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19. c3
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Instead White decides to increase the scope of his own bishop. |
 
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19... dxc3 20. f5
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At this point I still didn't feel White's phalanx was much of a threat; it should be easy to keep it contained with an extra piece, right? |
3 comments
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20... Qe8 21. Qb3+ Qf7
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And if White is going to offer me a chance to swap queens, you bet I'm going to take it. |
1 comment
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22. Qxf7+ Rxf7 23. Bxc3 Bd7
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It's time for my queen's bishop and rook to get out; neither of them has moved yet this game. |
2 comments
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24. d4 Re8
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Now White's pawns seem to be under control, and White cannot even back them up with Rae1 as my bishop controls that square. At this point I still thought it would be an easy win. What's notable about this game is that even though I get the piece advantage early on, I never seem to be able to make much use of it, and yet I'm not making any huge mistakes; indeed, GameKnot's analysis labels only FOUR moves as mistakes in the entire game, of which one is 3. Bxf7+ and two come after the contest was really over! |
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25. e5 dxe5 26. dxe5 Bc6
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So White has a passed pawn now, and I have to duck to avoid the fork e6. Still, those advanced pawns should be easy to undermine and pick off with my superior piece power, shouldn't they? |
1 comment
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27. e6 Rff8
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And not 27... Rfe7?? 28. Bb4 and the rook is trapped! |
1 comment
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28. Bb4
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White forces off the bishops, so that Rae1 can be played. (Black's plan is to play g6, undermining the pawns; if f6, Rxe6; Rae1 would prevent this.) |
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28... Be7 29. Bxe7 Rxe7 30. b3
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However, this must be played first, to free the a1 rook from defensive duties... |
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30... g6
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...and that means Black has the chance to get this move in first. |
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31. Rad1
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I think this is better than Rae1 now. The d7 square becomes an important factor. |
1 comment
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31... gxf5 32. gxf5 Be4
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(?) Too hasty. I thought this move won the advanced pawns, overlooking White's reply. Note that if 33. f6 Rxe6 34. Rae1, Black can escape the pin by Bd5. GameKnot marks this as a mistake, favouring 32... Kg7, a more patient move that probably would lead to winning the pawns. |
1 comment
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33. Rd4
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(!) Now Black's in trouble. |
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33... Bxf5
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Now 33... Bc2 is met by 34. Rd7, while 33... Bc6 is insipid. White can double the rooks and Black will find it difficult or impossible to win the pawns. I felt my best hope now was to exchange my bishop for the pawns, remaining a pawn ahead, and try to win the rook ending. According to GameKnot, my advantage has decreased to +1.28. |
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34. Rdf4
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I had seen this coming. Black must take the second pawn and abandon the bishop. |
1 comment
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34... Rxe6 35. Rf4xf5 Rxf5
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Exchanging one pair of rooks gains a vital tempo for Black. |
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36. Rxf5 Re3
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Now I felt I might still be winning after all. If I can gain a second pawn without losing one, I should win; and how can White defend b3? |
1 comment
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37. b4 Re4
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Back at move 32, when GameKnot flagged Be4 as a mistake, it predicted the subsequent moves up to this point and then gave 37... Ra3. From the human standpoint, though, this move is much better. After 37... Ra3 White saves the pawns with 38. a5. After the move played, he can still save the pawns, but... "the move is there, but you must see it." (And I missed it completely; White's next took me totally by surprise.) |
1 comment
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38. Rc5
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(!!) One of the most stunning and paradoxical moves I've ever seen played against me. If 38. b5 then Black avoids exchanging on b5, and instead wins with Rxa4. Yet b5 is the right idea -- it just needs to be prepared by first forcing Black to add an extra defender to that square! |
1 comment
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38... c6
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I had now seen 39. b5, but there is no alternative to this move. |
3 comments
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