26 Jan '12 16:33>
Another installment of our online rivalry, and from my perspective our most enjoyable game yet. Full of mistakes, valiant fight backs, tactical endings, and the importance of bishops
Game 8953874
Bit gutted to have missed out on the first chance of trying a B+N ending on RHP, but considering the mess I was in half way through it has to be considered a draw gained.
More from Velvetears soon, I hope
Game 8953874
1. e4 e5 2. Ng1f3 Nb8c6 3. Bf1c4 Bf8c5 4. b4 {Fairly standard up until now, where VE offers a pawn for the chance to build on my bishop with tempo} Bc5xb4 {I accept} 5. Bc1b2 d6 6. O-O Qd8f6 7. d4 exd4 8. Nf3xd4 {This move intrigued me, the knight is almost pinning itself because it doesn't have anything to go on and attack, and leaves the threat of Qxb2 Qxa1} Bb4c5 {I apply pressure to hopefully come up out of an exchange} 9. Nd4b5 {Ah, a risk of a fork. No matter, the bishop and rook in the corner should be more than white can capture} Qf6xb2 {so into the corner I go} 10. Nb1c3 {Good move. I had just expected VE to go for the fork, whereas now I need to get my Queen safe again and the fork is still on} Qb2b4 11. Nb5xc7 Ke8d7 {In hindsight this was a really poor move, I was worried about the knights and overlooked the frankly obvious threat of Qg4. I got careless} 12. Nc3d5 {Again VE builds on a position before executing the obvious move. This time however, I can take the Bishop. Starting to feel a little uneasy about what he is planning} Qb4xc4 13. Qd1g4 {here it comes...} Kd7d8 {and now my King is where I should have moved him in the first place} 14. Qg4xg7 Bc8e6 {I'm now fighting to stay in the game, I'm two bishops up but about to lose both Rooks} 15. Qg7xh8 Be6xd5 16. Nc7xa8 Bd5xe4 {Trying to get my money's worth before the inevitable loss of the back rank} 17. Qh8xg8 Kd8d7 18. Kg1h1 {Finally some respite. Board pieces say -4 for me but the white knight and a couple of pawns look vulnerable} Nc6e7 {I go after the knight on a8} 19. Qg8g4 {I was expecting f3 here, after the king move the move before} f5 {I'm allow a bit of piece development and the Queen can't get through yet} 20. Qg4h3 b5 {Still after the a8 knight} 21. f3 {This isn't as potent now because I wanted to move the bishop back anyway, I'm going to lose the h pawn though} Be4xa8 22. Qh3xh7 Ba8d5 {In preparation to defend against Re1} 23. Rf1e1 Bd5e6 24. a3 Bc5f2 {There isn't a safe square on the e file, so the pressure on the white squared bishop will be relieved temporarily} 25. Re1f1 Bf2d4 26. Ra1d1 a5 {time to try and instigate an attack of my own, a good old fashioned pawn charge} 27. Rd1d3 Bd4c5 28. Rf1d1 Qc4xc2 {I'd been having reservations about taking this pawn, but finally I think it is safe to do so} 29. Rd3d2 Qc2c3 30. Rd2e2 {Pressure back on the white squared bishop} Bc5e3 {pressure off again!} 31. Rd1e1 f4 32. Qh7e4 {White building on the e file, this is beginning to look dangerous} d5 {Begone, Queen} 33. Re2xe3 {Oh. Wasn't expecting that} fxe3 {Forced} 34. Qe4xe3 Qc3xe3 {Seems a good idea to exchange. I've been in trouble for about 22 moves and there is light at the end of the tunnel} 35. Re1xe3 b4 36. axb4 axb4 {Two passed pawns with knight and bishop vs Rook and three passed pawns, who's your money on?} 37. h4 {VE names his h pawn "Eric" and leads the charge down the board"} d4 38. Re3d3 Ne7c6 39. g4 b3 40. Rd3d1 Be6d5 {This pins f3, and with Nd5 I should claim one of the pawns} 41. Kh1g2 Kd7d6 42. h5 {Eric continues his charge} Nc6e5 {d pawn is sacrificed for greater good, knight and bishop threat on f3 and b1=Q the ideas} 43. Rd1xd4 Kd6c5 {Unpinning the bishop} 44. Rd4d2 Bd5xf3 45. Kg2g3 Ne5c4 46. Rd2h2 Bf3e4 47. g5 b2 48. Rh2xb2 {VE forced into a Rook sac, now can I get back and defend against Eric and co?} Nc4xb2 49. g6 Nb2d3 50. Kg3h4 Nd3f4 51. Kh4g5 Nf4e6 52. Kg5f6 Kc5d6 53. h6 {Up till here I was hopeful, now not so much} Ne6f8 54. h7 {final little trap, g7 would have meant Nh7+, Kf7, Bd5+} Nf8xg6 {VE sees it} 55. Kf6g7 Ng6h8 {and the charge of Eric saves us another 50 moves where I try to execute a bishop and knight ending. I really enjoyed that} 1/2-1/2
Bit gutted to have missed out on the first chance of trying a B+N ending on RHP, but considering the mess I was in half way through it has to be considered a draw gained.
More from Velvetears soon, I hope