Continuing the karma theme from Annotated Game #310, this last-round draw should have been a win for my opponent, who did a good job outplaying me in a Caro-Kann King's Indian Attack (KIA) middlegame. He then missed some defensive tactics leading to an imbalanced queen vs. rook and knight (and pawns) endgame, which I could have won.
In the KIA setup, Black has some unclear strategic decisions to make regarding where to put his light-square bishop (and when), along with keeping the center mobile or advancing with d5-d4. In this game I make bad choices in both cases and the punishment is enlightening. The other overall learning theme I came away with was the superiority of active defense, which is highlighted in several variations analyzed.
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| Move | N | Result | Elo | Players |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 heading for the King's Indian Attack e5 4.Ngf3 Bd6 5.g3 Nf6 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 Re8 8.Re1 Nbd7 this is the first real think for me now, although I had to concentrate a bit to remember to bring the rook out on the previous move. 8...Bg4 here also scores well in the database. 9.a4 a5 a near-automatic reaction. Black wants to play this anyway, to contest the b4 square, while also preventing White's pawn from advancing further. 10.Nf1 Nf8 next big think here, about the middlegame plan. The idea is to free up the Bc8 while preparing to go to g6 if necessary. 10...d4!? I considered to prevent White's next move, but I felt it was too committal. 11.c3 c5= 10...h6 this prophylactic move controls g5 and also acts as a waiting move, putting the question to White about what to do next, without committing Black unnecessarily. 11.Ne3 I assessed this as being stronger than it actually was, threatening to go to f5 and hit the Bd6. d4 11...Ng6!? would be more consistent with my previous move and leave the central tension in place. 12.Nf5 Bc7 and 13.exd5?? breaking up Black's center is of course now refuted by Bxf5-+ 12.Nc4 here the knight avoids being exchanged on f5, and after some thought I overly complicate matters in response. Bb4?! I liked the idea of controlling c3, but this just improves White's position in relative terms. 12...Bc7 simple and best, according to the engine. 13.c3 b5 14.axb5 cxb5 15.Na3 b4 16.Nc4 dxc3 17.bxc3 Ba6= 13.Bd2 the simplest response. Ng6?! passive defense. 13...Bg4= effectively gets the bishop into play, with the pin on the Nf3 protecting e5, and it can usefully exchange off White's good knight. 14.c3! White now seizes the initiative. Bc5?! 14...dxc3 15.bxc3 Bf8 15.cxd4± White gladly exchanges the central pawn and my strong bishop. Bxd4 16.Nxd4 exd4 17.f4 now the pressure is really on and I have trouble coming up with a good defense. Nf8? 17...Be6!? there is nothing better; here I did not adequately consider/calculate the pawn fork after 18.f5? 18.b3± 18...Bxc4! 19.fxg6 Be6= 18.f5+- White controls the center and his active pieces and advanced f-pawn threaten my king. N6d7 19.Nd6 Ne5 I decided to make a defensive exchange sac, since otherwise I felt White would simply squeeze me to death. 19...Re7 is the engine's choice, but with a similar idea in the variation 20.Nc4 Ne5 21.Nxe5 Rxe5 22.Bf4 Nd7± 20.Nxe8 Qxe8 21.Bf4 Nfd7 the idea is to set up as much of a blockade as possible. 22.Qc2 c5± White is up the exchange and has the two bishops, but my defense is starting to form. 23.Rad1 b6 24.h3 24.g4 is the hard-to-find engine move, with the point being Nxg4? 25.e5 with a discovered attack on the Ra8 Ra7 26.Qe2+- 24...Ba6 with my last minor piece now developed usefully, hitting d3, I've whittled White's advantage down some. 25.Qb3? this just loses a pawn, although I was too timid and also did not seriously calculate the idea of taking with the bishop on d3. Rb8?! 25...Bxd3! and if 26.Rxd3? I did not see 26.Qa3 Ba6 26...c4!-+ the knight protects the c-pawn, the crucial difference in choosing which piece to take with on d3. 26.Qc2 eliminating the pawn fork tactic. Qe7 developing the queen to a better diagonal. 27.Qe2 f6?! now is when active defense/counterattack would be best. However, I was still focused on creating a fortress. 27...b5 28.axb5 Bxb5= 27...g5!? 28.fxg6 hxg6 29.h4 c4 30.dxc4 Bxc4= followed by ...d3 is an idea I saw, but judged too risky. 28.g4 Qf7 eyeing the penetration possibility on b3 29.g5 again I miscalculate the defense. Kh8 29...fxg5 30.Bxg5 Qb3! 30.Kh1 Rg8?! 30...fxg5 31.Qf2 Nxd3 unfortunately this does not work objectively, but it was certainly a shock to my opponent, and I erroneously thought it was my best chance. 31...fxg5! eliminating the g-pawn first is necessary. 32.Bxg5 Nxd3 32.Rxd3 Bxd3 33.g6!+- Qe7 34.Qh4 Nf8 best and only move that does not immediately lose. My opponent appeared surprised, and was getting low on time. 35.e5?? attempting to increase the pressure, but this allows Bxf5-+ and he apparently missed this backwards bishop move. Black is now winning. 36.exf6 Qxf6 37.Bg5 Qxg6 38.Bd5 I now block with the wrong minor piece, having missed White's follow-up. Be6? 38...Ne6! and Black is now simply a winning amount of material up. 39.Rxe6! Nxe6 40.Be4 this is what I missed. Now I find the drawing continuation, which seemed to surprise my opponent. Qxe4+ 41.Qxe4 Nxg5= the engine rates this as a draw, but of course with the major imbalances involved either side could still blunder, especially since we were both low on time. I would say winning chances practically are with Black, due to the extra pawns. 42.Qf5 h6! now I should not have to worry about losing by force. 43.h4 Nh7 44.Qd7 Rf8?! 44...Nf6 much better having this move come with tempo, and the engine even assesses Black is now winning. 45.Qd6 Re8 46.b3 Kh7 47.Qxb6 Re5-+ 45.Qd6 Rf6 the idea was to maintain an easy draw with the 6th rank defense. 46.Qd8+ Rf8?! this was an unnecessary (and unintentional) pawn sac, but the evaluation stays the same. 46...Nf8 47.Qxb6 d3= the power of the advanced passed pawn outweighs the queenside pawn weaknesses for Black. 48.Qd6 c4 49.Kg2 Re8 50.Kf3 Nf6 51.Qd4 Re4 52.Qd8+ Kh7 53.Qxa5 Rxh4 54.Qf5+ now there is no way to escape the checks. Kg8 55.Qe6+ Kh7 56.Qd6?? 56.Qf5+= 56...Ne4? this is good enough for the draw, but the engine shows a win after 56...Rh3+! 57.Kg2 Rh5-+ as White cannot prevent the rook from going to d5 behind the passed pawn. 57.Qd5 d2 58.Qf5+ and we're back on the check circuit. Kg8 59.Qe6+ Kf8 60.Qc8+ Ke7 61.Qb7+ Kf6 62.Qc6+ Kg5 63.Qd5+ Kg6 64.Qe6+?? 64.Qc6+= 64...Kh7 unfortunately I didn't have enough time to calculate the alternative, so agreed a draw here. 64...Nf6!-+ without another check by White, Black's rook can now get behind the d-pawn, for example after 65.Qe2 65.Qd6 Rh3+ 66.Ke2 Rd3 65...Rh3+ 66.Kg2 Rd3 ½–½
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| White | EloW | Black | EloB | Res | ECO | Rnd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class B | - | ChessAdmin | - | ½–½ | B10 |
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