Author Archives: John Mackinnon

Reproducing the classics

In one of his games, Alekhine notes with pleasure that he had for once come up with a new conbinational idea. If this was rare for him, it is virtually impossible for most of us. Of course, each new game creates a new configuration, but the basic tactical motifs our games are built of are usually familiar.

But orginality is not all. There is a satisfaction in reproducing a classic tactical finish. Even this doesn’t happen all that often. Recently, I’ve had the chance to reproduce a couple of familiar but spectacular ideas.

First, one of my blitz games produced a double bishop sacrifice of the kind famous from Lasker-Bauer or, more recently, Polgar-Karpov (though Karpov resigned before the second prelate weighed in):

You need to activate javascript to enhance chess game and diagram visualization.
1. c4 {I am playing White online, with 3 minutes for the game and a 3 second increment.} b6 2. Nc3 Bb7 3. e4 e6 4. d4 Bb4 5. d5 Nf6 6. Bd3 O-O 7. Ne2 e5 8. a3 Be7 9. O-O d6 10. f4 exf4 11. Bxf4 Nbd7 12. Nd4 Nc5 13. Bc2 a5 14. e5 dxe5 15. Bxe5 Nfd7 { <span class="PgnWidget-anchor-diagram">[]</span> } 16. Bxh7+ {Here we go.} Kxh7 17. Qh5+ Kg8 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Nf5+ Kg8 20. Rf3 Bg5 21. Rg3 f6 22. Qg6+ 1-0
() -
Commented by

The second game was played in the Civil Service League and features a queen sacrifice from somewhere deep in the romantic age.

