[Event "Washington Senior Open"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.04.15"] [Round "1"] [White "Readey, John"] [Black "Harwood"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E06"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2013.12.29"] [SourceQuality "1"] {My first game of tournament chess in over four years. John and I have faced each other many times in online blitz but never in classical chess. This is the first time I have ever played a FIDE master in a rated USCF game.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 {The Tarrasch Defense. A complex reply to d4 that I have been trying to learn over the past few years. I have had mixed results with it but was hoping to get a decent position to work with.} 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 Nf6 6. O-O Be7 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. a3 a5 {All theory so far. a5 is to stop the b4 expansion and provide the b6 and a7 escape squares for the c5 bishop.} 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Qc2 Bb6 {I used to play the bishop back to e7 but after additional research, I learned it belongs on b6 to support a future d4.} 11. Nc3 O-O $6 { The simple h6 didn't appeal to me for some reason. This is an obvious move that stops Bg5 and prepares Be6 and other developing moves.} (11... h6 12. Bf4 (12. Rd1 O-O 13. e4 d4 14. Nb5 Bg4 15. Bf4 $17) 12... Be6 13. e3 O-O 14. Rfd1 Qe7 15. Rd2 $14 {with the idea of doubling rooks and white has a slight edge.}) ({The key theme of the Tarrasch is to push the d4 pawn.} 11... d4 12. Rd1 O-O 13. Bg5 h6 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. Nd5 Qd8 $14) 12. Bg5 Be6 $2 {Too passive. This would work if h6 had been played but here it walks into enormous pressure on my d5 pawn.} 13. Rad1 Rc8 $4 {Rust. I am calculating clearly and should understand my last chance was to consider d4 and accept a worse position. Now I am about to lose a pawn.} (13... d4 14. Ne4 Re8 15. e3 Rc8 16. exd4 Nxd4 17. Qb1 Bb3 18. Nxd4 Bxd4 19. Be3 Rc4 $1 20. Qd3 Bxd1 21. Rxd1 Qc7 22. Bxd4 Rd8 23. Qe3 Ng4 $16) 14. Qa4 h6 $2 {The right move but too late.} ({I considered} 14... Ne7 15. Nd4 Qd6 16. Nxe6 fxe6 17. Qb3 Bc5 18. Bh3 $18 {and White has a firm grip on the position.}) 15. Bxf6 Qxf6 16. Nxd5 {Black is down a pawn with no compensation.} Bxd5 17. Rxd5 {The problem with this position is that White has no real weaknesses to attack. So, he can slowly maneuver his pieces to better squares and there isn't much I can do about it.} Rfd8 ({I had thought} 17... Qxb2 {was equal until I saw the reply} 18. Rb5 $18) 18. Rb5 {Very accurate play by John. He's already up a pawn and now eyeing the weak b7 pawn.} Na7 { Ugly but necessary to evict the rook.} 19. Rb3 {[%CAl Gd8d1,Gc8c1,Gb6f2] [#] Black is lost but I do have the open c and d files plus a nice grip on the dark squares. I wanted to lift my rooks to aid in the defense of my b6 bishop so I could play Qe6 which threatens Rc4 and Qe2.} Rd6 20. Bh3 $5 {This is why masters are so good at chess. John sees the idea I just mentioned and stops Qe6.} ({Another idea is} 20. Qe4 {which does the same thing as Bh3. This is better though as it centralizes the queen and hits the weak b7 pawn.} Rc7 21. e3 g6 22. h4 Kg7 $18) 20... Rcd8 21. Qe4 {The move I mentioned earlier.} Rc6 { Blocking the diagonal, protecting b7 and grabbing control of the c-file.} 22. Kg2 {A solid move to get off the b6-f2 diagonal. White is in no rush. He wants to slowly improve his position, and once he gets his f1 rook in the game, Black will be forced to resign.} Nc8 23. Qe5 {The right idea to trade and convert the overwhelming advantage.} Qg6 {Normally, avoiding trades would keep me in the game but not here.} 24. Bf5 Qd6 25. Rd3 Qf8 (25... Qxe5 26. Nxe5 Rc5 27. f4 Rxd3 28. Bxd3 Bc7 29. Nd7 Rd5 30. Rd1 $1 Kh8 $18) 26. Rxd8 Qxd8 27. Bd3 Nd6 28. Rd1 {The final piece bears down on me.} Qf8 29. Qf4 (29. Bb1 Ne8 30. Qb8 Qe7 31. e3 Kf8 $18) 29... Bc7 30. Ne5 Ne8 31. Qd4 Qe7 $4 {A last miscalculation that loses the exchange.} ({The alternatives are just as bad though.} 31... Rd6 32. Qe4 g6 33. Qxb7 $18) 32. Nxc6 bxc6 33. Qe4 {Black resigns. A well-played game by John where he had the advantage and never let go. From my side, it was a clear example of being out of form -- poor calculation, hesitancy and passive play.} 1-0