This second-round tournament game features an interesting Colle vs. Queen's Indian setup. Black is a little over-aggressive in the opening, but I am not able to keep the small advantage obtained as a result. My opponent then doubles down on the aggression with 16...f4? - I initially respond correctly, but then make a far too materialistic decision to play passively, instead of dynamically with a significant advantage. Black continues to actively press and his attack essentially plays itself, as a result. An object lesson in the superior dynamic value of pieces.
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "ChessAdmin"]
[Black "Class B"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "ChessAdmin/Dragon 3.2"]
[ECO "A47"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[BlackFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "86"]
[GameId "2290193471588575"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 b6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. Nbd2 {while this is normally considered a flexible move and covers e4, castling first scores much better in the database. White need not fear an early ...Ne4.} (5. O-O Ne4 6. Nbd2 f5 {is what I wanted to avoid.} 7. Ne5 $5 {looks good, however, as Black is a bit behind in development.} Qh4 8. f4 $14) 5... Nc6 $6 {this blocks the Bb7 unnecessarily.} 6. O-O (6. c3 $5 {the standard Colle setup would be a good option as well.}) (6. a3 $5 {would now allow for b2-b4 and Bb2, with more space, as there is no pawn on c5 to block White's queenside expansion.}) 6... d5 7. b3 {not the best suited to the needs of the position, because of Black's ability to play the annoying knight sortie to b4.} (7. c3) (7. a3) (7. c4 $5) 7... Nb4 $11 8. Be2 Ne4 $6 {overly aggressive.} 9. Nxe4 (9. Bb2 {covering the c3 square for some reason did not occur to me.}) 9... dxe4 10. Ne5 $14 {I've perhaps regained a bit of opening advantage, with Black's king still in the center.} f6 11. Nc4 (11. Bh5+ {unfortunately does not work, although I looked at it seriously.} g6 {and White will not have enough for the material.} 12. Nxg6 (12. Bxg6+ hxg6 13. Nxg6 Rh6 14. Nxf8 Qd6 15. h3 Qxf8 $19) 12... hxg6 13. Bxg6+ Kd7 $19 {White has no attack.}) 11... Be7 12. a3 {this is nothing special.} (12. c3 $5 {would reinforce d4 again and create a bit more room for the White pieces.} Nd5 13. Bd2) 12... Nd5 $11 {this surprised me, although it's rather obvious.} 13. Bb2 O-O 14. Nd2 {this is a useful retreat, as the knight is exposed to b6-b5 ideas on c4, but there is no pressure on Black.} (14. f3 $5 {now would be useful, giving White a tempo up for kingside play.} f5 (14... b5 15. fxe4 bxc4 16. exd5 Qxd5 17. Bf3 Qb5 $11) 15. fxe4 fxe4 16. Bg4 Qd7) 14... f5 15. c4 {the correct reaction, gaining queenside space and kicking the knight.} Nf6 16. f3 $6 {the timing is now wrong for this, as the Nf6 helps cover the kingside better, while White's prospects look better on the queenside now.} (16. b4) 16... f4 $2 {this immediately looked wrong - I had not considered the response - and it should lead to a clear advantage for White.} 17. exf4 $1 {after some thought, I correctly concluded taking the pawn on offer was best.} e3 {this was the natural expectation, but unfortunately I miscalculated the response.} 18. Nb1 $2 {this is terribly passive and materialistic, trying to simply hold onto the extra pawn. It removes the knight from the immediate fight, as well as locking the a1 rook away.} (18. Ne4 $1 {is critical.} Nxe4 (18... Bxe4 19. fxe4 Nxe4 20. Qd3 $18) 19. fxe4 Bxe4 {somehow I hallucinated and thought my f-pawn would fall at this point.} 20. Qc1 $16 {now the e3 pawn is doomed.}) 18... Nh5 {in contrast, Black now plays easily and dynamically.} 19. Qd3 {I initially thought this solved my problems.} (19. Bc1 $19 {another bad-looking retreat, but it would force Black to find} c5 $1 {to maintain the advantage.} 20. Bxe3 cxd4 21. Bxd4 (21. Qxd4 Bc5 $19) 21... Nxf4 $19 {with a strong attack once Black can get in ...Qg5, after playing ...Bc5/Bd6}) 19... Nxf4 20. Qxe3 Bd6 $19 (20... Bg5 $19 {is even more effective, lining up on the queen.}) 21. Nc3 $2 Qg5 $1 {I completely missed this, although Black was already winning. Now there are no good choices.} 22. Kf2 Qxg2+ 23. Ke1 Qxh2 24. Kd2 Rf6 25. Ne4 (25. Rh1 {unfortunately does not solve things.} Ng2 (25... Qg3 {is the engine line, which requires some deeper calculation to ensure regaining the material.} 26. Rag1 Nxe2 27. Rxg3 Nxg3 $19 {and now if} 28. Qe1 Nxh1 29. Qxh1 Bxf3 {Black is ahead on material count and has White's king exposed.}) 26. Qd3 Qf4+ 27. Kc2 Rg6 $19 {Black can now reorganize his pieces with ...Rf8, ...Qf7 and ...Nf4 and continue the winning attack.}) 25... Bxe4 {an excellent decision, trading off a key defender.} 26. Qxe4 Qxe2+ {my opponent now makes the good practical decision to go for the simplified winning endgame.} 27. Qxe2 Nxe2 28. Kxe2 Bf4 {now Black's pieces are all at least as well-laced as mine, plus he has the outside passed h-pawn which should decide the game. My only chance for a swindle at this point is to try to create some potential for Black to blunder tactically.} 29. Rad1 Re8 30. Kf2 Rh6 {usefully occupying the h-file and removing the rook from a discovered attack on the long diagonal.} 31. Rg1 Rh2+ {this essentially forces a rook trade and seals the game for Black.} 32. Rg2 Rxg2+ 33. Kxg2 Kf7 34. Re1 (34. Rh1 {looks active but is not a threat. For example} Rd8 35. Rxh7 $2 Bh6 {trapping the rook.}) 34... g5 35. Rh1 Kg6 36. Re1 h5 37. d5 Kf5 38. Kf2 e5 {bringing another piece into the attack and highlighting how I have no counterplay at all.} 39. Rh1 h4 {the h-pawn is now too strong, although there was nothing really to be done about it.} 40. Rd1 e4 41. b4 exf3 42. Kxf3 Re3+ 43. Kf2 Rb3 {with more material loss on the way and a hopeless position, now is a good time to resign.} 0-1
