[Event "2023 Washington Senior Championship"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [Date "2023.04.15"] [Round "2"] [White "Manzon, Pablo"] [Black "Harwood"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A08"] [WhiteElo "1564"] [BlackElo "1882"] [Annotator "Harwood,Paul"] [PlyCount "104"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2013.12.29"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,104,25,19,23,-10,-10,-4,21,-2,-7,-7,-8,-35,-1,-26,-22,-12,-9,7,10,-20,-12,-4,6,-18,-30,-29,-8,-32,-18,-21,-19,-44,-44,-44,-42,-78,-70,-71,-64,-63,-74,-55,-35,-68,-65,-89,-88,-121,-45,-30,-41,-41,-38,-90,-75,-83,-77,-88,-82,-91,-91,-108,-101,-115,-101,-102,-110,-110,-104,-108,-99,-120,-104,-128,-124,-141,-132,-139,-153,-149,-131,-170,-179,-179,-148,-143,-154,-171,-123,-183,-179,-208,-199,-201,-194,-203,-199,-200,-187,-200,-156,-161,-198,-201,-199] After such a humiliating defeat in round one, I needed to bounce back quickly to play my second round opponent. I say that literally as I had less than an hour to prepare. Pablo Manzon was rated 140 rating points higher than my previous opponent. Was he also underrated? Let's see what happened.} 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. d3 {For the first time, I am facing the King's Indian Attack as Black!} Bg7 5. O-O O-O 6. Nbd2 c5 7. Re1 Nc6 8. c3 e5 {Black has a nice center but white will have to contest this with...} 9. e4 {[#]} Re8 {I spent a lot of time on this move. d4 looked like a nice way to gain space but then Nc4 looked to be annoying.} (9... d4 10. Nc4 {After a4, the knight will have a nice outpost.} Ne8 $1 {A dual-purpose move. It defends e5 and prepares to dislodge the knight with Nd6.} 11. cxd4 cxd4 12. a4 Nd6 $11) 10. h3 $2 {Trying to stop Bg4 but this is passive. White has to work on his development above all else.} (10. a3 d4 11. cxd4 cxd4 12. b4 a6 13. Nb3 Nd7 14. Bg5 f6 15. Bd2 b5 16. Rc1 Bb7 17. Bh3 Bf8 18. Nh4 a5 19. Nxa5 Nxa5 20. bxa5 Nc5 21. Bb4 Qc7 22. Bxc5 Bxc5 23. Qc2 Rec8 24. Bxc8 Rxc8 25. Qb3+ Kg7 26. Qxb5 Qe7 27. a6 Ba8 28. Rc4 Rc7 29. Rec1 Bd6 30. Rxc7 Bxc7 31. a7 Bd6 32. Qb8 {1-0 Petrosian,T (2601)-Tari,A (2634) PRO League KO Stage Chess.com INT rapid 2020 (3.3)}) ({Relevant:} 10. a3 d4 11. cxd4 cxd4 12. b4 a6 13. Nb3 Nd7 14. Bg5 f6 15. Bd2 b5 16. Rc1 Bb7 17. Bh3 Bf8 18. Nh4 a5 19. Nxa5 Nxa5 20. bxa5 Nc5 21. Bb4 Qc7 22. Bxc5 Bxc5 23. Qc2 Rec8 24. Bxc8 Rxc8 25. Qb3+ Kg7 26. Qxb5 Qe7 27. a6 Ba8 28. Rc4 Rc7 29. Rec1 Bd6 30. Rxc7 Bxc7 31. a7 Bd6 32. Qb8 {1-0 Petrosian,T (2601)-Tari,A (2634) PRO League KO Stage Chess.com INT rapid 2020 (3.3)}) (10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Ng5 $5 {A move that only Stockfish would suggest.} Rf8 {This demonstrates why Re8 wasn't the strongest move.} (11... Nce7 12. Nc4 Qc7 13. Qb3 h6 $2 14. Nxf7 $1 Kxf7 15. Ne3 Be6 16. Nxd5 Qd6 17. c4 $16) 12. Qa4 Nb6 13. Qh4 h6 $11) 10... Rb8 $5 {Getting the rook off of the long diagonal and preparing b5. This was Stockfish's 3rd best move.} ({I should just gain space here with} 10... d4 {and have a slight edge.