[Event "2022 Washington Senior Open"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.04.16"] [Round "4"] [White "Harwood"] [Black "Louie, Henry"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C34"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [EventType "simul"] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2013.12.29"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,67,18,34,22,3,-21,-7,12,-5,78,103,79,62,55,52,65,85,67,93,92,92,115,124,143,149,174,168,174,183,191,209,254,210,225,230,214,177,158,104,106,79,86,4,20,-31,102,101,167,173,183,121,134,103,96,113,94,84,117,76,114,149,123,137,130,142,137,129,206,154] My form was off this tournament. I was giving games away before they even started and here I am facing a 1300 in round 4. Henry is a strong defensive player who plays much better than his rating as I learned the hard way.} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 {This is the first time I have played a King's Gambit in tournament play.} exf4 3. Nf3 d6 4. d4 Be7 $2 {The Cunningham Defense (Be7) is possible but not with White to move.} 5. Bxf4 {and now I am simply a pawn up.} Nf6 6. Nbd2 O-O 7. Bd3 {I didn't see any reason for risk taking. I'm up a pawn so it's time to fortify the center and complete my development.} Nc6 (7... c5 8. d5 Nh5 9. Be3 Bg4 10. O-O Nd7 11. Qe1 $14) 8. c3 a6 $2 {A pawn down and behind in development, playing a6 is not helpful to the position.} (8... d5 9. O-O dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nd5 11. Bd2 Bf5 12. Nh4 Bxe4 13. Bxe4 Bxh4 14. Qh5 g6 15. Qxd5 Qxd5 16. Bxd5 $16) 9. O-O b5 {creates more weaknesses, specifically, the backward pawn on a6, but at least the idea of Bb7 makes some sense.} 10. b4 $6 {was played with the idea of fixing the b5 pawn and preparing a4. In hindsight, a less commital move like Qc2, Qe2 or h3 makes more sense.} Bg4 11. Qc2 {Getting out of the pin and connecting my rooks.} Bh5 {My guess is that he wanted to play Bh5-g6 but his pieces are too uncoordinated to cause any meaningful threats.} 12. a4 {This is where to attack. My bishops bear done on the queenside and my knights are poised to infiltrate as well.} bxa4 13. Rxa4 Bg6 14. Rfa1 {Slowly building pressure with the intention of winning the weak a-pawn.} Nh5 $2 (14... Nb8 15. b5 a5 16. Nb3 c6 17. c4 cxb5 18. cxb5 d5 19. e5 Bxd3 20. Qxd3 Ne4 21. Nxa5 $18) 15. Be3 Qc8 16. Bxa6 {This wins too of course but it's not the best move. b5! is stronger with the intention of creating a passed a-pawn.} (16. b5 Nd8 17. bxa6 Ne6 18. a7 Nef4 19. Bf1 c6 $18) 16... Qg4 17. h3 (17. Bb7 $5 Rxa4 18. Qxa4 Nb8 19. h3 Qe6 20. b5 {[%csl Ra6,Rc6,Rd5,Rf5,Rg4]} h6 21. Qa2 Qd7 22. Qc4 $18) 17... Qd7 18. Bb7 $6 {Trying to get cute with Ra4 Qa4 forcing the knight to move and trading queens. But Black finds the right defense.} (18. Bd3 $1 {The correct retreat. White is up a full pawn and returns the bishop to guard the center and continue the attack.