Grandmaster draw

I had what reminded me of some of the early recent world championship games on Tuesday. I played Getting Bowes in the club championship.

[Event "Spondon Club Championship 2007/08"]
[Date "2007.09.18"]
[White "Dean Madden"]
[Black "Getting Bowes"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d3 Nf6 4. Nbd2 g6 5. g3 Bg7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Nc6 8. Re1 Qc7 9. Nc4 Re8 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bd2 Kh7 12. c3 a6 13. d4 cxd4 14. cxd4 Bg4 15. d5 Nd4 16. Rc1 Nxf3+ 17. Bxf3 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 b5 19. Na5 Qd7 20. Nc6 e6 21. b3 Rac8 22. Bb4 Kg8 23. h4 1/2-1/2

Getting offered a draw after my 23rd move and I agreed. I was quite please with it as he's a much more experienced player than me. The position was difficult and I don't think I'd have much chance in and endgame with him. I was lucky early on in that he could have been up a pawn, but he must have overlooked it. The only issue that made me think twice though was that I was way ahead of time. But even if he just moved his king back and forth, I still couldn't figure a way of forcing through. Maybe if I had more experience I would have played on.

Tonight is the first game in the Leicester congress, then 2 on saturday and 2 on sunday. The entrants so far for my U80 section are:

Roberts, Neil	Ashby	75
Green, Conrad	Hassell	73
Smith, Phil	Rolls Royce	70
Green, Eliot	Hassell	69
Mackay, Ross	West Notts	60
Blampied, Dorothy	Nottinghamshire	57
Heath, Kenneth	Gambit	55
Milson, Amy	Louth	47
Madden, Dean	Spondon	46
Pacitto, Joseph	Ashfield	38
Holliday, Lucien	West Nottingham

I've played Joe Pacitto and Phil Smith in long games recently in the Spondon summer tournament, and have played Amy Milson once in the Nottingham Rapidplay.

I'm hoping to do better than what my ranking suggests. I need to concentrate on every move, and double-check for any blunders or tactics I'm presenting my opponents. Then if I get ahead on material, gradually grind down my opponent and exchange pieces. Easier said than done.