} 11. Qc2 h6 12. a4 Be6 13. Nc4 Bxc4 14. dxc4 $15) 11. a4 $2 {Another random move that gains some space but doesn't have any follow-up.} h6 {Preparing Be6 but d4 is still the right move.} 12. b3 $146 (12. Qe2 a6 13. Nf1 d4 14. c4 b5 15. axb5 axb5 16. N3d2 Na5 17. b3 Bd7 18. Ba3 Bf8 19. Reb1 Qc7 20. Qd1 Nh7 21. g4 Ng5 22. Ng3 Ne6 23. Nf3 bxc4 24. bxc4 Ra8 25. Bc1 Nc6 26. Kh2 Reb8 27. Kg1 Rxb1 28. Rxb1 Nb4 29. Ne1 Ra2 30. Bf3 Ba4 31. Rb3 Nc6 32. Nf5 gxf5 33. gxf5 Nf4 34. Bxf4 exf4 35. Bh5 Bxb3 36. Qg4+ Kh8 37. Nf3 Bd1 {0-1 Lerner,D (2135)-Hebert,J (2462) Foxwoods op 02nd Connecticut 2000 (4)}) ({Predecessor:} 12. Qe2 a6 13. Nf1 d4 14. c4 b5 15. axb5 axb5 16. N3d2 Na5 17. b3 Bd7 18. Ba3 Bf8 19. Reb1 Qc7 20. Qd1 Nh7 21. g4 Ng5 22. Ng3 Ne6 23. Nf3 bxc4 24. bxc4 Ra8 25. Bc1 Nc6 26. Kh2 Reb8 27. Kg1 Rxb1 28. Rxb1 Nb4 29. Ne1 Ra2 30. Bf3 Ba4 31. Rb3 Nc6 32. Nf5 gxf5 33. gxf5 Nf4 34. Bxf4 exf4 35. Bh5 Bxb3 36. Qg4+ Kh8 37. Nf3 Bd1 {0-1 Lerner,D (2135)-Hebert,J (2462) Foxwoods op 02nd Connecticut 2000 (4)}) 12... Be6 {Both of us are playing tentatively but I wanted to focus on development and not overcommit myself.} (12... b6 13. Ba3 Bd7 14. Rc1 a6 15. b4 cxb4 16. cxb4 b5 17. exd5 Nxd5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Qb3 Nb6 $15) 13. Bb2 {This move made me realize that if I don't play d4, my opponent will.} d4 {Now I felt that it was time for d4 as his bishop on b2 would help my opponent play d4 in the near future.} ({Stockfish disagrees of course.} 13... Qd7 14. Ba3 (14. d4 $4 exd4 15. cxd4 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Rxe4 Red8 18. Rc1 Nxd4 19. Ne5 Bxe5 20. Rxe5 Nxb3 21. Qxd7 Rxd7 $19) 14... b6 15. Kh2 Rbd8 16. Qe2 $17) 14. Qc2 {This is how I used to play at the 1500 level too. Play passively and force your opponent to bring the attack.} a6 {Preparing to meet Nc4 with b5.} 15. Nc4 Nd7 {overprotecting e5 and keeping a watchful eye on b6.} 16. Rad1 $2 (16. cxd4 cxd4 {Stockfish rates this slightly less accurate than Nd4 but I like taking with the pawn because I can stop my opponent from playing a5, anchoring his knight.} 17. Nd6 {I calculated this and thought the simple Re7 was good enough. It turns out I was wrong. Stockfish says I should give up the rook and I am still better.} Bf8 (17... Re7 18. Ba3 $1 $11 {[%CAl Ga3f8]}) 18. Nxe8 Qxe8 $11) 16... b5 {This was the turning point in the game. Once I control the center my opponent's moves are restricted.} 17. axb5 axb5 18. Ncd2 (18. Nd6 {was possible} Re7 19. c4 bxc4 20. Nxc4 Nb6 21. Ba3 Nxc4 22. bxc4 Qa5 23. Bc1 Ra7 $17) 18... Qb6 19. Rb1 Rec8 {Trying to maximize the scope of my pieces.} (19... dxc3 20. Bxc3 Nd4 21. Qd1 Ra8 22. Nh2 Ra2 23. Ng4 Nc2 24. Re2 h5 25. Ne3 Nxe3 26. fxe3 (26. Rxe3 Rea8 27. Re2 Qd6 $17)) 20. Rec1 {It's a standoff with neither player willing to open the center.} Rc7 ({I considered} 20... Qd8 {but wasn't clear on the follow-up.} {Stockfish recommends a lot of shuttling with gradual progress.} 21. Qd1 h5 22. Bf1 Bh6 23. Ra1 Qf6 24. Rcb1 dxc3 25. Bxc3 Nd4 26. Ra7 Bxd2 {getting rid of the bad bishop.