[Event "Import"] [Site "https://lichess.org/ZQ2XfOVL"] [Date "2017.04.29"] [Result "*"] [TimeControl "-"] [Termination "Unterminated"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A85"] [Opening "Dutch Defense: Queen's Knight Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/MrLegilimens"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/BUGoPYg6/b14g2SGY"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 f5 { My opponent said it was his first time playing the Dutch. Well, gotta start at some point I guess. } 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 { Reflecting on this position a bit more, I'm not sure about Nc3 here. Perhaps better (will see later on) waiting for Nbd2 is best. Like, ideally, I would want: } (3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 d5 5. Nh3 c6 6. O-O Bd6 7. Bf4) 3... e6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. Nh3!? { Definitely not the usual idea, Nf3 much more frequently played. I had recalled this move from watching Chessexplained's video series on it (see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eNqo3R-FsA&list=PL9FA3D5561ADFB090&index=14#t=4m15s). However, looking back on it, I'm not sure I would continue this line without further study. However, the general idea is trading the DSB on f4. } 6... d5 (6... c6 7. O-O d5 8. b3 Bd6 9. Bf4) 7. cxd5 { My coach and I discussed this move a lot. He wasn't a big fan, which I understand because I'm making my LSB look at a wall of pawns. I'm also not big on Catalan structures yet so I wasn't comfortable with: } (7. O-O dxc4 8. Qa4 { due to things like: } 8... Qxd4 9. Be3 Qd6 10. Qxc4 c6) 7... exd5 8. Nf4 { A little bit of hope chess, but I'm very interested in how he plans on developing the queen side, and am hoping he'll develop without thought and play Nbd7. } 8... c6 9. O-O Ne4 10. Re1?! { This rook move was terrible, combined with a following move later on. I was thinking I wanted f3-e4 at some point, but even if I wanted that, my rook probably would be better on f1, not e1, getting access to the open file. } (10. f3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Bd6 12. e4) 10... Nd7? { Immediately responded. } 11. Ne6 Qa5 12. Nxe4 { I actually had some difficulty calculating out a line here, which was stupid because I hadn't noticed that even if it did work, it didn't work. } 12... fxe4 (12... Rf6 { I thought... } 13. N4c5?? { when clearly... } (13. Nxf6+! Nxf6 14. Nc5 Bxc5 15. dxc5) 13... Nxc5 14. Nxc5 Bxc5 15. dxc5 Qxc5 16. Be3) 13. Nxf8 Nxf8 14. a3 (14. Kh1 { I was worried about Bb4 and me being stubborn about that rook placement. } 14... Bb4) (14. f3 { but I probably should just play } 14... Bb4 15. Rf1 exf3 16. exf3) 14... Ne6 { My thoughts in my head : "e3 seems the sound way to go. Just be up an exchange. But I wanna win, let's blow him off the board. f3 should win." } 15. f3? Nxd4 { I'll be honest - thank you Bc1. I only had seen my rook hanging. } 16. Be3 (16. Qxd4?? Qxe1+! { but my opponent had noticed the more pressing threat (though stockfish likes my continuation better for black) } (16... Bc5! 17. Be3 Bxd4 18. Bxd4) 17. Bf1) 16... Nf5 17. b4 { Another blunder. I felt under a lot of pressure and was just willing to go into this terrible end game that he for whatever reason avoided. } 17... Qa6 (17... Nxe3! 18. bxa5 Nxd1 19. Rexd1 exf3 20. Bxf3 { And while the computer says I'm a bit better, I think I'd rather be Black. He definitely has almost full compensation. }) 18. Bc1 { Here is another blunder. I realize when I start getting into some pressure I break pretty easily. But I had trouble figuring out where to place my bishop (but obviously this was the worst square). You can see in the following lines I was rejecting because of my LSB, but really it's a terrible piece and I shouldn't feel bad about losing it. } (18. Bf4 g5 19. Be5 Qb6+ 20. Kh1 Ne3 21. Qb3 Nxg2 22. Kxg2) (18. Bd2 Qb6+ 19. Kh1 Ne3 20. Bxe3 Qxe3 21. fxe4 dxe4) 18... Bf6 19. Rb1 Bc3 20. Rf1 Qb6+ 21. Kh1 e3 22. g4 Qc7 23. gxf5 Qf4 { As soon as this move happened, I started swearing loudly in my head. I really thought I was completely lost, and there