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30... Kh8
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With the impending Rd8 I really want to move to f8, so the king can protect the e8 rook (since the e7 rook can't). But the threat of h7! makes that impossible.
No other feasible move to make, so just sit back and decide when to hit resign |
 
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31. Rd3d7
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Having played a near flawless attack, white finally slips up just when he had me where he wanted me. Rd8 is crushing, leading to a queen sacrifice as the only way to prevent checkmate. |
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31... Rxd7
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Forced |
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32. Rxd7 Qxc2+
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The only move, I can now push whites king around waiting for him to block with his queen forcing a drawn endgame, or force a draw through repetition. Really a lifeline I didn't deserve having been outplayed all match, but chances like this don't come every day and I had to stay alert to make sure I don't slip up and gift my opponent a win in a drawn position |
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33. Kh3 Qc3+ 34. Kg2
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Note that 34. Kh4 leads to 34...Qe1 and 35...Qh1 forcing a queen exchange in 1-3 moves (depending on the variation). After which I can take the h6 pawn giving me a pawn advantage 5-3 in the endgame (after Rxb7), and thus potencial winning chances. |
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34... Qc2+
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Plan seems to be working, I felt sure this match is heading for a draw by repetition. This is the best result for white, despite having been in charge for most of the match. |
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35. Kf1
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Another critical blunder... |
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35... Qc1+ 36. Ke2 Qxh6
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Winning the h6 pawn and defends against Qxg7#. The middlegame is now over, and a queen rook endgame is in progress. As in any major piece endgame piece activity is far more important than material advantage. A well placed rook vs Inactive rook can be an advantage of up to 2 pawns, so this finale should be anything but easy to convert |
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37. Rxb7
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Grabbing the free pawn quite correctly, but even a quick glance at the position shows that for the first time in the match black has gained a winning position. An advantage of 5 pawns to 3. Here it is tempting to move Ra8 defending the a-pawn, but this takes my rook right out of the game... |
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37... Rd8
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Rd8 however gives me a well placed rook in a dangerous position holding the open file, worth more to me than the isolated pawn on a7. Also since the pawn is not a passed pawn, (the b3 pawn can take it) my plan can't be to just push the pawns to the end of the board, supported by rook and queen |
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38. Rxa7
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Continuing to grab pawns, but still with a material deficit. His rook is miles away from the action, while I now have a great opportunity to close a box around the white king using my well placed rook and queen. |
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38... Rd2+
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The rook check is preferable to a queen check, as my rook is brought up the board to smother the king. A queen check would lead to the same result, but I would still need to bring the rook to this quarter of the board to seal checkmate, so further queen checks would be needed to allow the rook to arrive on the scene |
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39. Kf3
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1 of 3 moves available
1) Kf3, the game line
2) Kf1, leading to Qh1 and Qf3 and checkmate to follow
3) Ke2, leading to Qe3 and checkmate to follow
So in all probably the best move, but failing an awful blunder, white is lost |
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39... Qh1+
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Closing the box, Only 2 options
1) Kg3, the gameline
2) Ke3 leading to Qe1 and Qf2# |
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40. Kg3
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Only way to avoid checkmate, but... |
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40... Rg2+
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! secures my opponents resignation, my queen and rook will either force checkmate in a few, or I can take his queen and ease to victory Q vs R. Either way white saves himself some time and resigns.
In all a good match, both players showed some really good positional play, in the face of losing material we kept to our guns and showed material isn't everything.
Any comments on the game are welcomed, and I understand Robin is doing his own annotation of the game, so look out for that. |
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