You need to activate javascript to enhance chess game and diagram visualization.
1. c4 {I am playing White, with 75 minutes for the game and a 15 second increment.} e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 d4 {Perhaps a little committal.} 5. b4 {!? Very much a spur-of-the-moment idea after which we are both outside our theory, though it&#8217;s a little like a reversed Benko.} 5... c5 ({After} 5... Bxb4 6. Qa4+ Nc6 7. Ne5 {I thought I was doing very well but the computer likes Black after} 7... Rb8 8. Nxc6 bxc6 {.It turns out} 9. Qxa7 Rb6 10. Qa4 {was played in Karjakin-Anand in the rapid world championship this year. Black got an active game and drew comfortably.}) ({I was looking at} 5... a5) 6. Bb2 Na6 {Now White gets an edge because Black&#8217;s queenside is hard to develop.} 7. b5 Nc7 {I was thinking of three plans here: a4-a5-a6, opening the d file with e3 dxe3 dxe3 and hoping his poor queenside development would make the ending difficult for him, and the central play I go for in the game.} 8. O-O ({In the ending after} 8. e3 dxe3 9. dxe3 Qxd1+ 10. Kxd1 Ne4 11. Ke2 Nd6 {I felt the c4 weakness reduced White&#8217;s initiative.}) 8... Be7 9. e3 {It seems important to get the central play started before Black finishes his development. It&#8217;s still not clear where White&#8217;s pieces should go.} 9... dxe3 10. fxe3 (10. dxe3 {is the computer&#8217;s preference.}) 10... O-O 11. a4 {Prophylactic here.} ({If} 11. Qe2 {Black can play} 11... a6 {and if} 12. b6 {then} 12... Nce8) 11... a5 ({Now if} 11... a6 {then} 12. b6 Nce8 13. a5) 12. Qe2 Nce8 13. d4 Qc7 14. Nc3 {My main idea was to play Rd1 and d5. But the weakness of c4 takes the game in a different direction.} 14... Nd6 {A surprise, as I thought I had prevented this.} 15. Ne5 {?! Probably not the sharpest.} ({After my planned} 15. dxc5 {I now saw Black could fight for c5 with} 15... Nde4 ({I had initially considered only} 15... Qxc5 16. Ba3 Qxc4 17. Qxc4 Nxc4 18. Bxe7 {and White is winning}) 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 {but missed the computer suggestion of} 17. b6 {when White is doing very well} ({or} 17. c6 {and if} 17... bxc6 {then} 18. Ne5 {is tremendous.})) 15... Nf5 {! Another surprise.} ({I was enjoying myself looking at lines like} 15... Bd7 16. b6 Qxb6 17. Rxf6 Bxf6 18. Nxd7) 16. Ne4 {Here I was a bit worried I had overreached, but then saw I could give the e5 knight added protection and that my pieces were still much more active.} ({After} 16. Rad1 {I was worried about} 16... cxd4 17. exd4 Nxd4 18. Rxd4 Bc5 {though the computer gives White a big advantage after} 19. Qe3 Bxd4 20. Qxd4 Rd8 21. Qe3) 16... Nxe4 17. Bxe4 Nd6 18. Bd3 {An unusual redeployment of the fianchettoed bishop. Black&#8217;s kingside is becoming a target.} ({The computer prefers} 18. Bc2 cxd4 19. exd4 f6 20. c5) 18... Bf6 {? A welcome surprise, as the exchange sacrifice looks very dangerous here. I think my opponent was feeling the pressure.} ({After} 18... f6 {White has an edge, but no clear win, after for instance} 19. Qh5 Nf5 20. Ng4 ({rather than} 20. g4 fxe5 21. gxf5 exf5)) (18... Nf5 {is also possible}) 19. Rxf6 {This move plays itself, but I spent eight minutes looking at the follow-up. I think I glimpsed the final position about here, but thought it was too much to hope for. But Black turns out to have no satisfactory defence.} 19... gxf6 20. Qg4+ (20. Qh5 {gives the king slightly better chances of escape.}) (20. Ng4 {is rather less direct.}) 20... Kh8 21. Qh4 f5 (21... Nf5 22. Bxf5 exf5 23. Qxf6+ Kg8 24. dxc5 {is much the same}) 22. Qf6+ Kg8 23. dxc5 Qd8 {My opponent had a long and rather despondent think here. I am not sure if he saw the finish, but even the queen exchange is obviously winning for White.} ({Against} 23... Re8 {I was planning} 24. Nd7 (24. Nxf7 {is faster}) {but} 24... e5 {makes the mate a bit messier}) { <span class="PgnWidget-anchor-diagram">[]</span> } 24. Qh8+ {I was glad to get the chance to play this.} 24... Kxh8 25. Nxf7+ Kg8 26. Nh6# 1-0
() -
Commented by

A dead point ?

I played the English as a child but realised my grasp was defective when a weaker player had the choice of winning my queen or a piece on move 12. When I took it up again a couple of years ago, I read Tony Kosten’s repertoire book, which advocates a system, generally attributed to Botvinnik but owing a good deal to Nimzovich, where White puts pawns on c4, d3 and e4. The books tell you that Black’s natural Nd4 is dubious because Black gets a ‘dead point’ on d4. In a couple of games played for Pimlico recently I had to try to demonstrate this: which proved a bit trickier than it seemed.

I am White in both games, with 75 minutes plus a 15 minute increment.

In the first game I succeed in damaging his pawns quite early:

You need to activate javascript to enhance chess game and diagram visualization.
2r1k2r/p4ppp/2pp1b2/8/2PpP3/1P3PP1/PB5P/R3K2R w KQk - 0 20

After Black’s 19th.

