[Event "KO Handicap Cup"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.04.28"] [Round "?"] [White "Fuller, David"] [Black "Potter, Mark"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B06"] [Annotator "David Fuller"] [PlyCount "108"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"] {Six Board KO Match with Dorchester. Gradings mean that Poole need a 4-2 result to win, so pressure is on to deliver. Can't remember playing Mark before, but I know that his grading was much higher a season or two back so could be a tough game. I am annotating this for: a) a sort of chess self-flagellation like monks to purge bad thoughts, b) in the hope that others might fing this interesting/funny, and c) providing an addition to my forthcoming publication: 'Won Endgames That I Draw Like a Patzer' (currently at three volumes!),} 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 a6 5. Qd2 b5 6. Bd3 Nd7 7. Nf3 Bb7 {I had a feeling that Mark played this sort of stuff, so I set out in this flexible manner. Ooh, which side will I castle?} 8. Ne2 {I thought of a4 which looks best, or 0-0, but I played this substandard move after 5 mins thought. My idea was to play c3 after the expected c5, then 0-0, Rc1. I also wanted to wait and see what Mark would do as he seemed reluctant to play Ngf6} c5 9. c3 h5 {This doesn't look right to me, weakening the kingside structure. Now just 0-0 seems good. Fritz likes d5 closing the position but I was hoping to get in e5 e6 now that the g6 pawn is weaker.} 10. O-O Ngf6 11. e5 dxe5 12. dxe5 Ng4 13. e6 Nde5 14. exf7+ Kxf7 15. Ng5+ Kg8 16. Rad1 { Threatening Bc4+ winning which forces the exchange of pieces on d3 which is in White's favour IMHO.} Nxd3 17. Qxd3 Qxd3 18. Rxd3 Nxe3 19. fxe3 (19. Rxe3 { It seemed right to me to keep the Black King penned in, and retain control of the d-file...} Bf6 20. h4 {... but now White has Nf4 and e6 is weak. Perhaps the d-file is not so important.} Bd5 21. Nf4 Bf7 22. Rfe1) 19... Bf6 20. h4 Bxg5 21. hxg5 Rf8 {This isn't so good. But I am now down to 17mins vs 37mins and there are now choices how to get to a won endgame.} (21... Be4 {I was expecting something like this.} 22. Rd7 Rh7 23. Nf4 Rf7 24. Rfd1 {... which is better but now perhaps holdable.}) 22. Rd7 (22. Rxf8+ Kxf8 23. Rd8+ Kg7 24. Rd7 {This is even better.}) 22... Rxf1+ 23. Kxf1 Bc6 24. Rxe7 Bd5 25. a3 {This is the problem. Many ways to win and using time to decide which rather that just choose won and get on with it.} (25. Nf4 Bxa2 26. Ra7 Rh7 27. Ra8+ Kf7 28. Rxa6 {Is better again}) 25... Rh7 26. Rxh7 {Practical. 10min left.} Kxh7 27. Nf4 Bc4+ 28. Kf2 Kg7 29. Kf3 {Play g3!} a5 30. Ke4 {Play g3!! Despite a detailed knowledge of Ending #15 'The Knight's Dumb Square' (100 Endgames you Must Know, Jesus De La Villa) I just didnt notice the threat of h4, Bf1, Bxg2 (Nxg2) h3 queening, with the king too far away.} b4 31. Ke5 {Still winning, but providing the opportunity for a little swindle, or at least to make my palms sweaty.} bxa3 32. bxa3 Bb3 33. Kd6 {Play g3!!! Too fixated on the c pawn. Again still winning but I have to be brave enough to forget about the g pawn and just queen the e-pawn before the h-pawn.} c4 34. e4 Bc2 35. e5 h4 {At last, I am reminded why g3 should have been played, atleast to keep the blood pressure down. Now I} 36. Kd5 {With only 5 mins plus increment left. I am not good in these time situations it seems.} Bd3 {Ha Ha. Fritz says Kd6 and White mates in 20 moves. What am I worried about? Seriously, it is simple isnt it? Just Kd6 and push the pawn. There is plenty of time. A bit of panic I think. Now I look at this position the next morning it is completely obvious.} 37. Ne6+ Kf7 38. Nd4 Bf1 39. Ke4 {Now the position is drawn} (39. Kd6 {This is still the simple way to win. Only 3mins plus increment left,} Ke8 40. e6 Bxg2 41. Nf5 {(I found this without the computer, honest)} gxf5 42. g6 Kf8 43. e7+ Ke8 44. g7) (39. Nf3 {I planned this earlier to clarify the position missing that after Bxg2 the knight can't then take the h-pawn becuase of the pin. Daft eejit. Fritz says that now BLACK mates in 22.}) 39... Bxg2+ 40. Kf4 h3 41. Kg3 Ke7 42. Kf2 Kd7 43. Kg3 {(Repeat to gain some time)} Ke8 {I thought that I had a chance again now...} 44. Ne6 Ke7 45. Nf4 Kf7 {But this is the move that gives me a chance again.} (45... Bf1 {This in fact draws.} 46. Nxg6+ Ke6 47. Nf4+ Kxe5 48. Nxh3 Kf5 {This being the key drawing move.} 49. Ng1) 46. e6+ Ke7 47. Nxg6+ Kxe6 48. Nf4+ Kf5 {Now most continuations seem to win. Unfortunately under a minute left on the clock and the old brain went dead.} 49. g6 (49. Nxg2 hxg2 50. Kxg2 Kxg5 51. Kf3 Kf5 52. Ke3 Ke5) 49... Kf6 50. g7 {Blast. It seemed that it couldn't be bad pushing the King back a squre, but all that matters if getting the f-file with the King first after the pieces come off, and use the a4 tempo to zug Black if the King opposes.} (50. Nxg2 {For example} hxg2 51. Kxg2 Kxg6 52. Kf3 {(f-file first)} Kf5 53. a4 {Zug the King.} Ke5 54. Ke3 Kd5 55. Kf4 Kd6 56. Ke4 Kc5 57. Ke5 Kc6 58. Kd4 {Blooming King and Pawn endgames. I need to read Jesus De La Villa again...}) (50. Nxh3 Be4 51. Nf4 Bc6 52. Kg4 Be8 53. Kf3 Ke5 54. g7 Bf7 55. Ng2 Kf6 56. Ke4 Kxg7 57. Ke5 Kf8 58. Kd6 Ke8 59. Ne3 Bg8 60. Kc5 Kd7 61. Nxc4 {Even this wins, albeit slower. An example line... }) 50... Kxg7 51. Nxg2 hxg2 52. Kxg2 Kf6 {Getting to the f-file first.} 53. Kf3 Ke5 54. Ke3 a4 {Draw agreed. Well played Mark creating pseudo-problems. Such a shame because I felt I played an excellent game until omitting the obvious g3. Fortunately, my team colleagues had not left the match result depending on my win. End of Lesson} 1/2-1/2