[Event "Thanksgiving Cup"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2025.11.27"] [Round "?"] [White "Harwood"] [Black "K-Chess"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Harwood,Paul"] [ECO "C00"] [WhiteElo "1871"] [BlackElo "2200"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "125"] [GameId "2249028289585376"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2013.12.29"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. e4 e6 2. d3 {I am hoping the King's Indian Attack will take the bite out of the machine's ambitions. Chess engines from the early 2000's prefer active, open positions. I will try to close things up.} Nf6 3. Nf3 (3. f4 d5 4. e5 Ng8 5. Nd2 c5 6. g3 Nc6 7. Ndf3 h5 8. c3 Nh6 9. Qe2 b5 10. Nh3 Nf5 11. Nhg5 b4 12. Bh3 g6 13. O-O a5 14. Be3 d4 15. cxd4 Ncxd4 16. Bxd4 Nxd4 17. Qe4 Nxf3+ 18. Rxf3 Ra7 19. Rf2 h4 20. Rc1 hxg3 21. hxg3 Rc7 22. Rh2 Bb7 23. Qe3 c4 24. d4 Rh5 25. Ne4 Bxe4 26. Qxe4 c3 27. Bf1 f5 28. exf6 Qxf6 29. Rxh5 gxh5 30. bxc3 bxc3 31. Bb5+ Ke7 32. d5 Qf5 {0-1 Zhou,Y (2461)-Williams,S (2460) BCF-chT1b 1718 (4NCL) England 2017 (5.54)}) 3... Nc6 4. g3 Bb4+ $2 {A useless check that allows me to play c3, a move that is thematic in the KIA to prepare d4 and gain space in the center.} 5. c3 Be7 6. Bg2 {[#]} d5 $146 {A bit too aggressive. Now I can grab the center with e5, causing space problems for Black.} (6... b6 7. O-O O-O 8. e5 Ne8 9. d4 d6 10. Bf4 Ba6 11. Re1 h6 12. exd6 cxd6 13. d5 exd5 14. Qxd5 Rc8 15. Na3 Nf6 16. Qb3 Bd3 17. Rad1 Na5 18. Qa4 Bc4 19. Nxc4 Nxc4 20. Qxa7 Re8 21. Nd4 d5 22. b3 Qd7 23. Qxd7 Nxd7 24. bxc4 Rxc4 25. Bd6 Kf8 26. Bxe7+ Rxe7 27. Rxe7 Kxe7 28. Nf5+ Kf6 29. Ne3 Rxc3 30. Nxd5+ {1-0 Rodrigues,J-Eduardo,N Brasiliense sf 03 Brazil 2009 (4)}) ({The more cautious} 6... d6 {made more sense so as to prevent e5 - at least for now.} 7. O-O O-O 8. h3 b5 9. Nbd2 Nd7 10. d4 $14) 7. e5 {Grabbing space and restricting idea of liberating the c8 bishop.} Nd7 {Black's position is very cramped - only f6 will provide some potential liberation.} 8. Qe2 $6 {second best.} (8. d4 f6 $6 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. O-O O-O 11. Re1 Qe8 12. Bf4 $14 {Natural moves like this gives White a nice edge.}) 8... f6 9. d4 $6 {This sequence gives Blac almost full equality. But why though? The answer is because now the e5 pawn does not have the protection from d4. Whereas in the other variation, the d4 exerted control of e5.} (9. exf6 Nxf6 10. d4 O-O 11. O-O Bd6 12. a4 Kh8 13. a5 Bd7 14. Nbd2 a6 15. Ne5 Be8 16. Bh3 Qe7 17. Re1 $14) (9. exf6 Nxf6 10. d4 $16 {[%csl Re5] with e5 under full control.}) 9... fxe5 10. dxe5 $11 O-O 11. O-O Qe8 $5 {An interesting idea that I did not take the time to analyze. Black intends to attack my pawn from different angles. Here the idea is Qh5 with more pressure on the lone e5 pawn.} (11... a5 {is another idea, just gaining space on the queenside with perhaps b5 to follow later.}) 12. Bf4 {Overprotecting the e5 pawn and asking Black to untangle himself.} (12. Re1 {Same idea and what transposes in the game.}) (12. b4 $5 {Gaining space makes sense to restraing Black further from playing a5 and replying with b5.