Here is the key game in the Booster Section's final round. Both Mike and I had 3 out of 3 points. There was a lot at stake, making this a tense game for both players.

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 As Black, I have been playing the Caro-Kann for some months now. The Advance Variation is the most common reply I've received. 3... Bf5 4. h3 e6 5. a3 Why? ...Bb4+ accomplished nothing. 5... h6 Black makes a retreat square for the f5 Bishop. 6. Nc3 c5 Almost a standard move in the Advance variation. 7. Nf3 c4 Black is trying to cramp the white position on the Q-side. White is doing the same to black on the K-side. 8. Be2 Nc6 9. Bf4 Nge7 Black's obvious problem is the blocked Bishop on f8. However, in a closed position, black has time - for now. 10. Bg3 Qb6 11. Na4 Qa5+ 12. c3 White supports the d4 pawn and protects the a4 Knight. That Knight is looking at the c5 square as a potential home. 12... Be4 13. O-O Bxf3 14. Bxf3 Nc8 14... Nf5!? 15. b4 cxb3 16. Qxb3 b5= 15. b4 cxb3 16. Qxb3 b5 r1n1kb1r/p4pp1/2n1p2p/qp1pP3/N2P4/PQP2BBP/5PP1/R4RK1 w kq - 0 17 17. Nc5 A positional mistake; White allows his pawn structure to be ruined. -Ed. 17... Bxc5 This solves the problem of Black's remaining bishop, paves the way for castling, and doubles the White pawns. That's a lot accomplished in one move. 18. dxc5 Rb8 19. Rfd1 I smelled the possibility of some sort of sac on d5, so I postponed castling to put extra protection on the d-pawn. 19... N8e7 20. a4? An error that costs White a pawn. 20... bxa4 21. Qxa4 Qxc5 22. Ra3 O-O White is a awn down and needs a plan. Urgent! White must bring his currently useless Bishops to better squares. The b3 Bishop needs to go to the c1-h6 diagonal where it threatens to go to e3 and gain a tempo while controling the g1-a7 diagonal. The f3 Bishop should go to the f1-a6 diagonal because all the "action" is on the Queen side. 23. Rd3? 23. Bg4 23... Rb1+ 23... Nf5 24. Bf4 Rb2 24. Kh2 Rc8 25. Ra1 Rxa1 26. Qxa1 Na5 Fritz recommends 26....Nf5, but I still preferred to post the other N on c4. 27. Qa2 Nc4 28. Qa4?? Nc6 I looked at 28... Nb2 , but badly miscalculated, thinking White had a sufficient reply in 29. Qd4 . 29. Qa6 N6xe5 30. Bxe5 Nxe5 31. Re3 Nc4 32. Re2 Rc6 33. Qb7 Rc7 34. Qa8+ Rc8 35. Qb7 Qc7+ 36. Qxc7 Rxc7 37. Rc2 a5 What GM said, "Passed pawns have a lust to expand"? (Aron Nimzovich. -Ed.) 38. Be2 Nd6 39. Bd3 g6 Intending to bring the King in on the long diagonal and restrict the enemy Bishop. 40. f3 a4 41. Bf1 Ra7 42. Ra2 a3 43. Bd3 Kf8 44. Bb1 Nb5 45. Rc2 Rc7 46. Ba2 Rxc3 47. Rxc3 Nxc3 48. Bb3 a2 49. Bxa2 Nxa2 At this point White could have easily resigned. (He played on about 10 more moves before doing so. -Ed.) 0-1 [Art Byers and Fritz 9]