[Event "Import"] [Site "https://lichess.org/7W17Bk46"] [Date "2017.07.10"] [Round "-"] [White "Andersen, Dag (1862)"] [Black "Beckett, Christopher J (2132)"] [Result "0-1"] [TimeControl "-"] [Termination "Normal"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C41"] [Opening "Philidor Defense: Lion Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/chrisbeckett"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Z2xlZUas/fqoPjed5"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. O-O c6 8. a3 b5 9. Ba2 O-O 10. Qe2 a5 11. Rd1 Qc7 12. Bg5 Nc5 13. Nd2 Be6 14. Bxe6 Nxe6 15. Be3 Rfd8 16. Rac1 Nc5 17. f3 Ne6 18. Qf2 Nd4 19. Nb3 c5 20. Bxd4 cxd4 21. Nxb5 Qc4 22. Qf1 Qxf1+ 23. Kxf1 a4 24. Nd2 Rab8 25. c4 dxc3 26. Nxc3 Rxb2 27. Nc4 Rxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Rc2 29. Rd3 Nh5 30. Ne3 Rc1+ 31. Ncd1 g6 32. Nd5 Bxa3 33. Rxa3 Rxd1+ 34. Ke2 Rd4 35. g3 f5 36. Nc3 Rb4 37. exf5 Rb2+ 38. Kd3 gxf5 39. Ne2 Rb3+ 40. Rxb3 axb3 41. Kc3 b2 42. Kxb2 $10 { So far, so dull - all my attempts at nurdling any sort of edge have come to naught and, having reached the time control, my opponent shrugged and offered a draw. I did think about it but figured I might as well centralise my king first... } 42... Kf7 43. Kc3 Ke6 44. Kd3 Nf6 45. Nc3 h5 46. h3 Nh7 47. h4 Nf6 { After blitzing out moves either side of the time control my opponent seemed to slow down slightly. Ok it's still totally level but at least I have stopped White from getting in the liquidating g4 for the moment... } 48. Ne2 Kd5 49. Nc3+ Kc5 50. Ne2 Kd5 51. Nc3+ Ke6 52. Ne2 Nd5 53. Ng1 Kf6 54. Nh3 Nb4+ 55. Kc3 Nc6 { Well our mutual knight reroutings have not achieved much but my opponent's obvious frustration - highlighted by a few "What's this English guy doing playing on?" glances exchanged with his friends - gave me renewed optimism. Obviously it's still 0.00 but Black at least is being marginally the more proactive. } 56. Kd3 Ne7 57. Ke3 Ng6 58. Ng5 { I wanted to play f4+ now but felt that Kf2 then gave Black nothing to do but wait for pawns to be swapped off, still the idea stuck... } 58... Ke7 59. Ke2 Kd6 60. Nf7+ Kd5 61. Ng5 Ne7 62. Nh7 Ke6 { Around this point I started to worry that I was being a bit rude playing on but, ultimately I took heart from the words of Blackadder's General Melchett: "If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through." } 63. Ng5+ Kf6 64. Nh7+ Kg6 65. Ng5 Nc8 66. Ke3 Nd6 67. Nh3 Nf7 { f4 here (or actually on most of the last 20 moves) would be an easy draw but White seems reluctant to try anything forcing... } 68. Ke2 Kf6 69. Ke3 Nh8 { Well I have tried nearly everything else } 70. Ng5 Ng6 71. Ke2 f4 { Finally, now if Kf2 I was going to play Kf5, which at least keeps up the masquerade that I'm making progress. Luckily, my opponent now decided the time was ripe to be more active. } 72. Ne4+ Kf5 73. Kf2 Ne7 74. Nd6+ Ke6 75. Ne8? { No need for this at all. White's clearly hoping to try and apply some pressure himself but this is where his frustration begins to throw the draw away } 75... Nf5! 76. gxf4 exf4 77. Nc7+ Kd6 78. Nb5+ Ke5 { The h pawn is falling. It's still a draw but White's task has become harder and, having raised his eyebrows at my refusal of the draw offer 30-odd moves ago, psychologically the pressure is all on my opponent. } 79. Nc3 Nxh4 80. Ne2 Nf5 81. Ng1 Ng3? { A bad move played quickly - manoeuvring the knight via e3 was much better. As it stands, White's pieces are well-placed to defend my extra pawn. } 82. Nh3 Kf5 83. Kg2 Ne2 84. Kf2 { Returning the favour - much better to stick the knight on f2 where it can jump in and out of e4 and a draw should be inevitable. } 84... Nd4 85. Kg2 Ne6 86. Kf2 Ke5 { With my knight keeping its opposite number at bay it's time to go on a king march... } 87. Ke2 Kd4 88. Kd2 Kc4 89. Ke2 { Nothing wrong with Kc2, if the f pawns go I have no hope of a win. Again, my opponent's reluctance to mix it up gives me reason to keep pushing. } 89... Kc3 90. Kf2?? { Just horrible - there was no need to give ground. Nf2 is still drawing, although I'd dare say I'd have kept trying for a bit longer... } 90... Kd2 91. Kg2 Ke2 92. Ng1+ Ke3 { Zugzwang's coming... } 93. Nh3 Nd4? { Very sloppy, h4 simply wins as White runs out of moves and f3 falls. Luckily my opponent fails to punish me... } 94. Ng5? { Handing back the win - instead Nf2 claws back the draw, the main idea being that taking on f3 allows a check on d1 and 94....Nf5 95. Ne4 Nh4+ 96. Kh3 Nxf3 97. Nf6 holds comfortably } 94... h4! { The f3 pawn falls, but this time on Black's terms } 95. Ne4 Nxf3 96. Nf2 Ng5 { 0-1 White resigns. } { And my opponent was sporting enough not to squeeze my hand too hard } 0-1