Game Analysis

I chose to present this game, because of many hidden tactical lines in the course of the game, that will, I hope, provide at least some entertainment to chess fans reading this. Some parts of the game are more, and some less analysed, based upon my own judgement conserning the relevance of possible deviations from the moves in the game to its outcome. All comments concerning the given analysis are more than welcome. The opening played was Ruy Lopez, Chigorin variation. Enjoy!

[Event "SchemingMind Chess League Season 2"]
[Site "www.schemingmind.com"]
[White "Nenad Tomasev"]
[Black "ngu"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 Chigorin variation of Ruy Lopez

black could've also played 9... Be6, 9... Nd7 (Breyer variation), 9... Bb7 (Zaitsev variation), 9... Nb8 and some other moves

10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7

or (11... Nd7 12. Nbd2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Nc6 14. Nb3 a5 15. Bd3 Ba6) (11... cxd4 12. cxd4 Bb7 13. Nc3 (13. Nbd2 Qc7 transposes to what was played in the game) 13... Qc7 14. Qe2

12. Nbd2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Bb7

13... Rd8 was also possible here (there is a lot of tension in the center, black bishop and knight are well placed, so white needs to relax that tension)

14. d5 Rac8 15. Bb1

15. Bd3 was another possibility. Ivanchuk and Shirov played Bb1 here, as well, so it can't be bad. The same position arised in a game Mike Rosa (Chess Tiger) vs ngu and that game continued: 15. Bd3 Nd7 16. Nf1 f5 17. exf5 Bxd5 18. Ng5 Bxg5 19. Bxg5 h6 20. Bh4 Nc4 21. Bxc4 Bxc4 22. Ne3 Nb6 23. Rc1 Qd7 24. b3 Bf7 25. Qd3 Kh8 26. Bg3 Qe7 ... The game was won by Chess Tiger after 42nd move

15... Nd7 16. Nf1 f5 17. exf5 Nc4

in games Alexei Shirov vs Diego Adla and Sofia Polgar vs M Slak 17... Nf6 was played instead - white then has 18. Ng5 (threatening 19. Ne6) 18... Bxd5 19. Ne3 Qb7, and so on...

18. Nd4

18... exd4 is not good due to 19. Rxe7 Nce5 20. Bg5 Rf7 (20... h6 21. f6 Rf7 22. Bf4 Qc5 23. Rxf7 Nxf7 24. fxg7 Qxd5 25. f3 Nc5 26. Qd2 Please note that black king can't take on g7 because of 26... Kxg7 27. b4! and now if the knight moves, 28. Be4 wins the game for white) 21. Qxd4 Re7 22. Be7 and black would be in troubles

18... Bxd5 19. Ne6 black has to take the knight 19... Bxe6 20. fxe6 Nf6 21. a4 b4

21... d5 is also worth considering

22. b3 Na5 23. Bd3 Qb7 24. Ng3

black was threatening to play 24... e4

24... Rc3 black is taking over the initiative 25. Rb1 Qd5 26. Bxa6 Qxe6 27. Bd2 Nd5

a very nice move. white shouldn't take the rook now: 28. Bxc3 Nxc3 29. Qc2 (29. Qd4! (this move actually leads to a rather equal position, but I missed it during the game) 29... Nxb1 30. Qxb4 Nxb3 31. Bc4 d5 32. Qxb3 dxc4 33. Qxb1 c3 34. Qb5 ) 29... d5 30. Bb5 Nxb1 31. Rb1

28. Be2 Kh8 and now white wakes from sleep 29. Ne4 Rc7 30. Bg4 Qf7 31. Be3 Threatening 32. Bb6 31... Rb8 32. Ng5

black has to take it, otherwise: 32... Qg8 (if the queen moves anywhere else, the knight on d5 will fall, and the knight on a5 will also be in danger then) 33. Be6 Nxe3 34. fxe3 Qf8 35. Nf7 Kg8 36. Qh5 and it is all over for black)

32... Bxg5 33. Bxg5 Nb7

although tempting, 33... Nc3 doesn't work, because of: 34. Qxd6! and now if 34... Nxb1 35. Be6 Nb7 36. Qb6 Qf8 37. Qxc7 and if black tries to retreat the knight with 37... Nc3 38. Be7 Qe8 39. Rxe5 and black is totally lost...

34. Rb2 Nc3 35. Qd3 Rf8 36. Bh4 (defending f2) 36... Nd5 37. Qb5 Nf4 38. Rd1 h5 39. Bf3 Nxh3+ 40. Kh2 Nf4 41. Qxb4 Nc5 increasing the pressure on b3 pawn and threatening 42... Nd3 42. Rbd2 Nxb3 43. Rxd6 Nd4

at this point, ngu offered me a draw, but I declined. The position is complicated, but offers more attacking prospects to white. And the fireworks started. :)

44. Be4

44. R1xd4 exd4 45. Rxd4 Ne6 46. Rd6 Rfc8 47. Bd5 Qf4 48. Qxf4 Nxf4 49. Bf3 Rc4 50. g3 was also worth considering, leading to a complicated position. 50... Rf8 was probably the best here, followed by 51. Be7 Rf7 52. Bg5 Ne2 53. Kg2 Nc3 54. a5 Rf5 55. Bd8 Ra4 56. Bb6 and black could now give one of his rooks for a pawn and a bishop, or try something else. However, this wasn't played, so I won't analyze it any further

