The Most Progressive Scottish Player

I always wanted to write something about my students, the people that I am very proud of. This one is dedicated to Dominic O'Rourke. We started working some months ago, and the fruit of our efforts (mainly Dom's efforts of course)was the fact that he became Scotland's most progressive player. His rating at the start was 1356 and at some months later it was 1795. I'll save you from getting a calculator and tell you the rise was 439 points! Great job for a half year job. If you keep on progressing that fast, Dom, I will have to take the lessons from you very soon!
I would like to present you one of his games, annotated by himself:

O'Rourke,Dominic (1356) - Kleboe,James P R (1797) [B13]
Edinburgh Challengers U1900 (5), 03.04.2011
[O'Rourke,Dominic]
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 I watched a lecture and thought I would try this system as it seemed easy to play. 4...Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3 a6 10.a4


Takes space and makes b5 more difficult if black ever wants to play it. Rybka suggests Ne5 immediately. 10...Be7 11.0–0 0–0 12.Rae1 I considered Rfe1 but I thought as my play is on the kingside this would be better. 12...Rac8 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Nh5 The position of the black Knight and Bishop seems cramped and I thought he could potentially lose a piece after h3 g4 or at least force a weakening of his kingside 15.Be3 g6 He said to me after the game he thought he should have played g5!? which could have been interesting after [15...g5 16.h3 Bf5 17.Bxf5 exf5 It seems like more of a fight to me] 16.h3 Bf5 17.Bxf5 [17.Be2 d4 18.Bh6 Ng7] 17...gxf5 [17...exf5 Play against d5 pawn but this is the suggested route for black by Rybka] 18.Qd1


I liked this move:) 18...Ng7 19.Bh6 Qd8 I knew his next move was Bg5 and I thought for at least 35mins trying to find a knockout blow but eventually settled for the move I initially intended 20.Re3 Bg5 21.Bxg5 Qxg5 22.Rg3 Qh6 [22...Qf4] 23.f4 Kh8 24.Rg5 f6 25.exf6 Rxf6? Keeps the Queen in a poor position [25...Qxf6 Things don't seem bad for black] 26.Nf3 Rc4 I was a little worried about 26 ..Nh5 but didn't have to be according to Rybka [26...Nh5 27.Qd4 Rc4 28.Rxh5 Qxh5 (28...Rxd4 29.Rxh6 Rxh6 30.Nxd4) 29.Qxf6+] 27.Nd4 Rg6 28.Rxg6 [28.Qb3 Rxg5 29.fxg5 Qxg5 30.Qxb7] 28...Qxg6 29.Qb3


Starting play against the weak pawns b7 and e6 29...Qf7 30.Re1 Qd7 31.a5 b7 is weak forever and the black knight is tied to defence of e6 31...Kg8 Trying to bring the King to defend e6 but there was a surprise for him if he steps on f7 32.Qb6 Kf7 33.Nf3! He cannot move two pieces at once so loses the exchange 33...Qc8 34.Ne5+ Kf6 35.Nxc4 [35.Qf2! I could never have found this move 35...Ke7 36.Qh4+ Ke8 37.Qxh7] 35...dxc4 36.Qd4+ Kf7 37.Rd1 Kg6 38.Kh1 I assume I ed to exchange Queens and didn't want to allow Qc5+ as a way to avoid this 38...Nh5 39.Qd8 I knew in my heart Qd7 was better but Qd8 forced the Queen trade and even though I am still winning I thought Qd7 allowed some lines without the Queen trade [39.Qd7] 39...Qxd8 40.Rxd8 Nxf4 41.Rd7 e5 42.Rxb7 e4 43.Rb6+ Kf7 It's over but if he is hoping to fight on the King had to come forward 44.Kg1


I was not in a hurry and knew I only had to get the King to f1 44...Nd3 45.Kf1 f4 46.Rxa6 Nxb2 47.Rc6 Nd1 48.a6 f3 49.gxf3 1–0