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17... Rc8
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So I moved the a file rook to the half- open c file. As I said in the last comment, notice that I just did not do this because that's what you do. I thought of what would likely happen, and what I would be doing. The white bishop was not the deciding factor for me either; had I wanted the rook on the b file, the bishops would have come off first. Just about all of the time, putting rooks on open files, or half-open files is the right thing to do. But it's good to consider what you'll do there! |
 
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18. f4
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Further weakening the white king, and I don't see how this will really help white. Either he moves f5 in which case I still have three pawns covering my king, or he retakes with the f pawn if a bishop trade is initiated by me; but the resulting half open f file has not been prepared yet by white to control it. So I don't see what white's point is here especially with his one rook woefully biding time in a corner, like a disobedient child on time-out. |
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18... b5
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Now is the right time to prepare a queen side counter. Minority pawn attack!! |
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19. a3
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White decides to blunt it, but in a passive way. a4 was possible here, despite the black rook on the c file. |
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19... a5
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I have you now, Luke! Err, umm... just deleted his name. ;) Actually, I think he hasn't played much against the Caro-Kann, as his moves are not as precise as I've faced on occasion. Well neither are my responses to be fair. ;) My intent right now is to riddle the queen side full of holes, distracting white from his kingside plans, and then whatever white pawn is left, gang up on it. The white kingside is very weak now, and if the game goes that way, I'll have a lot of opportunities on that kingside. But we'll see here... |
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20. Rac1
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Now white sees what is in store for the c file, and decides not to allow it. Well, he hasn't looked deep enough yet! |
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20... Rc6
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Setting up the back rank for the other rook to move to the c file or elsewhere as conditions warrant. The black queen will support queenside operations as needed, and perhaps reposition more than once, but we'll see. |
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21. Qd3
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I thought he might do that... and now I feel as if I have wrested the initiative firmly away from white. |
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21... Bxe5
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So I decide now is the time to get rid of the bishops, as white's bishop's position was simply worth more than mine. Oh, I hear the screams now: White's bishop is a 'bad' bishop. But black's bishop is doing nothing at all, while white's is supported, and threatening. And if things are opened up, I don't think there will be a decisive bishop comparatively speaking. Yes, I recognize that I could have moved Be7, but the white bishop can't be trapped, f5 would follow. I don't really want, while pursuing my queenside counter, to weaken my king's defenses. So, the bishops can give each other last rites: be gone. Now, white can try to win a pawn by interposing Qxb5 in response to black's Bxe5, and then we have an interesting position: black can move Rb6 and if Qxa5, black could move Bxf4 saving the bishop at the expense of connected passed white pawns on the queenside, or move Bxd4+. Would the black bishop be worth the connected white pawns, or would it be better to isolate the white a and d file pawns? (...Rxb2 would follow the bishop retake) It's an interesting question. I wish I had a computer engine to crunch it. But, white retakes the black bishop immediately. |
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22. fxe5 Qb6
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Well I wish white would have tried the interposing; it would have made for a far more interesting game. Now, however, black is well positioned to continue the minority pawn attack. White senses things are going to open up a bit, and hides his king. |
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23. Kh2
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But I don't like this move here, because white doesn't have much time... and I'm not referring to game time, but tempo! |
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23... b4
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And so I attack the majority pawns! |
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24. cxb4 Rxc1 25. Rxc1
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White must retake. |
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25... axb4 26. a4
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A sneaky try. Immediately I play b3. Were white allowed to support that passed pawn, such an advantage could prove to be a winning one in an endgame, where the black king must travel all the way to the side of the board to stop it. And it would be hard and likely impossible for black to remove such support once it was done. I cannot allow white to play b3, period. |
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26... b3 27. Rc3 Rb8
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And lo, white is totally out of position to protect the a pawn, and black's piece coordination is much better. Look how white controls the c file, but in this position it's not so important! ;) Play continues. |
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28. g4
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This move is very bad for white, and the only real blunder by my opponent. Those pawns aren't going anywhere, and grabbing space at this point at the expense of king cover/safety is a mistake. |
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28... Qb4
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The a pawn is already dead, but doesn't know it yet. |
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29. a5
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A good try. However, this leads to a combination that proves to be the winning one. See if you can spot it, it's pretty easy. |
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29... Qxa5
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Qxa5! |
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30. Rxb3
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Rxb3 |
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