ANNOTATED GAME

The Two Bishop Endgame
ethansiegel (1827) vs. nicolso (1793)
Annotated by: ethansiegel (1986)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B43), Kan, 5.Nc3
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25. hxg5
Of course not fxg5; I liked this recapture for opening the h-file with two rooks and two bishops on. What I didn't see, however, was 25. Nxe6!, which leaves white with a great attack after either dxe6 26. Bxe6+ (and black faces huge problems after the king moves to the h-file) or R-moves followed by 26. Nxg5 and at least equality.
1 comment
 
25... Nd5
? This move looks good on the surface as it threatens a variety of things: the pawn on f4, to advance e4-e3, maybe to even play Nb6 with an eye to Nc4+, forking the rook. But white now has a sacrifice of his own that wins the Nd5 and turns the tables: 26. Nxd7 Bxd7 (not Nxd7 27. Bxe6+) 27. Rxd7! Nxd7 28. Bxe6+, and white's attack is tremendous.

 
26. Nxe6
?! The wrong pawn! This improves white's situation over what it was a few moves ago, but is a much weaker move than Nxd7.
2 comments
 
26... Rf7
Much better than dxe6 27. Bxe6+, but after all the carnage, _this_ position is roughly equal.
1 comment
 
27. g6
This was a hard move to find, but I like it a lot. The rook must move (and e7 is the only safe square), and this really hems in the black king.
1 comment
 
27... Re7
Forced.
2 comments
 
28. Nd8
Threatening 29. Nxc6, which will either run into Nxc6 30. Rxd5, winning a piece, or dxc6 30. Rd8+ Re8 31. Rxe8#.
1 comment
 
28... a5
Nothing better, as there's no way to move the Nb8 and free the Ra8 to roam the 8th rank.
2 comments
 
29. Bc5
?! Getting cute and going for an extra threat on the Re7, when simply Nxc6 gives white a winning edge.

 
29... b4
?? Na6 was the saving move, as Nxc6 could be met with Nxc5!, re-defending the d7 square in the process.
1 comment
 
30. Rxd5
?! Missing Nxc6, which -- with the white pawn on g6 -- would now win easily! 30. Nxc6 Nxc6 (not dxc6 31. Rd8 and mate to follow) 31. Rxd5, and black needs to drop the Re7 for a bishop to avoid going down even further. Rxd5 is still solid, as it wins a knight and rook for a rook, but there's still a lot of chess left, now.

 
30... Bxd5
The only move.

 
31. Bxe7
Also the only move.

 
31... Nc6
Pretty much forcing the exchange of knights.

 
32. Nxc6 dxc6
Okay, let's take stock now. White is up a bishop for two pawns, has a slightly more aggressive position, and black's king is a little vulnerable. On the other hand, black has some aggressive pawns and a little firepower, too. Having escaped a losing position, we turn to winning a won game, which is full of challenges!
2 comments
 
33. f5
I'd love to play Be6+, but black's Bd5 prevents that, so I have thoughts of trying to turn my kingside pawn edge into a new queen.

 
33... Re8
A good move, supporting an e-pawn push and hitting the bishop.

 
34. f6
I like this move even if the computer analysis doesn't; this makes it hard for black to do any counterattacking.

 
34... gxf6
Best.

 
35. Bxf6
All of a sudden, there's the threat of Rh1 followed by Rh8#!

 

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