[Event "188th GK tournament"] [Site "http://gameknot.com/"] [Date "2020.08.04"] [Round "2"] [White "steve2"] [Black "Paul H."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B31"] [WhiteElo "1621"] [BlackElo "1938"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2013.12.29"] [SourceQuality "1"] {This was one of the toughest games of round 2 even though it was against a player rated 1600.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Bb5 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 O-O 8. O-O a6 {Expanding on the queenside with a6, b5 and fianchettoing with Bb7.} ({More to my style and recommended by Stockfish 12 is } 8... Ng4 9. Qxg4 Nxd4 10. Bd3 d5 11. Qh4 dxe4 12. Bxe4 Bf5 $11) 9. Bxc6 dxc6 ({Opening the b-file with} 9... bxc6 {makes some sense as well.} 10. Re1 Qc7 11. Nf3 d6 12. h3 h6 13. Qd3 a5 $11) 10. Qd2 $6 {Allowing Ng4 which will give me the bishop pair.} ({White should protect against Ng4 with} 10. h3 Qc7 11. a4 Rd8 12. Qf3 $11) 10... Ng4 11. Rad1 Nxe3 12. Qxe3 Qc7 13. Nf3 Bg4 14. h3 Be6 $6 {An awkward square for the bishop.} ({It is better to capture the knight, a more active piece with} 14... Bxf3 15. Qxf3 Rfd8 16. Qe3 Rxd1 17. Rxd1 Rd8 18. Rxd8+ Qxd8 19. e5 b5 $15) 15. Qc5 $6 {Occupying c5 is a good idea but not with the queen.} ({Instead, playing} 15. Na4 {makes sense as it control c5, b6. This equalizes for White.} Rad8 $11) 15... b6 16. Qe3 a5 {Planning a4-a3 to undermine the queenside pawns.} (16... Rad8 17. b3 Rxd1 18. Rxd1 Rd8 19. Rxd8+ Qxd8 $11) 17. e5 (17. Rfe1 Rfd8 18. Nd4 $11) 17... a4 18. Rd4 b5 ({The immediate} 18... a3 {is more consistent given I've spent a few moves marching the pawn up the a-file.} 19. b3 Rfd8 20. Re1 Bf5 21. g4 Rxd4 22. Nxd4 Bc8 23. f4 Bb7 $11) 19. Rfd1 Rfb8 $6 {Originally my idea was to focus on pushing the queenside pawns with the rooks behind them. In hindsight, this doesn't look like the best plan. The a8 rook is misplaced and committed to a plan that doesn't help Black's position.} 20. a3 h6 {A defensive move preventing Ng5.} 21. R4d2 {Getting off the h8-a1 diagonal but this walks shifts the initiative to Black.} (21. Re1 {A hard move to find but it is important to protect the e5 pawn.}) 21... b4 22. Ne2 Bd5 {Threatening the capture on f3 and win the e5 pawn.} 23. Qf4 $2 Bxf3 (23... Bxf3 24. Qxf3 Qxe5 (24... Bxe5 25. Nd4 bxa3 26. bxa3 Rc8 $17)) 24. Qxf3 Qxe5 (24... Bxe5 {The simple} 25. Rd7 $4 {is a horrible blunder.} Rd8 26. R7d3 (26. Rxc7 $4 Rxd1#) 26... Bxb2 27. axb4 a3 $19) 25. c3 bxc3 $6 {I spent a lot of time on this move, unsure which capture is best. bc3 helps improve the scope of the knight.} (25... bxa3 26. bxa3 Qc5 27. Nd4 Rb6 28. h4 h5 29. Qe3 Bf6 30. g3 Kh7 31. Rd3 {and finally, I can take the a3 pawn with} Qxa3 $19 32. Ne6 Rb2 33. Ng5+ Kg7 34. Ne4 Qb3 35. Nxf6 exf6 36. Rd7 Rb1 $19) 26. Nxc3 Qf6 {Offering trades up a pawn is not so clear. Black should keep the queens on and pressure the weak b2 pawn.} (26... Qc5 {A better post for the queen.}) 27. Qe4 Rxb2 $6 {Betting on the fact that the a8 rook and g7 bishop are more valuable to me in pushing the a-pawn down the board.} ( 27... Qe6 $5 {I considered this but thought my pawn structure would be difficult to defend after} 28. Qxe6 fxe6 {I turns out that while this looks ugly, Black has a lot of strong defensive options like e5.}) 28. Rxb2 Qxc3 29. Rc2 (29. Rb7 {Threatening to double rooks on the 7th rank with Rdd7.} Bf6 30. Qe3 $11 {[%csl Yc3,Yh6][%CAl Ge3h6,Ge3c3]}) 29... Qxa3 30. Rxc6 Ra7 (30... Ra5 {Better than what was played as it helps to defend against h4-h5.} 31. g3 Kh7 32. Rd5 Rxd5 33. Qxd5 Qb3 $11) 31. Rdc1 {A normal move but White is underestimating the danger of the a4 passer.} Qb2 {Making way for the a-pawn.} 32. h4 (32. Qd5 e6 33. Rc8+ Kh7 34. Qd8 h5 $11) 32... h5 {Stopping counterplay ideas.} 33. g4 $2 a3 $1 {Inching closer to queening.} 34. Rc8+ Kh7 35. gxh5 Qe5 {Attacking h5 and offering a queen trade. The a3 pawn cannot be stopped now.} 36. hxg6+ fxg6 37. Qc4 $2 a2 38. Qg8+ {White has this one check and that's it.} Kh6 39. Rd8 a1=Q {White resigned.} 0-1