A very average showing

After the near-debacle in my previous game, I played a lot better this time around, though I still ended up losing! If it wasn’t one tactical oversight, I should have been able to hold out to a draw. Replay here (I was black).

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 d5 4. Qxd4 e6
(4… dxe4 5. Qxe4 (5. Qxd8+ Kxd8))

5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Qxd5 exd5 7. Be3 Nf6 8. Nd2 Nc6 9. h3Be7 10. Ngf3 O-O 11. Be2 Bf5 12. O-O Rfe8 13. Nb3 Bf8 14. Rad1 a5 15. Bb5 Rec8
(15… a4 16. Nbd4 Bd7)

16. Nbd4 Bg6 17. Nh4 Ne5 18. Nxg6 hxg6 19. Nf3 Nc4
(19… Nxf3+ 20. gxf3 a4 21. Bd4 Ra5 22. Bd3)

20. Bxc4 dxc4 21. a4 Bc5 22. Bxc5 Rxc5 23. Rd4 b5 24. Nd2
(24. axb5 Rxb5 25. Rxc4 (25. Rb1 Rc8 26. Nd2 Nd5) 25…Rxb2)

24… bxa4??
24… b4 25. Nxc4 bxc3 26. bxc3 Nd5 27. Rc1 Rb8 28. Kf1 Rb3 should have been good enough for a draw

25. Nxc4 Rac8 26. Nb6 Rb8 27. Nxa4 Re5 28. Rfd1 Re2 29. Kf1 Rbe8 30. Rd8 R2e431. Rxe8+ Rxe8 32. f3 Re5 33. Rd8+ Kh7
(33… Ne8 34. Ra8 Kf8 35. Nb6 Ke7 36.Nc4) (33… Re8 34. Rxe8+ Nxe8 35. Nb6 Nd6)

34. c4 g5 35. c5 Nd5
(35… Rd5 36.Ra8)

36. c6 Ne7 37. c7 Rb5 38. Re8 1-0