Project 30: FIDE Master Steve Giddins Event: Games

Today we conclude our coverage of the first event of Project 30's second season by taking a look at some of the games played in the simultaneous display performed by FIDE Master Steve Giddins.

Steve Giddins vs. Paul Weightman

Steve consistently built up pressure on Paul's position and finished off with a fine mating attack. Paul resigned just before Steve could uncork his intended queen sacrifice.

1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. Nc3 e5 5. dxe5 Bxe5 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. Be2 Nc6 8. O-O Nge7 9. Be3 O-O 10. Qd2 Bg4 11. Rad1 Ne5 12. Nd4 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 N5c6 14. f4 Nxd4 15. Bxd4 Bxd4+ 16. Rxd4 c5 17. Rd2 Qb6 18. f5 Rad8 19. f6 Nc6 20. Qe3 Kh8 21.Qh6 Rg8 22. Rf3 1-0

The threat is 23 Qxh7+ and 24 Rh3 checkmate

Steve Giddins vs. Royce Parker

Royce tried to keep our guest star at bay with a tough Benoni structure, but powered his way through with a series of consistently strong moves.

1. d4 c5 2. d5 g6 3. c4 d6 4. e4 e5 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Nf3 Ne7 7. h4 h5 8. Be2 Na6 9. a3 Bg4 10. Ng5 Qd7 11. f3 f6 12. fxg4 fxg5 13. Bxg5 Bh6 14. Bf6 O-O 15. O-O Be3+ 16. Kh1 Bf4 17. g5 Nc7

Steve now sacrifices his bishop to smash the king's defence

18. Bxh5 Rxf6 19. gxf6 Nexd5 20. Nxd5 Nxd5 21. Qxd5+ Qf7 22. Bxg6 Qxd5 23. cxd5 Rf8 24. f7+ 1-0

Steve Giddins vs. Derek Simpson

Derek's Modern Benoni fell under lots of pressure in the early middlegame. A flurry of tactics later on looked like they were going to help Derek block Steve's passed d-pawn but a devastating final blow ended all resistance.

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nf3 h6 7. e4 Nbd7 8. Be2 a6 9. a4 g6 10. O-O Bg7 11. Nd2 Nb6 12. a5 Nbd7 13. Nc4 Qe7 14. Bf4 Ne5 15.Bxe5 dxe5 16. d6 Qe6 17. Qd2 Bd7 18. Rad1 O-O 19. f4 exf4 20. e5 Nh7 21. Qxf4 Rae8 22. Bf3 Bb5 23. Bd5 Qf5 24. Qxf5 gxf5 25. Rxf5 Bxc4 26. Bxc4 Bxe5 27. d7 Bd4+ 28. Rxd4 Re1+ 29. Kf2 cxd4 30. Kxe1 dxc3

How to finish off Black's resourceful defence?

31. Rxf7 Ng5 32. Rxf8+ Kxf8 1-0

Steve Giddins vs. Alan Stockley

Alan played very well for a long time but Steve jumped at the chance to play a classic Greek Gift sacrifice, after which the game was effectively over.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3 d6 9. c3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. b4 Bf8 14. a4 c6 15. Bd3 d5 16. dxe5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 Rxe5 18. Nf3 Re8 19. e5 Nd7

All ready for the Greek Gift sacrifice!

 20. Bxh7+ Kh8 21. Ng5 Re7 22. Qh5 Qe8 23. Bg6+ 1-0

Steve Giddins vs. Matthew Jackman

This was the only game Steve did not win. Matt took full advantage of a couple of inaccurate moves to launch a speedy and decisive attack on the white king.

1. Nf3 c6 2. c4 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. d4 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Bxe4 Nf6 10. Bc2 h6 11. O-O O-O 12. Re1 Qc7 13. Qd3 c5 14. d5 Bf4 15.Bxf4 Qxf4 16. Ne5 exd5 17. cxd5 Rd8 18. Bb3 Bf5 19. Qb5

Black now conjures up a three-piece attack on the king

 19 ...Be4 20. Nc4 Ng4 0-1

Well played, everyone!

For a report on the day, head here.

For the gallery, head here.