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22. Qc2
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Electing not to take the knight to at least try and retain a better position |
  1 comment
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22... Nxb1 23. Rxb1 g6
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So two points down, not many options to attack available, things are not looking good. |
3 comments
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24. a4 Ra8
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Really on the backfoot now as Blackbaron starts to move in for the kill.... |
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25. Nb5
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......when in doubt attack the queen |
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25... Qd7 26. b3
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I try and stick to the rule of not swapping when down on points.... |
1 comment
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26... cxb3 27. Qxb3
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....but at least here it gives a bit of room for manouvre. And lines up my queen and rook |
2 comments
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27... Rc8 28. a5
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Just trying to advance a little |
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28... Ra6 29. Qb4 Rc4 30. Qa3
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Pegged back but trying to keep the pawn defended |
1 comment
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30... Qd8
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Now with black having two pieces attacking the pawn, the natural response would be Ra1. But this would then tie up my two remaining major pieces, and probably result in a pawn-fight on the kingside. As I would only have a knight to backup the pawns and Blackbaron would have a rook, it's a fight I'd lose. |
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31. Nd4
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So I elect to sac the pawn and free up the b file |
1 comment
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31... Qxa5
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A Queen-swap would be great for black here - not so for me. But it appears in going forward a gap has been left in defence.... |
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32. Rb8+
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Speculative check.... |
1 comment
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32... Kg7 33. Qf8+
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And in just two moves the whole momentum of the game reverses... |
2 comments
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33... Kf6
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I'm 3 points down now - black has 3 major pieces ready to attack my king. All I can do now is go for repetitive checks and hope. |
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34. Qh8+ Ke7 35. Qf8+
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After a lot of analysis I decided on this as the move that limits black's options the most. Any other check would have allowed an escape to d6. |
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35... Kf6
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Kd7 might have been better for black. With both the queen and a rook attacking c7, continuous checks might have been more difficult. |
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36. Qh8+
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So I repeat the check from move 34. And at this point would have gladly accepted a threefold repetition draw. |
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36... Kg5
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Moving into dangerous territory now - black's pawn structure is very weak on the black diagonals. If I can get a good pawn structure then I have a chance. But doing so could also leave me facing certain defeat should I fail to check black at any point. |
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37. f4+ Kh6
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The only safe move for black. Kh5 would have resulted in Qxh7# |
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38. Qf8+ Kh5 39. Qh8
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Now I knew I could get away with one check-free move, thanks to the g2 pawn |
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(1730)