[Event "Dorset Closed - Minor"] [Site "?"] [Date "2024.01.20"] [Round "3"] [White "Labouchardiere, A.."] [Black "Kulkarni, H.."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E61"] [Annotator "peter"] [PlyCount "100"] [EventDate "2024.01.24"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"] 1. d4 d6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. Qd2 O-O 7. Bh6 Re8 8. Bxg7 Kxg7 9. e3 e5 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Nxe5 dxe5 12. O-O-O Qxd2+ 13. Rxd2 { The opening is over and the position is level} Bf5 14. Nb5 Re7 15. f3 a6 16. Nc3 e4 17. Be2 (17. g4 Be6 18. g5 Nd7 19. f4 $14) 17... Rae8 (17... exf3 18. Bxf3 $15) 18. f4 Ng4 19. Bxg4 Bxg4 20. h3 Be6 21. Rhd1 {White gives up a pawn for activity but does not really get enough} (21. b3 $11) 21... Bxc4 22. Rd7 ( 22. Nd5 {The rook ending gives better chances to hold} Bxd5 (22... Rd7 $2 23. Nf6 $1) 23. Rxd5 $15) 22... Bd3 23. Rxe7 Rxe7 24. Nd5 Rd7 25. Nb4 c5 26. Nxd3 exd3 {This rook ending is difficult for White because of the strength of the d3 pawn.} 27. b3 b5 {logically preparing to support the pawn on d3 by playing c4} 28. a3 (28. Kd2 {gives the best chance of holding - it is often a good idea to block the passed pawn with your king and use your rook for counterplay. }) 28... a5 (28... c4 {Would have been the most consistent and best continuation, though what Harshal played is good enough to win}) 29. Kb2 b4 30. a4 Kf6 31. g4 h5 32. Rc1 hxg4 33. hxg4 Rd5 34. Rd1 g5 {This is a nice move to break up White's structure} 35. Kc1 gxf4 36. Kd2 (36. Rf1 d2+ 37. Kd1 Rd3 38. Rxf4+ Ke5 39. Rxf7 Rxe3 40. g5 Rxb3 41. g6 Rg3 42. g7 c4 {wins}) (36. exf4 Rd4 37. Rf1 Ke6 38. Kd2 Kd5 {with c4 to follow}) 36... Kg5 37. Rf1 fxe3+ 38. Kxe3 Kxg4 39. Rf4+ Kg5 40. Rf1 f5 41. Kd2 f4 42. Rg1+ Kf5 43. Rh1 Ke4 44. Rh3 Rd4 45. Rh7 Kf3 46. Rh3+ Kg2 47. Rh5 f3 48. Rg5+ Kh1 49. Rxc5 f2 50. Ke3 d2 0-1