} 27. Nxd2 h4 28. Rba1 Kg7 29. g4 Nf8 30. R1a6 Nh7 $17 {and black slowly infiltrates.}) 21. Qd1 Rbc8 (21... dxc3 22. Bxc3 Rd8 {targeting the weak d3 pawn.}) 22. c4 Nb4 23. Ne1 (23. cxb5 Qxb5 24. Nc4 Ra8 25. Ra1 Na2 26. Rcb1 Rca7 $15) 23... Ra7 (23... Na2 $1 {I calculated this move but didn't think it worked. My line was to play b4 and Nc3 but white has Bxd4 with a discovered attack on the knight.} 24. Rc2 Ra7 25. cxb5 Qxb5 26. Nef3 Rca8 27. Nc4 Qb8 28. Bf1 f6 29. Nh4 Kh7 30. Re2 Nb6 31. Nf3 Nxc4 32. dxc4 Rb7 $19) 24. Ra1 Rca8 $2 (24... Na2 $1 25. Rcb1 b4 $1 {My idea.} 26. Qc2 Rca8 27. Nef3 Qd8 $19) 25. Rxa7 Rxa7 26. Ra1 {White is trying to simplify and hope for a draw.} bxc4 $6 {I was worried that if I allowed Rxa7 that cb5 would be a threat - it isn't as the pawn could easily be recaptured in a few moves.} (26... h5 27. Qb1 Bh6 28. Bc1 f6 29. Ndf3 Rxa1 30. Qxa1 Bxc1 31. Qxc1 Kg7 $15) 27. dxc4 $2 (27. Nxc4 Qb7 28. Rxa7 Qxa7 29. Bf1 $15) 27... Kh7 (27... h5 28. Ndf3 Bh6 $17 {to increase the scope of my bishop makes some sense.}) 28. Rxa7 Qxa7 29. Qa1 {Trading queens didn't feel quite right here but Stockfish feels I have enough of an advantage that I should take on a1.} Qb6 {This is where the game enters the maneuvering phase - each side is trying to improve his pieces so as to pressure their opponent.} 30. Qa4 Nb8 31. Kh2 Bd7 32. Qa3 Qc7 33. Qa1 N8c6 34. Qb1 Qb8 35. Ba3 Bf8 {It's hard to find a clear plan so both of us kept maneuvering our pieces to wait for a weakness to exploit.} 36. Nd3 $2 Bd6 (36... Nxd3 37. Qxd3 Qa7 38. Nb1 h5 39. Bf3 Bh6 $19) 37. Bxb4 Nxb4 38. Nxb4 Qxb4 39. Qd3 {The bishop pair can be exploited if I played Bc7-a5. Additionally, f5 is a future threat.} Qc3 $1 {The queen cannot be taken as the pawn will promoted.} 40. Bf1 Qb2 $2 {There was no reason to move the queen as the threat after Qxc3 still exists.} (40... Bc6 41. Be2 Kg7) 41. g4 $4 {Finally, a weakness presents itself. Now, how to capitalize?} Be7 {to seize the exposed dark squares, but this is not the best plan - at least, not yet.} (41... Qc1 42. Qe2 Bc6 {probably designed to pressure the e-pawn and force white's pieces to protect it.} 43. Kg1 Kg7 44. Kg2 Bc7 $1 {as mentioned earlier, the bishop redeploys to a5.} 45. Kg1 $19 {White can only shuttle his pieces.}) 42. Kg2 Bg5 $2 43. Nf3 Bf4 44. Be2 Kg7 (44... Bc6 {Stockfish keeps insisting that this is the way to go.} 45. Nh4 Kg7 46. Kg1 Qc1+ 47. Bf1 Qe1 48. Ng2 Qxe4 $19) 45. Nh2 Bc6 46. f3 Qc1 47. Nf1 Bd7 $2 (47... h5 48. Kf2 h4 $1 $19 {further restricting White's already smothered pieces.}) 48. Qd1 Qb2 49. Kg1 Qc3 50. Kg2 f5 $5 (50... h5 51. gxh5 Qa5 52. h6+ Kh7 53. Nh2 Bxh2 54. Kxh2 Qd8 $1 55. Qg1 Qh4 56. Qg2 Qf4+ 57. Qg3 Qd2 58. Qg2 Kxh6 59. Kg3 Qf4+ 60. Kf2 Qe3+ 61. Kg3 Qxb3 $19) 51. Bd3 fxg4 52. fxg4 Bc6 $19 {White lost on time. This was the first tournament game where I flagged my opponent. A tough game that made me think about the importance of piece play and the subtle maneuvering needed to expose additional weaknesses.} 0-1