MIDDLEGAMES
KCN Practice Chess Games 2000-2002
Game 27 White – Black,
NY State Scholastic Championships, February 24, 2002.
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1.e4 c5 2.c3 d6 Black can profitably attack the White e4 pawn with 2...Nf6 or 2...d5 in this c3 line of the Sicilian. 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 Nf6 7.Nc3 Bxf3 8.Bxf3 g6 9.0-0 Bg7 10.Re1 10.Be3 is more useful. 10...e5 11.d5 Nd4 12.Be3 Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 0-0 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 Rc8 16.Nb5 a6 17.Nc3 g5 18.Bg3 Qb6 19.Rab1 Rc4! |
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Black's rook exerts strong pressure from c4. This is a typical Dragon post for black pieces. 20.h4 attacking on the kingside is logical for white, as the main Black pieces are playing on the queenside. 20...g4 21.Qd3 Rd4 Instead 21...Rfc8 doubling rooks is stronger. 22.Qe3 Qc5 Black's queen is exposed on the open file. Better ...Qa5 right away. 23.Rec1 Qa5 24.Rd1 Nh5 25.Ne2 [25.Bh2 avoids the following pawn loss.] 25...Rxd1+ 26.Rxd1 Qb5 [26...Qxa2 27.Nc3 Qa5 would pick up a pawn.] 27.b3 Nxg3 28.Nxg3 Qd7 29.Nh5 [29.Nf5 is stronger. This knight could take up a dominant position!] 29...Qe7 [29...f5 30.exf5 Rxf5 31.Ng3] 30.Nxg7? White played very well starting at move twenty. Now he goes wrong and misunderstands his advantage. [30.Qg3, 30.Rc1, or 30.Qb6 keep Black under pressure.] Kxg7 Black gladly trades his bad bishop for the knight. 31.Qg3 h5 32.f3 Qd7 33.fxg4 Qxg4 34.Qxg4+ hxg4 |
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| We have reached the endgame. Both sides need to think about taking the open file with their rook, using their king, and trying to pick off enemy pawns. 35.Rf1 [White should seize the open file 35.Rc1 f5 36.Rc7+ with advantage to white.] 35...Rg8 [35...Rc8 placing the rook on open file would be better.] 36.Rf5 Kf8 [36...Rc8] 37.Rg5? A losing move! Better is 37.Kh2. 37...Rxg5 One must assess the king and pawn ending before trading down. Black understands that most king and pawn endings are won by the side that has an extra pawn in multiple pawn endings. 38.hxg5 Kg7 39.Kh2 Kg6 40.Kg3 Kxg5 Black is up a pawn and winning. 41.a4 f5 [41...a5 alternative also wins. 42.Kf2 Kf4] 42.exf5 Kxf5 43.Kf2 Kf4 44.g3+ Ke4 45.b4 Kxd5 46.b5 a5 47.b6 Ke4 48.Ke2 d5 49.Kd2 d4 50.Ke2 d3+ 51.Kd2 Kd4 52.Ke1 e4 53.Kd1 e3 54.Ke1 Kc3 55.Kd1 e2+ 56.Ke1 Kc2 57.Kf2 Kd2 58.Kg2 e1Q 59.Kh2 Ke2 60.Kg2 d2 61.Kh2 d1Q 62.Kg2 Qg1# |
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1 - 0 |
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