You need to activate javascript to enhance chess game and diagram visualization.
1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. Nc3 Be7 {Rather conservative. My opponent said he wasn't used to facing the English.} 5. e4 {The Botvinnik system should work reasonably well after Nf6 and Be7.} 5... d6 6. Nge2 Be6 {Already a new position in the chesstempo database.} 7. b3 Qd7 8. Nd5 {Trying to restrain possible play with Bh3.} 8... Nd4 {My opponent felt this was dubious and I am inclined to agree.} 9. Nxd4 exd4 10. d3 Nxd5 11. cxd5 Bg4 12. f3 Bh3 13. Qc2 Bxg2 14. Qxg2 {I hoped the better bishop and target on d4 might give me some advantage.} 14... Qb5 15. Qc2 Rc8 16. Bb2 Bf6 17. Qc4 Qxc4 {Perhaps the fatal mistake.} (17... Qb6) 18. dxc4 c5 19. dxc6 bxc6 20. c5 {! This is the crucial idea, disrupting Black's pawns.} 20... dxc5 {Played quite quickly.} ({I wondered if} 20... d5 {was worth trying when the computer likes} 21. O-O-O (21. exd5 {was my intention})) 21. Rc1 Rc7 (21... Be7 {is probably better e.g.} 22. Ba3 c4 23. Bxe7 Kxe7 24. Rxc4 c5 {and Black holds c5 for the moment.}) (21... a5 {is also possible.}) 22. Ba3 {! Now White gets the c5 square as well as the pawn, leaving the d4 pawn effectively isolated.} 22... Be7 23. Bxc5 Bxc5 24. Rxc5 Ke7 25. Kd2 Rd8 26. Kd3 f6 ({after} 26... Rd6 27. Rhc1 Rh6 {I planned} 28. R1c2) 27. Rhc1 Rd6 28. R1c4 {I had seen this setup some way back and thought it would be very hard for Black to defend.} 28... Kd8 29. f4 Kc8 30. Rxd4 Rxd4+ 31. Kxd4 {I think the extra pawn should be decisive.} 31... Rd7+ 32. Ke3 Kb7 33. Rc2 ({I wondered about the immediate} 33. e5) 33... Kc7 (33... Re7 {holds White up more}) 34. e5 Re7 35. Ke4 fxe5 36. fxe5 g6 {An ingenious fortress keeping the king out of f5 and d5. It never looks quite enough, though Black could still put up more resistance on the 42nd move. Possibly he should have tried to activate the rook earlier.} 37. Rd2 Re6 38. b4 {Trying to break the fortress with zugzwang.} 38... a6 39. a3 Re7 40. Rd6 Rf7 41. Rf6 Re7 ({I think I forgot to check} 41... Rxf6 42. exf6 Kd6 {but it's fine for White}) 42. Rf8 h6 (42... Kb6 {is tougher.} 43. Rf6 {, repeating the position, seems to work:} 43... Kc7 44. e6 Kd6 45. Kd4 Rxe6 46. Rxe6+ Kxe6 47. Kc5) 43. Rf6 Rg7 44. e6 Kd6 45. e7+ (45. Rf7 {also occurred to both players.} 45... Rg8 46. e7 Re8 47. Rf6+ {and White is winning but not better than the game.}) 45... Kxe7 (45... Kd7 46. Re6 ({or} 46. e8=Q+ Kxe8 47. Rxc6) 46... Rxe7 47. Rxe7+ Kxe7 48. Ke5 {also wins}) 46. Rxc6 {and Black had had enough.} *
() -
Commented by

The second game was a tough fight decided by a tactic:

You need to activate javascript to enhance chess game and diagram visualization.
4rrk1/3n4/1pbp2pb/p1p5/P1PpPP1q/3P2NB/1P1B2K1/R3QR2 w - - 0 24

After Black’s 23rd: White to play and win.

