Boring

Coming to this game right after a painful loss (see "Done in by Greed") I felt comfortable, but I was in no mood to risk anything. This led to a certain level of "boring" in my play.

perrypawnpusher - Olito
blitz, FICS, 2011


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+ Ng6

This position has been good to me previously: 14 wins and 2 draws.

8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Qf6

11.Nc3 c6 12.f4 Bd7 13.f5 Ne5

The same old dance. White has been creeping toward equality, and this gives him a boost.

14.d4 Nc4 15.Qd3 Nb6 16.Bf4 Ne7 17.Rae1 Kf7

It is understandable that Black's King no longer wants to be on the e-file, but there is too much going on on the f-file for it to be safe there, either.

After the game Rybka 3 suggested a way for Black to reach a pawn-down endgame that might have been preferrable: 17...Nbc8 18.e5 dxe5 19.Bxe5 Bxf5 20.Rxf5 Qxf5 21.Qxf5 Nxf5 22.Bxg7+ Kf7 23.Bxh8 Ncd6 24.Be5 Nc4 25.Rf1 Kg6 26.Ne2 Nxe5 27.dxe5 Re8 28.Nf4+ Kg5 29.Nd3 b6

18.g4

Protecting the f-pawn so that the e-pawn can advance. Stronger was 18.Bg3.

18...g5

This is a rash move which should have been strongly met by 19.e5, as Black has no good answer: to start, 19...dxe5 is met by 20.Bxe5.

My response, opening the f-file, returns the game almost to even.

19.fxg6+ Qxg6 20.Be5+ Ke8

Black, at least temporarily, forgets that he is a  piece up, and can afford to return some material: 20...Kg8 21.Bxh8 Qxg4+ 22.Kh1 Kxh8 followed by 23...Rg8 and his two pieces are at least a match for White's Rook and pawn.

21.Bxh8 Qxg4+ 22.Kh1 Ng6 23.Bf6

Readers with good tactical vision probably saw the strength in 23.e5, instead, as 23...dxe5 (23...Nxh8 24.exd6+ is crushing) 24.Bxe5 allowed the Bishop to return unharmed.

After the text White is up the exchange and a pawn, and my timid brain began to yell "that is enough, it is time to consolidate!" instead of the more appropriate (for the board, although perhaps not for me at the time) "Black's Queen Knight and Rook are still offside, it is time to attack!"

23...Nf4 24.Qg3 Qxg3 25.hxg3 Ne6 26.e5 d5 27.Ne2 Nc4 28.b3 Na3

White's extra pawn is now passed and protected. As soon as he takes care of that annoying enemy Knight, he can get down to the "technique" that it takes to win.

Yawn.

29.c3 Nc2 30.Rb1 Ne3 31.Rf3 Ng4 32.Nf4 Kf7 33.Nxe6 Kxe6 34.Rbf1 Be8

35.Bg7 h5 36.Kg2 Bg6 37.b4

Both my opponent and I missed a tactic here, which I finally saw at move 40.

37...b5 38.a3 a5 39.Bf8 Ra7 40.Rf6+

40...Nxf6 41.Rxf6+ Kd7 42.Rxg6 Ra8

 43.Bc5

I was still on auto-pilot, which is a pity, as 43.e6+ was a super move, since it has both mating net and pawn promotion threats.

43...Rh8 44.bxa5 h4 45.a6 h3+ 46.Kh2 Ra8 47.a7 Rh8 48.Rg7+ Ke6 49.Rb7

I had my winnning idea worked out, but sharp-eyed readers probably noticed that 49.g4 instead sets up a mating net. 

49...Kf5 50.Rb8 Rh6 51.a8Q Ke4 52.Rf8 Kd3 53.Rf6 Rh5 54.Qxc6 Kxc3 55.Qxb5 Rg5 56.Rf3+ Kd2 57.Qb2+ Ke1 58.Bb4+ Kd1 59.Rf1 checkmate