DDGA'96 Awards

After all the games of the tournament have finished, the "best" games and moves will be chosen semi-democratically: everyone has one vote, and everyone can suggest nominees, but the final nominees (if there would be too many) are chosen by the tournament organizers.

I have to admit that I am a bit biassed in choosing the best games: games won by White look more attractive to me. They usually contain more straight attacks because White has to attack if he wants to win. Black can often win by defending, which I do not appreciate so much.

Game: best

You just know it when you see it. Should we also have the bust game award?

Vandenbroucke - Johnson, 1-0 in 37, is very impressive. White does not even castle, but attacks boldly on the kingside.
Hassim - Strange, unfinished in 26, was one of the wildest games. It was really a shame that both players withdrew from the tournament.
Wichert - Patterson, 1-0 in 32, is also most original, starting with 4. Nd2 f5 5. Ne2.

Game: brutal

"Valentine's DDG massacre."

Johnson - Visser, 0-1 in 20, an aggressive knockout by Black. Very seldom it is Black who attacks on the f-file.
Heikkinen - Sutton, 1-0 in 24, features another kind of violence: White eats all the space. In the final position, Black even has two pawns more, but his pieces are hopelessly out of the game.

Game: sacrifical

The most impressing series of sacrifices.

Game: defending

The most brave defence, or counter-attack.

Game: strange/original

Johnson - Strange, unfinished in 14, contains very original g4-g5 manoeuvre by White. I would have loved to see the continuation.
Jirousek - Watson, draw in 21, looks simple, but it is strange how White, two pawns down, still manages to attack. This game should also have continued.

Move: outstanding

Or the most beautiful move, to be given something like "!!!".

Move: theoretical novelty

Something new under the sun.

4. Nc3 Nf6 5. f3 Bb4 6. Be3 Nc6 7. Qc2! (Erben - Heikkinen, 1-0 in 30) is definitely a good move. This may look too obvious, and I am quite sure that this has been played before, but for me this was the first time. I had thought that 7. Qd2 was the best move.
4. Nc3 c5 5. d5 exd5 6. cxd5 f5 7. Qh5+!? g6 8. Qd1 (Segerberg - Heikkinen, 0-1 in 24) is very original idea to weaken Black's kingside. Interestingly, Brause has used the similar idea: 4. Nc3 f5 5. Qh5+.
4. Nd2 f5 5. Ne2 b6 6. g4 (Wichert - Patterson, 1-0 in 32) was probably the boldest opening. However, after 4... Qxd4, Black would seem to have clear advantage.

Move: blunder

I think that the first one here fulfils best the definition of blunder: a move that loses a winning game.

Vandenbroucke - Croteau, 0-1 in 18, looked like a crushing win for White until 17. Bxf6??. Instead, after 17. a3 c5 18. Ne6!, Black could have resigned.
4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Be3 f5 6. f3 Nf6 7. fxe4?? Ng4 was played twice: Jirousek - Hassim, 0-1 in 21, and Vandenbroucke - Hassim, 0-1 in 10. Lucky Hassim. Anyway, this was the opening trap of the tournament.