Annotated Game #351: Completing a trilogy of ugly wins

This final-round tournament game is another ugly win, the second in the Dutch Defense for the tournament. I felt better about it than the others, however, since the middlegame was more interesting and I got into a losing position only after missing an excellent attacking continuation at a critical point (move 25). After that, I needlessly panicked as White got the initiative, then landed some hard blows against my position. My practical decision-making was good, however, in that I kept posing White problems, which eventually he failed to solve in the best way, thereby letting me back into the game. The denouement comes after a crucial bid for counterplay is allowed to succeed by White, then I force a transition into a winning queen endgame.

[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Class C"] [Black "ChessAdmin"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "ChessAdmin/Dragon 3.2"] [ECO "A80"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "108"] [GameId "2308393799384246"] 1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 Be7 4. h4 {played without hesitation, so it seemed like part of my opponent's normal prep. It takes the game into non-traditional Stonewall territory.} h6 (4... Nf6 {would in fact be close to a normal Stonewall idea and is preferred by the engine. In the game, I was not sure how to handle the advanced h-pawn, however, and decided to limit its scope on the h-file.}) 5. Bxe7 {otherwise the bishop loses a tempo retreating.} Qxe7 6. Ne5 {taking immediate advantage of the hole on g6 by threatening a fork. This is easily blocked by} Qf6 {that said, the early double knight move by White is still a good idea, since now the queen occupies the best square for the king's knight.} 7. e3 Ne7 $11 {Black has managed to equalize early, with no more immediate threats from White, although there are positional imbalances with differing minor piece placements and pawn structures.} 8. c4 {this made my decision about what to do in the center easier, since ...d5 now makes less sense.} d6 {kicking the knight and going into a Classical Dutch structure.} 9. Nd3 Nd7 {normally this is a no-brainer developing move, but here it would be better to avoid committing the knight.} (9... e5 $5 {one general rule in the Dutch is for Black to play ...e5 whenever it is possible to do it succeessfully.} 10. dxe5 dxe5 $11) (9... O-O {first is also good, as the king will certainly not be castling queenside and needs protection.}) 10. Nc3 {now ...Nb5 would threaten c7} c6 (10... a6 $5 {would avoid weakening d6 and further clogging the white squares in front of Black's undeveloped bishop.}) 11. h5 {not a terrible move, as it prevents ...Ng6, but I was nonetheless glad to see it on the board, since it took away the h5 square from the White queen.} e5 {castling first may have been slightly more prudent, but this is a good strategic idea, fighting for central control.} 12. d5 $6 {immediately ceding control. The advanced d-pawn does not do anything special for White in compensation.} O-O $15 {with the king tucked away and the Rf8 now in play, Black is in good shape to open the center and play more dynamically.} 13. Qd2 $6 {my opponent obviously wants to castle queenside, but this allows me to mobilize my Nd7 with tempo.} (13. Be2 $15 {would develop a piece and not put the queen in a vulnerable position on d2 after a future ...Nxc4.} Nb6 14. Qb3 $11) 13... Nb6 $17 {with a double attack on the now under-defended d5 pawn, as well as the hanging c4 pawn.} 14. Nb4 {the best try, but the knight is kicked away after} a5 15. Nc2 Bd7 $6 {it would be better to play this developing move after taking the pawn.} (15... cxd5 16. cxd5 Bd7 $17) 16. O-O-O $2 (16. e4 {is what we both missed, which would allow White to equalize after} cxd5 17. exd5 $11 {I still prefer Black, but White is in better shape regarding central control.}) 16... cxd5 $1 {this now gives me central dominance and an open c-file to exploit against White's king.} 17. cxd5 Rfc8 $17 18. Kb1 Rc5 {here I chose to exert more direct pressure on the c4 pawn, which prompted my opponent to find the best move.} (18... Nc4 {at the time, I did not do this because I felt the knight might have more attacking value if preserved. However, White' Bf1 does an excellent job covering key light squares and would be worth exchanging off.} 19. Bxc4 Rxc4 $17) (18... Na4 $17 {would also chip away at White's defenders and increase my activity.}) 19. e4 $1 $15 {this surprised me, although it seems a very logical response to protect d5. I think I had vaguely assumed I could just exchange it and then take on d5, but of course after Nxe4 there is a fork of the queen and rook.} Rac8 {still, I am making life increasingly difficult for my opponent.