Over/Under 1800

Hey guys, it's a bit late, but I'm just going to post about one of the tournaments I recently participated in, the Over 1800 sectional.
I prepared some of my opening lines and freshened with some tactics puzzles, but I didn't perform as high as I wanted to during the tournament.
I was very eager to do well in round 1, because the first round usually is my most important game because it effects all my other rounds. To my surprise, I was playing black against my friend, Roy Yearwood. We've almost played each other every tournament for the last 5 tournaments. I know he played the modern and I didn't have a good line for it, but he went in for an English with 1. c4. I was going to play the line I played against Nic Haynes (1... c6), but I didn't think Roy knew too much theory and I played a normal 1... e5. He continued fianchettoing his bishop on g2, and a good pawn structure with d4/c4. I was immediately in an inferior position, with central pressure and a space disadvantage. Roy had a3 and c4, so he could've pushed b4 and tried to breakthrough with c5 or b5 to create a passed pawn or create more pressure. It was hard for me to find a plan, so I decided to maneuver my queen to c8 (protecting the b7 pawn), and to switch my knights around to possibly get some counter play on the e4 outpost. Roy didn't look at b4, so he just pushed d5, locked the position and offered me a draw, of course I accepted. 1/2-1/2

My second round was with white against Aaron Sequillion, since I knew he didn't like the Bb5 sicilian, I decided to go into it even though I didn't prepare anything. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ (Moscow variation). I didn't understand the strategical concept of the position and pushed an early d4?! without any c3 preparation. We continued into a dragon-like position without the white squared bishops, which was devastating for me. He missed a tactic while breaking through with d5, and it let me lock up the position when he had much play on the center and diagonals. I offered a draw, and since my CFC was 100 points above him, he accepted the draw in a =/+ position. 1/2-1/2

Third round, black against my buddy Martin Robichaud. I've played a lot of blitz with Martin, and some active games too, but this was my first time challenging him in a regular game. He opened the game with a Panov attack against my Caro-Kann. (1.e4 c6 2.c4!?) I knew he played this, and prepared 5 minutes before hand so I wouldn't screw up. I was pretty comfortable with the position, but he soon got a kingside attack. I underestimated it and missed a big tactic on e6, which led to material loss and a horrible position. I decided to play on for a bit but resigned after a few moves. 1-0
A very confusing position, which I thought I could defend and win a pawn, but it was indeed a good game!

Fourth round, white against Chris Kuczaj. He usually plays Shevenigen, but this time he played a Caro-Kann! I was glad since I knew the theory for it, I can play most of the lines, so I just chose the advanced. He got his bishop out and the c5 push, but I got play with a3 and tried to breakthrough with b4. He played a5 and Qb6, so I shifted my queen to a4 so I could advance b4 because of the queen-rook pin. Right then, he made a very interesting move, Qa6!?, protecting the b4 threat and threatening a b5 advance! I had to move my queen back and I planned to develop, but he didn't lock the queenside so I got a big advantage with a b3/a4 type of queenside attack. I got my knights in a binding position and won the exchange. 1-0

Fifth round, black against Rick Pedersen. I remember Rick being a King's Indian player, and I definitely don't have a good record against him. He played e4, and I being a Caro player, stuck with my plan. The position was pretty equal, but I let him get his b1 knight to d4 (Na3, Nc2). He had a good idea with an a4 push, but was afraid to further push it down, he should've played a5! to capture the b6 square for my knights. He let my knights get onto c5 and b6 (planning to go to c4 and e5). I was possibly a little better, but I offered my 3rd draw, and he accepted right away. 1/2-1/2

Too many draws I suppose, but I did gain some knowledge about underestimating attacks or positions. My CFC dropped to 2101, but my Fide probably increased a few points. Overall, it wasn't a BAD tournament, but I performed at a 2050 level. I hope I'll do better next tournament. =D

'Till then, I'ma out!