[Event "Skopje EICC"] [Site "Skopje"] [Date "2019.??.??"] [Round "8"] [White "Polatel, A.."] [Black "Colovic, A.."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A07"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "146"] [GameId "333353078289"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "MKD"] 1. g3 {This allowed the option to go 1...e5 and most likely transpose to an English, but I stuck to my prep against 1 ?f3.} d5 2. Nf3 c6 3. Bg2 Bg4 4. O-O Nd7 5. d4 {He's never played this before, usually going for set-ups with d3, ?bd2, ?e1 and e4.} e6 6. c3 {Obviously wanting to obtain the most solid position after pushing e4, so trying to avoid that I went for a dubious continuation.} Bd6 7. Re1 f5 $2 {If White is not aggressive Black will obtain a great Stonewall with the active bishop on g4, but he reacted well.} (7... Ngf6 8. Nbd2 {?e4}) 8. Qb3 $1 {I underestimated this, followed by ?g5,f3 and e4.} Nb6 {After a long thought.} (8... Rb8 {was my initial idea, before checking more deeply, when I realised it just loses after} 9. Ng5 Qe7 10. f3 Bh5 11. e4 $18) (8... Qb6 {didn't look too good after} 9. Ng5 Qxb3 10. axb3 {?f3,e4} Ke7 $2 11. f3 Bh5 12. e4 $18) (8... Qc7 9. c4 $1 {was the move I didn't like} (9. Ng5 Nf8 10. f3 h6 {is the engine's suggestion, but looks dubious, even though Black survives.} (10... Bh5 $6 11. e4 O-O-O {was a line I considered, but I didn't like it after} 12. e5 Be7 13. Be3 $16) 11. Nxe6 Nxe6 12. fxg4 Nf6 13. gxf5 Bxg3 $1 {with a draw} 14. hxg3 Qxg3 15. Rf1 Ng4 16. Rf3 Qe1+ $11) 9... Ngf6 10. Ng5 Nf8 11. cxd5 (11. c5 Be7 12. Bf4 Qc8 13. Nc3 {is also good for White, but at least Black survived the opening and kept the position closed.}) 11... exd5 12. f3 h6 $8 13. fxg4 hxg5 14. gxf5 $16) 9. Ne5 $6 (9. Ng5 $1 Qd7 10. f3 Bh5 11. e4 {was still strong} h6 {the engine's move, but it all looks very dodgy for Black} (11... Ne7 12. e5 Bc7 {but this is far from ideal for Black} 13. Nh3 $16) 12. Nh3 fxe4 13. fxe4 dxe4 14. Nf2 Nf6 15. Nd2 $16 {??e4}) 9... Bxe5 10. dxe5 Ne7 {I was relieved that I managed to avoid the opening of the game, though I still didn't like the position.} 11. f3 {Connected with a bad idea.} (11. a4 Qc7 12. f4 $16 {and White is dominating, though Black's position is solid.} g5 $5 13. a5 Nc4 14. Nd2 Nxa5 15. Qa2 b6 16. b4 Nb7 17. Nb3 {is a curious engine line, with a big advantage for White.}) 11... Bh5 12. e4 $2 {I was very happy to see this - now Black is much better - the e5-pawn will be weak and Black's pieces are very active.} (12. a4 {was still good for White.}) 12... fxe4 13. fxe4 O-O $17 14. Bh3 Qd7 $2 {I sensed that there should be something faster here, but I didn't manage to see it clearly, even though I spent quite some time on this move.} (14... Ng6 $1 {the idea is to get to the f3-square.} 15. Bxe6+ Kh8 16. exd5 {and here I couldn't make it quite work.} cxd5 $1 $19 {I also saw this, but I didn't realise that I'm just winning as I manage to take on e5 in all lines.