Jeff Phillips is our 2008 Utah Closed Champion.  He also won the recent American Open Action Championship held in California.  Following is a game he won from a California Expert together with light annotation by Jeff.

Joseph Roth vs Jeff Phillips, Sicilian, American Open Championship, 2008

1. e4     c5

2. Nc3  Nc6

I anticipated some Grand Prix action, so I decided to dust off some old "Igor-opening lesson" material to try and suprise my opponent.

3. f4     g6

4. Nf3  Bg7

5. g3    Nh6!?

My opponent was moving extremly fast, so I knew I was in his pet line, so I began to "channel" Igor attitude and threw in a different look.  

6. Bg2  0-0

7. 0-0   d6

8. d3    a6

9. Qe2  Bd7            developing

10. Kh1                   Still moving at lightning speed, I sensed he was nervous, so I postured for a double-

edge fight as well.

                Rb8

11. a3?                    11. a4 is more accurate of course.

                Nd4!       Probing, and eyeing the open C-file.

12. Nxd4  cxd4       Feeling good with the Space!

13. Nd1   Qb6        Connecting the rooks, and getting ready for Rbe8 with the idea of e5 and f5

14. Nf2    Rbe8

15. Bd2   Bc6          Feeling very comfortable with my positon.

16. b4      f5             Here we go!

17. Nh3   e5

18. Ng1?                 I was confussed as well.

                  fe!          Opening lines from a fully developed position!

19. Bxe4   Qd8        Heading to the battle.

20. Nf3??                Oops!

  d5

21. Bxd5  Qxd5       He slowed down now.

22. Qg2   Ng4

23. h3   h5!              Tactics are natural in such positions.

24. hg   hg