[continued from the previous post]
perrypawnpusher - NN
Chess.com, 2021
15.d3 Qd4+ 16.Kh1
16.Rf2 was probably a bit better.
16...b6 17.Qd8 Bb7 18.Qxc7 Qd5
19.Qc4
I hated this move as soon as I played it, but it is probably best.
19...Qxc4 20.dxc4 Re8
At this point I was pretty sure that Black could focus his pieces on g2 and the game would be drawn. I began to look for a way to escape this outcome.
First off, 21.Kg1 would be hopeless: 21...Re2 22.Rf2 Re1+ 23.Rf1 Re2 24.Rf2 Re1+ etc., repeating the position and drawing.
Also 21.b3 did not look like it would provide an escape: 21...Re2 22.Rg1 Ne4 23.h3 (to escape checkmate) Ng3+ 24.Kh2 Nf1+ 25.Kh1 (25.Rxf1 would allow the windmill 25...Rxg2+ 26.Kh1 Rxc2+ 27.Kg1 Rg2+ 28.Kh1 Rxa2+ 29.Kg1 Rxa1 30.Bb2 Rxf1+ 31.Kxf1 with a drawn Bishops-of-opposite colors end game) Ng3+ 26.Kh2 Nf1+ etc. again repeating the position and drawing. (That Knight work reminds me of the recent "Jerome Gambit: Practical Underpromotion".)
What I missed in the above line - and Stockfish 12 reminded me after the game - was 23.h4! instead of 23.h3, when White's King would have a needed escape square at h3. Still, things would have been complicated.
21.f5
To open the path for my Bishop.
21...Ba6
Hungry for pawns. Still 21...Re2 was the move.
22.fxg6+ Kxg6 23.Bf4 Bxc4
After the game, Stockfish 12 rated White the equivalent of a Rook better. I still can not figure out why.
24.Rfe1 Ne4 25.Kg1 Kf5 26.g3 h5
This move took me by surprise. There is an answer, but it only came after I woke up from a dream.
29.Rxe7 Nf3+ 30.Kf2 Nxd4
I was content to grind out the exchange-up endgame, when I noticed something humorous.
31.Re5+
Bumping the King away.
31...Kf6 32.Re4 Black resigned
Quite a tough game from my opponent.
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