A near-disaster! Playing over the board for the first time in 6 weeks, I played in utterly despicable fashion and it was a wonder that I didn’t lose horribly! Here’s the game (I was black)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3?! Nf6?
(4… dxc3 5. Nxc3 Nc6)
5. Qc2 Qc7 6. Nxd4 a6 7. Bd3 g6 8. Bg5 Bg7 9. Nd2 O-O10. O-O Nbd7 11. f4 b5
(11… e5 12. fxe5 dxe5)
12. Rae1 Bb7
(12… e5 13. fxe5 dxe5)
13. e5 dxe5 14. fxe5 Nxe5 15. Bf4 Nfd7 16. Ne4 Rac8 17. Re3 Qb6 18. Kh1 Nc6?
I could and should have won a piece with a simple fork (18… Nxd3 19. Qxd3 e5!). Instead, I never even spotted the opportunity!
19. Nxc6 Bxc6 20. Rh3 Nf6 21. Be3 Qb7 22. Ng5 h523. Bd4 Rcd8 24. Bxg6 fxg6 25. Ne6 Qd7
(25… Be4)
26. Re3 Bd5
(26… Ng4 27.Rxf8+ Rxf8 28. Nxf8 Kxf8)
27. Nxd8 Qxd8 28. Qxg6 Bf7 29. Qg5 Qd5
(29… Bxa2)
30. Rf5 Qxa2 31. h3 Kh8??
I have gradually let my advantage slip and with this move, I go from slightly better to dead-lost! In the next couple of moves, I have to give up my queen to avoid being mated and it was only my opponent’s slight time pressure that prevented me from resigning here with a clear conscience. 31… Be6 32. Rf4 Rf7 and the game goes on.
32. Rxe7 Qb1+ 33. Kh2 Qxf5 34.Qxf5 Bg8 35. Bxf6 Rxf6 36. Qg5?
Now it is my opponent’s turn to start playing sub-par and let me still hope for a miracle. (36. Qxh5+)
36… Bf7 37. Qc5 Kh7 38. Re2 Bg6 39. Rf2 Re6 40. Qd5 Re1 41. Qb7 Kh6 42. Qxa6 Be5+ 43. g3 h4! 44. Rf6?
(44. Kg2 hxg3 45. Rf5) (44. Rf5 Bxg3+ 45. Kg2)
44… hxg3+ 45. Kg2 Re2+! 46. Kf3??
46. Kf1 g2+ 47. Kg1 Bxf6 48. Qxf6 Rxb2 49. h4 (49. c4 Rb1+ 50. Kxg2 bxc4) 49… Kh7 50.Qe7+ Kh6 51. Qg5+ Kh7 52. h5 Rb1+ 53. Kxg2 Bc2 54. Qd2 Be4+ 55. Kf2 and white is still pushing for a win though I have some hopes of maintaining a fortress. Instead, the text move is an outright blunder and white resigned after my next move.
46… Rf2+0-1
Rags to Rooks 