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21. e5
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The long-awated e4-e5 push finally arrives, activating White's LSB, Queen, and Rooks. White has been building toward this push all game, and is fully prepared to play it when the opportunity arises.
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21... d5
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Black wants to keep White's pawn on e5 to block out the Bb2, but this advance loses at least a pawn thanks to the trapped Rf8 and Qe6. Then again, I don't see many better options: certainly 21...dxe5 22.Rxe5 looks terrible for White, and leaving things where they are with a consolidating move like 21...g6 will also fail to defend against 22.Bf5! (Note that I don't choose 22.Bf5 in the text, preferring positional superiority over the material--it's not like the Rc8 is a threat). |
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22. Ba3 c5
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The only way to save the Rook.
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2 comments
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23. cxd5 Qb6
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White's central push was well-prepared and now he has absolute control over the entire board. This is not because of any particular mistakes Black made-- White simply formed a consistent plan and executed it, resulting in an irresistible center and a vastly better position for all his pieces.
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24. Kh1 Nc7
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The only place the Knight can go, and this also frees the Rf8. However, I think a less obvious move like 24...g6 is worth a look as well here, preventing the WQ from penetrating to f5 (important, as we will see in a moment) and allowing ...Ng7 and possibly an eventual ...f5.
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25. Qf5
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Threatening immediate mate on h7 and also threatening to slide over to h5, driving the Bishop away from any defense of the King (after d5-d6 cuts off the BQ's support). Black's most natural (and best) response is suddenly not really adequate to defend against the powerful White tactical attack that is unfolding thanks to the space and activity granted by his earlier efforts.
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25... g6 26. e6
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! White's Queen obviously cannot be taken as the pawn is pinned, and what's more, 26...fxe6 allows White to tear into the Black position with a Rook sacrifice and a series of mate threats: 26...fxe6? 27.Rxg6+! hxg6 28.Qxg6+ Bg7 29.dxe6 Nxe6 30.Bc4! and while material will remain even (briefly) after the Knight falls, White is very clearly winning.
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26... Bg7 27. exf7+
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! The Queen remains impervious because of the check, and Black cannot take the advanced pawn: 27...Rxf7?? 28.Qxc8+.
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27... Kh8 28. Qd7 Rcd8 29. Qe7 Nxd5 30. Bxc5
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Though Black has avoided the tactical snares, White has converted his attack into a solid two-pawn lead, and now just has to simplify to a winning endgame. This move begins the process rather nicely. In the endgame, White's strategy will be to continue to simplify while keeping pawns on both wings. No more fancy tactics are required for White: he must simply play accurately and avoid any traps that Black sets.
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30... Nxe7 31. Bxb6 Rxd3 32. Rxe7 Rd1+ 33. Kh2 Rf1 34. Re8
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?! Not the best, but fine. There was no way to save the f-pawn, but as long as the a-pawn falls, White will be able to queen without trouble. Better was probably the immediate 34.Bxa5 R8xf7 35.Rxf7 Rxf7 with a tempo up compared to the text.
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34... Rf1xf7 35. Rxf8+ Rxf8 36. Bxa5 Ra8 37. Rg5 Bf6 38. Rd5
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Finding a nice safe light square from which to block the BK from coming queenside.
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1 comment
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38... Kg7 39. Kg3 Ra7 40. b4 Kf7 41. Kf4 Ke6 42. Ke4 h6 43. Rd3
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Preparing to get behind the b-pawn, specifically to a light square (b3) where it can also defend a pawn on a3. White's play is slow and steady and unbreakable; there is simply nothing Black can do to prevent the loss if White continues to play like this; the White pieces just have so much better prospects than the Black ones.
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43... h5 44. Rb3 g5 45. a3 h4 46. Bb6 Ra6 47. Bd4
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Inviting trades, which Black must not take of course. This Bishop is headed for c1, from which to defend a3 and attack g5.
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47... Be7 48. Bb2 Ra4 49. Kf3 Kf5 50. b5 Bd6 51. Bc1 Ra7 52. a4
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?! Almost certainly inaccurate, but White no longer requires perfection. He just needs his b-pawn to stop on a light square rather than a dark square (b7 instead of b6), so that the BK will be forced to abandon the kingside in order to take it. With the WK off the fourth rank, this is an entirely safe move.
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52... Rxa4 53. b6 Ra8 54. b7 Rb8
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White has accomplished his goal: the b-pawn on b7, Black must now bring his King away from the kingside, or else White can simply play Be3-a7 and force a promotion with a winning gain of material.
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55. Rb5+ Ke6 56. Bxg5 Bg3 57. Bf4 Bxf4
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Forced. Now White's win is clear, as his King can remove the h-pawn and then march to victory (or if ...Rh8, g2-g3 wins the h-pawn for free anyway. There's no way for Black to stop both advances.
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58. Kxf4 Kd7 59. Kg4 Kc7 60. Kxh4 Rxb7 61. Rxb7+ Kxb7 62. Kg5
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1-0. The BK cannot reach the h-file in time, and Black resigns. I hope this game proved valuable to someone; I think it shows well the strength of simply outlining plans as each new stage of the game approaches, and then following through. White never did anything spectacular here, just played consistently and with clear goals. Thanks for reading!
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2 comments
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