[continued from previous post]
Wall, Bill - Guest4105968
PlayChess.com, 2018
After examining the opening moves (see previous post) I was inclined to simply write "I don't understand the rest of the game" and give the finishing 40 moves. But, let me persist.
11.Qf3+
White wants to avoid any uncovered attack by Black's Bishop on his Queen, with ...d5.
11...Nf6 12.Nc3 Ne6 13.O-O-O
13...Be5
Maybe he should have tried 13...Bxc3, disrupting White's Queenside pawns, as 14.bxc3 would be necessary to preserve the e-pawn.
14.Nd5 d6 15.Rhe1 Rf8
Preparing to castle-by-hand with ...Kg8.
16.g3 g5
To forestall f2-f4? I suspect the mundane 16...Kg8 was more to the point.
17.Qe3 Bd7
Stockfish 9 doesn't like this move ( preferring 17...Kg8) and I can sort of understand why, although I never would have found the recommended line over-the-board (although Bill probably would have): 17...Kg8 18.Nxc7!? Nxc7 19.Qxg5+ Kh8 20.f4 Bd4 21.e5!? dxe5 22.fxe5 Ne6!? (Black's strength is in his pieces) 23.Qh4 Nd5 24.Qe4!? Nb6 25. Rxd4 Nxd4 26.Qxd4 Be6 and White's passed pawn is not to be trifled with.
18.Nxc7!? Nxc7 19.f4 gxf4 20.gxf4 Nfd5 21.exd5 Bf6 22.Qe4 Kg8
The combination has won White a pawn. What next?
23.h4
Of course, now 23...Bxh4? 24.Rh1 would be self-injurious for Black.
Instead of the text move, however, Stockfish 9 suggests 23.Qb4, when the Queen will be able to snap off either the b7 or the d6 pawn, and then pull back to await further developments.
That's one of the problems with computer analysis: when there isn't a tactical strike available, too often it suggests that you bide your time, then take a small nibble, wait some more, then, maybe, take another tiny bite...
It is easy to see why Bill preferred more direct action.
23...Na6 24.Qg2+ Kh8
25.c3
Arrrggghh!
Such a practical move.
When I ask the computer for an alternative, it suggests the exchange sacrifice 25.Re6!? Bxe6 26.dxe6 Rae8 27.Rxd6 followed by another one after 27...Be7 - reassuring me that after 28.Qd5!? Bxd6 29.Qxd6 Nxe6!? 30.Qxe6 Rae8 White is winning easily.
analysis diagram
Looks like a lot more hard work to me.
25...Nc5 26.Re3 Rg8 27.Qf2 Bf5 28.h5 h6 29.Rg1
Bill comes up with an exchange offer, after all. Sacrifices work well when they are disguised as an oversight. Black should not take the bait.
29...Nd3+ 30.Rxd3 Rxg1+ 31.Qxg1 Bxd3
32.Qg4!?
Taking advantage of the lack of coordination of Black's pieces. But, is it worth trading a Rook for a Knight?
32...Rd8 33.Qe6 Kg7 34.Qe3 Bf5 35.Qxa7 Rd7
White snarfs a pawn. If this were a Marvel comic book, Black would be yelling "Avengers, assemble!" a his pieces are pulling themselves together again.
36.Qe3
Centralizing his Queen.
It goes, almost without saying, that Stockfish 9 criticizes this good move, suggesting its own version of yelling "Jerome pawns, assemble!" - 36.a4 Be4 37.a5 Re7 38.c4 Kf7 39.Qb6 Rd7 40.Kd2 Bf5 41.b4 Bb2 42.c5 dxc5 43.bxc5 Rxd5+ 44.Ke2 Bd4 45.Qxb7+ Rd7
analysis diagram
Sure, White's three passed pawns look scary, but his King looks like he is about to volunteer to be a pinata. And White is supposed to volunteer to reach this position?
[to be continued]
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