} 20. Bd3 $2 {a logical-looking move, connecting White's rooks and shoring up the b1-h7 diagonal. Black has multiple ways to take advantage of this, however.} (20. Rc1 $15) 20... Qf7 $6 {a rather timid follow-up, although it pressures d5 again. The knight moves to c4 and a4 are also still good and active.} (20... Rxc3 $1 {is a breakthrough exchange sacrifice that the engine finds.} 21. bxc3 fxe4 22. Bxe4 Na4 $19 {and the c-pawn falls, opening up White's king position.}) 21. f4 $2 {I recognized this move was too optimistic, but do not respond accurately.} (21. f3 $17) 21... Nc4 $6 $11 {this comes a move too late, as now White could take advantage of the advanced f-pawn to equalize with a central exchange, following the knight being traded.} (21... Rxc3 $1 {still works.}) 22. Qf2 $2 {now however I correctly calculate it is time to pull the trigger with a (temporary) queenside sacrifice, to open up the king position.} (22. Bxc4 $1 Rxc4 23. fxe5 dxe5 $11 {White's strong, supported passed d-pawn makes things even.}) 22... Nxb2 $1 {as well as destroying the pawn shield, this is also a "removal of the guard" tactic against the Nc3.} 23. Kxb2 Rxc3 $19 {the position is now similar to the exchange sac variation, except that I am up a pawn.} 24. fxe5 dxe5 {the second-best move, according to the engine.} (24... Ba4 {this is difficult to see because the knight appears adequately protected, but because the White queen is involved, the sequence after} 25. Rh3 {(for example)} (25. Rd2 {this fails to} Rxd3 26. Rxd3 Rxc2+ $19) 25... Rxc2+ 26. Bxc2 Rxc2+ 27. Qxc2 Bxc2 28. Kxc2 {leaves Black effectively a piece up.}) 25. d6 {a good practical try, creating a more difficult situation for me to look at.} Rxd3 $2 {I thought for a long time here, recognizing the critical nature of the position, but could not find an actual win. The winning tactics are in fact difficult to see. The text move unnecessarily gives away material.} (25... Bb5 {deflecting a defender of c2} 26. Bxb5 Rxc2+ 27. Qxc2 Rxc2+ 28. Kxc2 Qxa2+ $19 {and White has no time to capture the Ne7}) (25... Ba4 {is again a top engine choice, even with the Ne7 hanging.} 26. dxe7 Qxe7 27. Rh3 Rxc2+ $19) (25... Nc6 $5 {is the most obvious response, moving the attacked knight, but I thought the king could snatch the rook.} 26. Kxc3 Nb4+ 27. Kd2 Nxd3 $1 $19 {however fatally exposes the White king.}) 26. Rxd3 $11 {White has equalized again.} Qc4 $6 {this is too optimistic, as I no longer have an immediate attack.} (26... Nc6 $11) (26... fxe4 27. Qxf7+ Kxf7 28. Rf1+ Nf5 $11) 27. Rhh3 (27. Rb3 {would have been more pointed, targeting the b-pawn weakness while the Ne7 is still hanging.}) 27... Be6 $2 {I thought I was in trouble here and believed this aggressive move was my best shot.} (27... Nc6 {and White cannot make progress. Pawn snatching does nothing after} 28. exf5 Nb4 29. Rc3 Qxa2+ 30. Kc1 Rf8 31. g4 Ba4 32. Ra3 Qxc2+ 33. Qxc2 Bxc2 34. Rxa5 Be4 35. Rxe5 Bc6 $15) 28. Rc3 $18 {White correctly calls my bluff, but doing it this way limits his material gains.} (28. dxe7 $18) 28... Qxa2+ 29. Kc1 {unfortunately in previous calculations I had hallucinated that the knight would now be pinned and could be won, but that is now obviously incorrect, as it is adequately defended.} Rxc3 30. Rxc3 Nc6 31. exf5 Bd7 32. f6 $1 {my opponent correctly keeps coming with the punches.} Nd4 {another desperation attempt, hoping to lead my opponent astray.} 33. fxg7 $1 Nf5 34. Rc7 Qe6 35. Qa7 $6 {the first inaccuracy by my opponent in a while.} Nxd6 36. Qb8+ Bc8 {I judged this to be the best practical attempt at defense. White has no immediate breakthroughs and will need to maneuver a bit.} 37. Qa8 e4 {some much-needed counterplay, although White is still very much winning.} 38. Nd4 Qg4 {awkward, but I wanted to maintain the protection of the Bc8.} 39. Nb5 $2 {my opponent ignores my counterplay possibilities with the queen.} Qg5+ {played with a great sense of relief. Now it is White who can easily miss the right continuation.} 40. Kd1 $2 (40. Kc2 $11 {this is the only move that does not lose.}) 40... Qxh5+ 41. Ke1 Qxb5 $1 $19 {now c8 falls but after the dust settles, I have a won queen ending.} 42. Rxc8+ Nxc8 43. Qxc8+ Kxg7 44. Qc7+ {these endings are always tricky and I have managed to draw them myself when theoretically lost. The trick to win is normally to force an exchange of queens into a won K+P ending. This can take a lot of maneuvering, however, especially (as in this case) when both kings are open to checks from the opposing queen.} Kg6 45. Qd6+ Kf5 46. g4+ Kxg4 47. Qg6+ Qg5 48. Qxe4+ Kg3 49. Qd3+ Kh4 50. Qe4+ Qg4 51. Qh1+ Kg5 52. Qd5+ Qf5 53. Qg2+ Kf6 54. Qb2+ {here my opponent offered a draw, but of course I declined in favor of} (54. Qxb7 h5 $19) 54... Qe5+ 0-1

