OTB Game Analysis 9

Converting an opening advantage

This was an OTB league game with a time control of 90+30 with 30 minutes added after move 40.

1.d4 f5 2.Bg5 Nf6?! 3.Bxf6 exf6 4.e3 d5 5.Bd3

The most common move is c4 with the possible continuation 5.c4 Be6 6.cxd5 Qxd5 7.Nc3 Qd7 8.d5 Bf7 9.Qb3 Qc8 10.Nge2 Bd6 +=

5...Bd6 6.Qf3 g6 7.h4

Of course not 7.Qxd5?? Bb4+ -+

7...Be6?!

7...h5 This leaves the g6-pawn weak but it was the lesser evil for black.

8.h5 Kf7?!

8...O-O?? 9.hxg6 hxg6 10.Qh3 Black won't survive long
8...Rg8 (This move gives up the h-file but black's king is less exposed.) 9.hxg6 hxg6 10.Ne2


White to play

Here I was very unsure how to continue, it is very obvious that white is much better but there is no clear forced path to exploit it. I decided to develop the knights, castle queen side and attack on the king side by opening some lines. But I didn't carry this plan out precisely enough.

9.Nd2?!

9.Nc3 (This was much stronger and it looks more natural. I didn't play this move because for some reason Bb4 looked scary to me and I wasn't sure where the knight should go from c3) 9...c6 (9...Bb4 10.Ne2) 10.O-O-O +/-

9...Nd7?!

9...Nc6! 10.a3 Ne7 (Now black overprotects f5 in order to close the kingside with g5 without losing the f5-pawn.) 11.O-O-O g5 12.h6 White's still slightly better but they have lost a lot of their advantage.

10.Ne2 c6 11.O-O-O Qc7

Committing the queen to c7 seems premature. 11...b5 12.Nf4 Bxf4 13.exf4 Qb6 14.Nb3

12.g3 b5 13.Nf4 Bxf4 14.gxf4

The engine also shows 14.exf4 which I didn't consider during the game. I just wanted to open the g-file but this allows black's king to go towards the blocked centre. 14.exf4 Ke7 15.Rdg1 Rhg8 16.hxg6 hxg6 White is still much better but black's king is safer compared to the game.

14...Nb6

14...c5 (This is an idea I came up with in the analysis of the game. Black sacrifices a pawn in order to open lines on the queen side but white can exchange a pair of rooks and prevent any kind of pressure.) 15.Bxb5 c4 16.Nxc4! dxc4 (16...Rab8 17.hxg6+ hxg6 18.Rxh8 Rxh8 19.Nd2 Rb8 20.Bxd7 Qxd7) 17.d5

15.Rdg1 Rag8 16.Qg2 Kf8

16...g5!? 17.fxg5 Rxg5 18.Qh3 Rhg8 19.Rxg5 fxg5 20.Bxf5 g4 21.Bxe6+ Kxe6 22.Qg2 Qf7 Black has given up a pawn but managed to exchange the bad bishop and weak f-pawn. Additionally, black has some pressure against the f2-pawn. White is still clearly better but this would have been the best defensive try.

17.Qh3 Qg7 18.Nb3

Starting play on the queen side since all black major pieces are on the other side of the board and need to stay there.

18...Nd7 19.f3 Qh6?!

The queen is now completely out of the game.


White to play

20. hxg6

I shouldn't have played such a forcing move. White could have continued to improve things on the queen side before deciding what to do on the other side of the board: 20.Na5 Nb8 21.Nb7 Rg7 22.Nc5 Bc8 23.Qh4

20...Qxh3 21.Rxh3 h6?!

Leaving the g6-pawn on the board makes the win easier for white. 21...hxg6 22.Rxh8 Rxh8 23.Na5 Nb8 24.Rxg6 Kf7 25.Rg1 Bc8 26.Kd2 Rh2+ 27.Kc3 Rh3 28.Rf1

22.Na5 Nb8 23.Nb7 Ke7

23...h5!? (In order to attack the g6-pawn and prevent Rh5) 24.Nd6 Rh6 25.Rgh1 Rgxg6 26.Nxf5 Bxf5 27.Bxf5 Rg8 28.Rxh5 +-

24.Nc5 Nd7 25.Nxe6 Kxe6 26.Rh5 Rg7 27.Bxf5+ Ke7 28.Bxd7 Kxd7 29.f5

Now white's pawn on g6 is safe and the win isn't too difficult.

29...Kd6 30.Kd2


Black to play

Defending the weakest point in white's position.

30...c5 31.Rgh1 Rc8 32.Rxh6 cxd4 33.exd4 Rgc7 34.c3 b4 35.Rh8 bxc3+ 36.bxc3 Rxc3 37.g7

Before this move I thought for quite a bit since I noticed that my intended move 37.Rxc8 doesn't win as easily as I thought. However, this was just an illusion: 37.Rxc8 Rxc8 38.Rh7 And white picks up the a- or f-pawn.
37.g7 allows some checks so I needed to calculate accurately but it isn't too difficult.

37...Rc2+ 38.Ke3 R8c3+ 39.Kf4 Rf2 40.R1h3 Rd3 41.g8=Q Rxd4+ 42.Kg3 Rdd2 43.Qe6+ Kc5 44.Rc8+ Kd4 45.Rh4+ Kd3 46.Qxd5+ 1-0