You need to activate javascript to enhance chess game and diagram visualization.
1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 Nd4 6. h3 {Here I began to think that the Botvinnik has a snag with this move order.} (6. Nge2 Bg4 {looks awkward for White but} 7. h3 (7. O-O Bf3) 7... Bf3 8. Bxf3 Nxf3+ 9. Kf1 {is probably fine for White.}) 6... g6 {Black might make more of White&#8217;s slight awkwardness on the kingside.} (6... h5 {is worth considering and if} 7. Nge2 h4 8. g4 {I was worried about} 8... Nxg4 9. hxg4 Bxg4) (6... Be6 7. d3 ({trying to save this tempo with} 7. Nge2 Qd7 (7... Bxc4 8. Qa4+) 8. Nxd4 {fails to} 8... exd4 9. Ne2 Bxc4) 7... Qd7) 7. Nge2 Bg7 8. d3 (8. Nxd4 {Shying from complications such as} 8... exd4 9. Ne2 d3 10. Nf4 Be6 11. b3 (11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. Qb3) 11... Nxe4) 8... O-O (8... c5 {would exploit White&#8217;s last move}) ({or} 8... Nxe2) 9. Nxd4 exd4 10. Ne2 c5 {This structure should favour White} 11. O-O (11. b4 {with this idea of bxc5 dxc5 giving a large kingside majority, an idea from Petrosian-Bertok 1965, might be better; I had this idea in mind but didn&#8217;t realise I needed to play it so quickly.}) 11... Rb8 12. a4 {With the idea of a5 and perhaps eventually b4, but Black stops this.} (12. b4) 12... a5 {Now (barring a trick with d5) the queenside is closed and I felt White&#8217;s kingside edge allowed me to play for a win, though the narrowed field of operations might be a problem. The machine gives Black a slight edge through much of the following play.} 13. f4 b6 14. Qe1 ({If} 14. g4 {I was a bit worried about} 14... Bxg4 15. hxg4 Nxg4 16. Qe1) 14... Bb7 15. g4 {This is already a little committal; later the threat of Qh4 will induce g5 before White is quite ready. Perhaps development with Bd2,Qf2 and Rae1 is better first.} 15... Qe7 16. Ng3 Rbe8 17. Bd2 Nd7 18. g5 {With twenty minutes more on the clock and the kingside play in full swing, I felt fairly confident. But White&#8217;s major pieces are less well prepared than Black&#8217;s for the lines to open, and improving them while restraining Black is difficult.} (18. Qf2 Qh4) (18. Qe2 d5) 18... f6 (18... f5 {allows White to enter endings where the f5 pawn is very weak e.g.} 19. exf5 Qxe1 20. Raxe1 Rxe1 21. Rxe1 Bxg2 22. Kxg2 gxf5) 19. h4 ({I didn&#8217;t trust} 19. e5 {e.g.} 19... Bxg2 20. exf6 Qxe1 21. Rfxe1 Bxf6 ({or} 21... Bxh3)) 19... fxg5 20. hxg5 h6 {! I think I hadn&#8217;t expected Black to open lines on the kingside, but I now have trouble restraining his play although the structure remains good for me. I now thought for twelve minutes.} 21. gxh6 (21. f5 {was one idea}) 21... Bxh6 22. Bh3 {Black&#8217;s d7 knight is a problem for White.} (22. f5 Bxd2 23. Qxd2 Ne5) (22. Kf2 Ne5) 22... Bc6 (22... Nf6 {takes the guard off e5 allowing} 23. f5) 23. Kg2 {Both making way for the rooks to reach the h file, and with a prophylactic idea that my opponent missed. I found this after considering several alternatives.} (23. Bxd7 Bxd7 24. f5) (23. Qe2 d5 24. cxd5 Bxd5 25. exd5 Qxe2 26. Nxe2 Rxe2 27. Bxd7 Rxd2) (23. Qd1 Qh4 24. Qg4 Qxg4 25. Bxg4) 23... Qh4 {? A fatal mistake in an interesting and double-edged position.} 24. Rh1 {The threat of Be6+ induces a retreat, but then the h6 bishop is attacked. I suppose this is a discovered skewer.} (24. Nf5 {is tempting but much less good e.g.} 24... Qxe1 25. Nxh6+ Kg7 26. Raxe1 Kxh6 27. f5+) 24... Qe7 {there&#8217;s nothing better.} 25. Bxd7 Bxf4 {Now it&#8217;s more than a piece.} (25... Qxd7 26. Rxh6) (25... Bxd7 26. Rxh6) 26. Bxe8 {?!} ({Wins a rook, but} 26. Bxc6 {would win two pieces}) 26... Bxe8 27. Bxf4 Rxf4 28. Qd2 Rh4 29. Rxh4 Qxh4 30. Rh1 Qg4 31. Qh6 {and Black resigned.} *
() -
Commented by