} (16... Nh4 {was my idea, but after} 17. Nd2 {I didn't see a clear way to continue, even though} cxd5 {is still good for Black.}) 17. Na3 (17. g4 $2 Qh4) (17. Be3 Nxe5 18. Nd2 Nbc4 $19 {?f3}) (17. Bh3 Nc4 {??e5}) 17... Qe8 18. Bh3 Nxe5 {??f3}) 15. exd5 $2 (15. Nd2 {was better, keeping the e4-pawn in order to control the f5-square. I thought I should be fine here, as the ?d2 cannot move and my advantages of the weak pawn on e5 and king on g1 are long-term, but the engine finds concrete stuff.} Kh8 {preventing ed followed by ?e4.} 16. exd5 cxd5 17. Qb4 $1 {??h4} Nc6 (17... Bg6 18. b3 Bf5 19. Bg2 {and the engine likes White here! Black's problem is that the knights cannot find good squares.} Nc6 (19... Ng6 20. Ba3) 20. Qh4) 18. Qh4 Bg6 19. b3 $13 {??a3}) 15... cxd5 {Now again Black is better.} 16. Na3 $1 {Preventing ...?c4 and preparing ?e3.} (16. Be3 Nc4) 16... Nf5 $1 {After another prolongued thought I managed to find the only move that the engines gives for an advantage, though not a very big one. The idea is to prevent ?e3.} (16... Bg6 {is too slow} 17. Be3 Bf5 18. Bg2) (16... Nc6 17. Be3 Nxe5 {this looked dangerous, but it leads to equality after a series of only moves.} 18. Bxb6 Nf3+ 19. Kh1 Ng5 $8 20. Re5 $8 Bf3+ 21. Bg2 Bxg2+ 22. Kxg2 Nf7 23. Bd4 Nxe5 24. Bxe5 Qf7 25. Bd4 e5 $1 26. Bc5 Qf3+ 27. Kg1 Rac8 $1 28. Bxf8 Qe3+ {with perpetual check!}) 17. Rf1 {The best move according to the engine!} (17. Be3 $140 $2 Nxe3 18. Rxe3 Nc4 $17) 17... Be2 {Transferring the bishop to e4.} 18. Rf2 Bd3 19. Bf4 Be4 $6 {There was no need for this yet.} (19... h6 $5 {was a useful move} 20. Rd1 Be4 21. Nb5 g5 22. Bc1 Qc6 $15) (19... Na4 $5 {??c5 was a move I missed} 20. Qd1 Be4 21. Qe2 Nc5 22. Rd1 h6 $15 23. b4 $140 Qa4 24. Nc2 Qxc2 25. Qxc2 Bxc2 26. Rxc2 Na4) 20. Nb5 {Now it's around equal.} Nc4 21. Re1 a6 22. Nd4 b5 ({I didn't want to improve his structure after} 22... Nxd4 23. cxd4 Rac8 {as I couldn't see what to do next.} 24. Bg4 $5 {?h4}) (22... Na5 23. Qd1 Nc6 $2 24. Nb3 $1 {??d2 or ?c5.}) 23. Qd1 $1 {Suddenly White obtains activity on the kingside. I wasn't too worried, but I underestimated the dangers.} Kh8 $6 (23... Nxd4 24. cxd4 g5 $2 25. Qg4) (23... g5 $2 24. Bxg5) (23... Rac8 $5 24. b3 (24. Qh5 Nxd4 25. cxd4 Na5 {??c4}) 24... Na5 25. Nf3 $1 {??g5} Bxf3 26. Rxf3 Nc6 27. Bc1 $13) 24. b3 Na5 25. Nxf5 (25. Nf3 $5 {a move I missed.} Bxf3 26. Rxf3 {??c1-a3 looks promising for White} Nc6 (26... Rf7 27. Bc1 Re8 28. Ba3 Nh6) 27. Bc1 Rae8 28. Ba3 Rf7 29. Bc5 $14) 25... Bxf5 26. Bg2 Rac8 27. Bc1 (27. Be3 $5 Bg6 28. Rxf8+ Rxf8 $13) 27... Qe7 {Preventing ?a3.} (27... Nc6 28. Ba3 Rf7 {I didn't like this as I felt I am a bit tender on the f-file, but it seems that it's OK as the attack on e5 prevents White from doubling.} 29. Bd6 Nd8 $1 {?c3} 30. Qd4 Bg6 $13) 28. Ref1 Rfd8 $6 (28... Nc6 $13 {this was preferable, but I wanted to keep the c-file open for the moment.}) 29. Qh5 $6 (29. h4 $1 {was stronger} Qc7 (29... Qa7 30. Kh2 $16 {and there is no time to take on c3 in view of g4 and the weakness of the back rank.