[Event "Holiday Invitational 2020"] [Site "?"] [Date "2021.01.07"] [Round "2"] [White "Chessmaster XI (Turk)"] [Black "Paul H."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A00"] [PlyCount "125"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [EventRounds "1"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2013.12.29"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. g3 d5 2. Bg2 Nf6 3. d3 c5 4. c4 Nc6 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Nc3 {A00: Irregular Openings.} e6 {Just six moves into the game and we are in uncharted waters. This move is good to maintain the center and continue with natural moves like Be7, O-O and so on.} 7. Bd2 (7. Nf3 {is more appropriate.}) 7... Be7 $11 8. h3 $146 {Typical computer style - spotting me a move as it allows me to get an advantage.} O-O 9. Kf1 $2 {Another bizarre move.} (9. a3 $15) 9... b6 (9... Rb8 $142 {is a stronger idea. Intending to push b5. The move also gets the rook off of the long diagonal.} 10. Nf3 b5 11. a3 Qb6 $15) 10. Be3 $2 (10. Nf3 $17) 10... Bb7 ({I should have taken this piece to open the f-file. Doing so would also give me the two bishops.} 10... Nxe3+ $19 11. fxe3 Bb7 $19) 11. Nxd5 (11. Bd2 $17) 11... exd5 $19 12. Bf4 (12. Rc1 $142) 12... Nd4 {My intention was to place the knight on e6 and push f5-f4 to open the f-file and get at the enemy king.} (12... Bf6 {a probing move to get on a nice diagonal and threaten to take on b2.} 13. Rb1 Re8 14. h4 {to stop g5.} h6 15. a3 Qe7 16. Nh3 Rad8 17. Bd2 d4 $19 {Still winning but a different approach compared to what I played. Here, putting rooks on open files and centralizing pieces leads to a comfortable advantage for Black.}) 13. Nf3 Ne6 14. Bd2 (14. d4 $17) 14... Qd6 { Preparing the queen to assist with my f5-f4 idea. Looking at this now, the idea seems a bit slow. Perhaps locking the White pieces down makes more sense than trying to storm the pawn barricades looking for mate.} 15. Qc1 (15. Kg1 $17) 15... Rac8 16. Nh4 $2 (16. Bf4 Nxf4 17. Qxf4) 16... f5 ({I should have created more structural problems for White with} 16... Bxh4 $142 17. gxh4 c4 $19 {but I was worried about extricating the h1 rook by giving it the g-file.}) 17. Nf3 f4 18. g4 d4 {Locking the position down further by securing more space and opening the b7-h1 diagonal.} 19. Rg1 $2 (19. Qc2) 19... Bd5 20. b3 b5 { [%CAl Bb6b5,Bb5c4][%mdl 32] Accurate play. With the f-pawn advance neutralized, it's time to switch to the c-file.} 21. Rb1 (21. Qd1 {was worth a try.} c4 22. dxc4 bxc4 23. bxc4 Bxc4 24. Rh1) (21. Ne1 Bxg2+ 22. Kxg2 c4 23. bxc4 bxc4 24. Qc2 c3 $19) 21... c4 22. bxc4 bxc4 23. Bb4 Qc7 (23... Nc5 {Played to preserve the bishop pair and assist with the dc4 idea.} 24. Qc2 (24. dxc4 $2 d3 $1 25. Rh1 (25. cxd5 $4 dxe2+ 26. Kxe2 Qa6+ $1 27. Kd1 Ne4 $19) 25... dxe2+ 26. Kg1) 24... cxd3 {A crazy line that no human would play but strong nevertheless.} 25. Qxd3 Nxd3 26. Bxd6 Bxa2 $1 27. Ra1 Bxd6 28. exd3 Bd5 $19) 24. Bxe7 Qxe7 25. dxc4 Bxc4 26. Qd2 {[#]} Rfd8 $4 {This seemingly innocent move to support d3 is a blunder. It's tough to understand why.} (26... Qa3 27. Ne5 Ba6 28. Bf3 Qd6 29. Nd3 Ng5 30. Kg2 Nxf3 31. exf3 Rc3 32. Ne1 Rfc8 $19) (26... d3 $19 27. exd3 Rfd8) (26... Rb8 27. Rc1 Ba6 28. Qa5 Rb6 $19) 27. Ne5 $1 $17 {This is why. Chessmaster comes to life with the strong moves it was lacking in the opening. The knight can now drop back to d3 to defend while attack the c4 bishop.} Ba6 $11 {A bit of panic that allows White to win the exchange.} (27... d3 $1 $17 { [%mdl 512]} 28. Nxc4 (28. exd3 Ba6) 28... Rxc4 29. exd3 Qc5 $15) 28. Nc6 $11 Rxc6 29. Bxc6 d3 30. Bb5 Bxb5 $2 ({Relieving the tension with} 30... dxe2+ { should come first.} 31. Qxe2 f3 32. Qxf3 Nd4 33. Qd3 Nxb5 34. Qc4+ Kh8 35. Rxb5 Rc8 36. Qd3 Bxb5 37. Qxb5 Qe4 $11) 31. Rxb5 Nd4 {[%mdl 64] [#] Double Attack} 32. Qxd3 {Threatens to win with Rb2.} Nxb5 33. Qxb5 $14 {[%mdl 4096] Now White has a slight edge and is up an extra pawn.} Qe4 {[%CAl Rd8d1]} 34. f3 Qe3 $2 { An overanxious move. Trying for the cheapo with Rd1 which will never be allowed to happen.} (34... Qe7 $1 $14) 35. Kg2 $18 {White is now winning and will get his rook in the game.} h6 (35... Re8 $142) 36. Qb3+ $2 (36. Qc4+ $18 { and White stays clearly on top.} Kh7 37. Qc2+ Kh8 38. Rd1 Rxd1 39. Qxd1) 36... Kf8 $2 {[%mdl 8192]} (36... Qxb3 $16 {keeps fighting.} 37. axb3 Rb8 38. Rb1 g5 39. h4 gxh4 40. Kf2 h3 41. Rh1 Rxb3 $11) 37. Qc4 Re8 38. Re1 Re7 $2 (38... Re5 39. h4 Rc5) 39. Kf1 {White is clearly winning. The king comes to protect e2, freeing the rook to move elsewhere. Black is a full pawn down in a lost ending. In true computer fashion, Chessmaster plays flawlessly from here on out.} Qe5 40. Rd1 Rc7 41. Qb4+ Kf7 42. Qb3+ Ke7 43. Qb8 Kf6 44. h4 Re7 45. Rd6+ Kf7 46. Qb3+ Kf8 47. Rd8+ Re8 48. Qb4+ Kf7 49. Qc4+ Kf8 50. Rxe8+ Kxe8 {KQ-KQ} 51. Qa4+ Kf8 52. Qxa7 Qa1+ 53. Kg2 Qe1 54. Qb8+ Ke7 55. Qe5+ Kd8 56. h5 Qg3+ 57. Kf1 Qh3+ 58. Ke1 Qh1+ 59. Kd2 Qb1 60. Qd6+ Ke8 61. Qe6+ Kd8 62. Qg8+ {[%mdl 64] Double Attack} Kc7 63. Qxg7+ {[%mdl 64] Black resigns.} 1-0