[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/y6HHtudY"] [Date "2021.03.06"] [White "Gambit_Guy"] [Black "ArtemAleksenko"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2078"] [BlackElo "1654"] [TimeControl "3600+10"] [Termination "Normal"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B02"] [Opening "Alekhine Defense: Sämisch Attack"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/axel_muller"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/WpkjLb7s/gKz94LIV"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:00:00] } 1... Nf6 { The Alekhine defense is on the board. Let the chase begin. } { [%clk 1:00:00] } 2. e5 { [%clk 1:00:07] } 2... Nd5 { [%clk 1:00:07] } 3. Nc3 { Saemisch attack! A favorite of non other than Michael Tal! } { [%clk 1:00:15] } 3... c6 { [%clk 0:59:01] } (3... Nxc3 4. dxc3 { gives white a bit too much easy development } (4. bxc3 d5 5. Ba3 { results in a cramped position for Black })) 4. d4 { [%clk 0:58:59] } 4... d6 { [%clk 0:59:00] } 5. Nf3 { [%clk 0:58:20] } 5... Bg4 { [%clk 0:58:48] } 6. exd6 { [%clk 0:58:07] } 6... Nxc3 { exd6 seems like the best option. White trades a pawn structure imbalance for space and development } { [%clk 0:56:32] } 7. bxc3 { [%clk 0:58:07] } 7... Qxd6 { [%clk 0:56:10] } 8. Be2 { [%clk 0:55:12] } 8... Nd7 { [%clk 0:51:07] } 9. O-O { [%clk 0:54:36] } 9... g6 { [%clk 0:48:21] } 10. Rb1 { [%clk 0:53:34] } 10... b6 { [%clk 0:42:54] } 11. h3 { [%clk 0:50:45] } 11... Bxf3 { [%clk 0:42:38] } 12. Bxf3 { [%clk 0:50:52] } 12... Bg7 { [%clk 0:42:11] } 13. Re1 { [%clk 0:48:56] } 13... O-O { [%clk 0:42:11] } 14. Rb3 { That is a bit too lonely of a rook lift. The queenside is the right place for white deploy his forces, but there are more coordinated ways to do this. } (14. Bg5 { seems to be a bit more natural, going after the dark squares }) (14. a4 { using the vulnerable queenside hook and unleashing the light squared bishop also seems reasonable for white }) 14... Rac8 { [%clk 0:41:51] } 15. Ba3 { [%clk 0:45:22] } 15... c5 { Black manages to avoid queenside trouble for now } { [%clk 0:41:15] } 16. dxc5 { Pieces fly off the board and white's development advantage dissipates } { [%clk 0:45:20] } 16... Qxd1 { [%clk 0:41:21] } 17. Bxd1 { [%clk 0:45:19] } 17... Nxc5 { [%clk 0:40:58] } 18. Bxc5 { [%clk 0:44:49] } 18... Rxc5 { [%clk 0:41:01] } 19. Rxe7 { The e-file rook has been promoted to a pig [of the seventh rank], but white has a bankrank weakness of his own. } { [%clk 0:44:44] } 19... Ra5 { [%clk 0:39:17] } 20. c4 { [%clk 0:38:38] } 20... Rxa2 { [%clk 0:38:27] } 21. Rd3 { [%clk 0:38:38] } 21... Ra1 { [%clk 0:35:38] } 22. Rb7 { glues the position together and hopes for a second pig promotion } { [%clk 0:34:45] } (22. Kh2 a5 23. Rb7 a4 24. Rxb6 a3 25. Ra6 a2 { is actually fine for white, but looks super scary }) (22. Rdd7 Bf6 { just forces a retreat }) 22... Re8 { [%clk 0:32:07] } 23. Kh2 { [%clk 0:34:42] } 23... h5 { opening up an escape valve } { [%clk 0:26:13] } 24. Rdd7 { [%clk 0:26:43] } 24... Re1 { [%clk 0:23:56] } 25. Bf3 { [%clk 0:26:35] } 25... Be5+ { The back rank weakness culminates in this very anti-climactic sequence, where as scary as it looks, there is nothing to worry about for white. } { [%clk 0:24:01] } (25... Rh1+ 26. Kg3 Be5+ 27. Kh4 Bf6+ { The King can indeed just run and black only gets a three-fold repetition, not mate as he had hoped }) 26. g3 { [%clk 0:26:32] } 26... h4 { [%clk 0:18:06] } (26... Rf1 27. Kg2 