More Than Seen At First Glance (Part 2)

The following game has another drawish-looking endgame that is more than meets the eye. Finding those "extra" half-points that don't seem there at first is an important part of improving in chess play.



 perrypawnpusher - catri
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4

8...Re8

Fascinating!

This is a defense that I've not seen before, although there are a few similar games in my database in games without ...h6 and 0-0.

When you are up two pieces, as Black is, there are so many ways to play the opening!

9.dxc5 b6

Black can keep his advantage with 9...Qe7, but he wants to develop his Queen Bishop.

10.cxb6 axb6 11.f4 Ba6

This is Black's idea, but it is tactically suspect.

12.fxe5 Rxe5 13.Re1 c6 14.Bf4 Rc5

Black wants to keep his Rook "active," but it was safer and more effective at Re6.

White gets a chance to take over the game. 

15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 Rxd5 17.Qh5+ Kg8

When a sufficient advantage has been obtained, a player must attack or the advantage will be dissipated said Steinitz.

White now has 18.Bxh6 gxh6 19.Qg6+ Kh8 20.Qxh6+ Kg8 21.Re3 and he will win. Black defends better with 18...Rd4, but then White can play 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Re3 with similar play. Again, Black can defend instead with 19...Qh4, but White can just exchange Queens and then withdraw his Bishop, having gained two pawns.

18.Rad1

Playing positionally instead of tactically, focusing on the "hole" in Black's positon at d6. White still has a small advantage.

18...b5

It is hard to understand why Black chose this over the simple exchange of Rooks.

19.Rxd5

A bigger advantage was to be found with 19.Bxh6 as above.

I have a tendency to substitue "strategic" moves for analysis and tactical shots.

19...cxd5 20.g4

It is ironic that this "attacking" move surrenders White's advantage, while the "positional" move 20.Qd1 kept it. I was seriously out of synch with the needs of my game at this point.

20...Qb6+ 21.Be3 Qe6

Better was 21...d4.

22.Qf5 Rf8 23.Qxe6+ dxe6 24.Rf1 Rxf1+ 25.Kxf1

This game has taken on the tone of the previous one (see "More Than Seen At First Glance Part 1") – chosing to reduce the game to a pawn-up Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame with the overheated belief that I can out-play my opponent...

25...b4+ 26.Ke1 Kf7 27.Kd2 Kg6 28.a3

Stronger was 28.Bc5 Kg5 29.Bxb4 Kxg4 30.a4 although Black's Kingside pawns looked dangerous.

28...bxa3 29.bxa3 h5 30.gxh5+ Kxh5 31.Bf4 g5 32.Bg3 Kg4

This looks like a typical Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame – but is it?

At this point it looks like Black's King can get over to the Queenside in time to blockade White's a-pawn, but first it will be wise to slow its advance with 33...Bb5

33.Ke3 Kf5 34.Kd4

White needed to take advantage of his opportunity and play 34.a4 with a good chance that his King could then advance on the Queenside, and eventually win Black's Bishop for the a-pawn.

34...Bc4 35.a4

Now White should have a win – if he sees it.

35...g4 36.a5 Ba6

37.c3 Bc4 38.Ke3

Totally missing the winning opportunity presented by 38.Kc5.

38...Ba6 39.Kd4 Bc4 40.Ke3

Oh, no, I did it again!

40...Ba6 41.Kd4 Bc4 42.Ke3

And again. An advantage isn't an advantage if you don't take advantage of it...

Game drawn by repetition.

Oh, well: yesterday I won a drawn  position, today I drew a won position. I guess it balances out...