Annotated Game #350: Another ugly win ftw

The trajectory of this next tournament game could be viewed as a mashup of the previous several games analyzed - being an ugly come-from-behind win, in which I am able to grab the initiative in a very equal position and then make life difficult for my opponent, who goes wrong tactically in the end. The game itself was a useful learning experience for me as White in a King's Indian Defense, which the Colle can transpose to. I obtained a significant plus out of the opening (see moves 10-17) but then squandered it by allowing counterplay by Black on the queenside. The rest of the game becomes a back-and-forth roller coaster.

(I mention in the annotations not choosing a couple of "good enough" moves - see IM Junta Ikeda's related Substack post here: https://juntaikeda.substack.com/p/20-40-good-enough-moves)

[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "ChessAdmin"] [Black "Class C"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "ChessAdmin/Dragon 3.2"] [ECO "E61"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "79"] [GameId "2308393172614308"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. e3 Bg7 4. Be2 O-O 5. O-O d6 {we now have a King's Indian on the board.} 6. c4 c5 {this pawn thrust is played much less often than the central e7-e5 one. I did not recall actually facing it over the board before, but there had in fact been one OTB game over a year before (which I lost).} 7. Nc3 {what I reacted with previously as well.} Nbd7 {a common move, but normally more associated with the e7-e5 plan.} 8. Qc2 {this is a good developing move for the queen in general, controlling e4 while clearing d1 for a rook. I did not yet want to commit to a specific plan in the center.} b6 {the only way to get the bishop out, with the knight sitting on d7.} 9. d5 {now it seems clearly better to commit the pawn and blunt the long diagonal for Black. The engines agree.} Nb8 $6 {Black now undevelops the knight, losing a lot of time in the process.} 10. Bd2 $16 {it's good to develop the bishop, even modestly in this case, as I now have a significant lead in development overall. However, this was not the most vigorous option.} (10. e4 {is the most active choice, supporting d5 and opening up the c1-h6 diagonal for the bishop.}) (10. Re1 $5 {is prepatory and lines up the rook on the e-file for greater support.}) 10... Na6 11. a3 {Black had to expect this, preventing the knight from going to b4.} Nc7 {the knight has spent a number of moves to get to this not-very-useful square.} 12. Rab1 $6 $14 {now was the time to play more directly for activity, taking advantage of Black's relative backwardness. This would also allow Black to play a 'small tactic' to equalize.} (12. e4 {again is best.}) (12. b4) 12... Bd7 (12... b5 {both of us missed this idea, the point being} 13. cxb5 (13. Nxb5 Nxb5 14. cxb5 Nxd5 $11) 13... Ncxd5 $11) 13. b4 Rb8 {this is a bit passive.} (13... cxb4 14. axb4 b5 $14) 14. bxc5 dxc5 $6 {this gives White too much of a free hand in the center, an opportunity which I now move to seize.} 15. e4 $1 $16 a6 (15... e6 {I was expecting this immediate challenge in the center. White is still doing very well after something like} 16. h3 exd5 17. cxd5 {as White's central pawn majority is more advanced and controlling than Black's queenside pawns.}) 16. h3 {a good prophylactic move, but there was a better one.} (16. a4 {more directly restrains Black's counterplay.}) 16... b5 17. g4 $6 {This move was an example of over-calculation. I was overly concerned about Black playing ...Bf5 in some lines, after the e-pawn advanced.} (17. Bf4 {was a more obvious choice and is "good enough"}) (17. Rfe1 {would develop the rook to a useful file and not weaken White's king position.}) 17... b4 {naturally pressing ahead.} 18. Na2 $6 {this was especially ironic after my previous move, the whole point of which was to set up} (18. e5 $16 {but I did not calculate this well either.} bxc3 19. exf6 Bxf6 20. Bxc3) 18... a5 $2 {I get lucky with this move from my opponent, as I had spotted} (18... b3 $1 19. Rxb3 Rxb3 20. Qxb3 Nxe4 $11) 19. Nc1 {now the danger is past.