This game was another very painful but also strange sort of game. At first I found myself in an opening variation I have not looked at for many years and so was again on my own after just 13 moves. Oddly I was able to remember many of the key ideas but was still somewhat nervous and unsure of myself. As it happens my opponent, who had drawn with GM Ian Rogers the previous round, was not so well versed in the theory either. He was the first to deviate from theory and then I had a comfortable position. However I failed to play the most accurate move at the right time and then had to sacrifice the exchange. What followed was all a bit tragic for me. I got good play and even when I failed to play the best moves at some key points, I ended up with a drawn position but with no time to draw it! The scenario in which you have a couple of minutes to defend a drawn position with asymetric features is, to say the least, frustrating and I went down rather fast in the circumstances. Overall this was a game in which I failed to take my winning chances and then missed fairly easily drawn lines. I didnt deserve to win, but on the other hand, I felt very unlucky to actually lose.
13...Qa5
14.Bd2?!
c4
15.a4
a6
[15...Nc5
Would be best; 15...Qb6+
Is also good now]
16.Re2
Rac8
Not a mistake but not the most accurate. [16...Qc7
And Blacks position is to be preferred]
17.Kh1
Nc5?
Although things turn out fine for Black after this move, it was still better to not sacrifice the exchange. Black had other ways to play the position and was comfortable anyway. [17...Qd8!
And again Blacks position is to be preferred.]
18.e5
The standard reply which actually wins the exchange here.
18...dxe5
19.fxe5
Nfd7
20.Nb5
I had a hard time trying to decide between Qd8 and Qb6
20...Qb6
21.Nd6
Nxe5
[21...Bxe5!?
Was also worth considering but there is little difference in the value of the move as compared with what was actually played. ]
22.Nxe8
Rxe8
I felt very comfortable and even confident with this position with the only thing bothering me being the undefended rook on e8 and that it was hard to see exactly how I could improve my position.
23.Bc3
Ncd3
24.Qg1
Again I couldnt decide which was the best square for the queen and being somewhat concerned about the undefended rook on e8 I declined playing Qd6 which may have been a bit better?
24...Qd8
25.Qf1
I wanted to play f5 here [it is probably the best move] but didnt want to leave anything too loose. Black is possibly a tiny bit better already but finding the right plan is not so simple.
25...Qd7
[25...b5
26.axb5
axb5
27.Be4
b4
28.Bxe5
Nxe5
; 25...f5
26.a5
Qd6
]
26.a5
h5
Creates a flight square for the king and gains some space on the Kside too. [26...Rd8!?
]
27.Be4
Rd8?!
Actually it was possibly better to continue on with h4. What follows now is a long sequence which just ends in a big liquidation and drawn position that is quite sterile. White would need to find an improvment between now and move 34 [27...h4
]
28.Bxd3
Nxd3
29.Qf3
Bxc3
30.bxc3
Qxd5
31.Re8+
Played quickly but it is a mistake and Black should be coasting after this. Better was Qf6 and White may be better. [31.Qf6!?
]
31...Kg7
32.Rxd8
Qxd8
33.Qxb7
The point of Whites play, but I had seen this and decided that after Qf6 I would maybe even be better. The situation now was one of mutual time trouble and during the game I really felt as if things had just swung my way.
33...Qf6
34.Qb6
Natural and again wrong, better was Qc7
34...Qxc3?!
Although I just assumed this was correct and Black had no worries now, it would have been far better to play Nf2 which makes a draw easy. The tough part about chess is that one mistake or slightly inaccurate move can so often lead to another. Here this move is not a mistake as such but on a practical level it cost me the game! [34...Nf2+!
35.Kg1
(35.Kh2
Qxc3
36.Rf1
Qe5+
37.Kg1
Nxh3+
) 35...Qxc3
36.Rf1
Nxh3+
37.gxh3
Qg3+
38.Kh1
Qxh3+
With perpetual]
35.Rf1
Qe5?!
Again Black should be able to draw this posiion even after this move but t has become thta little bit less likely. Better was h4 when the position really is just equal. Instead I just assumed that the position was drawing anyway. [35...h4
36.Qxa6
Nf2+
37.Rxf2
Qe1+
38.Kh2
Qxf2
39.Qxc4
Qg3+
40.Kh1
Qe1+
41.Kh2
Qxa5
42.Qxh4
]
36.Qxa6
Nf2+
37.Rxf2
Qe1+
38.Kh2
Qxf2
39.Qxc4
I had seen as far as this and thought that it was a drawn position even if White is the only one with winnng chances. There is a correct defense for Black which stops any wining chances but with little time I failed to find it and went badly wrong and was soon lost.
39...h4?
A very natural move that would make sense on many levels but unfortunately the situation required a vey specific solution as opposed of a general purpose waiting move and so Black is now in trouble. [39...Qf6!
Would have held the position for Black though he would still have to exercise care.]
40.Qc3+
Kh7
41.Qc7?
Lets Black back in. [41.a6!
]
41...Qa2
Actually again Qf6 was better, and Black can still draw. [41...Qf6!=
]
42.Qd8
Kg7
43.Qd4+
f6
44.Qb6
The position is very tricky and were it not for the time trouble, Black would have to play accurately anyway to draw. My next move resulted in a quick reversal and Black was just lost.
44...Qa3?
[44...Qa4=
It is hard to understand exactly why this works whereas the move played doesnt, the option of possibly checking on the h2 b8 diagonal being a big factor though. As it happens I played Qa3 instantly becaus the time situation and then soon after was lost. 45.Qb7+
(45.Qc7+
Kh6
46.Qc3
Kg7
47.Qc5
g5
48.Qd5
Qb4
49.Qd7+
Kh6
50.Qd8
Qc3
51.a6?
Qe5+
) 45...Kh6
46.a6
Qf4+
]
45.a6
Qg3+
46.Kh1
Qe1+
47.Qg1
Qe7
48.a7
And White went on to win 1-0