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The plot of the following game seems straight-forward: I sacrificed a piece for a pawn in the opening; my opponent sacrificed a piece for two pawns in the middle game; I lost a pawn-down endgame...

In actuality, I had my chances.


perrypawnpusher - kholthaus
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4

8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Re8 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Kg8 12.Bd2 d6

I've reached this position 7 times before, with a record of 4-3. That's not bad for a position where White is a piece down, with only partial compensation (slight lead in development, better center pawns). Still, it is nowhere near as good as my overall score of 85% for Jerome Gambit and related games.

13.Rae1 Rf8

Clearly better than pwr's "optical illusion" 13...Nb4 that dropped a piece.

14.h3 a6 15.Nd5 Be6 16.Bc3

After the game Rybka preferred 16.c4 b5 17.b3 bxc4 18.bxc4 Rb8 and then 19.Bc3, although I am not sure what White gains by giving Black an open b-file for his Rook. 

16...Bxd5 17.exd5 Ne7 18.Bxf6 Rxf6 19.Qe4 Nf5 20.g4

A thoughtless move that allows 20...Ng3, winning the exchange and leaving Black a Rook up. Fortunately, my opponent had other ideas on how to defeat me, and missed this, too.

20...Nh4 21.f5 Rf8 22.Qe6+ Kh8 23.Kh2 Qe8

Putting an end to the excitment along the e-file, but it was better to slide a Rook over, instead.

24.Qxe8

I saw that Black's Knight was now at risk, but I should have played 24.Kg3, attacking it, right away. Then 24...Nxf5+ could have been answered by 25.Qxf5 with an even game. Also 24...Qd8 25.Kxh4 Qxa2 would have been answered with 26.f6 when White can probably still hold the draw, e.g. 26...Qxb2 27.Rb1 Qc3 28.fxg7+ Qxg7 29.Rxf8+ Rxf8 30.Rxb7. 

24...Raxe8 25.Kg3 Rxe1 26.Rxe1 Nxf5+ 27.gxf5 Rxf5

Black is up a pawn, although White has good drawing chances if he keeps his Rook active attacking the enemy pawns.

28.c4 Rf7 29.h4 Kg8 30.Re2

Passive.

Rybka likes 30.Re8+ Kh7 31.Ra8 Kg6 32.Ra7 b5 33.b3 bxc4 34.bxc4 Kf5 35.Rxa6 g5 with even chances.

30...b6

Black should have taken this opportunity to play 30...Kf8, keeping White's Rook from coming to e8 and from there slipping behind his pawns.

31.Kg4

Likewise, it was important to play 31.Re8+.

 31...a5 32.b3 Kf8

33.h5 Rf1 34.Kg3 Rg1+ 35.Kh4 Rg5 36.Rf2+ Ke7 37.a3

Missing White's last chance to draw.

With 37.a4, White could have reduced the exposure of his Queenside pawns to the base at b3, which he could have supported with his Rook at f3. The Rook would only leave its post to check the enemy King or threaten to win material. Then, White's only trump, his better-placed King, would help hold down the Kingside.

37...Re5 38.Kg4 Re3 39.Rf3

Capitulation.

39...Rxf3 40.Kxf3 Kf6 41.Kf4 g6 42.hxg6 Kxg6 43.Kg4 Kf6 44.b4 axb4 45.axb4 Ke5 White resigned