[Event "13TH ANNUAL DES MOINES FALL CLASSIC"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/Kvfo9Uhx/qrOGUHMx"] [Date "2022.11.19"] [Round "5"] [White "Kosokin, Valeriy"] [Black "Elam, CJ"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2261"] [BlackElo "1551"] [Annotator "Elam, CJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C00"] [Opening "French Defense: Orthoschnapp Gambit"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Kvfo9Uhx/qrOGUHMx"] [Orientation "white"] { This was my last game and the highest rated player I'd played. I was happy with how I'd played so far and really hoping for a win. } 1. e4 e6 2. c4 d5 { White has already taken me out of my comfort zone, but this move is generally good. } 3. cxd5 exd5 4. Qb3 Nf6 { I knew that capturing on e4 led to more complications, and was not remembering the specifics. } (4... dxe4 5. Bc4 Qd7 6. d3 Nc6 7. dxe4 Na5 8. Qc2 Nxc4 9. Qxc4 b5 10. Qc2 Bb7 $15 { 0-1 (37) Jobava,B (2603)-Bluebaum,M (2674) chess.com INT 2021 }) 5. e5 Ne4 6. d4 Nc6 { [The choice to not undermine White's center seems very...un-French] } (6... c5 7. Bb5+ Nc6 8. Ne2 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Bd7 10. Be3 a6 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Nc3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 $15) 7. Bb5 Be7 8. f3 Ng5 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Nge2 a6 11. Bd3 Ne6 12. Be3 (12. Qxd5 Nexd4 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Be3 c5) 12... Nxe5?? (12... Nexd4! 13. Bxd4 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 c5! 15. Nxd5 (15. Nde2 c4 16. Bxh7+ Kxh7 17. Qc2+ g6) 15... cxd4) 13. dxe5 d4 14. Rd1! { I missed this resource. } 14... dxe3 15. Bxh7+ Kxh7 16. Rxd8 Rxd8 { I thought I was still okay in this position because it looks like I can get my pieces more active soon and I have the bishop pair. } 17. Ne4 a5 { My plan was to wait to play ...b7-b6 because I wanted to play to use the a6 square for my bishop to pressure White's king. } 18. Qxe3 Bb4+ 19. N2c3 Nd4 20. O-O b6 21. Ng5+ Kg8 22. Qf4 Bf5 23. Qh4 Bc5 24. Kh1 Be7 25. g4?? (25. Qg3 $16 { [If White managed to break the pin in time, he should have remained clearly better.] }) 25... Bd3 26. Rf2 (26. Rd1 Nxf3 27. Qg3 Nxg5 28. Rxd3 Rxd3 29. Qxd3 Ne6) 26... Ne6 27. f4 b5 { The best way to use the bishop pair involved controlling the e4-square. } 28. Qg3 Nxg5 (28... Bxg5 { Apparently I had winning chances after this move, but I was happy to see a clear path to a draw here. } 29. fxg5 b4 30. Ne2 Be4+ 31. Kg1 Rd3 32. Qh4 Rad8) 29. fxg5 b4 30. Qf3 bxc3 31. Qxf7+ Kh8 32. Qh5+ (32. Qxe7?? Be4+ 33. Kg1 Rd1+ 34. Rf1 Rxf1+ 35. Kxf1 cxb2 $19) 32... Kg8 33. Qf7+ Kh8 34. Qh5+ { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2