}) (29... Rg8 30. Bxd5 Rxc3 31. Bf3 $16) 30. g4 Be4 31. Bxe4 dxe4 32. Qd4 $1 Nc6 33. Qxe4 {and White is obviously better, though Black can perhaps hope to create something against White's king later on.}) 29... Qa7 30. Kh1 Nc6 {Hurrying with the knight back.} 31. Bg5 (31. g4 Bg6) (31. Rxf5 $6 {isn't dangerous} exf5 32. Qxf5 Qc5 $1 {??c3, even though White has some compensation here.}) 31... Re8 32. Bxd5 $2 $138 {Tempting, but this activates the knight.} (32. Qe2 $142 Qc7 $13) 32... Nxe5 $138 {We both had a few minutes left to reach move 40. Now Black takes over the initiative as White needs to be careful about the knight jumping around.} 33. Bg2 Bg6 {Making sure there are no sacrifices on f5.} 34. Qe2 $2 (34. Qh4 $142 Bd3 $5 ({or} 34... Nd3 35. Re2 Rxc3 36. Be4 Ne5 $1 $15) 35. Be4 Ng6 36. Bxg6 Bxg6 $17 {and this is great for Black as the White king is eternally weak.}) 34... Nd3 35. Rf3 h6 $2 {A useful move, but missing a combination.} (35... Qd7 $1 $17 {kept the advantage.}) 36. Be3 $2 (36. Rxd3 Bxd3 37. Qxd3 hxg5 38. Qg6 $1 {the move I missed! It would have been a cold shower...} Rf8 $8 39. Rxf8+ Rxf8 40. Be4 Kg8 41. Qh7+ Kf7 42. Qg6+ Kg8 {with a perpetual.}) 36... Qc7 $17 {Black is in control again now.} (36... Qd7 {was an alternative, but I didn't have much time to decide on which one was better.}) 37. Bd2 Rcd8 38. Re3 e5 39. Qg4 (39. Be4 Bxe4+ 40. Rxe4 Qd6 $17) 39... Qb6 $2 (39... Qd6 $1 $17 {prevents White's saving idea} 40. Ref3 $140 e4 41. Rf6 gxf6 42. Qxg6 f5 $1 $19 {and the queen is defended.}) 40. Re2 $2 (40. Ref3 $8 {would have equalised. The idea is ?f6! Needless to say I missed this.} e4 41. Rf6 $1 gxf6 42. Qxg6 {and there will be a perpetual.}) 40... Rf8 $19 {Black is winning now, but I found things more difficult than I expected.} 41. Be1 {This loses a pawn, but it was better not to take it!} (41. Rf3 e4) 41... Rxf1+ 42. Bxf1 Nxe1 {Winning the pawn.} (42... Rf8 43. Bg2 e4 $1 {is the engine's fastest way. This is not easy to see at all!} 44. Bxe4 (44. Qd7 e3) 44... Rf1+ 45. Kg2 Rxe1 {wins a piece.} 46. Rxe1 Nxe1+ 47. Kf1 Nd3 $1) 43. Rxe1 Qc6+ 44. Bg2 Qxc3 45. Rf1 {And here I had a long think. I couldn't find a satisfactory way to deal with his counterplay of h4-h5.} Qc2 $6 {This allows too much counterplay.} (45... Bd3 $1 {wins relatively straight-forwardly. Pity I cannot remember now what I didn't like here.} 46. Rd1 (46. Rf7 Qe1+ 47. Bf1 Be4+ 48. Kg1 Qe3+ 49. Rf2 Rd2 $19 50. Qc8+ Kh7 51. Qf8 b4 $1 {is like a zugzwang.}) (46. Qf3 e4) (46. Qd1 e4 47. Re1 Rc8 48. Bxe4 Re8 $19) 46... Qc2 $1 {I didn't see this.} (46... e4 {was what I considered, and this is also winning.} 47. Qxe4 Bxe4 48. Rxd8+ Kh7 49. Bxe4+ g6 {and Black wins as I saw during the game.}) 47. h4 Rd4 48. Qf3 Be4 $19) 46. h4 $8 Rd2 $4 {A hallucination.} (46... Bd3 47. Rf7) (46... h5 $1 {I considered this, but I didn't like it very much after} 47. Qe6 {but after} (47. Qg5 Rd2) 47... Kh7 48. Qxe5 b4 $1 {the engine says Black is winning here, as he threatens ...?d2 and his king is safe.}) 47. h5 $4 {He also hallucinates.