} (19. e5 $5 {is still possible.}) 19... Na6 $6 {the knight continues to eat tempi for Black.} (19... e6 $5) 20. Bf4 {I finally play this, as the obviously best place for the bishop, and the move now comes with tempo.} Rb6 $6 {Black is on the back foot anyway, but should have done something else to try to combat my strong central pawn duo.} (20... e5 $5 $16) 21. e5 $1 $18 {now Black is in real trouble, with her pieces cramped and uncoordinated as I dominate more territory.} Ne8 22. Qd2 $18 {I liked finding this 'small move' which greatly improves the queen's activity on multiple diagonals and the d-file.} e6 23. dxe6 $6 {this was far too accommodating.} (23. axb4 $1 cxb4 24. Nb3 {this is the key move, not worrying about} a4 {because of} 25. c5 $18 {hitting the awkwardly-placed rook, with additional pawn advances to follow.}) 23... Rxe6 $14 {now the awkward-looking rook lift idea actually proves useful for Black.} 24. Rd1 {getting the rook into the fight and asking Black how she wants to defend the pinned Bd7.} Nb8 $2 {the wrong choice.} (24... Re7 $14) 25. Nb3 $18 {the knight hops back into the fray on an ideal square, hitting the undefended c5 pawn.} Qb6 26. Ng5 {Continuing to press forward with more threats. I was starting to feel some time pressure here, so didn't spot the more effective backward bishop move. The text move is 'good enough' however.} (26. Be3 $1 $18 {c5 must fall now, and that is worth sacrificing the e5 pawn if necessary, given the captive Rf8 will be doomed.} Bxe5 27. Bxc5 Bc3 28. Qh6 Bg7 29. Qh4 $18) 26... Re7 27. Ne4 $6 {this is a reasonable idea, evacuating the knight to a central square before it is kicked, but Black can now equalize. I knew this was a problem when I played Ng5 originally, but as mentioned previously did not see anything better.} (27. Be3 $1) 27... Bxe5 $1 28. Nbxc5 (28. Bg5 $5 {would have been a better practical try, forcing Black to find} Bh2+ 29. Kxh2 Rxe4 $11) 28... Bxf4 $11 29. Qxf4 f5 {essentially forcing} 30. Nxd7 Nxd7 31. gxf5 $2 {unfortunately I miss the strength of Black's response.} (31. c5 $1 {with an equalizing counterattack.} Nxc5 32. Nxc5 Qxc5 33. axb4 axb4 34. Qc4+ Qxc4 35. Bxc4+ Kg7 {and now} 36. gxf5 {is fine:} Rxf5 37. Rxb4 Rf4 38. Rdb1 Ree4 39. Rb7+ $11) 31... Rxf5 $17 {the queen is tied to the defense of the Ne4 and has no good squares left.} 32. Qg4 $4 {this should drop a piece.} (32. Qe3 {looks best, although miserable after} Nc5 33. f3 Nf6 $17) (32. Qh4 g5 33. Qg3 Rxe4 {should be winning for Black, even if I could have found (unlikely)} 34. Bg4 {after} Rxg4 35. hxg4 Rf7 $19) 32... Ne5 $2 {I again get lucky, as both my opponent and I are short on time by now.} (32... Ndf6 {and unfortunately capturing with check does not save White:} 33. Nxf6+ Nxf6 {and both the Qg4 and Be2 are hanging.}) 33. Qg2 $11 {equality never felt so good.} Nc6 34. c5 {finally, some counterattacking.} Qc7 35. Bc4+ {still completely equal, but now I have the initiative.} Kg7 36. Nd6 $2 {needlessly complex and with a tactical flaw, but the threat has its desired effect.} (36. Bb5 $11) (36. Ng3 $11) 36... Rf6 {retreating to safety.} (36... Rxc5 $1 {and once again I am losing a piece.}) 37. Qd5 {here I was moving pretty quickly, but my opponent was also low on time. The obvious threat is Qg8+, although the Black king has an escape square on h6.} (37. Bb5 $1 {is a great tactical shot the engine finds, with a double attack on c6. I actually had spotted the possibility earlier, but played a safe move instead.} Nxd6) 37... Rf8 $2 {defending g8.} 38. Re1 {The Ne8 is pressured via x-ray down the e-file, although the threat can be liquidated after} (38. Bb5 $1 {still would win easily.}) 38... Rxe1+ 39. Rxe1 {now Black has one move to avoid losing, but does not find it.} Ne7 $4 {here a draw offer was made by my opponent. I immediately saw the refutation, but took a couple of minutes - about half my remaining time - to be sure I was 100% winning.} (39... Nxd6 $11) 40. Qe5+ 1-0