The most dangerous moment

is when you think you’re winning. In this recent tussle in the London League, both sides underestimate their opponent’s threats at crucial moments.

You need to activate javascript to enhance chess game and diagram visualization.
7r/pp3k1r/2bp1pR1/4pP2/2PnP3/1PN3RP/Pq4BK/6Q1 b - - 0 32

After 32 moves: Black to play and win.

You need to activate javascript to enhance chess game and diagram visualization.
[Site "?"] [Date "2014.10.22"] [Round "?"] [Result "*"] [TimeControl "60/120"] [TimeControl "60/120"] 1. Nf3 {I am playing Black, with 90 minutes for 36 moves. My opponent is a very experienced club player with much the same grade as me, who had beaten me in our previous two games.} 1... c5 {I am in the process of switching my repertoire from the King's Indian to the Benko, but it's not so easy to play the Benko here.} 2. c4 Nf6 ({The Accelerated Benko} 2... b5 {might be worth a punt.}) 3. Nc3 ({I was hoping to get a gambit in my new repertoire with} 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d5 6. cxd5 Bc5) 3... Nc6 (3... d5 {gives some interesting variations but I thought my opponent might know them better.}) 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 g6 6. e4 {Giving a Maroczy Bind structure that also arises in the Accelerated Dragon Sicilian. In the symmetrical English version, White often delays this move and fianchettoes the king's bishop to impede Black's queenside development, but there's nothing wrong with my opponent's approach.} 6... d6 7. Be2 Bg7 8. Be3 ({If} 8. O-O {I was looking at} 8... Nxe4 9. Nxc6 Nxc3 10. Nxd8 Nxd1 11. Nxf7 Kxf7 12. Rxd1) 8... O-O 9. O-O Ne5 {With considerable difficulty, restraining my penchant for incorrect forcing lines in the opening.} ({It took me quarter of an hour to discover that} 9... Ng4 {loses to} 10. Bxg4 ({not} 10. Nxc6 Nxe3 11. Nxd8 Nxd1 12. Raxd1 ({or} 12. Nxf7 Nxc3) 12... Rxd8) 10... Bxg4 11. Nxc6 ({not} 11. Qxg4 Nxd4) 11... Bxd1 ({or} 11... bxc6 12. Qxg4) 12. Nxd8 {and White is up a piece. Not surprisingly, the machine confirms that I can't win it back:} 12... Bg4 13. Nxb7 a5 14. Nd5 ({or} 14. c5) 14... Rfb8 15. Nc7 {is one picturesque line.}) 10. h3 Qc7 {My opponent commented afterwards that White needs to strike fast in this variation and that this move made his e5 break difficult; but it does risk enhancing the Nd5 jump. I have little experience with this structure, and found myself playing it like a Scheveningen Sicilian, where White's c pawn is on c2. In the Maroczy Bind it is normal for Black to play a6 and b5, but I was worried about weakening b6 at this stage.} 11. b3 Bd7 12. f4 Nc6 {I was disgruntled at the loss of two moves with the knight and thought I was in trouble. But I manage to make some retrospective sense of provoking f4.