I've been on quite a roll lately, had my rating up to an all-time high of 1360. I've been having trouble finding human opponents, but I'm getting better against the computers. I absolutely demolished the 1600-rated Betho computer in a game earlier that I think was just an aberration.
Then came this game, which I think was instructive even though I lost. I had an early two-pawn lead, rushed a move and fell behind a piece, then I think I still had a chance at a draw in the endgame and made a bad mistake there too. But I didn't play awful, my board vision is getting better. I just need to keep working on taking my time.
I can't find much on this opening in MCO.
[Event "ICC"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2009.09.20"]
[White "Chessnut4"]
[Black "KyleMayhugh"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1475"]
[BlackElo "1349"]
[ECO "D02"]
[Opening "Queen's pawn game, Chigorin variation"]
[TimeControl "1800+10"]
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 Bf5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. Nbd2 e6
6. O-O Bd6 7. c3 O-O 8. Nh4 Bg4 9. h3 Bh5 10. g4 Nxg4
I thought this was a pretty nifty piece of board vision from me. This exchange wins me a pawn when the queen jumps in to take the unguarded knight, and another here in a second.
11. hxg4 Qxh4
(12. gxh5 would be responded with Qh2#.) This wins the g-pawn. I'm now up two pawns and he has a very vulnerable king. This should be a won game, but there's a reason I'm playing down here at this level:
12. Nf3 Qxg4 13. Qd3 Bg6 14. Qe3 Bf4
Now it's my turn to make a bad exchange counting error. I think I'd reach my goal of 1500 ICC in a couple days if I ever stopped making them.
The counting error happened because of two other major errors:
First, a strategy error. I tried to play a complicated trap of his queen. There's no need to try to force a greater advantage when you already have a winning material edge. I should have been looking to force trades and simplify.
Worst, Bf4 was played in 38 seconds. That's not near enough time for a move like that, which tries a complicated idea and likely leads to multiple exchanges.
15. Qxf4 Qxf4
16. Bxf4 Rac8
Okay, now I'm down a bishop for two pawns. The game is probably lost but worth playing on. Need to trade down and get some pawns off the board.
17. Rfe1 f5 18. Ne5 Nxe5 19. Bxe5 c6 20. f4 c5
21. Bd6 Rfd8
Very nice move by him, winning another pawn and I just didn't see it coming.
22. Bxc5 b6 23. Be7 Re8 24. Bh4 Bh5 25. Bf3 Bxf3
26. exf3 h6 27. Re3 Kf7
Kf7 is the key to any sort of hopes. It supports some key pawns, frees at least one rook and maybe two to find a file and attack it and adds the king's attacking power to the middle of the board where I need all the help I can get.
28. Rc1 Rg8 29. b3 g5 30. fxg5 hxg5
31. Bf2 g4 32. f4 Rg7 33. Rce1 Rg6 34. Bh4 Rh8 35. Bg5 Rh3
Bg5 is a nice find as well, he really knows how to use his bishop. It pretty much shuts down my hopes of a counterattack.
36. Rxh3 gxh3 37. Kh2 Rg8 38. Re3 Rh8 39. Rxh3 Rxh3+ 40. Kxh3 a6
41. Bd8 b5
This is a lost end-game, but tricky enough that I have a slim prayer of a draw if he misplays it.
42. Ba5 Kg6 43. Kh4 Kh6 44. Bb4 Kg6 45. Bd6 Kh6
46. Kg3 Kh5 47. Kf2 Kg4 48. Ke3 Kg3 49. Kd3 Kf3 50. c4 bxc4+
51. bxc4 a5 52. cxd5 exd5 53. Kc3 Ke3 54. Be5 a4 55. Kb4 Kd3
56. Kxa4 Kc4 57. Ka5 Kc3
He ends up playing it perfectly. Despite what I said above, now that I've gone over the game, there was no chance of saving a draw here.
58. Kb5 Kb2 59. a4 Ka3 60. a5
1-0
Current rating: 1349. Before this game: New high of 1360.
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