[Event "Ringwood Invitational 20 Team Battle"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.12"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Zastapilo, John"]
[Black "Pittman, Frank"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A57"]
[WhiteElo "1674"]
[BlackElo "1873"]
[Annotator "peter"]
[PlyCount "104"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "300+3"]
{There are a few twists and turns in this game which is a classic example of a
Benko: clear positional themes mixed with the constant need for tactical
vigilence, all rather difficult at blitz speeds! In the end Frank prevails
with some tidy play in the endgame.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. Qc2 {
other than accepting the gambit this is one of the most challenging lines
against the Benko} bxc4 5. e4 d6 (5... e6 6. Bxc4 exd5 7. exd5 d6 {is another
way of playing the position}) 6. Bxc4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Nc3 (8. O-O) 8... O-O 9.
O-O Nbd7 10. Rb1 (10. h3 {to prevent Black's next may be a better way of
maintain a grip on the position}) 10... Ng4 11. h3 Nge5 12. Nd2 Nxc4 13. Nxc4
Ba6 14. b3 Bxc4 15. bxc4 {Black's strong bishop compensates for his space
disadvantage} Ne5 16. Ne2 Qc7 17. f4 Nd7 18. Ng3 Rfb8 19. Rxb8+ {giving up the
b-file is quite a bit of a concession} (19. Bd2 Rxb1 20. Rxb1 Rb8 21. Rb3 $11)
(19. Rb3 Rb4 20. Bb2 $11) 19... Rxb8 20. f5 {and giving up control of e5 is
massive concession} (20. e5 dxe5 21. f5 {is one of the classic pawn sacs
against Benoni and Benko structures and may be the best idea here. White's
pieces get active, Black does not get use of e5 for his pieces without giving
the pawn back with e4 and the c5 pawn becomes a potential weakness}) (20. Rf3
Qa5 21. Kh2 {is one of those Benko positions where White has to grovel around
and be very precise to avoid tactical tricks and lost endings.}) 20... Qa5 21.
fxg6 hxg6 22. Qf2 Nf6 $17 (22... Ne5 23. Bf4 Rb2 $1 $18) 23. e5 dxe5 24. Bg5
Qc3 {a very logical move threatening both Qxc4 and Rb2 but it gives White a
tactical chance} (24... Rb6 $17 {defends both f6 and d6 in preparation for
activating the queen}) 25. Bxf6 (25. d6 $1 $11 {gives enough counterplay as
the pawn cannot be captured}) 25... exf6 {the engines' choice} (25... Bxf6 26.
Ne4 Qxc4 {is perhaps the easier way to go for a human and should win}) 26. Ne4
Qd4 $2 {understandably trying to pin the White queen to avoid trouble on the
f-file but this could have handed the initiative to White} (26... Qxc4 $19 27.
Nxf6+ Bxf6 28. Qxf6 Qxd5 {defends f7 and leaves Black two pawns up}) 27. Nxf6+
$2 (27. Qxd4 exd4 (27... cxd4 28. g4 $16) 28. Nxc5 Rc8 {at first sight wins
one of the strong White pawns but...} 29. d6 $1 $16 f5 30. Nb3 Rxc4 31. Re1 Bf6
32. d7 Ra4 33. Re8+ {leaves White with all the chances}) 27... Bxf6 28. Qxd4
exd4 (28... cxd4 $19) 29. Rxf6 Rb4 30. Kf1 (30. Rc6 {was best e.g.} d3 31. Kf2
Rxc4 32. Ke1 Re4+ 33. Kd2 c4 34. d6 Rd4 35. d7 Rxd7 36. Rxc4 {and White should
hold}) 30... Rxc4 31. d6 {this leaves the White rook too passive} (31. Rc6) (
31. Ra6) 31... Kf8 32. Ke2 Rc3 33. d7 Ke7 34. Rd6 Kd8 35. Kd2 {from here Black
mops up nicely} (35. Rd5 {is the last real try}) 35... Ra3 36. h4 Rxa2+ 37. Kd3
Rxg2 38. Kc4 Rg4 39. Kxc5 Rxh4 40. Kc6 d3 {a nice practical move that allows
Black to eliminate the tiresome d7 pawn} 41. Rxd3 Rc4+ 42. Kd6 Rc7 43. Rb3
Rxd7+ 44. Kc6 Rc7+ 45. Kd6 Rd7+ 46. Kc6 Rd1 47. Rb8+ Ke7 48. Rb7+ Kf6 49. Rxa7
g5 50. Ra8 Kf5 51. Ra5+ Kg6 52. Ra7 g4 0-1