00009.4.16. Analyzed by National Master Corey Russell

1. e4 e6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Nb3

Of course, this isn't the best. This loses the pawn at e4

for nothing. More logical is Nf3, getting a knight out

while defending against the threat against d4.

4... Nxe4 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 Bd7 7. O-O Bb4 8. Be3 O-O 9. Ne5 Nxe5

10. dxe5 c6

I don't like this for black. it gives his bishop at d7

nowhere to move. ..a5 makes more sense. Also, if white

captures on e4, black can get a somewhat reasonable post

for his B on c6. Now it has nothing. White's bishops,

on the other hand, have great scope.

11. a3 Be7 12. Na5

Obviously incorrect. (the Q on d8 can capture this knight

for nothing). How about playing 12. f3, winning a knight?

(12. ...Nxc5 13. Bxc5 Bxc5, or 12. ... Ng5 13. h4! and black's

knight has no where to move!

12... Nxf2 13. Bxf2 Qxa5 14. Qe2 Bc5 15. Qh5 Bxf2+ 16. Rxf2 g6

17. Qh4 Qc7 18. Re1 a6 19. b4

? White's heavy concentration of pieces indicates that the

king-side is where white should be active. For sure, Re3

would be the way to go. Rh3 would be winning (if ...Qd8 to

try to trade queens, white can play Rf6!). There is nothing

black can do to prevent a sacrificial breaktrhough.

19... b5 20. Bxg6

Oops! This doesn't quite work. 21. Re3 is still the right

move (with the idea of Rh3, ...h5, Qg5. Black can defend by

playing ...fxg6! 21. Re3 Rxf2 22. Kxf2 Rf8+ 23. Kg1 Rf7.

20... Rfb8 21. Bxh7+

21. Qxh7+ Kf8 22. Qxf7 is checkmate. Always choose the fastest

win.

21... Kf8 22. Qh6+

Why bother with this, when 22. Rxf7+ wins immediately.

22. ... Kxf7 23. Rf1+ (...Ke8 24. Bg6#) Kg7 24. Qf6+! Kxh7

25. Rf3, and black is helpless against the threat of Rh3+ and

Rh8 mate. Watch for this motif, this happens a lot in chess

games.

22... Ke8 23. Qg7 Kd8 24. Rxf7

Good! This moves ties down black's forces.

24... Qa7+ 25. Kf1 Qb7 26. Qf6+ Kc8 27. Qe7 Qc7 28. Rf8+

Not good. This lets black get out of the bind. Black's king

can't move because he was tied down to defense of his bishop.

Both Bd3, with the idea of pushing the h-pawn to h8, or Bf5!,

both win quickly.

28... Kb7 29. Rxb8+ Rxb8 30. a4 Re8 31. Qf7 bxa4 32. Ra1 Rd8

33. g4 Qxe5 34. Rxa4 Qxh2 35. Qh5 Rf8+ 36. Ke1 Qf2+ 37. Kd1 Qf1+

38. Kd2 Rf2+ 39. Kc3 Qc4+ 40. Kb2 c5 41. Qf7

?? Doesn't black's reply of ...Rxf7 pretty much end the game?

Whenever you want to move your queen behind enemy lines, make

sure enemy pieces can't get at her!

41... Rh2 42. Qxd7+ Kb8 43. Qd6+ Kb7 44. Qd7+ Kb8 45. Qd6+ Kb7

Why not Qxh2, ending black's game? There is no perpetual check.

It is good to trade when ahead, but it doesn't hurt to be even

more ahead either.

46. Qxc5 Qxc5 47. bxc5 Rxh7 48. Rb4+ Kc7 49. Rb6 e5 50. Rxa6 Re7

51. Kc1 e4 52. Kd2 e3+ 53. Ke1 d4 54. g5

A mistake. Black can now draw. If white plays 54. Ra7+ Kd8

55. Rxe7 Kxe7 56. g5! would win the game. White has a passed

c & g pawn -- it's impossible for black's king to stop both,

and black's pawns are contained easily by the white king.

54... Kb7 55. Rb6+ Kc7 56. g6 Re5 57. Ke2 Rxc5 58. g7 Rxc2+

59. Kd3 Rg2 60. Re6 Kd7 61. Re5 Rxg7 62. Kxd4 e2 63. Rxe2 Kd6

64. Kd3 Kd5 65. Kc2 Rh7 66. Rd2+ Ke5 67. Kc3 Rh6 68. Rd3 Rc6+

69. Kd2 Re6 70. Ke3 Rf6

The notes say White won, but this is a drawn position. Perhaps

white won on flag? Continue your studies of tactics, middle game,

and endgame. You're sure to improve.

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