} 13. Rc1 Nxd4 14. Bxd4 Bc6 {Targeting e4 in Scheveningen style.} 15. Qd3 Nd7 16. Bxg7 {This exchange leaves White's dark squares weaker than Black's.} (16. Be3 Nc5 17. Qb1 {is possible, holding e4.} ({not} 17. Nd5 Nxd3 18. Nxc7 Nxc1 19. Nxa8 Nxe2+)) 16... Kxg7 17. Kh1 Qa5 {Here I began to feel I might be clambering out of the pit.} 18. Bg4 {My opponent thought for twenty-three minutes here and caught up with me on the clock. He is angling for a break.} 18... Nc5 19. Qd4+ f6 (19... Kg8 20. Nd5 e6 21. Ne7# {is worth noticing.}) 20. Rc2 ({I was afraid of} 20. Nd5 Bxd5 ({my first idea} 20... e6 {is hit by} 21. b4 {and the complications favour White} (21. Ne7 e5 {is fine for Black})) 21. exd5 {though the machine likes} 21... Qxa2) 20... e5 {Now Black is well back in the game.} 21. Qe3 (21. Qxd6 Rad8 22. b4 ({or} 22. Qe7+ Rf7) 22... Rxd6 23. bxa5 {is fine for Black.}) 21... h5 (21... f5 {is a fine mess but it seems positionally dubious to reinvigorate White's bad bishop.}) 22. Bf3 Ne6 23. g3 (23. f5 {is possible, e.g.} 23... Nd4 24. Rd2 gxf5 25. Bxh5 f4) 23... h4 {Here my optimism kicks in. It feels positionally right to weaken White's dark squares further, but I underestimated his play on the g file.} (23... f5 {is again interesting.}) (23... Qc5 {is another way of fighting for the dark squares.}) 24. f5 Nd4 ({Here I thought} 24... Qc5 {would be safer, but decided to go with the flow. Actually Black is in danger either way.}) 25. Rg2 hxg3 (25... gxf5 {may be better.}) 26. Rxg3 Rh8 ({Amazingly I had planned} 26... g5 27. Rxg5+ fxg5 28. Qxg5+ Kf7 {but now I spotted} 29. Bh5#) 27. Rxg6+ Kf7 28. Kh2 ({A teammate came up with the beautiful idea} 28. Bh5 {??!!} 28... Rxh5 29. Rfg1 Rh7 (29... Rah8 {is winning for Black}) 30. Qh6 {! with the idea} 30... Rxh6 ({the machine scrambles to a lost ending with} 30... Bxe4+ 31. Nxe4 Rxh6 32. Rg7+ Ke8 33. Nxd6+ Kd8 34. Nxb7+) 31. Rg7+ Ke8 32. Rg8+ Kd7 33. R1g7#) 28... Rh7 29. Rfg1 Rah8 30. R1g3 {Basically White is a pawn up with chances of consolidating. But now it's my opponent's turn to underestimate my play.} 30... Qa3 {Resorting, with nine minutes for seven moves in this sharp position, to the principle of improving the worst-placed piece. It's a bit more relevant than it looks.} 31. Qg1 {A fatal oversight. Alekhine's gun won't get to fire here.} ({My opponent and I looked at many variations here after the game.} 31. Qf2 Qc1 {and the machine still prefers White.}) 31... Qb2+ {!} 32. Bg2 ({If} 32. Ne2 {then} Nxf3+ ({or} 32... Rxh3+)) {Here my pulse was racing, but fortunately there's not much to calculate. Diagram at the top of the page.} 32... Rxh3+ {!} 33. Rxh3 Nf3+ {The file and the rank converge rather nicely here.} 34. Kh1 Rxh3+ 35. Bxh3 Nxg1 {and White resigned.} * 0-1
() -
Commented by