was no way to protect h2. I never even considered Bb2, which is a complete shame. Granted, it's not like my LSB looks like it'll be doing anything ever, but still. } 24. Bxe3?? (24. Bb2 $7 Be5 25. Bxe5 Qxe5) 24... Qxe3 25. Qd3 { Trading queens was another mistake here. I was just exhausted after what felt like constantly defending though and wanted to relieve some of the pressure. But clearly I should first focus on my pawns. And look at this structure I'm going into... } 25... Qxd3 $15 26. exd3 Bxf5 27. Rfd1 d4 { I was actually slightly happy about d4. That dark square bishop just lost a lot of its movement. Instead, I think he should have rushed to attack d3. } (27... Re8 28. f4 Re3 (28... Re2 29. Rb3 d4) 29. Bf1) 28. Kg1 Re8 29. Kf2 { I offered a draw here, I don't think he heard me. } 29... Re3 30. Bf1 g5 31. Be2 h6 (31... h5 32. Rg1 (32. Rf1) 32... Bxd3 33. Rxg5+ { I was thinking about this line but i hadn't considered that Rxg5 would come with check. }) 32. Rb3 Re7 33. Rxc3 { I felt like I just had to release the bind at this point. } 33... dxc3 34. Rc1 Kf7 35. Rxc3 Ke6 { So, throughout this end game, one thing I should have considered is a much faster d4/f4. My light squared bishop is not playing at all atm, and it's definitely my worst piece. Also, I make a fatal flaw later by placing more pawns on light squares. } 36. Rc5 (36. d4 Kd6 37. Rc5 Be6) 36... Kf6 (36... Bg6 37. d4 Be8 { Didn't think of Re5+ here trading down. }) 37. b5 cxb5 38. Rxb5 Rc7 39. a4 b6 (39... Rc3 40. Rxb7 Bxd3 41. Bxd3 Rxd3 42. Rxa7 Ra3) 40. a5 Bd7 (40... Rc2 41. axb6 Bxd3 42. b7 $7 (42. bxa7? Rxe2+ 43. Kg3 Ra2) 42... Bxb5 43. b8=Q Rxe2+ 44. Kg3) 41. axb6 Bxb5 42. bxc7 Ba6 43. d4 Bc8 { I honestly had about a two minute think about how simple this was with just Ba6 and promote. Then laughed and hated myself for how stupid that was. I offered a second draw here. We were winding down - definitely past hour 3 at this point and very few people left in the club. He mentioned he wanted to play it out and see. Thankfully though, perhaps my fast play combined with the earlier draw offer made him not consider his winning ideas later. } 44. Ke3 (44. Ba6?? Bxa6 45. c8=Q Bxc8) 44... Ke6 45. Bc4+ (45. f4! gxf4+ (45... g4 46. Bxg4+ Ke7 47. Bxc8) 46. Kxf4 Kd6 47. Bc4 Kxc7 48. Ke5 a5 49. Kf6 h5 50. h4 $10) 45... Kd7 46. Ke4 Bb7+ { The computer still says draw here, but it's definitely harder than it looks. } 47. d5 (47. Ke3 { Probably best. Accept my Ke4 was a bad idea. }) 47... Kxc7 48. Ke5 Kd7 49. Bb5+ Kd8 50. f4 { Computer is still 0.00. However, I am sacing a pawn for no clear reason. I think better was: } (50. Bc4 a5 51. f4 gxf4 52. Kxf4 { and defend the pawn. }) 50... gxf4 51. Kxf4 (51. Be2 $7 { to hold 0.00 }) 51... Bxd5 52. Kg4 Bf7 53. h4 a5 54. Kf4 (54. Kf5 Be8 55. Bc4 a4 56. Kf6 Bd7 57. Kg6 Ke7 58. Kxh6 Kf6 { Entombed king isn't any good. }) 54... Ke7 55. Ke4 Bb3 56. Kd4 a4 { Even here I still thought I was okay. However, it's not as clear. } 57. Kc3 Bd1 58. Kb4 Kf6 59. Be8 Kf5 60. Ka3 { All I can do is shuffle and hope to sac for the H pawn. However, it's not possible. } 60... Kg4 61. Kb4 Kxh4 62. Ka3 Kg5 (62... Kg4 63. Kb4 Kg5 64. Ka3 Bh5 65. Bxa4 Bg6 66. Bd1 Bf5! 67. Kb4 Bg4 68. Bc2 h5 69. Be4 h4 70. Bb7 h3 71. Ba6 h2 72. Bb7) 63. Kb4 h5?? { However, as I was just replying with my shuffling very quickly, he wasn't really thinking. It's not to say this is the only drawing move, there are a few others. } (63... a3 $10 64. Kxa3 Bh5 65. Bc6 Bg6 66. Kb4 Kf4 67. Kc3 Ke3 68. Kc4 h5 69. Bd7 h4 70. Kc3 Kf4 71. Kd2 Bf5 (71... Kg3 72. Ke3 Bh5 73. Bc8 Bg4 74. Bxg4 Kxg4 75. Kf2 h3 76. Kg1)) (63... Bc2 64. Kc3 Bb3 65. Kb2 Bd1 66. Ka2 Bc2 67. Ka3 Bg6 68. Ka2 a3 69. Ka1 a2 70. Kb2 a1=B+ 71. Ka2 Bxe8) 64. Bxh5 Kxh5 65. Ka3 Kg4 66. Kb2 Kf4 67. Ka3 Ke3 68. Kb2 Kd2 69. Ka1 Kc1 { At this point we agreed draw. I had a moment of panic in my mind though right before he said yes, in that for whatever reason my knowledge that "this is clearly a draw" went out the window when my mind thought: } (69... Kc2 70. Ka2 Kc1 { and for whatever reason i wouldnt be able to go back to a1. Hahah. } 71. Ka1 $10 (71. Ka3?? Kb1)) *