ICC 10th Year Anniversary

2005 is Internet Chess Club's 10th anniversary. In the current NIC, #6, Larry Christiansen celebrates this milestone by featuring some very nice tactical games of ICC luminaries like Nakamura, GM Schmaltz (who is presently residing in Australia), McShane and so on.

I have been a member since December 29, 2000 and have enjoyed my time there. Unlike some poor losers who continue to complain about how ICC was supposedly nicked from ICS (Internet Chess Server) - most people, I'm sure, enjoy ICC and couldn't care less about all that nonsense. To those with their ill-feelings still intact, I say, "Get over it. Just move on".

Following Larry C, then, here's a game I played in 2001 and one which I still remember for its very nice finish.

[Event "ICC 3 0"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2001.05.24"]
[White "MerKavA"]
[Black "Veigar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E34"]
[TimeControl "180+0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. e3 O-O 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Nbd7 8. Bd3 c5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Ne2 c4 11. Bf5 Qc7 12. O-O b5 13. a4 a6 14. axb5 Bb7 15. Ba3 Rfe8 16. bxa6 Bxa6 17. Ng3 Bc8 18. Rfe1 Nb6 19. Bc5 Bxf5 20. Nxf5 Ng4 21. g3 Nd7 22. Bd6 Qd8 23. h3 Ngf6 24. Qe2 Ne4 25. Qg4 Ng5 26. Bf4 f6 27. h4 Ne6

After 27...Ne6

28. Nh6+ Kf8 29. Bd6+ Re7 30. Rxa8 Qxa8 31. Qxe6 Qe8 32. Qg8# 1-0

Nice eh?