White, 479 (Q) vs. Michael Brooks, 1795

This was the first game of the 2021 Holiday Action. It was also my first rated game to fall exclusively within the Quick rating category; and my first game of any kind against Michael Brooks, the president of the Grand Rapids Chess Center, which has hosted every rated event I have participated in to date.

On the whole—especially considering the rating difference between us—I'd say I didn't play too badly. I even had the advantage for a short while, after 11...Qd6?? allowed me to capture a whole bishop without compensation. Unfortunately, I did a poor job trying to counter Black's queenside pawn storm (things might have gone better had I castled kingside instead of queenside).

After losing my queen on move 27, the game was pretty well over. I might have still had a chance if I had recaptured Black's rook with 28. Nxe2 instead of 28. Kxe2, therefore keeping a knight and a rook as balance against Black's queen. However, I was panicking after 26...Rb2+, and it failed to register that after 27. Kd1, my knight was no longer pinned by Black's queen.