Chess Net Etiquette II - The Sequel

Not been too active in the chess-o-sphere, with a pathetic cold lingering on and spoiling life in general !

However, the subject of this post relates to this where I commented on being censored for my "rudeness" of having 'Handshake' as my end-of-game message.

How would we cope in the replay ?  Would we shake and make up  ? Would there be a titantic struggle at the board as neither player gives in ?

Complete anti-climax, although I suppose a consistent approach.

No reply to game offers in the  forum, so I win by forfeit, never the best way, but at least the team gains a point !

In between, I lost my previous T4545 round.

No real excuses ( not even the cold ). We both had chances, I made a mistake, but worked my way out of it, then failed to capitalise on my opponent's mistake, overlooked the strong pawn advance and although I clearly remember calculating Rf2, I actually played Rf3, which put me back into difficulty !

Here I played what I thought was the clever Nd2, threatening the Queen. The simple Nxb2 would have been good, with Rxf8, followed by Qd2 or Nd1 and White is fine, if not a with an edge.

Nxb2 is better than my Nd2 ?!

This should have been Rf2. I thought it, I calculated it, but I played Rf3 ?  The brain works in unfortunate ways sometimes...

Rf2 gives an even game...Rf3 ?! does not 

Although I played on and defended like a trooper, I had to give up Bishop for pawn to prevent a queen promotion.
Rook, Knight and pawns vs Rook and pawns is not an easy endgame to lose, and my opponent played it well.

This week I am also in the U1800, as the team there is down its strongest player. I intend to play as best I can, but have no illusions as my opponent is consistently rated around 1800.

In local news....the first snow of the Winter arrived last night, and I am not surprised. It was bitterly cold walking home after food and drink at the local bar. Even a fine de Koninck could not keep from me the easterly wind that swept across the harbour  !

Time to settle down with Réti's best games and a chess board.....