Annotated Game #349: Equal is not the same as easy

This second-round tournament game had a different trajectory from the previous two. Instead of having to rally after being significantly worse (and then winning), in this game as White I pass up various opportunities to gain a small advantage, as well as miss spotting a good tactic, keeping things very equal for almost the entire game. I would say there was too much play by rote early on, then perhaps a lack of ambition after that.

The other main issue was taking too much time with largely meaningless calculations on each move, in that the evaluation was not significantly different after many of them, regardless of the choice. This meant that near the end of the game I was down to only a few minutes and was in the position of responding to my opponent's initiative for too many moves. It only takes one miscalcuation or bad idea to give away the game, and that's what happened here. Engine evaluations of "equal" is not the same thing as "easy" to play, which this game is an excellent example of. My opponent did well to try to create practical chances in the latter part of the game, which gave me the opportunity to go wrong.

[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "ChessAdmin"] [Black "Class C"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "ChessAdmin/Dragon 3.2"] [ECO "D05"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "82"] [GameId "2309127055636957"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 Bd6 {extending the move symmetry / imitation.} 5. O-O {White's move order does not seem to matter much here, in terms of results.} (5. Nbd2 {is played a little more in the database, with the idea of guarding against ...Ne4. The trade-off is that the knight is committed to d2 early.}) 5... O-O 6. Nbd2 b6 {Black finally varies, although does not truly break the positional symmetry until the next move.} 7. b3 {continuing on autopilot with the original plan of going into the Colle-Zukertort, developing early with Bb2.} (7. e4 $1 {the engines agree that this is the only way to take advantage of this particular move-order. Black does not yet control e4, so the standard Colle e3-e4 break is a good one.} dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nbd7 9. Nxd6 cxd6 $14 {White now has the two bishops, and will have a pleasant middlegame with good prospects for all his pieces.}) 7... c5 8. Bb2 Ba6 {evidently with the idea of exchanging off White's pride bishop on d3. However, in response it is the right thing for White to exchange immediately, since Black's knight will be a little misplaced as a result.} 9. Qe2 (9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Qe2 Nb4 11. c4 {with an even but easy game for White.}) 9... Bxd3 10. Qxd3 $11 Nc6 11. a3 {preventing the awkward ...Nb4, but perhaps leaving Black with a little too much freedom in the center.} Nd7 {looking to push e6-e5, it seems, but I move to challenge first in the center.} (11... cxd4 12. Nxd4 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Qc7 14. h3 $11 {White is OK, but Black has the better center and the prospect of pressure down the c-file.}) 12. c4 dxc4 $6 {it is easy to not play optimally when there is complex central tension.} (12... Rc8 {Black can develop his rook into the fight.}) (12... cxd4 $5 {capturing toward the center would be better, if Black wanted to release the central tension.}) 13. Nxc4 (13. Qxc4 $5 {I rejected this as being awkward for the queen and a natural place for the knight instead. However, the queen is fine on the square, and the Nd2 can go to e4.}) 13... Be7 14. Rfd1 Bf6 $2 15. Rab1 $6 {another rather rote move, keeping things equal. The engine shows a positional plus after the forcing sequences involving capturing on c5.} (15. dxc5 {dissolving the center, but to the benefit of White's now more active pieces.} Nxc5 (15... Bxb2 16. Nxb2 Nxc5 17. Qc2 $16 {the queen projects power down the c-file and also the b1-h7 diagonal. Black now has to be careful not to lose his hanging Nc6.