Tactics galore

I was white in the second game of a stretch of 4 games out of 5 against the same opponent (twice in team play and twice in individual competitions). I didn’t know what opening to expect as he tends to switch his openings quite a lot.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 a6?!
(5… d6 6. c4 (6. Bf4 e5 7. Be3 Nf6 8. Bg5) 6… Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3)

6. Nd6+ Bxd6 7. Qxd6 Qe7 8. Qd1
(8. Qxe7+)

8… Nf6 9. Nc3 Qb4
9… d5! 10. Bd3 dxe4 11. Bxe4 Nxe4 12. Nxe4 Qb4+ and black has equalised.

10. Bd3 Ne5 11. O-O b5 12. a3 Qc5 13. Be3 Qc7 14. h3 Bb7 15. Bg5 d5 16. Bxf6 dxe4??
Missing an elementary tactic. (16… gxf6 17. exd5 O-O-O)

17. Bxe5!
Even stronger is 17. Bxb5+!! axb5 18. Nxb5 Qd7 19. Nd6+ Qxd6 (19… Kf8 20. Bxe5) 20. Qxd6 gxf6

17… Qxe5 18. Re1 f5 19. Qh5+ g6 20. Qh6 Qc7 21. Bf1 Rg8 22. Rad1 Qe7 23. Nxb5! Rg7 24. Nd6+ Kf8 25. Nxb7
(25. c4) (25. Bc4)

25… Qxb7 26. Rd6 Re8 27. Red1 Kg8 28. Bxa6 Qxb2 29. Bc4 Qxc2 30. Bxe6+ Rxe6 31. Rd8+ Kf7 32. R8d7+ Kf6 33. Qxg7+
Until this point, I haven’t missed any major tricks. That starts to change now. 33. Qh4+ g5 (33… Ke5 34. R7d5#) 34. Qh6+ Ke5 35. R7d5+ Kf4 36. Qxe6)

33… Kg5 34. Qxh7 e3 35. h4+
(35. f4+ Kxf4 36. Qh4+ Ke5 37. Qd4# (37. R7d5#) is mate in 8.

35… Kg4 36. R7d4+
(36. R1d4+ f4 37. Rxf4+ Kxf4 38. Qh6+ Ke5 39. Qxe3+ Qe4 (39… Kf5 40. Qg5+) 40. Qc3+ Kf5 41. Rf7+ Kg4 42. Qh3+ Kh5 43. Rh7#)

36… f4 37. fxe3??
A major oversight. I am still winning easily after 37. Rxf4+ Kxf4 38. Qh6+ (38. Qf7+)

37… Kg3! 38. R4d2 Qc5??
My opponent misses his opportunity to win back the rook and head for an endgame with chances to draw! 38… Rd6!! 39. Kf1 Rxd2 40. Rxd2 Qxd2 41. Qxg6+ Kh2 42. exf4 Qxf4+ 43. Ke2 Qxh4. Now, the white win is trivial.

39. Qf7 Qxe3+ 40. Kf1
(40. Kh1 Qe1+ 41. Rxe1 Rxe1#)

40… Qe4 41. Qa7 Kxh4 42. Qf2+ Kg5 43. Rd4 Qf5
(43… Qe3 44. Qxe3 fxe3 45. Ke2)

44. Rd5 Re5 45. Qc5 1-0