a few losses I am beginning to get the hang of this but I still feel white stands overwhelmingly better at the start. } { Game Over: Well done. Now about that crazyhouse game... :) } 1-0