} (47. Rf8+ {I cannot explain now what I missed here.} Kh7 48. Qe6 {and it will be a perpetual after} Rd1+ 49. Kh2 Be4 50. Qg8+ Kg6 51. Qf7+ $11) (47. Qe6 {was another better move, though here Black has} Rd1 48. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 49. Kh2 Qc2 50. Qxe5 Qxa2 51. b4 Qc2 $15) 47... Bd3 {Now things are forced.} 48. Rf8+ (48. Rf7 Qd1+ 49. Qxd1 Rxd1+ 50. Kh2 Kg8 51. Bd5 $140 Be4 $1 {a trick I didn't see.}) 48... Kh7 49. Rf7 Qd1+ 50. Qxd1 Rxd1+ 51. Kh2 Rd2 {Forcing him on the first rank.} 52. Kg1 e4 53. Rd7 Rxa2 54. Bh3 Kg8 55. Bf5 Kf8 $2 (55... Ra1+ $1 {was more precise, but I didn't grasp all the subtleties.} 56. Kg2 (56. Kh2 Rf1 57. Bg6 Bc2 $1 {??f8,e3} 58. Re7 Bxb3) 56... Rd1 {??f1} 57. b4 (57. Be6+ Kf8) 57... Kf8) 56. Bg6 Rc2 $2 {Defending the rook, but after this White should be able to draw.} (56... Be2 {is the only chance according to the engine.} 57. Rf7+ Ke8 58. Rxg7+ (58. Ra7+ Kd8 59. Bxe4 Bxh5 60. Rxg7 Be8 $15) 58... Kf8 $1 {very counter-intuitive!} 59. Rf7+ Kg8 60. Rf4 Bf3 61. Bxe4 Bxh5 $15) 57. Rf7+ Ke8 58. Ra7+ (58. Rxg7+ Kd8 59. Rh7 {was what worried me and I couldn't see anything here. For example} a5 60. g4 a4 61. bxa4 bxa4 62. Ra7 $11) 58... Kd8 59. Rxa6 $2 (59. Rxg7 $11 {was still OK for White.}) 59... Ke7 {Activating the king at all cost. Here he was already playing on increment time while I had a few minutes more.} (59... Rb2 {was better according to the engine.} 60. Ra8+ Kc7 61. Ra7+ Kd6 62. Rxg7 Ke5 63. Rh7 (63. Rf7 Rxb3) 63... Kd4 $1 64. Rxh6 (64. g4 Ke3) 64... Be2 65. Rh8 Bf3 66. g4 Ke3 {wins for Black.}) 60. Ra7+ (60. Bf5 $142 Rc3 61. Re6+ Kf7 62. Rb6 Kf8 $1 $19 {but who would have played like this in time-trouble...?}) 60... Kf6 61. Rf7+ Ke5 62. Rxg7 Kd4 63. g4 Ke3 $6 {Things get complicated now even though it's still winning.} (63... Be2 $1 {was more precise} 64. Kh2 (64. g5 Bf3 65. gxh6 Ke3 $1 {??f1,?f2 mates} 66. Rf7 Rg2+ (66... Rc1+ 67. Kh2 Kf2 68. Rxf3+ Kxf3 69. h7 Rc8 70. Bf7 Rh8 71. Bg8 e3 $19) 67. Kh1 Kf2 68. Rxf3+ exf3 69. h7 Rg4 70. h8=Q Rh4#) 64... Ke3 65. Kg3 Bf3 66. Kh3 Rc1 $1 {??h1-g1-g4, picking up the g-pawn.}) 64. Rf7 (64. g5 Be2 $1 {wins, but not immediately.} 65. Bxe4 $1 Kxe4 66. gxh6 Rc8 67. Kf2 Bxh5 68. Rg5 Rf8+ 69. Ke1 Be8 70. Kd2 Rh8 71. Rg7 Kd4 72. h7 (72. Rg4+ Ke5 73. Rh4 Kf6 {picks up the h-pawn.}) 72... Bc6 {??e4 and Black wins.}) 64... Be2 65. g5 hxg5 (65... Bf3 {was faster.}) 66. h6 Bf3 67. Bxe4 {He panicked with only seconds left.} (67. h7 {I couldn't see a direct win here, though I can remain hopeful I would have found it} Rc1+ (67... Rg2+ $4 {I was looking at this, but it leads only to a draw} 68. Kh1 Rg4+ (68... Kf2 69. Rxf3+ $1 exf3 70. h8=Q Rg1+ 71. Kh2 Rg2+ 72. Kh1 $11) 69. Kh2 Rh4+ 70. Kg3 {as now there is no ...g4 since the rook is hanging.}) 68. Kh2 Rh1+ 69. Kg3 {and I wasn't happy letting the king come to g3, only missing} g4 {and there is a mate on h3!}) 67... Bxe4 {And the rest is trivial.} 68. h7 Rc1+ 69. Kh2 Rh1+ 70. Kg3 Rxh7 71. Rf8 Kd4 (71... Rh1) 72. Rg8 Rf7 73. Rxg5 Rf3+ 0-1