} b5 13. Na3 a6 14. Nc2 $11) 12... Qh5 {[%csl Ye5][%CAl Gh5e5,Gd7e5,Gc6e5]} 13. Re1 g5 $4 {A move I had anticipated and realized that g5-g4 will kick my f3 knight defender. However, this is a blunder! This is why I love playing K-Chess as it is capable of making these kinds of mistakes which sets it apart from traditional chess engines.} 14. Bd2 $2 $11 (14. Nxg5 $1 {the Black queen is hanging, so this just wins me a pawn.} Qxe2 15. Rxe2 Nc5 {[%csl Yb2,Gd3,Yf4][%CAl Gc5d3,Yd3b2,Yd3f4]} (15... Bxg5 16. Bxg5 Ncxe5 17. Bf4 Nd3 18. Bxc7 $18 Rf7 19. c4 Nf6 20. Bd6 $18) 16. Re3 Bd7 17. Nd2 $18) 14... g4 15. Nd4 Ndxe5 {The critical position requiring some deep calculation. I need to focus more on obvious weaknesses, like the f3 square. Nf3 is a strong idea that creates mating threats on g2. The only way to combat this is to trade on c6 - this forces Nc6 and the game is equal.} 16. Bf4 $4 {A terrible move that loses the thread of what's happening in the position. As I said earlier, the f3 square is very weak and Black will now occupy it but first it will remove its key defender.} (16. Nxc6 Nxc6 17. h3 Bd6 18. hxg4 $11) 16... Nxd4 17. cxd4 Nf3+ ({Even stronger is} 17... Rxf4 $1 18. dxe5 (18. gxf4 $2 Nf3+ 19. Bxf3 gxf3 20. Qf1 Bd6 21. Nd2 Bxf4 22. Nxf3 Qxf3 23. Rac1 Qh5 24. h3 Bd7 $19) 18... Rf5 19. Qb5 c6 20. Qa4 Bd7 21. Nc3 Bc5 22. Re2 Raf8 23. Rf1 Rg5 24. Nd1 $19 {White is completely defensive.}) 18. Bxf3 gxf3 19. Qf1 $4 (19. Qe3 {is an important move but I was worried about} Qh3 20. Qxf3 Bd6 21. Re3 Bxf4 22. gxf4 Qf5 23. Nd2 $15) 19... c5 $5 {K-Chess showing some positional finesse. It misses the stronger Rxf4!, opting instead to open the a7-f2 diagonal for its bishop.} (19... Rxf4 $1 20. gxf4 Bd6 21. Kh1 Kh8 22. Qg1 Bxf4 23. Nd2 Bd7 24. Nf1 Rg8 25. Ng3 Qg4 $19 {[%csl Yg2,Rh1][%CAl Ge6e5,Gd7h3,Gh3g2]}) 20. Re5 $6 {This is a temporary threat to the queen but I need to look deeper. After a move like Qg6 or Qg4, Black will play Bf6 with a decisive advantage. Deeper calculation needed. What is my opponent going to do after this move?} Qg6 {[%csl Yf4][%CAl Gf8f4] threatening Rxf4.} 21. Kh1 Bf6 {Black is winning and I thought that during the game.} 22. Nd2 {I decided to let the rook go as a bishop on e5 would be uncontested. The bigger problem for me is that f3 pawn that has to be captured.} cxd4 $4 {A stunning oversight! And now I am back in the game. b6 and Bb7 doesn't do anything now.} (22... Bxe5 23. dxe5 b6 {Subtle but crushing. Bb7 is in the air.} 24. h4 Qg4 25. Qg1 Ba6 26. a4 Be2 $19) 23. Nxf3 $15 (23. Nxf3 d3 24. Ree1 $17) 23... Bxe5 $2 ({Black should try to keep his pawn by playing.} 23... d3 24. Ree1 Bxb2 25. Ne5 Qf5 26. Rab1 Bc3 27. f3 d2 28. Re3 Qc2 $15) 24. Nxe5 $11 {And just like that, I am back in the game with a monster knight on e5.} Qc2 $4 {Going after the b2 pawn, but this is no time for pawn grabbing. From my side, it's also no time to be making passive moves like Rb1.} 25. Rc1 $1 $18 {Grabbing the open file and preparing Rc7.} Qxb2 26. Rc7 (26. Qd1 $18 {It's disappointing I didn't find this move, opting for the lesser Rc7.