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15... Bd7
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But now, no longer able to maintain itself at g4, the bishop retreats betimes. I didn't want to exchange it at f3, though that idea did come into consideration. |
 
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16. a4
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Stopping the Black a-pawn, and ensuring the safety of the b3-bishop. |
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16... c6
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(!?) Beginning seriously to think in terms of Q-side attack. But GK assessed this as inaccurate, preferring 16...Qg6. I did consider this move - almost played it in fact. But it didn't seem to offer much. The line given by GK seems typical: 16...Qg6 17.g4 Ne8 18.Nh4 Qh6 19.Nf5+ Bxf5 (already I'm none too enchanted with this line) 20.gxf5 Kd8 21.Nc4 Bc5 22.Rg1 Qxh3 23.0-0-0 Qf3. Although GK assesses this as +0.06 - practically even - I can't say I go a bundle over it for Black, especially as 21.Be6 seems a vast improvement in this line. |
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17. O-O-O
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An alternative plan here was 17.Bc4; 18.Qb3. |
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17... Rfb8
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'Here I come, ready or not!' Admittedly, this telegraphed Black's punch, rather. But I was worried that if I delayed this move the King might fetch up on the back rank and interrupt the communication between this rook and the Q-side. |
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18. Nc4
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(!?) During the game, I thought this was a very good move, preparing the way for the central thrust that I thought White was aiming for. But it seems White might have had better options in 18.g4 or 18.Bc4. |
2 comments
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18... Bc7
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Hereabouts, GK couldn't seem to settle upon an assessment, with over +1.00 after Black moves and under +1.00 after white moves. Well, maybe the play of both sides is improveable hereabouts. I was trying to play actively, and 'forcing it' a bit. Possibly a more cagey approach was called for, objectively speaking. |
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19. Ne3 Qg6
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It was about now that the idea of ...Nf6-h5-f4 occurred to me. A bit late in the day, but the pressure against g2 and d3 seemed attractive. |
1 comment
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20. Rfg1 b5
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Back to the Q-side plan. It has to be admitted, White doesn't look too badly placed in defence! |
2 comments
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21. Qd2
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Offering a centralising escape square for the bishop, or preparing to thrust down the d-file? I would have been happy enough had White played 21.axb5. |
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21... bxa4 22. Bxa4
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(?) The first small slip by White - not that it is so serious. GK recommends first 22.Nh4! Qh5 23.Nf5+ Bxf5 24.Nxf5+ Kf8 and now: 25.Bxa4 Qf7 (seizing the vacated a2-g8 diagonal) 26.Qg5 h6 27.Qg3 Nh5 28.Qf3 Ra6 29.b3 Nf4 30.Kd2 with a slight advantage to White. |
1 comment
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22... Qf7
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Decoying the bishop has opened up the b-file and the a2-g8 diagonal for the Black heavy pieces. Can White weather the storm - or conjure up counterplay of his own? |
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23. c4
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Blocking off the Black Queen's diagonal. Although I thought the move pretty effective, GK preferred 23.b3 as more accurate. After 23. c4 Rb4 24.Qc2 Rab8 25.b3 c5 26.Bxd7 Kxd7 Black seems to have a little bit of an attack. But I had something rather more emphatic in mind, as will soon appear. |
1 comment
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23... Rb4 24. b3
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A plausible departure from GK's 24.Qc2. |
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24... Rab8
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(!?) An inaccuracy, according to GK, which preferred to offer the exchange of bishops by 24...c5. I don't think so! |
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25. Nc2
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Driving off the rook? |
1 comment
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25... Rxa4
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(!?) Nope. I wanted to attack vigorously in this game, and finish the MT on a high. Sure, this was speculative, but I felt that Black's resources were enough to see me through for a draw. The response of the GK engine was interesting. Before this move, GK thought the position +0.20; after it, +0.33. Such a small change in assessment is trivial. Though speculative, the sac was at least playable. |
5 comments
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26. bxa4 c5
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For the exchange, Black got a handy open b-file and some very fascinating diagonals to work with, plus, with the fall of White's a-pawn, Black's passed pawn might have a say in the outcome. |
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27. Qc3 Bxa4 28. Qa3
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In most hard fought games you get to a point that feels like the crux of the game. It is at this point that Fischer used to go into what he called a 'big think'. So it was here. How to feed the flames of attack? The answer was soon reached: shove more wood on the fire. Much of the 'big think' was confirming this second sac was playable... |
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28... Nxe4
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(!) |
4 comments
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(2340)