} Qe8 18. b4 Nb7 19. Ng5 $16 {White now has lasting pressure and the initiative.}) 16. Qc2 Qe7 17. b4 Nd7 18. Bxf6 Qxf6 {the Nd7 is defended tactically.} (18... Nxf6 19. Nd6 $16) 19. Qe4 $16 {with the initiative.} (19. Rxd7 $4 Qxa1+ $19)) 15... Qc7 16. d5 {I focused pretty much only on this idea, not on the dxc5 option, which is still best if not as good as before.} exd5 17. Qxd5 {superficially the queen looks active, but Black has no weaknesses here.} Rad8 18. Qf5 {I thought this was the only move.} (18. Qd6 $5 {offers a trade, with the idea of deploying back to the kingside if refused.}) 18... g6 $2 {this defensive move was unnecessary and left open a tactic, which I failed to spot.} 19. Qc2 $6 {again playing it safe, after not correctly calculating that the tactical option in fact works, although I had seen the basic idea.} (19. Rxd7 $1 {the sequence begins with a straightforward removal of the guard theme, although it becomes fairly complex.} gxf5 (19... Rxd7 {the straightforward continuation.} 20. Qxf6 $18 {and the mate threat on the long diagonal ensures White will win more material.}) (19... Bxb2 {tranposes to the main variation after} 20. Rxc7 gxf5 21. Rxc6 $18) 20. Rxc7 Bxb2 21. Rxc6 Bg7 $18) 19... Nde5 {the position is now very balanced, so I decide to simplify via exchanges.} 20. Nfxe5 Nxe5 21. Nxe5 Bxe5 22. g3 (22. Bxe5 {is more in keeping with the strategic decision to simplify.} Qxe5 {during the game, I didn't want to give my opponent such a nice-looking queen placement, but it is not significant in reality.} 23. g3 $11) 22... b5 23. Rbc1 {again, it was probably easier to further simplify, although the evaluation is not different. In any case, my opponent does it for me.} (23. Bxe5 Qxe5 24. a4 $11) 23... Bxb2 24. Qxb2 Rxd1+ 25. Rxd1 Rd8 26. Rc1 {in fact the best, according to the engine. Pressure is increased on the c-file and I avoid exchanging into a queen endgame, which would be easier for Black to play with the 3-2 queenside majority.} Rd5 27. Qe2 {the move is fine, but I was starting to get tired of calculating and low on time. Just looking to blockade on the c-file may have been simpler.} Qd7 {protecting b5 and doubling on the d-file, which I now have to watch.} 28. Qf3 {pressuring d5 while keeping control of d1.} h5 29. a4 (29. h4 {I never thought of this idea, which would have helped later in blocking Black's pawn advance. This is a routine type of response in master-level games.}) 29... bxa4 30. bxa4 {while I continue to play correctly, from an evaluation standpoint, Black in effect has the initiative.} Rf5 31. Qd1 {of course I would be happy simplifying to a drawn rook endgame.} Qb7 32. Rb1 {another fine move, but still leaving me with a more complex situation to deal with.} (32. Rc4) (32. h4) 32... Qc7 33. Qb3 {I was down to only a few minutes on the clock now, unfortunately.} Kh7 34. Qc3 (34. Qc4 {blocking the c-pawn and controlling the 4th rank before Black could play ...h4 would have sealed the draw.}) 34... h4 {still completely equal, but creating threats that I now fail to parry.} 35. Qc4 (35. Rb4 $5 {would have been a nice resource, based on the pinned c-pawn.}) 35... hxg3 {now time pressure makes itself felt in my calculations.} 36. Qh4+ $2 {I thought this simplified, but it in fact loses.} (36. hxg3 Rh5 37. Kg2 $11) 36... Rh5 $1 $19 37. Qxg3 {Black of course does not have to trade queens, and can make more threats quicker than I can. The initial problem, which I spotted too late, was that with the open g-file my queen can be pinned against the Kg1.} Qe7 {threatening ...Rg5} 38. Kf1 Qe4 $1 {with a double threat against a4 and h1.} 39. Rb8 {a desperate bid for counterplay, which is too slow, due to my open king.} (39. Ra1 {would resist longer, but I felt Black would inevitably win.} Qh1+ 40. Qg1 Qc6 $19 {the passed c-pawn, combined with Black's excellent queen and rook, will decide things.}) 39... Qxa4 40. Qc7 Qd1+ 41. Kg2 Rg5+ 0-1

