English Opening
1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.d3 Nge7 6.Nf3 0-0 7.Rb1 d6 8.0-0 f5 9.b4??
There are nine examples of this blunder in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database. Amazingly, White manages to score 50% with the move, albeit helped by a 2565 and a 2065 missing Black's piece-winning reply.
9...e4 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.dxe4 Be6 12.Nd2?!
Almost certainly better is 12.Qc2.
12...Qd7 13.Re1?!
The rook has little future here.
13...Ne5 14.Qc2 Rf7?!
Hoping to double on the f file, but White easily counters this, so the rook is probably misplaced.
15.f4 Ng4?!
Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 prefer 15...N5c6, which means 16.Nf3, as played in the game, can be met by 16...Nd4, countering the threat of Ng5.
16.Nf3 Qc6?!
Probably better is simply evading the knight fork by 16...Rff8.
17.h3 Nh6 18.Ng5?!
This looks natural but almost certainly better is the engines' 18.c5, as after ...
18...Qxc4 19.Qxc4 Bxc4 20.Nxf7 Nxf7
... White should not play 21.a3? as the white queen's rook is trapped by ...Ba2. The engines reckon best is 21.Bb2 Bxa2 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 (22...Bxb1? 23.Bf6) 23.Ra1 Be6, when Black has the better pawn-structure as well as two knights for a rook.
21.a3? Nc6? 22.e3 Ba2 23.Rb2 Bxb2 24.Bxb2
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| White has a pawn and the bishop-pair, but remains a piece down and is losing, according to the engines |
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24...Re8 25.Rc1 a6 26.e5 d5?
Much better, according to the engines. is 26...dxe5 27.Bxc6 bxc6 28.Rxc6 exf4.
27.Bf1!?
The engines suggest 27.Rc5, but agree Black is on top.
27...Nfd8 28.Kf2 b5!? 29.Bd4?!
Giving up the bishop-pair, even though White's e pawns in the process are undoubled, is probably wrong.
29...Nxd4 30.exd4 Bc4 31.Bg2 Nc6??
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| How should White proceed? |
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32.Ke3?
White is completely equal, according to the engines, after 32.Rxc4!
32...Kf7?? 33.h4
33.Rxc4!
33...h5?? 34.Bh3?
34.Rxc4!
34...Ne7 35.g4 hxg4 36.Bxg4 Nf5+ 37.Bxf5 gxf5 38.Rh1 Rg8 39.Kf3 Bd3 40.Rh3 Ra8 41.h5 Rh8 42.h6?
Giving up the h pawn without a struggle.
42...Kg6 43.Rg3+ Kxh6 44.Rh3+ Kg7 45.Rxh8 Kxh8 46.Kg3 Kg7 47.Kh4 Kg6 48.e6?
Another gratuitous pawn-loss.
48...Kf6 49.e7 Kxe7 50.Kg5 Kf7 51.Kh6 Kf6 52.Kh5 Ke6 53.Kg6 Be4 54.Kg7 Kd6 55.Kf6 c5!?
The right plan, but it would have been so much better if played at a point when White's reply is not with check.
56.dxc5+
Black has an even easier win after 56.bxc5+? thanks to having a queenside pawn-majority.
56...Kc6 57.Ke5 Kd7 58.Kd4 Ke6 59.Ke3 Bg2 60.Kd4 Bf3 61.Ke3 Bh5 62.Kd4 Be8 63.Ke3 Kf6 64.Kd4 Bc6 65.Ke3 Bb7 66.Kd4 Ba8 67.Ke3
AS offered a draw.
67...Kg6 68.Kf3 Kh6 69.Ke3 Kg4 0-1
Hard to believe this game was played by players experienced enough to have ratings.
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