} Rab8 19. Ra6 d5 20. Qa4 dxe4 21. Nxe4 Rb6 22. b5 Rxa6 23. bxa6 Ng3 24. Nfd2 Nxe4 25. Nxe4 Qd5 26. Nf2 $18) 18... Rab8 $1 19. Bxc6 $4 {Losing the bishop pair and compromising White's advantage.} ({A retreat with} 19. Ba6 {is possible but Black gets active.} f5 $1 20. Bd3 fxe4 21. Nxe4 Nd8 22. d5 Nf7 $16) ({Not obvious but strong is} 19. Ba8 $1 {with the same idea of Ra6, Qa4 threatening the knight.} Nf6 20. Ra6 Nd8 21. Qa4 Qxa4 22. R6xa4 Re8 23. Ra7 Rc8 24. Bg5 $18) 19... Qxc6 {White retains a slight edge but the position is easier for Black to manage. Some pieces have been exchanged and Black's bishop pair will be force to be reckoned with.} 20. c4 $2 {looks obvious but it runs into} Qd7 (20... f5 $1 21. exf5 Bxf5 22. Qc1 Qe8 23. Qe1 Qg6 $11) 21. Qc3 (21. Bf2 h6 ({I was scared of} 21... d5 {but forgot that} 22. Ne5 {wins.}) 22. b5 Bg5 23. Ra7 $16) 21... Ng3 $1 {And like that, all of Black's pieces are working against the e4 pawn.} 22. Qd3 (22. Kh2 Nxe4 23. Nxe4 Bxe4 24. Nd2 Bg6 25. d5 Rfe8 26. Nf3 Qf5 27. Bd4 $11) 22... Nh5 $2 {A mysterious move that throws away the advantage.} 23. Bf2 Nf4 (23... f5 24. e5 d5 25. c5 Nf4 26. Qb3 Ne6 27. Ra7 $16) 24. Qe3 Nh5 $2 {f5 is the best move here.} 25. Nh4 $2 {Trying to trade off one of the bishops.} (25. e5 $1 Bf5 26. b5 d5 27. cxd5 Rxb5 28. d6 cxd6 29. Ra7 Rb7 30. Rxb7 Qxb7 31. g4 $18) 25... h6 26. Nxg6 $2 ({Strangely enough, Stockfish prefers to keep the knight on f3.} 26. Nhf3 Rbe8 27. Ra7 Bd8 28. R1a6 Bf5 29. b5 $18) 26... fxg6 27. b5 Bg5 {another solid move.} 28. Qe1 Nf4 29. R4a3 $1 {A solid defensive move stopping Nd3 and protecting h3.} Qf7 30. Rf3 Qd7 31. Raa3 Ne6 32. Rxf8+ (32. d5 Nf4 33. Ra7 Qd8 34. e5 dxe5 35. Ne4) 32... Rxf8 33. Nf3 Be7 34. Bg3 g5 35. Qa1 $6 {A mishandling of a won game. Nc5 is not a significant threat.} (35. d5 {I didn't play this because I was afraid of} Nc5 {but} (35... Nf4 36. Bxf4 gxf4 37. Ra7 Rb8 38. Qd2 Bg5 39. e5 dxe5 40. Nxg5 $1 (40. Nxe5 $4 Qd6 $1 $14 {[%CAl Gd6c5,Yc5a7,Yc5g1]}) 40... hxg5 41. Qa5 Rc8 42. b6 $18) 36. e5 {is simply overwhelming.} Rc8 37. e6 Qe8 38. Bf2 {and I can now play Nd4-c6 and take on c5 as needed.}) 35... Nf4 36. Bxf4 Rxf4 37. Qe1 (37. Ra8+ Kh7 38. Qb1 g4 39. e5+ $1 g6 40. Qe1 $3 gxf3 $2 41. e6 f2+ 42. Qxf2 Rxf2 43. exd7 Rf7 44. Rc8 $18) 37... g4 {This looks strong but it loses.} 38. Nh2 $4 (38. Ra8+ Bf8 39. Qe3 g5 40. hxg4 Qxg4 41. c5 $18) 38... gxh3 39. Rxh3 Qe6 $1 $15 40. Qc1 $4 Rxe4 41. Nf3 Bf6 42. d5 $4 $19 {A comedy of errors and passive play. One of the worst games I've played in tournament play in several years. Credit goes to Henry for playing good moves when he had to. This final position is hopelessly lost. The c4 pawn cannot be defended and White has no counterplay.} (42. d5 Qg4 43. Nd2 $4 (43. Nh2 Qe2 44. Qf1 Qxc4 45. Qxc4 Rxc4 46. Rb3 Bd4+ 47. Kf1 Bb6 $19) 43... Re2 {#13}) 1/2-1/2