Following is a game Mephisto2 (who deserves congratulations on this game) and I played to a draw. Both Mephisto2 and myself will do a postmortem but we welcome any and all outside analysis. So if your inclined to do some analysis, feel free to post your thoughts 🙂
[GameId 206554]
[White Mephisto2]
[Black Feivel]
[Result 1/2-1/2]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.a4 Nc6 10.f4 Qc7 11.Kh1 d5 12.e5 Nd7 13.Rf3 Rb8 14.Rh3 h6 15.Rb1 b6 16.Nxc6 Qxc6 17.Bd3 Nc5 18.Qg4 Nxd3 19.Rg3 g6 20.cxd3 d4 21.Bxd4 Bb7 22.Bf2 h5 23.Qh3 Kh7 24.Kg1 b5 25.axb5 axb5 26.Re1 Ra8 27.Rf3 Rfd8 28.Ne4 Ra2 29.g4 Rxb2 30.gxh5 Kg7 31.Rg3 Rh8 32.f5 Rxf2 33.Nxf2 Bc5 34.Kf1 exf5 35.Qxf5 Qg2+ 36.Ke2 Qxf2+ 37.Qxf2 Bxf2 38.Kxf2 Rxh5 39.Kg1 Kf8 40.d4 Bd5 41.Rb1 Rh4 42.Rxb5 Rxd4 43.Kf2 Ke7 44.Rg5 Bc6 45.Rb6 Bd7 46.Ke3 Rd5 47.Rb7 Ke8 48.h4 Bf5 49.Kf4 Rd4+ 50.Kg3 Rd3+ ½-½
Thanks
Amici Sumus
Feivel
Didn't even consider anything except 18...Nxd3 because i thought your Bd3 needed removal PDQ. Guess what I found, a major screw up had i played Nxa4 since the pawn would have been quite costly.
18...Nxa4 19.Rg3 g6 (as played) 20. Bxg6 and bye bye Blackie 🙂
A quick look at 28...Ra2 tells me I might have been too hasty because 28...Qc2 seems somewhat stronger.
Amici Sumus
Feivel
Here are my first thoughts. I hope to read others' opinion as well.
First of all: hat off for my opponent. On move 32, I was convinced that I was winning, and promised my opponent to take my hat off if he survived. He did. Great play!
Move comments:
11.... d5 first time I see this in this Najdorf -> Scheveningen variation. I expected Re8 (probably stronger). I decided to keep the center closed and play for space and kingside initiative.
18.... Nd3 There were alternatives! Either Kh8 (19.Rg3, Rg8) or f5 (19.Qg6 Qe8) were worth trying (probably better).
19.... g6 the alternative was Nf2+ 20.Bxf2 g6. Depends on what black wants to do with the c-file (open or half-open).
20..... d6 I was really surprised! I see two kinds of alternatives:
- Kg7 or Kh7 or Kh8 to allow for a rook to help
- Bb7 or Rd8 for immediate counterplay (and prepare d6)
But I admit I underestimated the compensation for the pawn.
I played 21.Bf2. Perhaps I should have considered more Rc1 to chase the queen off the diagonal, or even Kg1 (as I did in move 24) to leave the diagonal myself.
27.Rf3 I could play Rge3 but I didn't want to block that diagonal for my (bad) bishop. It didn't help me a lot, though.
28.... Ra2 I agree that Qc2 was stronger. I would have played g4 anyway.
30.... Kg7? I think Rh8 Rg3 Kg8 was better
31.... Rh8 Maybe Rb3 for counterplay.
32.f5 this was part of my plan for several moves before. The move that I counted on to say I was going to win. I am much wiser now.
33.Nxf2 we discussed that f6+ Rxf6 etc... would lead to a draw very fast
39.Kg1 after the (esthetical, but also more or less forced) series of exchanges, this is the position that I had in mind and thought I could win. Was 39.h3 better? (b4, d4, Rh4, ....).
40.d4 another difficult choice. If I wanted more than draw, maybe I should have played Rg4 and Rb4 before playing d4.
42.Rxb5 or was Rc3 first better?
42.... Rxd4 now whites remaining pawns are splintered. Chances for win are allmost nil. Anyone can challenge this?
43.Kf2 should I have tried Rc3?
44.Rg5 what about Re3?
I look forward to any comments on this game.
Again: well played Feivel!
Mefisto.