Friday, April 11, 2008

Checkmate with a Pawn!!!

1. d4 (0:00)

Ok, agianst d4 I usually play the Tarrasch.

d5 (0:00)


2. e3 (0:01) e6 (0:01)
3. Bd3 (0:01) c5 (0:02)
4. c3 (0:01) c4 (0:02)
5. Bc2 (0:01) Nc6 (0:04)
6. a3 (0:01)

Nf6 (0:03)
7. f4 (0:02)

f4 just leaves an ugly pawn formation.

Be7 (0:03)
8. Nf3 (0:01) O-O (0:03)
9. O-O (0:01) Nd7 (0:24)

Clearing the way to push pawns and destroy his center.


10. Qe2 (0:01) f6 (0:02)

11. Nbd2 (0:01) e5 (0:05)
12. fxe5 (0:14) fxe5 (0:02)
13. e4 (0:03) dxe4 (0:05)
14. Qxe4 (0:05) Nf6 (0:11)
15. Qe2 (0:15) exd4 (0:04)
16. Qxc4+ (0:05)

Oops, forgot about that.

17. Nxd4 (0:01) Nxd4 (0:11)
18. cxd4 (0:02) Qd5 (0:39)

I am not so bad, He's a pawn up but it is an isolani
and my pieces are better developed.

19. Qxd5 (0:06) Nxd5 (0:02)
20. Nb3 (0:01) Bd7 (0:20)
21. Bd2 (0:02) b6 (0:08)
22. Bd3 (0:13) Bd6 (0:13)
23. Rxf8+ (0:04) Rxf8 (0:03)
24. Rf1 (0:03) Be6 (0:11)
25. Rxf8+ (0:03) Bxf8 (0:03)
26. Bc4 (0:13) Be7 (0:18)
27. Bxd5 (0:02)

He's trading a good B for a N, He will pay
for that

Bxd5 (0:03)
28. Nc1 (0:08) Bf6 (0:04)
29. Bc3 (0:01) a5 (0:21)
30. Nd3 (0:03) b5 (0:04)
31. Nf4 (0:07) b4 (0:13)
32. axb4 (0:02) axb4 (0:05)
33. Bxb4 (0:04)

Well there goes his Isolani and it creates another,
ok technically its a passed pawn.

Bxd4+ (0:02)
34. Kh1 (0:01) Bf7 (0:08)
35. Bc3 (0:02) Bb6 (0:04)

Notice how much area my bishops are covering.

36. Nd3 (0:03) Bc4 (0:03)
37. Nb4 (0:04) h5 (0:05)
38. Nc2 (0:09) Kh7 (0:04)
39. Ne1 (0:02) g5 (0:03)
40. Nf3 (0:01) g4 (0:11)
41. Ne5 (0:05) Bb3 (0:05)
42. Nd7 (0:05) Bf2 (0:09)
43. Nf6+ (0:05) Kg6 (0:03)
44. Ne4 (0:08) Be3 (0:05)
45. Ng3 (0:09) h4 (0:21)

Notice that by moving his knight around attacking willy-nilly,
I am advancing my pawns.



46. Ne2 (0:03) Kf5 (0:16)
47. g3 (0:01) h3 (0:13)

I totally missed that Be5 is check mate!

48. Nf4 (0:08)

Unfortunately now I see it, but now to get it I am going to
have to maneuver.

Ba4 (0:12)
49. Ng2 (0:51)

He wants me to take his knight with my pawn, which would
allow his K to get out of that corner.

Bc6 (0:06)

This pins the knight allowing me to take it at my leisure
50. Bd2 (0:15) hxg2# (0:10)

Checkmate with a pawn!!!

Mostly March & Early April

2008.03.06

15.01 Temperature 30 degrees and clear, walking on the Pioneer Walkway.
15.04 Creek is free of ice. It is very brown and dirty looking.
15.15 Image taken of a large chunk of ice in the river.

2008.03.09

13.49 Seeing geese in creek a hundred yards off or so.
13.52 Now that I am closer I can see about 20 geese, have taken an image.


13.58 Have gotten some images of ducks on the creek also.


2008.03.10

14.12 35 degrees and sunny. I am walking on the Des Moines River trail.
14.25 Only seen squirrels.
14.36 Image attempted of eagle overhead in flight (sorry its a little blurry, but it is the best
one like this I've gotten.)


2008.03.13

13.30 Walking on the Pioneer trail. Partly clear, 58 degrees.
13.32 First robin of the year seen, no image taken.
13.33 Eagle seen in flight, image attempted, but unsuccessful.
13.35 Image taken of a robin bathing in a crick.


13.39 Image taken of a sparrow sized bird. It is probably a warbler or some sort of fly catcher.

13.43 The ground surrounding the trail is very soggy, water standing in many places, but hasn't breached the trail. I suspect it is a near flooding situation.
13.45 Robins are all over the place now. They must have arrived in force in the last few days.
13.47 Image of what I suspect is a nuthatch. (Sorry the Nut-Hatch is slightly out of focus.)
14.01 Large chunks of ice on the other bank seen, images taken.


14.18 Image taken of a smallish woodpecker.

2008.03.14

13.41 Mid fifties today with a light breeze.
13.59 Seeing lots of robins and not much else.
14.01 Image of Hairy Woodpecker. After inspecting the images, the bottom one has two
woodpeckers in it.


2008.03.15

13.43 Cloudy in the mid 30's. Its drying out a little, but rain is forecast over the next few days.
13.54 Image taken of what are probably Hairy Woodpeckers.
15.58 The trail near the creek, is mostly passable. Yesterday I had to inch my way on the ice bridge
on the edge of the trail but now it is mostly clear. The ice bridge was created when they plowed and then
the snow pack turned to ice.
14.00 Got an image of a male duck. I don't see the female though, but she has to be near by. Inspection of
the images revealed that the female was there, her camouflage was elegant. Look for orange, left of center and you will find a duck attached to it.


