King's Island Open (Part 4)

The final day of play. And they bumped round 4 up by a half hour. So I am up at 8 o'clock, for my 9 o'clock start. Breakfast is a pop tart and a Full Throttle. And I can still barely open my eyes. My lack of sleep on Friday night is really coming back to haunt me. Boy I hope that I can keep it together and play some decent chess. Since there is not much to talk about this morning, I will jump straight into the chess. Did I mention how tired I am? Here comes the proof.

I look at the wall chart, get my pairing and head for my table. I set up across from a very nice man, we both comment on the tournament. I have the black pieces, so I am supposed to supply the set and the clock. I don't have a clock. He does. Good, I don't have to borrow any one's clock. Things are looking good. He says something to the effect of 'What is your rating, X?' X being some name other than Greg/Gregory. I correct him - 'My name is Greg, you are Richard right?' Nope. I was at the wrong board. Now I looked down at my score pad and back at the table and realized that I wasn't sitting at the board number that I took down less than 5 minutes ago. What was going on here?

So, I apologize, get up, find my board, across from somebody who just watched everything that happened, and we both had a laugh. I had to try to regain composure here. I was in danger of tossing this game before I even started. "Start your clocks" comes over the speaker. Here we go. He opens c4. I want to puke a little. This is the one opening that I haven't fully prepared for. I am pretty much lost after 8-10 moves and I lose a pawn after a few more. Plus he has all the play and I have very little good to speak of. Now I am fighting for some luckbox draw. I remember what Clyde (a member of the Pittsburgh Chess Club who specializes in Rook and Pawn endings) always tells us. Rook and pawn endings (even those where you are down a pawn, and sometimes even those where you are down 2 pawns) are often drawn. I aim for a rook and pawn ending. Richard obliges. He misses something and gives the pawn back and we end up with Rook + 5 pawns v. Rook + 5 pawns. I have succeeded in my goal. I offer the draw. He declines. We get to King + 4 pawns v. King + 4 pawns. He offers the draw. I accept. I have a clear win.

I learned a lot from this game. Wake up! First and foremost. Wake up. Be prepared for anything. More important than anything though - when my opponent offers me the draw I have been fighting so hard/long for, take a fresh look at the board and make sure I am not drawing a won game.