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18. Nxe4
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Not a chance. At last, waiting until rescue was imminent, White nabs the pawn. Black doesn't appear to have much for it. |
 
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18... Nxe4 19. Bxe4
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What now for Black? White has the bishop pair as well as an extra pawn. 19....f5 looks aggressive, but to my mind rather weakens Black's K-side without achieving a great deal. Instead, I sought counterplay on the other wing. It has to be said, prospects didn't look promising there either. |
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19... a6
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A modest beginning... |
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20. Bg2
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Consolidating... |
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20... b5 21. b4
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(!) The impact of this was as I imagine that felt by a skate-boarder who uses his face as a braking device. Right at the beginning of my counterplay, too. Neither pawn capture looks very enticing, yet we have to go on... |
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21... cxb4
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Marginally better than the alternate capture. 21...bxc4 22.Qxc4, and it is White who has the play on the Q-side. |
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22. Rxb4
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(!?) Moderately surprising, as the bishop capture looks attractive on account of the threat on d6. Black's reply would have been as in the game: |
1 comment
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22... Qc7
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Can something be made of the pin on the c-file? |
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23. Qc1 Rec8
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Now the c-pawn is threatened with capture. A file magically opens up for Black's major pieces, and now he has something to play with! |
1 comment
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24. cxb5 Qc2
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(!) Rather than lose the file after 24...Qxc1?? Inviting the Q exchange, Black hopes to establish a rook on the 7th, whence he can haul in White's Q-side pawns: 25.Qxc2 Rxc2 26.Bc1 Rc8 with strong counterplay. Of course, to achieve this much activity, Black hardly notices the loss of a second pawn... |
1 comment
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25. a4
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(!) |
1 comment
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25... a5
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(!?) Was the 'natural' ...axb5 better? The move played looks counterintuitive, allowing White a protected passed pawn on the 5th rank. Yet to protect the supporting a-pawn, the b4-rook has to stay on the fourth rank. As it transpires, the 4th rank is a dangerous place for the rook... |
1 comment
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26. Rh4 Qa2
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Gaining a tempo to avert the Q exchange (note how sometimes the exchange is invited, at other times avoided), and to gain time to go after the h4-rook. Game on! |
2 comments
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27. Qd1 Bf6 28. Rg4 h5 29. Rf4
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29.Re4 would transpose into the game. |
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29... Be5 30. Rh4
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(!) To induce the bishop back to f6. Had the rook gone at once to e4, Black would have had the option of 30...Nf6, with attack on the d-pawn as well as on the rook. |
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30... Bf6 31. Re4 Nc5
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At last the rook has either to give up the a-pawn, or die in its protection. He turns out to be one loyal bodyguard... |
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32. Bxa5
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(!) Netting a third pawn for the exchange. From Black's point of view, this is a material improvement on the two-pawn deficit, but the price is high in terms of White's advanced pair of passed pawns. Both sides still have a battle on their hands - White if he is to win; Black to save the game. |
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32... Nxe4 33. Bxe4 Kg8
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(!?) White was threatening 34.Qh5, but maybe this retreat was overcautious? Black would have liked to play 33...Rc4, but 34.Qh5 looked unpleasant. Now, this line turns out fine for Black: 33...Rc4 34.Qxh5 ? Kg7 35.Qf3 Rxa4 and Black would have been well and truly back in the game. But White can improve: 34.Bd3! Rxa4 35.Bc7 Be7 36.Qxh5 Kg7 37.Qf3. Not quite so delightful for Black. However, 33...Kg7 might have been a better retreat in order to protect the bishop, but I wanted to keep the g7-square open for its retreat should it become necessary. |
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34. Bb1
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(!) The more obvious 34.Bb4 would have been met by 34.Rfd8 - not a very active posting for this rook. But the move played gains time for White to combat Black's threat to win the a-pawn by ....Rc4. |
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34... Qb2
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(!?) Maybe 34...Qa3 was more pertinent? The move played was intended to inhibit the advance of the b-pawn, but it seems possibly better to have maintained pressure on the a-pawn. |
2 comments
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