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35. Bb6
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Now, what can be done about the a-pawn's advance? |
 
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35... Rc3
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(!?) Getting the rooks behind the passed pawns. Now a tremendous battle rages about White's passed pawns as Black's major pieces flood into White's Q-side. Yet I wonder if Black might have been better advised to have sacrificed back the exchange by 35...Rb8 36.a5 Rxb6 37.axb6 Qxb5 38...Qxb6. But White need not accept the bait: 35...Rb8 36.Bd4! Bxd4 37.Qxd4 Qxd4 38.exd4 Ra8 39.Bc2 Rfc8 40.Bb3 Rc3 41.Rb1. |
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36. Bd3 Qa3
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36...Rfc8 seems to have its points, though Black would have been no closer to hauling in those runaway pawns: 36...Rfc8 37.a5 Rb3 38.Qe2 Qa3 39.Rd1 etc. |
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37. Be2 Rfc8 38. a5 Rc3c2
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Black is wholly reliant on the activity of his pieces to restrain White's pawns. There sure ain't anything in front of them to stop them! |
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39. Bd3 Ra2
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Partly with the idea of ...Ra1; but also to keep the a-pawn honest. |
2 comments
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40. Qf3 Be5 41. Rd1 Rc3
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Rooks go behind the passed pawns. But Black also had some idea of action along the 6th and 7th ranks. The f2-square looked an especially vulnerable spot. The tension here is enormous - with a species of guerilla warfare taking place. White has to combine his Q-side infantry offensive with home defence near his castled king, whilst Black conducts commando operations behind enemy lines. |
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42. Bf1
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The safest spot for the bishop from which to defend b5. |
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42... Rcc2 43. a6
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(!) Onward ! There's nothing to stop the pawn reaching a7. Can Black withstand the pressure? In fact, Black seemed to me so close to pulling off a miracle save, but was deterred from trebling the major pieces on the 7th rank by 43...Qb2 44.e4! White's bishops sure believe in good works! |
1 comment
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43... Qb3
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Having to bring the Q to the back rank to defend. Why not, though, 43...Qc3 at once? That would have led to 44.Bd3 Rcb2 45.Ba7! Qc8 46.b6 - an irresistable looking attack. By allowing the a-pawn to advance, Black prevents Ba7, and can - just - contain White's Q-side. |
1 comment
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44. a7
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(!) |
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44... Qc3 45. Bd3 Rcb2
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...as in the previous note. But now the b-pawn cannot advance. |
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46. Kg2
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Black has successfully arrested White's progress on the Q-side, yet seems no closer to rounding up the pawns. How is White to make further progress? Having achieved for the moment as much as he can on one wing, White looks to the other. |
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46... f5
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(!?) Too weakening maybe? Was 46...Kg7 better? The move was intended to restrain White's K-side, but it does weaken not only Black's K-side pawns, but also Black's second rank, should a White rook penetrate to b7 or c7. This might become significant later. |
1 comment
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47. Bb1
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Eases the pressure on f2. |
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47... Ra4
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(!) Not 47...Ra3 48.Rd3! forcing off a pair of rooks. Black is not in the slightest interested in piece exchanges, reliant as he is on activity. |
1 comment
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48. Bxf5
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(!!?) Bravo! And now we see why White drove the rook away from a2. Had he played 47.Bxf5 at once, Black's counteraction against f2 after 47...gxf5 would have been enough to hold the game. |
1 comment
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48... gxf5 49. Qxf5
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A sight you don't often see: R plus 2P vs 7P! |
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49... Qc2
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(!?) Regrettable necessity, by the look of things. After the alternative 49...Rxb5, White would have got a tremendous attack: 50.Qe6 Kf8 51.Qd7! [A] 51...Qb3 52.Rc1! Qxd5 53.Kg1! Bc3! 54.Bd4! (with a plus); or [B] 51...Qc4 52.Qb7 (...Qe4 53.Kg1 Bxg3 54.a8=Q Rxa8 55.Qxa8 (also with an edge). |
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50. Qxc2 Rxc2 51. Rb1
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(!) Keeps Black's rook off this file. |
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51... Kf7
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The last reserve. 51...Raa2 is pointless in view of 52.e4. |
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(2332)