Monday, November 29, 2010

Cure for Time Trouble (Part 1)


I've been taking more time finding my moves these days, with the hope that the resulting improvement in my play will shorten the game and lessen my need for those tick-tocks anyway. There is always the risk, though, of burning time, and not finding anything special...

 
perrypawnpusher - blackflower
blitz, FICS, 2010

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


The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+


This is the 32nd time that I have played this move here, and my record to date is 29-0-3, but this is the first time that I have noticed that 7.d4 might be stronger...

7...Ng6 8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7


Adding to his development, but I think 9...d6 10.Qe3 Nf6 was the better way to do that.

10.f4

This is a bit stronger than 10.Nc3 b6 11.Qe3 Bb7 12.f4 d5 13.f5 d4 14.fxg6+ Kg8 15.Qf4 dxc3 16.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - sarBear, blitz, FICS, 2009.

10...b6 11.Qe3

Made reflexively, but the Queen was probably better placed at h5.

11...Kf7


12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Ng4

Harassing the Queen is irresistible; but going to c6 was wiser.

14.Qg3 h5 15.h3 Nf6 16.e5


16...Nxf5

Probably a miscalculation. Better was the return of the piece with 16...d5 17.exf6 gxf6 when Black is only a pawn down. 

17.Rxf5 d6 18.Rf2 dxe5 19.dxe5 Qd4


Black will soon be rid of the annoying "Jerome pawns," but he also will be a piece down.

20.exf6 gxf6 21.Nc3 Rg8 22.Qf3 Be6 23.Qxh5+ Ke7


Black is now in serious trouble. Lucky for him, I was feeling some time pressure. 

24.Qh7+ Bf7 25.Qd3

I figured that an exchange of Queens would simplify the position, reduce Black's counter-attacking chances, and help me think quicker. If I had been able to find the much stronger 25.Bh6, threatening Re1+ followed by Rd1, winning the Queen, that would have been a solution to my time trouble.

25...Qc5

Maintaining the pin. Exchanging was better.

26.Qe4+ Be6

27.Be3 Qh5 28.Qf3

Another crass attempt at exchanging Queens, when 28.Bd4 should not have been too hard to find. With more time, I probably would have found it.

28...f5

Well, that solves everything. Black protects his f-pawn and neglects his Queen.

29.Qxh5 Black resigned

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