A recent game of mine

You need to activate javascript to enhance chess game and diagram visualization.
[Round "?"] [Result "*"] [TimeControl "60/120"] [TimeControl "60/120"] 1. c4 {I an playing White. This was in the London League. I gather from the ECF database my opponent is fourteen though he looked a bit older.} 1... e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. b3 {?} 4... Be7 ({After I moved I saw the rather embarrassing} 4... dxc4 5. bxc4 Qd4 {Fortunately my opponent&#8217;s brain hadn&#8217;t got warmed up either.}) 5. Bb2 O-O 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 {McDonald suggests the knight should go to d7 in this sort of position.} 8. d3 ({I was worried about} 8. e3 dxc4 9. bxc4) 8... b6 9. e3 Bb7 10. Qe2 Qc7 11. Nbd2 Rfd8 12. Rac1 Rac8 13. Ne1 dxc4 {My opponent admitted he was out of ideas here.} ({I was more worried about} 13... e5) 14. bxc4 Rd7 15. f4 {White&#8217;s play is quite slow and the computer is not enthusiastic, but he seems to have some dynamic prospects on the kingside whereas it is not clear how Black will get play. I had in mind a plan that Neil McDonald recommends in his book on the English (though I find he recommends a4 to counter Black&#8217;s potential b5.} 15... Rcd8 16. a3 Na5 17. Bc3 Bxg2 18. Qxg2 Nc6 19. Ndf3 {Probably too slow.} (19. g4 {may be better}) 19... Ng4 20. Qe2 Bf6 ({I expected} 20... f5 {but it makes sense to get rid of White&#8217;s bishop,}) 21. h3 Bxc3 22. Rxc3 {It&#8217;s a pity to have lost the dark-squared bishop, but I hoped the kingside play still offered prospects.} 22... Nf6 23. g4 e5 {I thought I had deterred this.} 24. Nd2 ({I had planned} 24. g5 {but now saw} 24... Nh5) 24... exf4 25. Rxf4 Re7 26. Qf2 Qe5 {I had missed this and was very glad to find a reply} 27. Rxf6 Qxf6 {after a long think by my opponent, who had not seen the exchange sac} (27... gxf6) 28. Qxf6 gxf6 29. Ne4 {A whole exchange down, I think White has reasonable practical chances of saving the game, because it is hard for Black either to create a passed pawn or to open lines for the rooks.} 29... Re6 ({My opponent wondered about returning the exchange with} 29... Rxe4) ({I had also thought of} 29... Rxd3 {but} 30. Nxf6+ Kg7 31. Nh5+ {refutes.}) (29... Kg7 {can be met by} 30. Ng3) 30. Kf2 Ne5 31. Ng3 Kg7 32. Ke2 Ng6 33. Ng2 Kh6 {?! This is rather risky.} 34. Nf5+ {here I thought I might be winning. It looks as if Black has walked into a mating net and he can indeed only extricate himself by giving a piece up; but exactly this allows him into White&#8217;s position. My opponent said he didn&#8217;t known what he was doing with the king march so I think we were both a bit out of our depth.} 34... Kg5 35. Kf3 {?} ({The computer comes up with the very sensible} 35. Rc1 {activating the rook. But it was hard to see that winning the knight immediately was not the right thing to do (and I&#8217;m not sure I had yet spotted his next move, though I did before he played it}) 35... h5 {after a long think, the saving move} 36. h4+ Nxh4+ 37. Ngxh4 hxg4+ 38. Kg3 Re5 39. e4 Ree8 40. Ng2{ <span class="PgnWidget-anchor-diagram">[]</span> Here I realised that despite winning a piece back my position was difficult and offered a draw. The knights look very pretty but White also needs the rook and cannot activate it without a sacrifice. With the rook on c3 it is hard to stop penetration on the h file.} (40. Rb3 Rh8 41. Rc3 Rh7 42. Rb3 Rdh8 {illustrates the problem}) 40... Rh8 41. Nf4 Rh1 42. Nd5 Rdh8 43. Kg2 {Walks into a mate, but there is probably no salvation.} 43... R8h2+ 44. Kg3 Rd2 45. Nf4 Rg1+ {and I resigned.} * 0-1
() -
Commented by