44... Rc4 45. Qb6

a very dangerous position for black. White is threatening (if he was to play now) 46. Rh6 gh6 47. Qh6 Kg8 48. Bf6 and white would be winning

45... Nfe6

45... Nde6 46. f3 if 46... Rxa4 47. Rd7 Qe8 48. Be7 Rg8 (48... Rf7 49. Bc6 Ra2 50. Rd8 Rxg2 51. Kh1 Qxd8 52. Rxd8 Kh7 (52... Nxd8 53. Qxd8 Kh7 54. Be4+ g6 (or 54. Rg6) 55. Bf6 Rxf6 56. Qxf6 and white is clearly winning) 53. Be4+ g6 54. Re8 and white should have no trouble winning this) (48... Rd4 49. R1xd4 Nxd4 50. Qd6 Nb5 51. Qxe5 Qxd7 52. Bxf8 Ne6 53. Qxh5+ Kg8 54. Bb4 Nf8 55. Qd5+ Qxd5 56. Bxd5 Kh7 57. Bxf8 and black is finished. It would make no difference if something else was played on 54th move for black) 49. g3 Ra2+ 50. Kh1 Ra1 51. Rxa1 Qxd7 52. Qd6 Qxd6 53. Bxd6 Nh3 54. Bd5 and so on...

46. f3

if 46... Rxa4 47. R1xd4!! Nxd4 (47... exd4 48. Rxe6 d3 49. Bg3 Re8 50. Rxe8 Qxe8 51. Bg6 Qf8 52. Bxd3 Ra3 53. Qg6 Rxd3 54. Qxd3 and white is winning) (47... Rxd4 48. Rxe6 Rc8 49. Rxe5 and white should win easily, since black will be forced to give away material to remove dangerous threats. It is even probably best 49... Rxe4) 48. Rh6+ Kg8 49. Bh7+ Kh8 50. Bg6+ gxh6 51. Bxf7 Rxf7 52. Qxh6+ Kg8 53. Bf6 Rd7 54. Qg6+ Kf8 55. Bxe5 Ke7 (best option) 56. Qf6+ Ke8 57. Bd6 Rf7 58. Qg6 Nc6 59. Qe6+ Re7 60. Qc8+ and white is winning

46... Re8 black plays well and doesn't take the bait 47. Qa5 Rc5 48. Qb4 Qf8 49. Rd7 Qf4+ 50. Bg3 Qf6 51. Rd6 h4 for a few moves it seemed that black has regained control of the game and that whites attack is made blunt 52. Bf2 Rec8 53. Be3 53. Kh1 was also possible, but less active than the move in the game. The played bishop move guards both c1 and g5, blocking blacks attacks 53... h3 sharp. the best response. Now if 54. Kh3 Ng5, and if 54. gxh3 Qh4 and white king is too exposed

54. Qb2 Rc3 55. Bxd4 exd4 56. g3! Qe7?

probably the error that decided the outcome. Better was 56... Qe5 57. Rd5 Rc2 58. Bxc2 Qxd5 59. Be4 Qe5 or perhaps 56... Qf7

57. Qb6 a swift punishment 57... Rc2+

hoping for 58. Bxc2 Rxc2+ 59. Kh1 (59. Kg1 Ng5 60. Qd8+ Kh7 61. Qxe7 Nxf3 and white will either accept the draw or be mated if he goes to h1) 59... Qf8 60. Rd3 Rc1+ 61. Kh2 Rc2+ 62. Kg1 (62. Kxh3 Qf5+ 63. g4 Qh7 64. Kg3 Qh2#) 62... Rc1+ 63. Kf2? h2 or 63. Kh2 and a draw by perpetual check

But what were the alternatives here? Black did have slightly better options, I think. (57... Re8 58. R1xd4 Ng5 59. a5 Rc2 60. Rd2 Nxe4 61. fxe4 Qxe4 62. Qd4 Rxd2+ 63. Qd2 Re5 64. Rd4 Qe2+ 65. Qxe2 Rxe2+ 66. Kxh3 Ra2 67. Rd5) (57... Ng5 58. Qxd4 Nxf3 59. Bxf3 Rxf3 60. Qg4! Rff8 61. Kxh3 Rc5 62. R6d5) In both of these lines, black is a pawn down, but probably has some chances for a draw

58. Kh1 Ng5

if 58... Rc1 59. Rxc1 Rxc1 60. Kh2 Nf8 61. Qxd4 Kg8 62. Qd5 Qf7 63. Qg5 Qa2+ 64. Rd2 Rc5 65. Bd5+ Rxd5 66. Qxd5+ Qxd5 67. Rxd5 Ne6 68. Kxh3 and white is winning

59. Bxc2 Rxc2 60. Qd8+ Qxd8 61. Rxd8+ Kh7 the queens are off the board now, with white having a rook for a knight 62. Rf1 Rc4 62... Rd2 was also possible 63. a5 Ra4 64. Rd5 Kg6 65. f4 Ne4 66. Kh2 Nf6 67. Rg5+ and the pawn on h3 falls. Black resigned 1-0

I hope that you enjoyed the game! I surely did enjoy playing it. I'd like to also hear your opinion about the played moves, once (if) you find the time to take a closer look at it. Regards,

Nenad