[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/nQwyoOjT"] [Date "2020.09.26"] [White "randyhough"] [Black "axel_muller"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1790"] [BlackElo "1901"] [BlackTitle "NM"] [TimeControl "1500+10"] [Termination "Normal"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/axel_muller"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A61"] [Opening "Benoni Defense: Knight's Tour Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/EhSTvQbl/O7QlJVRz"] [Orientation "black"] 1. d4 { [%clk 0:25:00] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 0:25:00] } 2. c4 { [%clk 0:25:06] } 2... e6 { What opening are we going to see in this game? So far, black keeps his options open. } { [%clk 0:25:03] } 3. Nf3! { Randy mixes things up without leaving his comfort zone. } { [%clk 0:25:14] } (3. g3!? { Was the move employed by Randy in our last encounters. Not moving any of the knights has several benefits. Black can't go for the Nimzo- or Queen's-Indian defenses and the Bogo-Indian is no longer a great choice either. But limiting black's choice comes at a price. White committed to a fianchetto before black revealed his opening ideas. } 3... c5 { was the move I played in our last encounter. The Benoni is a risky opening but the fianchetto system is probably not the most challenging setup for white. } 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 Bd6!? { The Snake Benoni—the most challenging setups are no longer at white's disposal with a pawn on g3. }) 3... c5?! { The ?! was awarded because I gambled here, hoping for the fianchetto system. } { [%clk 0:25:09] } (3... d5 4. g3 { and he still gets his Catalan. }) 4. d5 { [%clk 0:25:21] } 4... exd5 { [%clk 0:25:17] } 5. cxd5 { [%clk 0:25:27] } 5... d6 { [%clk 0:25:26] } (5... Bd6 { The Snake was still an option. }) 6. Nc3 { [%clk 0:25:27] } 6... g6 { [%cal Gg2g3] [%clk 0:25:34] } 7. Nd2 { Aiming to get to c4 asap. } { [%clk 0:25:32] } (7. g3 { is a calm and reasonable approach to the Benoni. The ensuing fight will be complex but not too crazy. }) 7... Bg7 { [%clk 0:25:40] } 8. Nc4 { [%clk 0:25:38] } 8... O-O { [%clk 0:25:37] } 9. Bg5 { [%clk 0:25:45] } 9... h6 { [%clk 0:25:29] } 10. Bh4 { [%clk 0:25:51] } 10... g5? { My lack of familiarity with this kind of positions shows. Better was } { [%clk 0:25:17] } (10... Na6 11. e3 Nc7 12. a4 b6) 11. Bg3 { [%clk 0:25:58] } 11... Ne8 { [%clk 0:25:11] } 12. a4? { [%clk 0:25:43] } (12. e4 { Takes care of f5 and white is much better here. }) 12... f5 { [%clk 0:24:46] } 13. h4 { [%clk 0:23:35] } 13... f4 { [%clk 0:24:33] } 14. Bh2 { The position is about as unbalanced as can be. How should black proceed? Should I try to get a knight to b4 or e5? Is g4 a good move? What about Bg4 to pin the e-pawn? Lots of candidate moves and no obvious choice. } { [%clk 0:23:42] } 14... Na6 { I didn't find a satisfying answer to the questions after spending a quarter of my time. So I forced myself to be practical and just go with one of the options. } { [%clk 0:17:35] } 15. hxg5 { [%clk 0:23:12] } 15... hxg5 { [%clk 0:17:42] } 16. g3 { [%clk 0:21:51] } 16... f3? { Black is not ready for this. } { [%clk 0:16:56] } (16... Nb4 { was a safer and better choice. }) 17. exf3 { [%clk 0:21:34] } 17... Bf5 { [%clk 0:16:05] } 18. Bd3 { [%clk 0:20:33] } 18... Bxd3 { [%clk 0:14:01] } 19. Qxd3 { [%clk 0:20:39] } 19... Nb4 { [%clk 0:14:09] } 20. Qe2 { [%clk 0:19:38] } 20... Qf6 { [%clk 