In IX round of Dundee 150th Anniversary
Andrew Greet endured 135 moves as black against Eduardas Rosentalis and made draw.
Here's the game--->
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 cxd4 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Bc4 Qd6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Re1 Nc6 9. Nb3 Bd7 10. Nbxd4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Qxd4 12. Nxd4 {Equal position, but Rosentalis is counting on his skill, and opponent's fear and lack of endurance!} Rc8 13. Bd3 Bc5 14. Nb3 Bb6 15. Bf4 Bc7 16. Bxc7 Rxc7 17. Nd4 g6 18. c3 Ke7 19. f4 Kd8 20. Rad1 Kc8 21. Nf3 Ba4 22. Rd2 Rd8 23. g3 Rcd7 24. Nd4 Rd6 25. Bf1 a6 26. Bg2 Kc7 27. Bf3 h5 28. Kf1 R8d7 29. Kg2 Bc6 30. Bxc6 bxc6 31. Rde2 c5 32. Nf3 Kd8 33. Ne5 Rb7 34. h3 Ke7 35. g4 hxg4 36. hxg4 Nd7 37. Nc4 Rd5 38. Kf3 Nb6 39. Ne5 Na4 {Greet has been in Zeitnot for some time now. He couldn't evaluate position without Knights, all right, but 39. ...Na4 was better. Now White has huge advantage: white Knight is strong and black Knight is out of play.} 40. c4 Rd6 41. b3 Nb6 42. Re3 Nd7 43. Nd3 Kf6 44. Rh1 a5 45. Rh7 Ke7 46. Nf2 Nf6 47. Rh8 a4 48. g5 Nd7 49. Ne4 Ra6 50. Nc3 axb3 51. axb3 Rb8 52. Rh7 Kf8 53. Nb5 Rd8 54. Re2 Nb8 55. Nc7 Rad6 56. Rh8+ {Even great Rosentalis "light Karpov version" managed to ruin his position and now it is equal, but I couldn't tell that during the game and it is clear that position is much easier to play with white pieces. Greet was in Zeitnot all the time!} Ke7 57. Rh7 Rd3+ 58. Kg4 Kf8 59. Nd5 Nc6 60. Nf6 Ke7 61. Nd5+ Kd6 62. Nf6 Nd4 63. Ra2 Kc6 {?? Now I would have played 63. ..Nf5 and I was sure I will checkmate, or after 64. Rg2 that I will take exchange with 64. ...Ne3+. But instead of that, I would have been checkmated after 64. Ra6!} 64. Rxf7 Rxb3 65. Ra6+ Rb6 66. Raa7 Rb4 67. Ra6+ Rb6 68. Raa7 Rb4 69. Rfc7+ Kb6 70. Nd7+ Rxd7 71. Rxd7 Rxc4 72. Rdb7+ Kc6 73. Rg7 Rc1 {Here I would have played 73. ...e5 because I "saw" 74. dxe5 Nf5+. Wrong again!} 74. Rxg6 Rg1+ 75. Kh3 Kd5 76. Ra3 Ke4 77. Rf6 e5 78. Rg3 Rh1+ 79. Kg2 Rh8 80. fxe5 Nf5 81. Rh3 Rg8 82. g6 Kxe5 83. Ra6 Kf4 84. Rc6 {?? Rosentalis managed again to lose advantage, almost all advantage. Now it was only a question if Greet could see everything in Zeitnot. He could.} Kg5 85. Rxc5 Rxg6 86. Rf3 Rf6 87. Ra3 Kg6 88. Kh3 Rf7 89. Ra6+ Rf6 90. Ra1 Re6 91. Kg4 Ng7 92. Rg5+ Kh7 93. Ra7 Rg6 94. Kh4 Kh6 95. Re5 Rc6 96. Ra8 Rc4+ 97. Kh3 Kg6 98. Ra6+ Kf7 99. Kg3 Rd4 100. Kf3 Rc4 101. Rb5 Rc7 102. Ke4 Re7+ 103. Kf4 Ne6+ 104. Kg4 Ng7 105. Ra4 Re6 106. Rb7+ Kg6 107. Ra8 Ne8 108. Rd8 Nf6+ 109. Kf4 Re4+ 110. Kf3 Re5 111. Ra8 Rf5+ 112. Ke3 Re5+ 113. Kd4 Rd5+ 114. Kc4 Rf5 115. Ra1 Rf4+ 116. Kc5 Rg4 117. Rf1 Rg5+ 118. Kd6 Ne4+ 119. Kc6 Nf6 120. Re7 Rf5 121. Rd1 Rg5 122. Kd6 Rg4 123. Re5 Ra4 124. Rg1+ Rg4 125. Rf1 Ra4 126. Ke7 Ra7+ 127. Kd8 Ra8+ 128. Kc7 Ra7+ 129. Kc6 Ra6+ 130. Kb7 Rd6 131. Re7 Nd5 132. Re2 Nf6 133. Rc2 Re6 134. Rc6 Re7+ 135. Kb6 Rf7 {Finally draw.}
I always hate when weaker player loses their game in Zeitnot. Of course that stronger player had all the right in the world to play until last move and to hope for their opponents' blunder.
Nothing directly unsporty in that.
Still, I feel some bitterness when it happens, when GM, tired and washed-out, perhaps depressed and bored - proves to outsmart weaker opponent just by pushing woods and waiting their mistakes. David Bronstein would certainly have agreed with me.
No beauty in such play, it is wrestling.
I have been watching this game on my netbook and somehow I was happy this chap Greet managed not to blunder despite time trouble.
I don't know how Rosentalis looks like, I imagined all the time Yermolinskiy, with his dark glasses, dyed hair and liver spots, as semi-retired KGB spy on holiday.
No beauty in such "technique" which counts on opponents' blunders in equal or lost positions.
Here justice has however been done.
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