Lessons From Bad Bertich: Patience Is A Virtue

IN round six I had the upper hand as early as move seven, despite playing with black, and I was winning by move 17, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

The game fluctuated a little, but the following position, highly favourable for Black, was reached on move 34.

White has just played 34.Kf3-e4 in Pierre Christen (2008) - Spanton (1946)

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Black has rook and bishop against a pair of knights, with White's only compensation being a pawn, which, although passed, is unlikely to advance any time soon.

Black's advantage is worth more than a piece (Stockfish17) or even almost as much as a piece and a pawn (Dragon1).

The engines suggest a calm move such as 34...Kd7, when a possible continuation is 35.Kd5 Rh6 36.Nd6 Rh5+ 37.Kc4 Be5 38.Nf7 Bc7, after which Black has the queenside under control and is ready to reap dividends on the kingside.

Instead I tried to force matters with 34...Kb5?!, to which White naturally replied 35.Kd5.

I managed to avoid the horrendous 35...Bxa5?? 36.Nbxa5 Rxa5 37.Nxa5 Kxa5 38.c6, when White wins.

However, rather than maintain good winning chances with 35...Rg6, which leaves White without a good move, I played 35...Kb4?

This allows White to draw with an only-move, 36.Nc1!, that, admittedly, is difficult to find (and in the game was not found), but nevertheless White should not have been allowed to reach a situation in which a draw was possible.

LESSON: after being on top from early in the game, it is all too easy, when subsequent moves pile up, to lose patience and unjustifiably try to finish the game in short order.