0:09:42] } (20... Bxc3+ { This didn't appeal to me. } 21. bxc3 Qf6 22. O-O Nxd5 { I retrieve my pawn but my position is horrible. }) 21. O-O-O { [%clk 0:18:40] } (21. f4! { was worth considering. }) 21... Nc7? { [%csl Ge6] [%clk 0:09:19] } (21... Qxf3 { Simple and good. There is no need to prevent Qe6. } 22. Qe6+ Rf7 $17) 22. Ne4 { [%clk 0:17:51] } 22... Qxf3 { [%clk 0:09:04] } 23. Qxf3 { [%clk 0:17:35] } 23... Rxf3 { [%clk 0:09:14] } 24. Nxg5?? { [%clk 0:16:42] } 24... Rxf2?? { Objectively speaking this move is ok. But I should at least have entertained the idea of playing } { [%clk 0:08:13] } (24... Bh6) 25. Kb1 { [%clk 0:15:21] } (25. Rd2 Raf8) 25... Ncxd5?! { [%cal Gd5e3] [%clk 0:07:37] } (25... Re8 { makes sure all of black's pieces are active. }) 26. Ne4 { [%clk 0:13:46] } 26... Rg2 { [%clk 0:05:46] } 27. Rd2 { [%clk 0:12:21] } 27... Rxd2 { [%clk 0:05:48] } 28. Nexd2 { [%clk 0:12:14] } 28... Nd3 { [%clk 0:05:11] } 29. g4 { [%clk 0:11:57] } 29... Re8 { [%clk 0:04:51] } 30. Bxd6 { [%clk 0:11:48] } 30... Re2 { [%clk 0:04:53] } 31. Kc2 { [%clk 0:08:54] } 31... N5b4+ { [%clk 0:04:59] } 32. Kb3 { [%clk 0:07:48] } (32. Kd1 { was more prudent. }) 32... b6 { [%clk 0:03:46] } 33. g5 { [%clk 0:07:29] } 33... Rg2? { Taking on b2 with any piece was stronger } { [%clk 0:03:10] } 34. Be7?? { [%clk 0:07:02] } 34... Rh2 { cute, but better was Rg3 } { [%clk 0:03:04] } (34... Rg3! { How does white defend against Nc1? } 35. Ka3 { doesn't help. } 35... Nc1+ 36. b3 Nc2#) 35. Rf1 { [%clk 0:06:27] } (35. Rxh2 { I didn't expect Randy to fall into this trap. } 35... Nc1+ 36. Ka3 Nc2#) 35... Rf2? { [%clk 0:03:08] } 36. Rh1 { [%clk 0:06:23] } (36. Bf6 { and white holds easily. }) 36... Rh2 { [%clk 0:03:14] } 37. Rf1 { [%clk 0:06:30] } (37. Rxh2 Nc1+ 38. Ka3 Nc2#) 37... Rf2 { [%clk 0:03:23] } (37... Rh3 { occupying the third rank was still a good choice, unfortunately, not as strong as before because white controls the f3 square now. }) 38. Rh1 { [%clk 0:06:38] } (38. Re1) 38... Re2 { [%clk 0:03:32] } 39. Bf6 { [%clk 0:06:08] } 39... a6 { [%clk 0:02:37] } 40. Rd1 { [%clk 0:04:14] } 40... b5 { [%clk 0:02:12] } 41. axb5 { [%clk 0:04:18] } 41... axb5 { [%clk 0:02:20] } 42. Nd6 { [%clk 0:03:45] } 42... c4+? { [%csl Gc4] [%clk 0:01:58] } (42... Nf2 { directly keeps black's winning chances alive. }) 43. Kc3? { White misses the chance to remove black's pawns. } { [%clk 0:03:17] } (43. N6xc4) (43. N2xc4 bxc4+ 44. Nxc4 Bf8 { This should be a draw. } 45. g6 { but black can also try to lose this position } 45... Bc5?? 46. Rh1) 43... Na2+ { [%clk 0:01:26] } 44. Kc2 { [%clk 0:02:15] } 44... Nab4+ { [%clk 0:01:12] } 45. Kb1 { [%clk 0:02:13] } (45. Kc3 { Now black shouldn't repeat moves but play } 45... Nd5+ 46. Kd4 Nxb2) 45... Nf2 { [%clk 0:01:11] } 46. Rf1 { [%clk 0:01:31] } 46... Rxd2 { [%clk 0:01:11] } 47. Ne8 { [%clk 0:01:23] } 47... Bxf6 { [%clk 0:00:56] } 48. Nxf6+ { [%clk 0:01:26] } 48... Kf7?? { [%clk 0:01:03] } (48... Kg7 49. Nh5+ Kg6 50. Nf4+ Kxg5) 49. Re1?? { Now it's all over. To be fair we both were down to one minute ... } { [%clk 0:01:24] } (49. Ne4 { I missed this move. } 49... Rd1+ 50. Rxd1 Nxd1 51. Nd6+ Kg6 52. Nxb5 { And this should be a draw. }) 49... Nfd3 { [%clk 0:00:54] } 50. Rh1 { [%clk 0:00:41] } 50... Rxb2+ { [%clk 0:00:59] } 51. Ka1 { Being a true gentleman, Randy allows me to give checkmate with a knight. } { [%clk 0:00:46] } 51... Nc2# { 0-1 Black wins by checkmate. } { [%clk 0:00:57] } 0-1