2012 Championship - The Scores So Far

[FEN "6k1/6p1/5p1p/3q4/p1pn1PPP/2P1Q1K1/PP6/8 w - - 0 1"]
{White should play 1.cxd4 and have excellent winning chances. A passed pawn up. Instead White missed a cute wee trick.} 1. Qxd4 Qxd4 2. cxd4 {White is now a passed pawn up but...} 2..a3 {...and the c-pawn Queens. White resigned. }

[Event "2012 Championship"]
[Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2012.02.01"]
[EndDate "2012.02.20"]
[Round "1"]
[White "moon1969"]
[Black "ruylopez51"]
[WhiteRating "2128"]
[BlackRating "1780"]
[WhiteElo "2128"]
[BlackElo "1780"]
[Result "1-0"]
[GameId "9037238"]

1. e4 e5 2. Ng1f3 Nb8c6 3. Bf1b5 a6 4. Bb5a4 b5 {Not overly typical for black, at least not on move 4.} 5. Ba4b3 Ng8f6 6. O-O Bc8b7 7. d3 Nc6a5 {Giving me the e-pawn.} 8. Nf3xe5 Na5xb3 9. axb3 {I didn't like giving up the bishop and gaining the double pawns but I got the extra pawn (a center pawn at that). Plus, I might could use the double b-pawns to challenge a black c-pawn push.} Bf8c5 10. Bc1g5 {His bishops are well-posted but I didn't challenge them.} d6 11. Ne5g4 {Ng4 seemed better than the less-agressive Nf3. His (black's) bishops still go unchallenged.} Qd8e7 12. d4 {Utlimately going for the pinned N. And also like that the e-file may open with his Q stacked on his K.} Bc5b6 13. e5 O-O {My original plan all along and what I had been working toward was to win the piece (N) here with the pawn and pin. Being realized.} 14. Ng4xf6 {But I take with the N instead thinking I maybe could instead force a mate (which I later realized I couldn't but I though I could at least win some material), and also avoid him (black) posting his Q at the annoying d4 square. So I (white) took with the N instead of with the pawn, though it is unlike me to not immediately grab material when available. Risky. But I was really thinking I could force mate but as will see didn't happen. Also, I had considered taking with the B but went with the N.} gxf6 15. Bg5xf6 Qe7e6 {Preventing the straight mate via white Qg4+} 16. Qd1h5 {Now he (black) has to move his R at f8 or it is mate, which I expected to him to move his R and he did. One reason for Qh5 was to be able to drive his K to e8 (i.e., via Qg5+ and then Qh6+).} Rf8c8 {Preventing the mate.} 17. Nb1d2 {Earlier I passed on winning the piece, but at least I am two pawns up (which he can regain one of them). But again I was thinking of driving his K to e8 (Qg5+, Qh6+) for some possible rook pins on his K along the e-file. I thought a long time on this move, and developing the Ne2 gets the N closer to play and just as important connects the rooks.} Bb6xd4 {Ouch. Expected.} 18. Ra1e1 {Kept the rook at f1 to protect the weak f2 square but maybe moot. In our other game, this guy was just really playing good and winning (a pawn up and better position), and I thought I had this game but felt weak loose also. I hated his bishops here and that he had the open g-gile to post a rook once he relocated his K.} Bd4xe5 {My B is hanging and f4 doesn't work on his pinned B because he escapes with Bd4+. So now is the time to drive his K to e8.} 19. Qh5g5 Kg8f8 20. Qg5h6 Kf8e8 21. f4 {Now his K is on the e-file.} Ke8d7 22. fxe5 {I have to grab the material here in my opinion. Plan is to trade further material ASAP and rely on being a piece up to win.} Rc8g8 {Black going for the g-file and the g2 square. Too hard for him to resist and his best approach I think?} 23. Nd2e4 {I am feeling weakly loose. Just want to eventually trade material to diffuse the position and win with the extra piece.} Qe6g4 {More pressure. Kind of ominous in ways.} 24. Ne4g3 Rg8g6 25. Qh6f4 Qg4xf4 {I think he is forced to trade Qs.} 26. Rf1xf4 Ra8g8 {More pressure. He (black) now owns the g-file. But at least the Qs are off the board.} 27. exd6 h5 {I saw h-pawn push coming but I didn't think it would work for him.} 28. dxc7 {Grabbing more material and applying advanced pawn pressure, both to secure the win.} h4 29. Re1e7 {Saving the advanced pawn.} Kd7c8 30. Bf6xh4 Rg6d6 {That's the move I would have made if I were black, but to no avail. Moreover, I have been seeing that my N could come in handy toward his K. Now, white Ne4 may even be doable.} 31. Rf4xf7 {Kept the N in place. Instead, grab material and keeping his rook on the 8th rank unless he moves his B to provide an escape route for his K but even then . . .} Rd6d2 {Now he finally gets to the g2 square but too late. As an aside, I remember during the game I was a little concerned about a perpetual check but I don't see it now or how one could even be feasible.} 32. Bh4g5 {He can't take RxB or its mate. I had been thinking he would have already moved his bshop (i.e., Bd5) but he hadn't.} Rd2xg2 {Ouch but ok.} 33. Kg1f1 Rg2xc2 34. Ng3f5 {I had been thinking in other scenarios my N could possible go to the e4 square but here is definitely has to be Nf5. Black resigns.} 1-0