Earl Richards - M. Sula (October 28, 2002)

Earl Richards - M. Sula (October 28, 2002)
	In a letter dated October 28, 2002 to Meeja (who at that time was my friend and who since has become both my friend and my niece!), I had closed with this query: Would you have any interest in playing a correspondence game with me? I know you're at times super busy, so let's agree that there's no time limit on moves. If it takes a month or two before you can make a move back, no problem. Let's say that consulting with books, magazines, friends, and one's own brain is all OK. Anything goes, except using a computer chess program. Ignore this whole paragraph if you're uninterested; otherwise, here's a start: 1. e4 ... MeeJa replied with: 1. ... e5 So our correspondence game is off and running! 2. Nf3 Nf6 Petrov's Defense is described by MCO-13 as having "a drawish character." Not quite what I was expecting from the wild and crazy Sula girl. 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 ... We follow the book lines in MCO-13 (of which we both have a copy). 5. ... Bg4 As I knew she would sooner or later, MeeJa decides she's ready to march to a different drummer. We say farewell to the book lines in MCO-13. 6. Bd3 d5 It took a couple of letters back and forth for us to get MeeJa's 6th move settled. It turns out that her board at home was not quite set up correctly; evidently her cat likes to move the pieces around. Anyway, as a result, she had initially sent me the move 6... Bb4+ which, needless to say, had caused me some momentary heart palpitations upon first glance. Arggghhh!!!, was my initial reaction. It took a couple of letters to get the moves straightened out. MeeJa, who is a veterinarian student, wrote: Alas, I have seen the errors of my way. I think when I set up my board again, I simply put my pawn up one step farther than it was, inadvertently making the move I will now officially make, 6... d5 I hope your heart recovers. We had cardiac week last week so perhaps if you have problems I can help. There is not that much difference between a dog and us! 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. Bb5 Bxf3 9. Bxc6+ ... White decides to give up his Bishop pair in order to double Black's pawns on the c file. The Bishop pair are so powerful in end games; White may not have gained much here. To give the reader some idea of the quick pace of this game, let me quote from correspondence dated August 19, 2004, from Earl to MeeJa: MeeJa, sorry that you are having to wait so long to get the move that you probably already have predicted. You realize that we've moved past the opening stage now, and are starting the middle-game. And in less that two years! Everyone keeps telling me that your strategy is not to defeat me, but to survive me. I've heard of Fool's Mate. I wonder if there is something like Senile Old Fool's Mate. 9... bxc6 10. Qxf3 Bd6 11. Nc3 c5 Black continues to postpone castling and looks to make some use of her doubled pawn. 12. dxc5 And that's how the game currently stands. Black to move. The PGN for this chess game can be found: here.