[Event "USCF/2021 Electronic Knights Final/21ENf01"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Schroeer, Egbert"] [Black "Buss, Michael D"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A34"] [WhiteElo "2137"] [BlackElo "2154"] [Annotator "Schroeer,Egbert"] [PlyCount "126"] [GameId "489232844374"] [EventDate "2024.01.19"] [EventType "corr"] {[%mdl 32768][%evp 15,126,114,112,112,120,110,104,112,117,115,126,121,131,117,124,120,160,159,183,177,185,165,152,154,171,159,159,105,112,102,94,98,93,101,94,102,99,97,94,100,105,97,97,99,103,104,105,89,97,102,100,98,103,102,107,100,107,102,102,79,83,90,74,58,57,79,68,58,81,59,52,60,53,54,56,48,51,3,1,4,3,7,6,5,8,0,21,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,2,1,4,8,31]} 1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 (2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O d5) 2... Bg7 {Pushing me out of my comfort zone and main line?} 3. d4 c5 4. c4 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. d5 {1-0 Koestner,W (2314)-Bendig,F (2309) BdF/Diamant/10 (GER) corr ICCF 2019 ICCF to 2022} Nd4 7. Bd2 Nxf3+ 8. Qxf3 d6 9. Be2 {A40: Unusual replies to 1 d4.} Nf6 {[%CAl Bg8f6,Bf6e8,Be8g7][%mdl 32]} 10. h3 {½-½ Laube,B (2405)-Baklanov,V (2461) Baltic Sea tt8 bd4 corr ICCF 2008 [4] ICCF to 2022} O-O 11. O-O {[#] White is better.} Qb6 $146 {Baklanov layed here 11... a6} ({Predecessor:} 11... a6 12. Rab1 Qc7 13. Qd3 Bd7 14. b4 b6 15. Rfc1 Rfb8 16. Bg5 Be8 17. Qe3 cxb4 18. Rxb4 {½-½ Laube,B (2405)-Baklanov,V (2461) Baltic Sea tt8 B04 email ICCF email 2008}) 12. b3 a6 {[%CAl Gf3g3,Gf2f4]} 13. Qg3 Qd8 14. Rad1 Ne8 15. f4 Rb8 {[%eval 160,25] [%wdl 902,98,0]} ({Black should try} 15... Bd7 {[%eval 120,27] [%wdl 678,322,0]} 16. Bd3 Bd4+ 17. Kh1 Qc7) 16. Bd3 Qc7 17. Kh1 Bd7 18. a4 Bd4 19. Qf3 {let the pawn roll to g4} Ng7 20. Ne2 {Nxd4 is the strong threat.} Bf6 21. g4 {[%eval 105,28] [%wdl 545,454,1]} ({White should play} 21. Nc3 {[%eval 159,24] [%wdl 898,102,0]}) 21... b5 $16 22. g5 Bd4 23. Nxd4 cxd4 24. f5 {Hoping for f6.} (24. cxb5 axb5 25. a5 b4 $16) 24... bxc4 25. f6 $1 (25. bxc4 $6 e5 $11) 25... exf6 26. gxf6 Nh5 (26... cxd3 $2 27. fxg7 f5 (27... Kxg7 28. Qf6+ Kg8 29. Bh6 {[%csl Od3][%mdl 64] Discovered Attack} Bxh3 30. Qg7#) 28. gxf8=Q+ $18 (28. gxf8=B Rxf8 29. Qxd3 Qd8 $18)) 27. Bxc4 {[%CAl Of1g1]} (27. bxc4 $6 Rb3 $11) 27... Rfe8 {[%CAl Oe8e4]} 28. Rg1 {[%CAl Yg8h8,Rd2h6] Attacking