[Event "WDCL Div 1"] [White "Cole, Steve"] [Black "Carr, Steve"] [Site ""] [Round ""] [Annotator "Damian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Date "2019.11.??"] [PlyCount "99"] 1. e4 {} c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Be2 Nf6 6. Nc3 a6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Be3 ({due to Blacks reluctance to play Qc7 in order to protect the e5 square a very tempting option for white could have been.} 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. e5 Nd5 10. Ne4 {When white has excellent prospects due to his grip on the dark squares. In particular d6 as the d5 knight cannot be maintained (c4 is coming)} )d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 { a slightly odd decision, exd5 seems much more natural freeing the c8 bishop. In an IQP position the side with the isolated pawn wants to retain minor pieces as a general rule. As opposed to the opponent who would like to head to a major piece ending.} 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. c3 0-0 12. Bd3 Bf6 13. Nb3 Be6 14. Re1 Qc7 15. Nc5 Rfe8 16. Qf3 Ne5 17. Qg3 Qc6 18. Nxe6 {Whire initiates exchanges however he has miscalculated!} Nxd3 {White had to bail out with Nd4 giving up an exchange, here however White is now down a piece. It seems that the resource of Black's Qg6 has been overlooked} 19. Nxg7 Bxg7 20. Bd4 Rxe1+ 21. Rxe1 Qg6 {The key defensive move, from here the game ought to be over, but the game continued...} 22. Re3 Nxb2 23. h4 Bxd4 24. cxd4 Qxg3 25. Rxg3+ Kf8 26. Rb3 Nc4 27. Rxb7 Rd8 {The beginning of a seemingly good plan to activate the rook via the d6 square, from where it can infiltrate whites queenside by going to b6.} 28. g4 Rd6 29. Kg2 Kg7 30. Kg3 Nd2 ({another plan could be} 30... Rb6 31. Rd7 Rb2 32. Rxd5 Rxa2 33. Rg5+ Kf6 34. Rh5 {where black must take a little care but ought to have a more straightforward plan to victory then in the game with an extra piece and passed a pawn.} Kg7 35. Rg5+ Kh8 {I'd rather not allow a passed h pawn} 36. Rf5 Nd6 37. Rd5 Ne4+ 38. Kf4 Nxf2 )31. f3 Rf6 32. f4 Ne4+ 33. Kf3 Rd6 {This however seems a very odd decision, the rook does not want to go to such a passive square, i'd be willing to bet that black was in time trouble at this point given this and the remaining moves of the game.} (33... Rc6 {and black has no need to fear Rd7 as it is easily dealt with} 34. Rd7 Rc3+ 35. Ke2 Rc2+ 36. Kf3 Nf6 37. Rd8 Rxa2 {the passed d pawn will be no compensation for the extra piece and passed a pawn.} )34. f5 h6 35. Kf4 Nc3 36. Ke5 Rc6 37. a3 a5 38. g5 hxg5 39. hxg5 {The more pawns that leave the board the closer White gets to a draw!} Rc8 40. g6 {forcing another pawn off, thanks to the pin on the seventh rank} Re8+ 41. Kf4 Rf8 42. Ke5 Re8+ 43. Kf4 Rf8 44. Ke5 Kg8 45. Rb3 {Securing the half point as now only black's a pawn will remain, and that will be easily targeted} Ne2 46. Kxd5 fxg6 47. fxg6 Nf4+ 48. Kc5 Nxg6 49. Rb5 Rf5+ 50. Kc6 {Draw agreed, black is out of pawns} 1/2-1/2