Tipau (2500) – Sordid(C) (2514)
FICS 5 5 Unrated1.Nh3 h6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nb5 Qh4 4.g3 After this move Sordid was brought out of book
4…Qe4 - 4…Qc4 is black's other option. After 5.d3 Qxc2 6.Nxa7 Bb4+ 7.Kd1 Be1 black is probably favourite to hold the draw
5.e3 Qxc2 6.Bg2
 FEN: rnb1kbnr/pppp1pp1/4p2p/1N6/8/4P1PN/PP1P1PBP/R3K2R |
White cannot play 6.Nxa7 because of 6...Bb4
6...Bb4 6…b6! immediately is another possibility, with either 7.Nxa7 Bb4 8.0-0 transposing to the game or 7.Bxa8!?
7.0-0 b6!
 FEN: rnb1k1nr/p1pp1pp1/1p2p2p/1N6/1b6/4P1PN/PP1P1PBP/R4RK1 |
An idea familiar from the previous note. The moves 7…c6?! and 7…d5?! leave black a rook for bishop down after 8.Nxa7, while 7…Nc6? loses to 8.Nd6+!
8.Nxa7 I had played this move before and believed that it was good for white. However I now think that 8.Bxa8! may be a stronger alternative, although it may be tough for white to prove anything there also.
8…Ba6 9.Rfb1 Bd3 10.Rc1 Be4!
 FEN: 4k1nr/2pp1pp1/1p2p2p/8/1b2b3/4P1PN/PP1P1PBP/R1R3K1 |
Up until this point I had been following an earlier game of mine. That game had continued 10…Bb1?! 11.a4 Bxd2 12.a5 Be4 13.Bxe4 Ne7 14.a6 0-0 15.a7 Ra8 16.Nf4! e5 17.Nh5
 FEN: r5k1/P1ppnpp1/1p5p/4p2N/8/4P1P1/1P3P1P/R5K1 |
and white won with the manoeuvre Nh5-f6-xd7 followed by Ra1-d1-d8, Tipau-Siggemannen, FICS 3 3 unrated. 10…Be4 effectively gains a tempo, relieving a lot of the pressure on black's position
11.Bxe4 Bxd2 12.Nf4
 FEN: 4k1nr/2pp1pp1/1p2p2p/8/5N2/4P1P1/PP3P1P/R5K1 |
At first glance it appears that black is simply a pawn up. However things are not that simple. White's move aims to tie down the black pieces before playing for a2-a4-a5, like in the game from the previous note. As black seems to be able to hold, often quite comfortably, against the game continuation I first looked to 12.a4 as an improvement.
While this seems slightly more challenging I think that there too black can hold the balance: 12.a4 Ne7!
 FEN: 4k2r/2ppnpp1/1p2p2p/8/P4N2/4P1P1/1P3P1P/R5K1 |
12…Nf6 may be OK although it isn't too pleasant after 13.Ng5 hxg5 14.h4! and either 14…0-0 15.h5 or 14…Ke7 15.e4!.
13.Nf4 0-0! and both 14.Nxe6 and 14.Nh5 g6 15.Nf6+ Kh8 16.Nxd7 are level.
12…h5
 FEN: 4k1nr/2pp1pp1/1p2p3/7p/5N2/4P1P1/PP3P1P/R5K1 |
12…Nf6! 13.Nxe6 0-0 is fine for black. Evidently Sordid didn't sense any danger
13.h3 - 13.a4 Nh6 seemed awkward to me. After 14.h3 Ng4 15.Nxh5 it seems drawn.
13…d6?! - again 13…Nf6! was possible. The game move, not at all in the demands of the position, makes black's task harder
14.a4 g5?
 FEN: 4k1nr/2p2p2/1p1pp3/6pp/P4N2/4P1PP/1P3P2/R5K1 |
Once again 14…Nf6! was the move, however the delay has caused slight complications: 15.a5! Ne4 16.Kh1 Nxg3 17.a6 0-0 18.a7 Ra8 and black should draw by first clearing the pawns in front of the king and then playing a timely sacrifice with …Rxa7. White can't do much to stop this e.g. 19.f4 f5 20.Rg1 g6 21.e4 Kh8 22.exf5 Rxa7! 23.f5 gxf5 and white has nothing better than a perpetual check.
15.a5 gxf4 16.a6 Nf6 17.a7 Ne4?
 FEN: 4k2r/P1p2p2/1p1pp3/7p/4n3/4P1PP/1P3P2/R5K1 |
Spurning black's last chance. 17…0-0 {maciejg} 18.a8Q Rxa8 and although it's not so easy to prove a draw for black he seems favourite to hold. After the game move black is beyond hope...
18.f4 0-0 19.a8Q Rb8
 FEN: Qr4k1/2p2p2/1p1pp3/7p/4nP2/4P1PP/1P6/R5K1 |
19…Rxa8 loses slightly faster to 20.Ra8+ Kg7 21.Rg8+ Kh7 22.Rg7+ Kh8 23.Rh7+ Kg8 24.Rxf7 1-0.
Rest is the game is pretty straight forward..
20.Qc6 Re8 21.Ra8 Kg7 22.Rxe8 Nf6 23.Qa8 Ne8 24.Qd8 f5 25.Qf6+ Kg8 26.Qg7# 1-0
Game was decided by black's failure to give back the material and not making his king protected from rook attacks.