the ? . Only move is Kh8} (28. Bxa6 Rxe4 29. Rf2 Rh4 $17) 28... Kh8 {[%CAl Od7a4]} 29. Bh6 (29. Bxa6 Qc2 30. Bd3 Rxb3 $17) 29... Qb6 {[%csl Gb8,Gc8,Gd1,Gf1,Gh5][%CAl Rg1g5,Rh1h2,Rf3d3,Ye8e5,Ya6a5,Yb6d8] I think Mike made great moves in a row. I still like my position. Should I first consider Rg5 in favor of Kh2? Rdf1 is an option too, to move Rc1 probably. Rc8 is the thread, Rf1 restrains the Knight on h5} 30. Rg5 {And now Rxh5 would win. White is much more active.} Re5 31. Rf1 {not sure if Kh2 is the better move here. If he takes Rxg5, Bxg5 I can attack the Queen side with Rc1?} (31. Rxe5 {[%eval 29,30] [%wdl 28,970,2] 31.Rf1 1.00} dxe5 32. d6 $2 {[%eval -200,25] [%wdl 0,5,995]} (32. Rf1 $1 $11 {[%eval 30,38] [%wdl 23,976,1] and White is okay.}) 32... Qxd6 $19 33. Bxf7 Qxf6 {is losing}) 31... Qb7 {I need to get K to h2 and out of the line of fire. What is the right move order? Kh2, Qc8, Rxe5 or Rxe5, dxe5, Kh2 Threat: 32...Rxg5 33.Bxg5 Qb4 34.Rc1 Qa3 +/=} 32. Rxe5 (32. Qd3 {[%eval 65,25] [%wdl 167,832,1] 32.Rxe5 1.07 34...Bb5 hangs the bishop b5, exxchange Q (with 35.axb5), 36.Bxb5 sacs the trapped piece}) 32... dxe5 33. Kh2 {how to break through? Rolling the pawn d6 doesn't work due to the Bishop} Qc8 {[%CAl Od7a4]} 34. Rc1 (34. Qd3 {[%eval 64,27] [%wdl 128,872,0] 34.Qg2 1.05} a5 $1 35. Qd2 Qc5 {doesn't help much}) 34... Qd8 35. Bxa6 {A strong pair of Bishops.} Qxf6 36. Qxf6+ Nxf6 {[#]} 37. Bb5 $1 {[%mdl 512]} Bxb5 38. axb5 {[%mdl 4096] Endgame. KRB-KRN. Strongly threatening Rc6.} Kg8 39. Rc6 $1 Nd7 {[%CAl Od4d3] I have the feeling I'm losing my positional advantage.} (39... Nxe4 $2 {[%eval 473,25] [%wdl 1000,0,0][%mdl 8192] 39...Nd7 0.83} 40. d6 $1 Nf6 {[%CAl Of6d7]} 41. b6 Nd7 42. b7 $1 {Intending Rc8+ and mate.} f5 (42... Rxb7 {[%eval 32764,22] [%wdl 1000,0,0] 42...f6 4.53} 43. Rc8+ {and checkmate}) 43. Rc7 {I think this line is Black is losing. He can't take the pawn on b7 because of checkmate}) (39... Nxe4 $2 40. d6 Nxd6 (40... Rxb5 41. Rc8#) 41. Rxd6 $18) 40. Kg2 {Strongly threatening Rc7.} (40. Rc7 Nf6 41. Rc6 $1 Nd7 {[%CAl Od4d3] [#]} 42. Kg2 $1 {Black must now prevent Kf1. leads to Kg2 anyway. So I should play Kg2 right away.} f5 $1 43. Rc7 Nf6 44. Rg7+ $1 Kh8) 40... f5 41. Rc7 Nf6 {[#]} 42. Rg7+ $1 Kh8 {Hoping for ...Ng8.} 43. d6 $1 Ne8 $1 44. Rd7 Kg8 {[#]} (44... Rxb5 45. Rd8) (44... fxe4 45. b6 $16) 45. b6 $1 {aiming for exf5.