'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6
Offering a French Defence - an offer that is taken up less than half of the time, at least in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
3.Bf4 Bd6 4.e3 Nc6!?
This more-or-less commits Black to playing for an ...e5 pawn-break, which is usually more effective, but much harder to achieve, than ...c5.
Stockfish10 reckons 4...Bxf4 slightly favours Black, but Komodo10 rates the position as equal.
5.Nf3 Qe7N 6.a3!?
This does not seem to have much point to it. Even so, the engines reckon White has a small edge.
6...Nf6 7.Bd3 h6?!
Missing a chance to get in ...e5, and creating a target in the event of kingside castling.
8.Bb5 Bd7 9.Qd2 a6 10.Bxc6 Bxc6 11.0-0-0?!
The engines are not keen on this enterprising move, but the position is unclear.
11...b5
The engines prefer 11...a5!, one point being that 12.Ne5 runs into 12...Bxa3!, when 13.bxa3? Qxa3+ 14.Kb1 Ra6 wins for Black, so White has to accept the loss of a pawn. Perhaps best for White is 12.Kb1, but then 12...b5 is very threatening.
12.Ne5 Bb7 13.Nd3 0-0
The engines give 13...Ne4 14.Nxe4 dxe4 15.Nc5 Bxc5 16.dxc5 Bc6 with a small edge for Black. 14.h4 Bxf4 15.exf4 Nd7 16.Qe3 Rac8 17.f5 c5 18.Nf4 cxd4 19.Rxd4 e5?
The simple 19...Rfe8 equalises.
20.Nfxd5 Qc5 21.Rg4 Qxe3+?
Straightening White's pawn-formation is much too accommodating, although White has the upper hand after the sensible 21...Kh7.
22.fxe3 Kh7 23.Rh3 Rc5 24.e4 Bxd5 25.Nxd5 f6!?
I rejected 25...Nf6 26.Nxf6+ gxf6 as making the position too easy for White, but the engines reckon it is objectively best.
26.Ne7?
26.h5 is very strong.
26...Rf7?
Better was 26...h5, which defends g7 indirectly by preventing White doubling rooks on the g file. 27.Ng6 Nb6 28.Rd3 Rc8
The back rank has to be covered to prevent Rd8-h8#. Certainly not 28...Rd7?? 29.Nf8+.
29.Rgg3 Rfc7 30.c3 a5 31.Rd6?
It was better to break the pin by 31.Kb1.
31...Nc4?
Missing the strength of 31...Na4, eg 32.Rd5 Nc5 33.Re3 b4 34.axb4 axb4 with threats, although the engines prefer White after 35.cxb4 Nd3+ 36.Kd1 Nxb4 37.Rd2.
32.Rd5 b4 33.axb4?!
33.a4 takes the sting out of Black's play.
33...axb4 34.Rgd3?
The engines' 34.b3 Nb6 35.Rb5 bxc3! 36.Kc2! looks strong. But not 36.Rxb6 as 36...Ra7 seems to give Black a draw.
34...bxc3
I rejected 34...b3! because of 35.Rb5, failing to find that after 35...Ra7 36.Rxb3 Ra1+ 37.Kc2, Black has 37...Rg1 with lots of counterplay.
35.Rxc3 Ne3 36.Rdd3 Nxg2 37.Kd2 Rxc3 38.bxc3 Ra8 39.Ke2?!
The engines prefer 39.h5, and if 39...Ra2+, then 40.Kc1!, which threatens forcing rooks off with 41.Rc2. The engines continue 40...Ra8 41.c4 with a very strong game for White.
39...Ra2+?
Better is 39...Ra4 40.Kf2 Nf4 41.Nxf4 exf4 with a position very similar to one reached in the game at move 42.
40.Rd2 Ra4
Better is 40...Ra3, although White is still close to winning.
41.Kf2 Nf4 42.Nxf4?
Correct is 42.h5, forcing 42...Ra8, and only then Nxf4 etc.
42...exf4 43.Kf3 Rc4 44.Rd3 g5 45.fxg6+ Kxg6 46.Kxf4 Kh5 47.Kf5 Kxh4 48.Kxf6
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| Does Black still have a draw at this late stage? |
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Yes.
Black had a draw with 48...Rxe4!, the point being that 49.Rd4 is met by 49...Kh5! The game finished:
48...Kg4? 49.e5 Rc6+ 50.e6 h5 57mins less 51.Kf7 Kf5 52.Rd5+ Ke4 53.Rxh5 Rxc3 54.e7 Rc7 55.Kf8 1-0
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