Rg1+ 28. Kh2 Rgf1 29. Kg2 { Another three-fold repetition. Black was so close! }) 27. Rxf7 { [%clk 0:19:35] } 27... hxg3+ { [%clk 0:18:07] } 28. fxg3 { [%clk 0:19:41] } 28... Rf1 { [%clk 0:14:31] } 29. Bd5 { [%clk 0:19:36] } 29... Rxf7 { [%clk 0:11:23] } 30. Rxf7 { [%clk 0:19:36] } 30... Kh8 { [%clk 0:11:20] } 31. Re7 { [%clk 0:17:27] } 31... Bd4 { [%clk 0:09:39] } (31... Re1 32. Re8+ Kh7 33. Kg2 { was much better, still a draw seems in the cards }) 32. h4 { [%clk 0:14:40] } 32... a5 { [%clk 0:09:20] } 33. Kh3 { [%clk 0:11:45] } 33... a4 { [%clk 0:09:28] } 34. Kg4 { [%clk 0:09:51] } 34... Bc5 { [%clk 0:08:34] } 35. Ra7 { [%clk 0:09:21] } 35... Be3 { [%clk 0:08:09] } 36. Be4 { Black should be worried about the pawn minority on the kingside. White has a pretty straightforward way to generate a fast-moving passed pawn on the kindside. } { [%clk 0:08:42] } (36. h5 gxh5+ 37. Kxh5 { And now the g-pawn has a red carpet laid out for her all the way to the 8th rank }) 36... a3 { [%clk 0:06:54] } 37. Bxg6 { [%clk 0:08:00] } 37... a2 { [%clk 0:06:59] } (37... b5 { would have mobilized the queenside pawns with tempo, but both players are low on time here }) 38. h5 { [%clk 0:06:51] } 38... Bd2 { [%clk 0:07:07] } 39. Bd3 { [%clk 0:04:17] } 39... Kg8 { [%clk 0:07:06] } 40. Be4 { [%clk 0:03:01] } 40... Ba5 { [%clk 0:07:05] } 41. Bd5+ { [%clk 0:02:44] } 41... Kf8 { [%clk 0:07:02] } 42. c5 { White finds the winning idea with very little time on the clock. The Black's rook blockade doesn't work, and queenside pawns look unstoppable for White. } { [%clk 0:02:45] } 42... Rc1 { [%clk 0:04:52] } 43. Bxa2 { [%clk 0:02:11] } 43... Rxc2 { [%clk 0:05:01] } 44. cxb6 { [%clk 0:01:06] } (44. h6 Rxc5 45. Ra8+ Ke7 46. Rxa5 Rxa5 47. h7 Ra8 48. Bg8 { is completely winning for White, but a difficult combo to spot while low on time. }) 44... Bxb6 { [%clk 0:04:02] } 45. Rf7+ { [%clk 0:00:55] } 45... Ke8 { [%clk 0:04:06] } 46. Be6 { [%clk 0:00:43] } 46... Re2 { [%clk 0:03:37] } 47. Kf5 { [%clk 0:00:40] } 47... Rf2+ { [%clk 0:03:05] } 48. Kg6 { [%clk 0:00:48] } 48... Re2 { [%clk 0:03:07] } (48... Rxf7 49. Bxf7+ Kf8 50. h6 Bd4 51. g4 { and black has good drawing chances }) 49. Bf5 { [%clk 0:00:42] } (49. Bd7+ Kd8 50. h6 { And again White can accomplish a blockade } 50... Rh2 51. h7 Bd4 52. Bf5 Ke8 53. Rg7 Bxg7 54. Kxg7 { completely winning }) 49... Bd4 { [%clk 0:03:10] } 50. h6 { finally, the a pawn is mobile! } { [%clk 0:00:45] } 50... Rh2 { Again, white can shield to promotion square and blockade the Black's pieces from covering. White just needs to get the Rook out of harm's way. } { [%clk 0:02:40] } 51. h7 { [%clk 0:00:52] } (51. Be6 Bc3 52. g4 Bd4 53. g5 Bc3 54. h7 Be5 55. Bf5 Bc3 56. Bg4 Bd4 57. Bh5 Be5 58. Rf6 { Black can't stop promotion }) (51. Bd7+ Kd8 52. g4 Bc3 53. g5 Bb2 54. h7 Bc3 55. Rg7 Bb2 56. Bg4 Bc3 57. Bh5 { all roads lead to Rome, but some roads are seriously long. }) 51... Rh1 { [%clk 0:02:41] } 52. g4 { [%clk 0:00:31] } 52... Rh2 { [%clk 0:02:49] } 53. g5 { [%clk 0:00:23] } 53... Rh1 { [%clk 0:02:54] } 54. Rf6 { Time played a factor in this ending. White finds the blockading move, but misses the Rook sacrifice to force a draw } { [%clk 0:00:24] } 54... Rxh7 { [%clk 0:01:44] } 55. Kxh7 { [%clk 0:00:29] } 55... Bxf6 { [%clk 0:01:53] } 56. gxf6 { [%clk 0:00:38] } 56... Kf7 { [%clk 0:02:01] } 57. Bg6+ { [%clk 0:00:28] } 57... Kxf6 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } { [%clk 0:02:00] } 1/2-1/2