[Event "Minor"] [Site "?"] [Date "2024.04.21"] [Round "5"] [White "Orszulak, Michal"] [Black "Purle, David"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C54"] [Annotator "peter"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "4r1k1/p1p2pp1/7p/3pNb2/2pP4/2P2P2/P5PP/4RK2 b - - 0 26"] [PlyCount "50"] [EventDate "2024.04.21"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"] {[#]} {White is a pawn down but this is not an easy conversion for Black as his bishop is not very effective, whereas White's knight is a potential cause of trouble. 26...f6, 26...Kf8 and 26...Re6 look like sensible options. Instead Black tries to activate his rook but lets the knight get active immediately.} 26... Rb8 27. Nc6 Bd3+ 28. Kg1 Rb2 29. Ne7+ Kf8 30. Nxd5 Rxa2 (30... c6 31. Nb4 $14) 31. Nxc7 $11 {White has got his pawn back and is threatening Re8 mate.} g6 32. d5 {An excellent move, threatening to push the pawn through} Re2 ({This line illustrates the challenge Black faces.} 32... Rb2 $2 33. Re8+ Kg7 34. d6 Bf5 35. g4 Bd7 36. Re7 Bc6 37. d7) (32... Be2 {is a cunning engine suggestion but not the most natural move for a human. The point is shown by....} 33. Kf2 Bd3+ 34. Kg3 Bf5 $11 {and now in comparision to the 32...Bf5 line White does not have g4 at his immediate disposal}) (32... Bf5 33. Re8+ Kg7 34. g4 { this move is very disruptive} Bd7 35. Re7 Ba4 36. d6 Rd2 37. Ne6+ Kf6 38. Nd4 { with good winning chances}) 33. Rxe2 Bxe2 34. Kf2 Bd3 35. g4 {Logical to constrain the bishop but a bit costly in terms of time} (35. Na6 $16 Ke7 36. Nc5 Bc2 37. Nb7 $16 {should offer good winning chances.}) 35... a5 36. Ke3 Ke7 37. Nb5 f5 (37... g5 $11) (37... a4 $11) 38. gxf5 gxf5 (38... Bxf5 {seems to hold with accurate play} 39. Kd4 Bd3 40. Kc5 (40. Na3 a4 41. Nxc4 Be2 $1 42. f4 Bxc4 43. Kxc4 Kd6 44. Kb4 Kxd5 45. h3 h5 46. h4 Ke4 47. Kxa4 Kxf4 $11) 40... a4 41. Kb4 Be2 42. f4 Bd1 $1 $11 {The point is that the c4 pawn cannot be taken. Not an easy defence to find.} 43. Nd4 $11 {in comparison with the 38...gxf5 line, this does not attack f5.} (43. Kxc4 $4 Be2+ {and Black wins})) 39. f4 $18 {A good decision, adding grip on the e5 square and restricting the mobility of the bishop.} h5 (39... a4 40. Kd4 h5 41. h4 Kd7 42. Kc5 Be2 43. Kb4 $18) 40. h4 Bc2 {Now Michal wraps the game up in style, his king, knight and d-pawn coordinating nicely.} (40... Kd7 41. Kd4 Be2 42. Kc5 a4 43. Kb4 Bd1 {trying to apply the defence that works in the 38...Bxf5 line but it loses by a whisker} 44. Nd4 (44. Kxc4 $4 Be2+) 44... Kd6 (44... Kc7 45. Nxf5) 45. Nxf5+ Kxd5 46. Ne3+ Ke4 47. Nxd1 Kxf4 48. Kxc4 Kg4 49. Kb4 Kxh4 50. c4 Kg3 51. c5 h4 52. c6 h3 53. c7 h2 54. c8=Q h1=Q 55. Qc7+ {and Black either loses his queen or gets mated e.g.} Kg2 56. Ne3+ Kf2 57. Ng4+ Ke2 58. Qe5+ Kd2 59. Qc3+ Ke2 60. Qe3+ Kd1 61. Nf2+) 41. Kd4 Ba4 (41... Bd3 42. Kc5 Kd7 (42... a4 43. Kb4 $18) 43. Na3 a4 44. Nb5 Be2 45. Kb4 Bd3 46. Kxa4 $18) 42. Kxc4 Bc2 43. Na3 Ba4 44. Kc5 Kd7 45. Nc4 Kc7 46. Nxa5 Kd7 47. Nc4 Kc7 48. d6+ Kd8 49. Nb6 Be8 50. Kd5 Bg6 51. c4 1-0