This is a crazy game! I've played a couple that have gone the same way (ie, all the pawns becoming locked right across the centre) and i'm proud to say i've lost every one! 😀
Originally posted by Marinkatomb Good game! Tough opponent in this one. Correct me if i'm wrong, but doesn't 20.f5 win blacks bishop?
Thanks for the input! 🙂 20.f5 doesn't win the bishop but is interesting. (Perhaps I underestimated it during the game)
After 20.f5 Bxf1 and now:
a)21.Bxd4 Qxd6 and black is the exchange up and has gotten rid of whites passed pawn.
b)21.Qxd4 exd4 22.fxg6 dxc3 and black is clearly winning
c)21.fxg6 Nf3+ is interesting after 22.Kxf1 Nxd2+ 23.Ke2 Nc4 and white is the exchange down but life looks difficult for black with whites strong passed pawn and active pieces.
If Black avoids this and plays 20...Bxf5 then something like 21.Nd5 may be an option where I am not sure what the result should be. (Feel free to correct any of this)
it's been a while since I played a reasonable game. it may not be my very best. still it was a decent effort and very satisfactry to finally winning a good game again.
my white opponent chose the offbeat 1.a3 which allowed me to develop quickly and open the position with the temporary pawn sacrifice 6.c5.
i believe i reacted accurately to his Nxf7?! and after 17...Nd3+ 18.Ke2? i was soon able to enter into the 7th rank through the nice Nxf2 tactic, and as if he wasn't already warned i was able to set up a nice backrank mate !!
My best win is this one: an early endgame in the London System against a tough opponent, decided by a nice positional sacrifice (are you guys still awake?).
1. d4 e6 {I use the French Defense defense for e4, a monster opening for white.} 2. e4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 {Even control of the middle; a difficult thing to get against 1.e4.} 4. Nb1c3 Ng8f6 5. Bc1f4 Bf8d6 6. Bf4g5 O-O {Castling out of the way early.} 7. Bg5xf6 Qd8xf6 8. Bf1e2 Rf8e8 {Pin gives white things to worry about.} 9. Ng1f3 Bc8g4 10. Nc3xd5 Qf6g6 11. O-O Qg6h5 {The f3 Knight is pinned, but doesn't know it yet.} 12. Nf3e5 {White tries to gain a bishop, thinking he's a lot backing up the attack on the f4 knight.} Bg4xe2 {Ends up forked instead.} 13. Qd1d2 Be2xf1 14. Ra1xf1 f6 15. Nd5f4 Qh5f5 {I come out a pawn ahead if we exchange pieces in this position.} 16. Ne5d3 {White avoids going down in material.} Nb8c6 17. c3 Re8e7 {Setting up an attack on white's back ranks.} 18. Nf4e2 Ra8e8 19. Ne2g3 Bd6xg3 20. fxg3 Qf5a5 {This position gives me some options.} 21. a3 Nc6xd4 22. Qd2d1 Nd4e2 {Pressure on white builds. My knight has solid control of white's back ranks.} 23. Kg1h1 Qa5h5 24. Rf1f3 {White sees the knight fork. However...} Ne2xg3 {...he's pinned his rook.} 25. Kh1g1 Ng3e2 26. Kg1h1 Re7e3 {Adds all kinds of pressure on white.} 27. Rf3xe3 {Not a good move, since white's down in material. Rf3f4 would've been better.} Ne2g3 {White resigns.} 0-1