Annotated chess game

Always worth testing the opponent's alertness - provided you don't compromise your own game thereby. No harm done here.

So he should. He has no winning chances. But in playing for the draw, Black needs to conjure up, if he can, threats to turn the tables.

Black can get nothing more than draw, thanks to white's pawns.

White retains the latent threat to push b6, uncovering the a-pawn's approach by uindermining the blocking pawn. Something extra Black has to bear in mind.

Black apparently didn't see this threat. Having spotted this hard to see move, white's plan is to keep an eye with his king to a black's rook, and maybe he won't have succeded since after this move white cannot push his king farther than f4, and black rooks can swift between 6-7-8 squares.

In sight of the white threat b6, this is a terminal mistake. I think black overlooked it.

!! White is definitely winning now - I am getting more and more respect for chess pawns  

Ain't they the jolliest wee things, though? In many ways it might have been just as well this was a 'find', as White had pretty much committed Black to the centre by his threats to push the e-pawn through. Now the strike on the flank occurs when Black is poorly placed to deal with it.

My respect goes to untateve, this move is a wonderful finesse!

Maybe black could have tried R5-e6 instead, but with no hope after Qd5, pinning it!

51...Kh6 looks to hold everything, but in fact walks into a forced mate: 52.Qg8 (zugzwang!) and now [A] 52...Rxh4ch 53.Kxh4 g5ch 54.Kg3! (54.Qxg5ch is equally good, but I like this lne) g4 55.Kf4! g3 56.Kf5 and mate next; or [B] 52...g5 53.Kf5! g4ch (gxh4ch) 54.Kf6 Rf5ch 55.Kxf5 etc.

Excellent game, well-played all the way to the end!

5 stars!  

Unfortunately, Black quickly runs out of checks. This is a very nice game Steve. Well done.

What to say? Well done! Anyway, the stars are intended for the annotation, not to the game itself. Anyway, 5 stars for the annotation too  

Wonderful game and annotation.