00047.6.16 Analyzed by Expert Tim Smith

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 c5 3. dxc5

This is the King's Indian transposing into the Krause variation of the

Grunfeld Reversed. c5 is an aggressive move attacking your center. Dxc5 is playable if you get all your development done in quick fashion, but it's generally not good to surrender the center. Much more aggressive and to the point is c4 transposing into the Tarrasch variation of the Queen's Gambit which is a much more aggressive attacking line for you undermining his center. As occurred later in the game, he possessed powerful center pawns which he could've used to his advantage if he chose.

e6 4. Bf4 Bxc5 5. e3 a6?

3....e6 by your opponent was a mistake. He could've and should've kept up with development of his king knight to f6 giving his queen pawn strength with a developing move and also taking command of your K4 square. Rather than the text, you should've considered playing 4. Be3 with the idea of fianchettoing your king bishop and retaining the extra pawn. Notice this will prevent black's king bishop from taking control of that powerful diagonal that you tried to get him off later in the game. After Bxc5, you played correctly by e3, but life's not easy for you. You have what is known as a pawnless center, meaning no pawns on the fourth rank. Your opponent's fifth move was a blunder. He should've continued with the more logical Nf6 once again.

6. Nc3 Bd7 7. Ne5

Generally, it's not a good idea to move the same piece twice in the opening, when you can bring the king bishop out and castle.

Nc6 8. Nxd7 Qxd7 9. Na4? Bb4+

Nxd7 is not a beneficial exchange for you because you're trading your knight for Black's bad bishop (bishop of the same color squares as his pawns are occupying). Na4 was an error because you can't chase the bishop off that diagonal and because it's never a sound idea to attack a piece that can move away unless it's for tactical reasons (decoy and deflection).

10. c3 Ba5 11. b4? Nxb4?? 12. cxb4 Bxb4+ 13. Ke2 Nf6 14. f3 e5?

Black has no merit for giving up a piece with 11....Nxb4; he simply gives you a material advantage. Castling is prime in importance in the opening to get your king to safety. After 13. Ke2, you are feeling the effects of 7. Ne5 (moving the same piece twice instead of preparing to castle via Be2 etc.) which you played earlier. Black should've castled on his 14th move rather than sacrificing another pawn for no apparent reason.

15. Bxe5 Qe6 16. Bd4 0-0 17. Rb1 Ba5 18. Kf2 b5 19. Nc5

Now you possess a half-open b-file with a rook controlling it and a powerful knight that cannot be chased away by pawns. Notice you put pressure on a pawn that can't move at the moment (his a6 pawn). That simply limits his rook's abilities to a passive defender.

Qe7 20. Bd3 Rac8? 21. Nb3??

20......Rac8 was an unwise move because it hung his a6 pawn, better for him was Rfc8. You could've taken advantage of his mistake by 21. Nxa6, where black responds 21.....Bc3 22 Rxb5 Bxd4 23 exd4 Qa7 24 Qa4, which wins two pawns and you have a much better position.

Bb4 22. a3? Bd6 23. g3 Nh5? 24. Re1 f5? 25. Rc1 Rce8?

22. a3 simply offered a pawn to Black which he could've taken on two

occasions to create two passed pawns. 23....Nh5 was poor by black because he could've and should've responded with 23....Bxa3, again creating the passed pawns. 24.....f5 was Black's second missed chance. 25.....Rce8 moved the same rook again when he should've simply responded with 25.....Rxc1.

26. Nc5 Qg5 27. Rg1 f4 28. exf4 Bxf4? 29. gxf4 Qh4+? 30. Kg2 Nxf4+ 31. Kh1 g5 32. Bf2??

Black should've played 28....Nxf4 instead. Then, 29.....Qxf4 would have been a much better continuation for black compared to 29....Qh4+. 32. Bf2?? just loses a piece to 32....Qxf2! in which he wins a piece back and has an attack going.

32...Qh5?? 33. Bg3? Nh3? 34. Rf1 Re3? 35. Be2? Nf4

32....Qh5?? was a simple blunder. He should've taken your bishop without a blink of an eye. Then, instead of 33. Bg3?, you should've played 33 Nxa6 Nh3 34 Rf1 Nxf2+ 35 Rxf2 Qf7 36 Rg2 h6 37 Bxb5, which wins two pawns. Black should've responded on his 33rd move with 33....Nxd3 34. Qxd3 Qxf3+ 35. Qxf3 Rxf3, keeping the game equal and trading down to an endgame where his passed pawns would've ruled the day (two pawn majorities and a passed pawn in the center). Then instead of 35. Be2?, you could've won another pawn via 35. Qb3 Kg7 36. Qxd5 Rfxf3 37. Be5+ Kh6 38. Rxf3 Rxf3 39. Nxa6. Another possible continuation that would win you a pawn might be 35. Qb3 Rexf3 36. Qxd5+ Qf7 37. Be4 Rxf1 38. Rxf1 Nf4 39. Qxf7+ Rxf7 40. Nxa6 with a good position to win the b-pawn as well.

36. Bxf4 gxf4 37. Rg1+ Kf7 38. Rg4 Qe5? 39. Nd7! Qb2???

38.....Qe5 was bad defense of the pawn for the reason you exploited in move 39. He should've played 38.....Ke7. 39....Qb2??? was a grave mistake in which you could've won the game by forcing checkmate in 8 moves via 40. Qxd5+ Ke7 41. Qc5+ Kd8 (If Kxd7 it's mate in 6) 42. Qc8+ Ke7 (forced) 43. Qxf8+ Kxd7 44. Qf7+ Kd6 45. Qc7+ Ke6 46. Rc6+ Kf5 47. Qxf4++ With perfect play by Black, you could've had a forced win in 8 moves.

40. Rxf4?? Ke7 41. Rxf8?? Rxe2 42. Qg1 Rxh2+ 43. Qxh2 (forced)

Qxc1+ 44. Qg1 Qh6+ 45. Qh2 Qc1+ 46. Kg2 Qg5+?

40. Rxf4? was a mistake because you could've had a forced mate. 41. Rxf8?? was an error because you could've simply won the rook with 41. Nxf8. 46.....Qg5+? was an error by your opponent because 47. Qg3 Qd2+ 48. Kh3 Qh6+ 49. Qh4+ Qxh4+ 50. Kxh4 Kxd7 51. Rf6 a5 52. Rf7+ Ke6 53. Rxh7 which results in captures to bring you to an endgame with you more than a piece up in material. He should've played 46.....Qd2+ keeping the captures to a minimum. The reason is because it's generally not good to trade down when you're behind in material because it will lead to a lost endgame.

47. Kf2? Qd2+ 48. Kg3 Qg5+ 49. Kf2 Qd2+ 50. Kg3 Qg5+ 51. Kh3 Qh6+ 52. Kg2 Qd2+ 53. Kh1 Qe1+ 54. Qg1 Qh4+ 55. Qh2 Qe1+ 56. Kg2 Qd2+ 57. Kg3?? Draw by 3-fold repetition.

You absolutely do not want to draw when you're ahead in material, though I can understand that it's hard to remember all the positions you've played twice after so many moves. You had a superior position in many instances in this game, but you should try to learn to exploit your opponent's weaknesses and open up your mind to tactical possibilities. Good overall game.