}) 26... Qb6 27. Qc1 d3 28. Nxd3 (28. Bh6 d2 29. Rg7+ Kh8 30. Qc2 d1=Q+ 31. Qxd1 Qxf2 32. Re7 Bd7 33. Bg7+ Kg8 34. Bxf8 Kxf8 35. Rxd7 $18) (28. Ng4 $1 $18 Qd4 29. Nh6+ Kh8 30. Rf7 Qe4+ 31. Kg1 Bd7 32. Qc7 Qe1+ 33. Kg2 Rxf7 34. Nxf7+ Kg7 35. Ng5 Kf6 36. Qxd7 {#9}) 28... Qd4 29. Ne5 (29. Be5 $1 Qg4 30. Rg7+ Qxg7 31. Bxg7 Kxg7 32. Ne5 $18) 29... b6 {Bb7 is a nice idea but it's too slow and can't even be played. Ba6 is an option but it doesn't do anything for Black.} 30. f3 $1 {Preventing Qe4+ and allowing ideas of Qc2-h7#.} Ba6 31. Qc2 $2 {The right idea but I need to anticipate the obvious reply.} (31. Nc6 $1 Qc4 (31... Qf2 32. Ne7+ Kf7 33. Nxd5+ Kg6 34. Ne7+ Kf7 35. Nf5+ Kf6 36. Qc3+ $18) 32. Ne7+ Kf7 33. Nxd5+ Ke8 34. Rxc4 $18) 31... Rf5 $14 32. Nc6 (32. Ng4 Qd3 33. Qxd3 Bxd3 34. Nh6+ Kh8 35. Nxf5 exf5 36. Be5+ $11) 32... Qa1+ 33. Bc1 $8 $11 {I was lucky to find this move as I did not calculate that Kg2, Qf1 is mate!} Rf7 34. Rxf7 Kxf7 $4 {A seemingly obvious recapture that loses on the spot.} (34... Bd3 $3 {a deflection to the position equal.} 35. Qxd3 Qxc1+ 36. Kg2 Qb2+ 37. Kh3 Kxf7 38. Qxh7+ {Now Qxh7 can be met with Qg7=} Qg7) 35. Qxh7+ Kf8 {What follows is a complicated series of checks with the c1 bishop holding off an impending mate threat. I would need to find a way to either mate the Black king immediately or slowly maneuver my King to safety to all the bishop to move.} 36. Qe7+ Kg8 37. Qxe6+ $18 Kg7 38. Qe7+ Kh8 39. Qh4+ Kg7 40. Qg5+ Kh8 41. Ne7 Bd3 $1 {A defensive move that holds on by the skin of his teeth. I felt very dispirited here, as I thought my attack was gone and Black had equalized - not so!} 42. Kg2 $1 {The liberation of the c1 bishop is at hand. Note how Black's a8 rook has not moved the entire game.} Qg7 43. Qxd5 $5 {Greedy but not necessary. The idea here is to capitalize on the overwhelming control of the dark squares. Qh4+ followed by Be3 is crushing.} (43. Qh4+ Bh7 44. Bg5 Re8 45. Bf6 Rxe7 46. Bxg7+ Rxg7 47. Qd8+ Bg8 48. h4 Rg6 49. h5 Rg7 50. Qf6 Kh7 51. g4 $18 {#12}) 43... Qxe7 44. Qxa8+ Kh7 45. Qd5 {Returning the queen to a central square where it has maximum scope is what's called for.} Qe2+ 46. Kh3 $8 Bg6 47. Bg5 Kg7 48. Bf4 {?Be5} Kf6 49. Bg5+ Kg7 50. Qd4+ Kg8 51. Qf6 Bf7 52. Bh6 Be6+ 53. g4 Qf1+ 54. Kh4 Qf2+ 55. Kg5 Qc5+ 56. Kf4 {The best move according to Stockfish but very complicated. White is up 7.37 but the threat of perpetual check was worrying to me.} Qc7+ 57. Kg5 Qc5+ 58. Kh4 Qf2+ 59. Kg5 Qc5+ 60. Kf4 Qc7+ 61. Kg5 (61. Ke3 Bd5 62. Qg6+ Kh8 63. Bg7+ $1 {What a move. Deflecting the queen to capture while finding a tactic to win back the piece.} Qxg7 64. Qh5+ Kg8 65. Qxd5+ $18) 61... Qc5+ 62. Kh4 Qf2+ 63. Kg5 {Drawn by 3-fold repetition. This was a game I should have won but my lack of defensive calculation cost me. This game highlights my blind spot when it comes to thoroughly calculating my opponent's plans - they want to win the game too! Next time, I need to deeply consider my own weaknesses and look for tactical counterchances.} (63. Kh3 Qf1+ 64. Kg3 Qe1+ 65. Kf4 Qd2+ 66. Kg3 Qe1+ 67. Kf4 Qd2+ 68. Ke4 Qe2+ 69. Be3 Bxa2 70. h4 $18 Qc2+ 71. Kf4 Qc7+ 72. Kg5 $18) 1/2-1/2