Refutation?!

This game is an example of the aphorism (that I just made up): It's not good enough to play an opening's refutation - you have to actually refute the opening.


perrypawnpusher  - louarn
blitz, FICS,2010

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

Preparing to castle-by-hand and putting the rook on a file where it hits White's center.

9.dxc5 d6

A bit better than 9...b6 10.cxb6 axb6 11.f4 Ba6 12.fxe5 Rxe5 13.Re1 c6 14.Bf4 Rc5 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 Rxd5 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.Rad1 b5 19.Rxd5 cxd5 20.g4 Qb6+ 21.Be3 Qe6 22.Qf5 Rf8 23.Qxe6+ dxe6 24.Rf1 Rxf1+ 25.Kxf1 b4+ 26.Ke1 Kf7 27.Kd2 Kg6 28.a3 bxa3 29.bxa3 h5 30.gxh5+ Kxh5 31.Bf4 g5 32.Bg3 Kg4 33.Ke3 Kf5 34.Kd4 Bc4 35.a4 g4 36.a5 Ba6 37.c3 Bc4 38.Ke3 Ba6 39.Kd4 Bc4 40.Ke3 Ba6 41.Kd4 Bc4 42.Ke3 drawn, perrypawnpusher - catri, blitz, FICS, 2010

10.cxd6 Qxd6 11.Qe2

After the game Rybka preferred 11.Qxd6 with play against the pawn at d6.

11...Bg4

An annoying move, but I underestimated its impact.

12.f3 Bh5 13.Bf4 Kg8

Black's King is safe, almost all of his pieces are developed, and he is close to having refuted White's opening.

14.Rad1 Qe6 15.g4

Overly energetic. Best was something passive like 15.Qf2, when Black still has an edge but White hasn't destroyed his chances.

15...Nxf3+

This is a good time to "return" the extra piece, as the move destroys White's King's shelter and the proper followup leaves Black ahead the exchange, with a better position.

Clearly, this variation needs work.

16.Qxf3 Qxg4+

Wanting to blunt White's "attack," Black decides to exchange Queens and makes the wrong recapture. After 16...Bxg4 17.Qd3 Bxd1 18.Nxd1 Black is clearly better. 

17.Qxg4 Bxg4

Black's advantage is now minimal.

18.Rde1 Rad8 19.Bxh6 gxh6 20.Rxf6

Despite White's extra (passed) pawn, he is only slightly better here. Black has a Bishop against White's Knight, and the passer is a long way from being promoted.

Still, I was optimistic, as I was pretty sure that I knew what my opponent would play next...

20...Rd2

Understandable oversight: Black wants to make up for the pawn lost by showing that his pieces can be active and infiltrate White's position.

21.Rg6+ Kh7 22.Rxg4 Rxc2 23.Rg2 Rxg2+ 24.Kxg2 Rg8+

The game is only half over, but the end is in sight.

25.Kf3 c5 26.e5 b6 27.e6 Re8 28.Kf4 Kg6 29.e7 Kf6 30.Nd5+ Kf7

31.Kf5 b5 32.Re6 a5 33.Rxh6 c4 34.Rf6+ Kg7 35.Rb6

35...b4 36.Rb5 Kf7 37.Rxa5 c3 38.bxc3 bxc3 39.Rc5 Ra8

40.Rxc3 Rxa2 41.Re3 Rf2+ 42.Kg4 Ke8

43.Rf3 Rd2 44.Rf8+ Kd7 45.e8Q+ Kd6 46.Qd8+ Ke5 47.Re8+ Kd4 48.Nf4+ Kc3 49.Qxd2+

The simplest.

Here Black had about 5 1/2 minutes on his clock, and he let it run until he lost on time.