Irving Ellner Memorial, Round 5

Goeller - Sherer, Irving Ellner Memorial 2012
White to play after 16...Nf8.

In the fifth round of the Irving Ellner Memorial at the Kenilworth Chess Club, I played young Max Sherer, against whom I had prepared to play into the Wade Variation of the Advance French.  I have annotated the game online.  I really enjoyed the position I got out of the opening, and I may finally have found the ideal anti-French weapon in the Advance.  However, I still struggled to stay focused on the game and playing for a win.  The player I wrote about in "My Unsporting Attitude Problem" again created a scene in the tournament hall that encouraged me to accept a draw in what was definitely a position worth playing out.  Clearly I have to work on my attitude and focus before the U.S. Amateur Championship later this month.