} fxe4 {b4 or Kf1? With b4, the line would be 46. b4 Rxb6 47. Rd8 Rxd6 48. Rxe8+ with Kf1, Black can play e3. I might still then play b4 and end up the same. Not sure what is the strongest. Gut feeling retreating the K seems to weaken the position even more} (45... Rxb6 $2 46. Rd8 Rxd6 (46... Kf7 $2 47. d7 $18) 47. Rxe8+ Kf7 48. Rxe5 $18) 46. Kf2 {[%eval 3,34] [%wdl 3,995,2]} (46. Kf1 $14 {[%eval 51,34] [%wdl 50,950,0]}) 46... e3+ $11 {The position is equal.} (46... Rxb6 $6 47. Rd8 e3+ (47... Rxd6 $2 48. Rxe8+ Kf7 49. Rxe5 $16) (47... Kf7 $2 48. d7 $18) 48. Ke1 Rxd6 (48... Kf7 $2 49. d7 $18) 49. Rxe8+ Kf7 50. Rxe5 $16) 47. Ke1 {Hoping for b4.} Rxb6 {[%CAl Og6g5] ...g5! would now be deadly.} 48. Rd8 Rxd6 (48... Kf7 $2 49. d7 Nd6 50. Rf8+ Ke6 51. d8=Q $18 (51. d8=B $2 Rxb3 52. Ke2 Rb2+ 53. Kd1 Rd2+ 54. Kc1 Rh2 $19)) 49. Rxe8+ {KRB-KR} Kf7 50. Rxe5 {And now Bg5 would win.} Kf6 51. Rg5 {Hoping for Rg4.} Rb6 (51... d3 {[%eval 61,33] [%wdl 81,919,0][%CAl Yh6e3,Yd3d2,Yg5g1] 51...Rb6 0.00} 52. Rg1 $1) 52. Rd5 Rb4 $1 53. Ke2 Ke6 $1 54. Rd6+ {[%mdl 64] Decoy} Kf5 (54... Kxd6 $2 55. Bf8+ Kd5 56. Bxb4 $18) 55. Bf8 Rxb3 56. Rxd4 {Bh6 is the strong threat.} Rb2+ {is it safe to take with Kxe3?} 57. Kf3 (57. Kxe3 {Hoping for Rb4.} Rb3+ 58. Rd3 Rxd3+ 59. Kxd3 Kg5 60. Be7+ (60. Ke4 $5 Kh4 $8 61. Kf3 Kxh3 62. Bh6 $14) 60... Kf4 61. Bf6 $11 {it's a draw} (61. Ke2 $5 g5 $8 62. Kf2 $18)) (57. Kxe3 Rb8 58. Rf4+ Kg5 59. Be7+ Kh6 $18) 57... g5 {Inhibits Rf4+.} 58. Rd5+ (58. Kxe3 Rh2 59. h4 (59. Rd5+ Kg6 $14) 59... Rh3+ 60. Kf2 Rh2+ 61. Kg3 Rxh4 62. Rd5+ (62. Rxh4 gxh4+ 63. Kh3 Ke4 $16) 62... Kg6 $14) 58... Ke6 59. Rd6+ (59. Rxg5 {[%CAl Og5e5] Black must now prevent Re5+! taking the pawn loses the bishop} Rf2+ 60. Kxe3 Rxf8) (59. Rxg5 Rf2+ 60. Kxe3 Rxf8) 59... Kf7 60. Bh6 e2 61. Kf2 (61. Bxg5 e1=Q (61... e1=B 62. Kg4 $11) 62. Bf4 Qe2+ 63. Kg3 Qg2+ (63... Qh2+ {Checkmate scenario. is a self mate.} 64. Kg4 Qg2+ 65. Kh4 Rb4 66. Kh5 Rxf4 67. Rd7+ Ke8 68. Rg7 Qxh3+ 69. Kg5 Qh4#) 64. Kh4 Rb4 65. Rd7+ Ke8 66. Rxh7 Rxf4+ 67. Kh5 Rf5+ 68. Kh6 Qg5#) 61... Rb3 62. Bxg5 {Strongly threatening h4.} Rxh3 63. Kxe2 {Michael rightfully claimed the draw based on seven pieces tablebase} h5 {Blacks defense is rewarded with a draw. Weighted Error Value: White=0.05 (flawless) /Black=0.03 (flawless) . Mistake: White=2 Black=1 OK: White=28 Black=26 Best: White=3 Black=7 Strong: White=4 Black=3} 1/2-1/2