14.17 Tried to get an image of a small woodpecker, but I don't think I got it.
14.22 Tried to get an image of a pair of Rose Breasted Grosbeak.

2008.03.18

15.00 Walking on the River Trail I had a mink sighting and got several images of a cardinal.


2008.03.20

13.45 Walking on the Pioneer trail. Its clear and about 55 degrees.
14.02 Several images of a Rose Breasted Grosbeak.
14.07 I see the ducks that I last saw on the creek in a flooded area just to the east of the trail. Image not possible.
14.25 Several images taken of a ducks in the creek. I think they are Mallards.


2008.03.21

13.40 Its mostly clear today and about 45 degrees with a brisk wind of about 25 mph.
13.42 Image taken of a small sparrow sized bird (They turned out to be Goldfinches and blurry.)
Goldfinches are the State Bird of Iowa.
13.49 Image taken of what may be a meadowlark. (I believe they were Meadowlarks, but the images were poor.)
14.04 Image taken of a sparrow sized bird. I think it is a American Tree Sparrow.

14.09 More images of a sparrow sized bird. Why because I could. I am not sure what it is.


14.19 Saw a Rose Breasted Grosbeak, but unable to get image.
14.28 Saw a pair of eagles roosting on downed log, but they flew off before I could get the camera booted up.

2008.03.25

13.42 Its clear and about 55, but windy.
13.54 Image taken of a possible field hawk. Probable Red Tailed Hawk.



13.59 Eagle spotted in flight, no image attempted.
14.27 Images attempted of small sparrow sized birds, they are very very active.
I have not identified it.


2008.03.26

13.37 Several images taken of what may be a meadowlark.
13.56 Image taken of a cardinal.


14.00 Several images taken of goose on a sandbar in the creek.
14.09 Noticing trees are starting to bud out. Image taken of a tree bud.


14.00 Several images taken of goose on a sandbar in the creek.
14.09 Noticing trees are starting to bud out. Image taken of a tree bud.

2008.04.01

13.42 Upper 40's today and mostly cloudy.
14.08 Several images attempted of a probable Hairy Woodpecker.
14.10 Image taken of unidentified bird.
14.14 Image taken of a Rose Breasted Grosbeak.
14.40 Several images of some sort of hawk, estimated distance 100 meters.

2008.04.02

13.25 Sunny upper 50's.
13.44 Took an image of a robin, because I haven't seen anything else.
13.50 Several images of a deer taken.


13.58 Several images of an unidentified bird.
14.11 Blue jays spotted, but image unsuccessful.
14.14 Hairy Woodpecker image taken.
14.16 Images taken of deer.
14.27 Images attempted of what appears to be a hawk.

2008.04.07

13.35 Image taken of an unidentified bird.
13.45 Peepers(frogs) are loud, but I can't see any.
13.51 Image taken of a peeper(frog.)


13.56 Image taken of unidentified bird.
14.09 Images taken of geese in the creek.



2008.04.09

Walked, but forgot my voice recorder. Didn't walk on the 8th due to heavy rain.

The following image was taken on the 9th. I don't know for sure what it is, but I suspect some sort of fly catcher or a Warbler. And lastly I got another picture of a Peeper.


Monday, March 10, 2008

Febuary Walks

2008.02.05

13.42 Snowing, about 30 degrees. Over the next couple of days we are supposed to get about 6 - 9 inches.

13.57 Squirrel in a snow storm.

2008.02.06

13.43 About 6 inches on the ground and about 30 degrees F. in tempature.



14.07 Downy Woodpecker seen, unable to take image.

2008.02.08
14.27 About 50 degrees today. Deer seen at the edge of the woods.

14.37 Squirrels seen, no image taken.
14.38 Woodpecker seen, probably a male Hairy Woodpecker.

A bioligist that I know, who is into photography, pointed out that this is a very good photo (below.)



14.45 More woodpecker images taken, possibly the same species.

14.50 Eagle seen in flight, image attempted, but not successful.
2008.02.11

15.29 Its cold, about 5 degrees.
15.40 Eagles seen in trees. No image taken, too much brush in the way.
15.51 Another eagle spotted, a couple hundred yards away. Its flying close to the trees, no image attempted.

2008.02.12

14.21 Fifteen degrees and sunny, nothing seen yet.
15.00 Small woodpecker seen, image unsuccessful.

2008.02.20

15.25 Walking on the river trail, its about zero today. Nothing seen yet.
15.52 Geese seen in flight.

2008.02.22

14.56 Downy Woodpecker imaged (probably a female.) Its warm today and the trails are about two-thirds clear. This is the first time in weeks I've been able to walk down here without boots on.

14.57 Large hawk or eagle seen and imaged. It appears to have been in a fight.





2008.02.29

14.44 Snow from earlier in the week is almost gone. Its in the 40's today.
14.57 Hearing birds, but not seeing them. Ice in the river is melting, but no clear channel yet.
15.22 Image of squirrel taken, because I am not seeing anything else.

2008.03.01

14.52 About 40 today, lots of melting and I am having to work my way around it, mostly using ice bridges.
15.09 Geese imaged on the creek, the first of the year (there is over 20 of them.)


2008.03.04
15.46 I am on the river trail today, several images of a cardinal taken.

15.49 Several images of eagles taken, also seeing ducks in the river.
16.08 Image taken of an eagle in a tree. The tree is about 10 meters from me and the angle is up sharp.