Annotated Game #348: A familiar trajectory

In this first-round tournament game, my opponent essays the Advance Variation against my Caro-Kann, which these days is considered the most challenging try for White. While I play the opening generally correctly, I over-correct for my normal materialistic bias by postponing capturing the e5 pawn for too long, giving my opponent a strong attack. The trajectory of the game is similar to that of Annotated Game #347, as White dissipates the attacking tension too soon and lets me back in the game, albeit having inflicted some positional damage in the process. I then find a move which flips the game narrative and suddenly my pieces come to life, with a winning advantage. There are some tactics involved and I was glad to be able to calculate correctly the sequence that sealed the victory, which included giving back a piece in exchange for a winning major piece attack.

[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Class C"] [Black "ChessAdmin"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "ChessAdmin/Dragon 3.2"] [ECO "B12"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "92"] [GameId "2307865431380026"] [EventDate "2026.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 {the Advance Variation is now the main try against the Caro-Kann for ambitious White players.} c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 {pinning the knight and developing the bishop, which is the point of this variation for Black.} 6. dxc5 {this capture was a little delayed, giving White fewer move-order choices.} e6 {simply preparing to recapture. This line is a (temporary?) gambit for Black, as White can try to hang on to the extra pawn, however at some positional cost.} 7. Be3 {developing and defending c5.} Nge7 {standard knight development and the second most popular move in the database.} (7... a6 $5 {can be played if Black wishes to prevent Bb5 ideas.}) 8. Bd4 {the bishop now protects both c5 and e5, but is mostly limited to its role as a "big pawn"} Qc7 $6 {adding to the pressure on e5, but this leaves White with better options.} (8... Bxf3 {this draws the White queen a bit offside and removes a defender of e5. Combined with the following move, this makes Black's position quite solid.} 9. Qxf3 a6 $11) 9. Nbd2 $14 {now the exchange on f3 would just help White develop.} (9. Bb5 {is also good.}) 9... a6 {this is useful, but a bit late. I am lagging slightly in development and still a pawn down.} 10. Be2 Ng6 {further concentrating my forces against e5.} 11. O-O Be7 12. h3 Bxf3 {the rule in the Advance Caro-Kann is to exchange on f3 whenever there is a choice between that and retreating the bishop. This is both technically accurate and in practical terms helps reduce the amount of calculation required for decision-making.} 13. Nxf3 O-O $6 {this delays the pawn recapture unnecessarily. Black lacks defenders on the kingside, so castling is in fact premature.} (13... Ncxe5 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. f4 {this is what dissuaded me from capturing on e5, as the g7 pawn is hanging after the knight retreats. However, the engine is not concerned about this after} Nd7 16. Bxg7 Bxc5+ {the key in-between move, regaining the pawn with check.} 17. Bd4 O-O-O {and White at best has a slight edge.}) 14. Re1 $6 {this looks sensible and eventually will help reinforce e5, but would still allow me to capture there now.} (14. Bd3 $1 {immediately gives White an attack after} Ncxe5 15. Nxe5 Nxe5 16. Bxh7+ Kxh7 17. Qh5+ Kg8 18. Bxe5 Qxc5 19. Qg4 $16) 14... Rae8 $2 {I recall during the game being pleased with my lack of materialism. However, now is the time to regain the pawn.