So where's the chess?

This is supposed to be a chess site after all. So while we are waiting for the championship to start, here's my last round game from the Reubens-Landey qualifying tournament.

I must admit that I was playing for a draw from the beginning. While a win would have secured first place, a loss would have made it very unlikely that I would be invited to the championship. Therefore, I eschewed competitive spirit for practical attainment of tangible goals.

[Event "BCC Reubens-Landey"]
[Site "Somerville, MA USA"]
[Date "2004.08.02"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Glickman, David"]
[Black "Warfield, Simon"]
[Result "1/2"]
[WhiteUSCF "1915"]
[BlackUSCF "2190"]
[ECO "C06"]
[Opening "French"]
[Variation "Tarrasch"]
[Sub-Variation "3...Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 Bd3 main lines"]

1.e4 e6

[My opponent typically plays the Sicilian so the French was a bit of a surprise]

2.d4 d5 3.Nd2

[My choice of the Tarrasch was clearly intended to keep the draw in hand]

3...Nf6 4.Bd3 c5 5.e5 Nfd7 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 10.Nf3 Bd6 11.0-0 0-0 12.a3

[More to the point are moves like Nc3, Nf4 or Re1]

12...Bd7 13.b4

[In the ...Qb6 lines (instead of Bd7) my plan with a3 and b4 leads to an equal game with few prospects after 13...e5]

13...e5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Ned4 Nfg4

[However, here black can benefit from having left his queen at home. According to Fritz8 15...Nxd3 16.Qxd3 Qe8 with the idea of Qh5 is =/+]

16.h3 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 Ne5 18.Nxe5 Bxe5 19.Be3 a6 ½-½