Monday, November 12, 2007

Garingo-Pearson 11.08.07 1-0

Here's the game I talked about below--a great chance to beat a near-master rated player. Going over the game intensively really taught me a lot. Chess Publisher was giving me some problems with the notes, despite well over an hour of tinkering, so they're separate from the game. Sorry about that.

Before reading them, check out the position after 22. Bxf7 and see what you come up with...

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bc4 Bg4 5. f3 Bf5 { The Master games I searched out that reached this position all went Bc8. I thought 4. Be2 was "book" and I'm on my own from here. } 6. Nc3 c6 { This gambit is familiar from other Scandinavian variations, and it seemed like a good choice against a much higher-rated player. } 7. dxc6 Nxc6 8. d3 e5 { Black has some compensation for the pawn in central control and development, plus White's weakened kingside. } 9. Be3 Bb4 10. a3 Ba5 { A computer might like Bxc3, but trading pieces just to weaken pawns didn't seem worth it, giving him two bishops and strengthening his control of d4. } 11. g4 { !? The kind of move I'm hoping for. Ne2, holding the g4 push in reserve, seems better. } Bg6 12. Ne2 h5 { ?! On 13. g5, I planned Nd4 14. Nxd4 Qxd4, but looking in the cold light of day I think after 15. 0-0 black doesn't have much to show for his pawn. Instead... } 13. Ng3 { ? Allows Black to open lines and complicate, just what he was looking for. } hxg4 14. fxg4 Nd5 15. Bd2 { Bxd4 was safer. } Nf4 16. Bxf4 exf4 17. Qe2+ Kf8 { Now I expected 18. Nf5 Bxf5 19. gxf5 Nd4 and Black may even be a little better. I was stunned by... } 18. O-O { ?? Wow. I don't see a realistic attack on f7 that's worth a piece, and taking the knight seems automatic, but I think my move is even better } Bb6+ 19. Kg2 { In the postmortem with several strong players Qh4 was suggested, but there didn't seem to be a killer follow up. Now I think my next couple of moves are fine--whether "the best", I frankly can't analyze to a definite conclusion. } fxg3 20. hxg3 Nd4 21. Qe5 { ? After Qd2 White has insufficient compensation for the piece but Black would have to play accurately to win. Instead, this move should lose quickly. } Nxc2 { Now if, for example, 22. Nd5 Bd4 and Black wins more material. So... } 22. Bxf7 Bxf7 { ? I didn't think his Bxf7 worked and played this recapture quickly--but Ne3+ wins! If 23. Kf2 or g1 then Nxg4 wins the queen, and if Kf3 Bxf7, so 23. Qxe3 Bxe3 24. Bxg6+ Kg8 might be best, but Black has a winning material advantage. Now things are more complicated... } 23. Rxf7+ Kxf7 24. Rf1+ { ! Not for the move but for the idea beginning with 22. Bxf7. I had just missed that despite my current huge material edge, my queen would have to go. And most important, from now until the end Black played as if dazed, making seemingly forced moves and going down the path of least resistance. I still had 13 min. for 7 moves, but I needed to shake it off and play better than ever. Instead... } Qf6 25. Rxf6+ gxf6 26. Qd5+ Kg6 27. Qe4+ Kf7 28. Qxb7+ Kg6 { Now I thought the game would continue 29. Qe4 Kf7 30. Qb7 with a draw. But... } 29. Ne2 Rae8 { ?? Be3! preventing the check on f4 would probably force the perpetual. I had 8 minutes for the last two moves and had to figure this was a critical time; but I saw Rae8 stopped queen checks and thought I was safe--there was no real quality analysis here, like I was dazed from all the previous calculation. So I lose... } 30. Nf4+ Kg5 { ?? Truly sad--Kh6 loses to Qf7, but this move turns a once interesting game into an embarrassment for me. } 31. Qg7# 1-0

1 comment:

transformation said...

bold and lovely. did you calculate the sacrifice and the ensuring Nxc2 or did you in a Tal like way not see your way to the end, but figure instead youd just throw your opposition into complications, on the clock?

Ze plan, mit unde zee see da mit planze?

der is alwazyes all ways ahlway anoder dun da ya another da chess game und ya always morein gloryze, but mit ya makend de planze now dat und ya uniquezeit singluarity ziet mit planning? one time und ya make saven ze time and unda effortiet?

warmest, dk