} (14... Ncxe5 $11 {this also usefully covers the d3 square.}) 15. Bd3 $1 $18 {I did not properly understand how threatening this would be.} Nf4 16. Bc2 {preserving the bishop on the key attacking diagonal. Now I am simply a pawn down with no counterplay and White has a good attack brewing.} Na5 {heading for c4, but this will not disrupt White's plans.} 17. b4 Nc4 {the knight looks good, but is not in fact hitting any useful targets.} 18. Qc1 Ng6 {retreating to safety, although stil awkwardly placed.} 19. g3 {usefully controlling both h4 and f4.} f5 {by this point I could see trouble brewing on the kingside and decided (correctly) that an attempt at counterplay was necessary.} (19... f6 $5 {was also a consideration. I chose the text move because it blocked the diagonal, which tempted White into capturing en passant.}) 20. exf6 $6 {White is still a clear pawn up after this capture, but the attack dissipates.} Bxf6 $16 21. Bxg6 hxg6 {I correctly decided that even though the doubled pawns are ugly, they are worth the piece exchanges, as White no longer has an attack. However, my opponent does not recognize this and over-presses with} 22. Ng5 $2 e5 $1 $19 {suddenly Black is winning, with central pawn dominance and fully activated pieces.} 23. Be3 e4 {opening up diagonals for both the bishop and queen, while taking away the f3 square from White's knight.} 24. Qd1 {although my weakness on d5 is targeted, this also leaves the Ng5 under-protected, so I decided to go for winning material immediately.} Nxe3 (24... Qd7 {is a better version of the idea, defending d5 first. Although the Ng5 can be reinforced, which I saw, White has too many other weaknesses.} 25. h4 Bxc3 $1 $19) 25. Rxe3 Bxg5 26. Qxd5+ Qf7 $1 {the only move, as the Bg5 is hanging; I saw this sequence as part of the calculations for move 24. If White chooses to take the bishop, as he does in the game, I correctly calculated that Black has a winning attack afterwards due to the f2 weakness. I would also be happy entering an endgame after an exchange of queens on f7.} 27. Qxg5 {probably the correct practical decision, forcing me to prove things tactically.} Qxf2+ 28. Kh1 Qd2 {pinning the Re3 against the Qg5 and preparing to play ...Rf2.} (28... Rd8 {is even better, but the text move is winning.}) 29. Qxg6 {an unexpected way out of White' pin. Now I simply take the rook and follow a conservative strategy of trading down to a winning endgame while not blundering, rather than trying to win as quickly as possible.} Qxe3 30. h4 Qxc3 31. Rg1 Qf3+ 32. Rg2 Qf5 {essentially forcing the queen trade.} 33. Qxf5 Rxf5 34. Re2 e3 35. Kg2 Kf7 36. g4 Rf6 37. Kg3 b6 38. g5 Rc6 39. cxb6 Rxb6 40. a3 Rb5 41. Kf3 Rf5+ 42. Kg3 Kg6 43. a4 Kf7 {obliging White to do something further weakening on his move.} 44. b5 axb5 45. axb5 Rxb5 46. Kf4 Rb4+ {and my opponent sensibly resigns.} 0-1

Training quote of the day #65: Viswanathan Anand

    

From Mind Master: Winning Lessons From A Champion's Life by GM Viswanathan Anand:

Motivation, I believe, ebbs and flows to its own rhythms and might have nothing to do with the effort we put into feeling it or the control we attempt to exercise over it. I’ve found that I’ve played my most inspired games when my enthusiasm for the sport resurfaced, without the bindings of titles or wins or ratings tying me down, and I’ve just wanted to play a good game and have been excited about learning something new or applying something fresh. There’s no quick path to finding motivation, but the moment you surrender to your love for your sport – or your career or choice of activity, for that matter – is where the highest probability lies.