MIDDLEGAMES
KCN Practice Chess Games 2000-2002
Game 31 White – Black,
Hunter, March 10, 2002.
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Two big lessons from this game: in the middlegame, sometimes it is better to defend for one move and hold your threats when forcing the action doesn't help. In the endgame, use your king! 1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 Bd7 8.Be3 8.d5 is awkward for Black. He should have played 7...Bg4. Qc8 9.Qd2 Ng4 10.d5 Nxe3 11.Qxe3 Nb8 12.e5 h6 13.Rfe1 Bg4 14.e6 Excellent central attacking play by White! Now the lines come open, and tactics begin. We need to look for targets and more than the first obvious moves. fxe6 15.dxe6 [15.Nh4 attacks the newly weakened g6 pawn. 15...e5 (15...g5 16.Ng6) 16.Nxg6 favors White.] 15...Rf6 [15...Nc6 is better.] 16.Nd4 White guards the strong e6 pawn, but 16.Nd5! puts Black on the defensive. c5 17.Nd5 cxd4 |
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The game has reached its critical point. White can win back an exchange, but he allows Black to block the center. In this case a cool 18.Qxd4! leaves Black with bishop, rook, and the knight fork on e7 all hanging. 18.Nxf6+ Bxf6 [18...exf6? keeps h6 pawn guarded, but it allows the white e pawn to advance. 19.Qb3 Na6 20.e7+ Kh7 21.Bxb7] 19.Qxh6 Bf5 20.Qd2 Nc6 [White doesn't mind 20...Bxc2 21.Rac1] 21.Be4 Bxe4 22.Rxe4 Ne5 23.Kg2 Alex deals with fork the on f3. 23...Qxe6 [23...Qc6 24.Qe2 is sufficient defense.] 24.f4 24...Qd5 Black uses a tricky pin but the following queen exchange eases white's defense. [24...Qf5! 25.Re2 Nc4 Black has a strong attacking position.] 25.Qxd4 Qxd4 26.Rxd4 Nc6 27.Rd2 |
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| The players reach and imbalanced endgame. Black has bishop and knight versus rook plus pawn. Counting points this is even. The rooks have no open files, and the white pawns are not advanced, so Black has the better chances because his bishop and knight are effective pieces. White needs to be careful and look for chances to open a file. Rc8 28.c3 Na5 29.Rf1 Nc4 30.Rdf2? [30.Re2 Kf7 maintains the current situation - black is better, but white is not in immediate peril.] 30...Rc5 [30...Ne3+ wins the exchange.] 31.Rc1 Rb5 [31...d5 gains space for Black.] 32.b3 Nb6 33.c4 White's position has improved - his queenside pawns are safe. Rc5 34.Re1 d5 35.Rc2? [White must exchange pawns so as not to lose a pawn for nothing. 35.cxd5 Nxd5] 35...d4 Black prefers a passed pawn to winning a pawn. [also strong was 35...dxc4 36.bxc4 Nxc4] 36.Rd2 Nc8 37.Ree2 Rc6 38.g4 Kf7 39.g5 [39.Kf3 use your king!] 39...Bg7 40.h4 Re6 41.Rxe6 Kxe6 42.Kg3 Kf5 43.Re2 [White allows the Black pawn to advance. Clearer is 43.Kf3 Nb6 Black must maneuver his knight around to break through, but this is not so simple as his task in the game.] 43...d3 44.Rd2 [44.Re3 d2 45.Rd3 Bc3 46.Kf3 Nd6 47.Rd5+ Ke6 48.Ke2 would hold on longer.] 44...Ke4 45.Kf2 Bd4+ now black breaks through. 46.Ke1 [46.Kf1 Nd6 47.Rh2 Nf5] 46...Bc3 47.Kd1 Bxd2 48.Kxd2 Nd6 49.h5 gxh5 50.g6 Nf5 51.a4 h4 52.g7 Nxg7 53.f5 Nxf5 54.b4 h3 55.c5 h2 56.b5 h1Q 57.a5 Qg2+ 58.Kc3 Nd4 59.a6 Qc2+ 60.Kb4 Qb3+ 61.Ka5 Qa3 |
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