[Event "CHESS ZONE MARCH ACTION"] [Date "2025.03.15"] [Round "4.1"] [White "BRAD, Lathrop"] [Black "KEVIN, ROJAS"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1948"] [BlackElo "1971"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D02"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: London System"] [StudyName "CZN: March 2025"] [ChapterName "CZN: Lathrop vs Rojas"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/beQPWIvY/39EsFjkn"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/stingo1964"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { [%eval 0.17] } 1... d5 { [%eval 0.2] } 2. Bf4 { [%eval 0.0] } 2... Nf6 { [%eval 0.12] } 3. Nf3 { [%eval 0.02] } 3... Bf5 { [%eval 0.12] } 4. e3 { [%eval 0.12] } 4... e6 { [%eval 0.13] } 5. Nbd2 { [%eval 0.13] } 5... c5 { [%eval 0.18] } 6. c3 { [%eval 0.0] } 6... Qb6 { [%eval 0.0] } 7. Qb3 { [%eval -0.14] } 7... c4 { [%eval -0.08] } 8. Qxb6 { [%eval -0.17] } 8... axb6 { [%eval -0.08] } 9. Be2 { [%eval -0.35] } 9... h6 { [%eval -0.17] } { Unnecessary with the queens off the board. } 10. O-O { [%eval -0.44] } 10... Nc6 { [%eval -0.19] } 11. h3 { [%eval -0.33] } 11... Be7 { [%eval -0.38] } 12. b3?! { [%eval -1.4] } { Inaccuracy. a3 was best. } { This just invites trouble. While it is hard to find a plan for White, but creating a half-open file will make things easier for Black and is just inviting trouble. } (12. a3 b5 13. g4 Bh7 14. Rac1 Nd7 15. Bd1 Bd3 16. Re1 Nb6 17. Bc2 Na4) 12... Bd3?! { [%eval -0.38] } { Inaccuracy. b5 was best. } { But not this kind of trouble! Better would have been to activate the dark-square bishop to a3 with the threat of .... Bb2. } (12... b5 13. bxc4 bxc4 14. a4 O-O 15. Ne5 Ra6 16. Nxc6 bxc6 17. Ra2 Rfa8 18. Rfa1) 13. Bxd3 { [%eval -0.39] } 13... cxd3 { [%eval -0.41] } 14. Rfd1 { [%eval -0.5] } 14... Ne4? { [%eval 0.8] } { Mistake. O-O was best. } (14... O-O 15. a4 Rfc8 16. b4 Bf8 17. Kf1 Ne4 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Nd2 Ne7 20. Nxe4) 15. Nxe4 { [%eval 0.73] } 15... dxe4 { [%eval 0.69] } 16. Nd2 { [%eval 0.81] } 16... f5 { [%eval 0.7] } { Black probably feels he has a comfortable position here, but his pawn structure is about to suffer badly. } 17. f3 { [%eval 0.71] } 17... exf3 { [%eval 0.71] } 18. Nxf3 { [%eval 0.8] } 18... Ra3 { [%eval 1.31] } 19. Rxd3 { [%eval 1.38] } 19... O-O { [%eval 1.41] } 20. Ne5? { [%eval 0.18] } { Mistake. d5 was best. } (20. d5 exd5 21. Rxd5 Bf6 22. Nd4 Ra5 23. Rxa5 bxa5 24. Rd1 a4 25. Nxf5 Bxc3) 20... Rfa8 { [%eval 0.16] } 21. Nc4 { [%eval -0.01] } 21... Rxa2 { [%eval 0.08] } 22. Rxa2 { [%eval 0.0] } 22... Rxa2 { [%eval 0.01] } 23. Nxb6 { [%eval 0.0] } 23... Rb2 { [%eval 0.21] } 24. b4 { [%eval -0.03] } { A better option was 24.d5, allowing the rook to become seriously annoying. With the text, the rook remains passive. } 24... Rb3 { [%eval -0.03] } 25. Rd1 { [%eval -0.03] } 25... Rxc3 { [%eval -0.06] } 26. b5 { [%eval -0.27] } 26... Nb4 { [%eval -0.23] } 27. Ra1 { [%eval -0.26] } 27... g5 { [%eval -0.13] } 28. Be5 { [%eval -0.2] } 28... Rxe3 { [%eval 0.03] } 29. Ra7?? { [%eval -2.3] } { Blunder. Ra8+ was best. } (29. Ra8+ Kf7 30. Ra7 g4 31. hxg4 fxg4 32. Kh2 Bh4 33. Rxb7+ Kg6 34. Rg7+ Kh5) 29... Rxe5! { [%eval -2.3] } { There is a tactical subtlety here. Had White checked first with 29. Ra8+, there would have been a pin after 30. Ra7. Now however, the game is over. } 30. dxe5 { [%eval -2.28] } 30... Bc5+ { [%eval -2.25] } 31. Kf1 { [%eval -2.23] } 31... Bxb6 { [%eval -2.38] } 32. Rxb7 { [%eval -2.37] } 32... Nd5 { [%eval -2.21] } 33. Rb8+ { [%eval -2.51] } 33... Kg7 { [%eval -2.37] } 34. Rb7+ { [%eval -2.79] } 34... Kg6 { [%eval -2.64] } 35. Rb8 { [%eval -2.93] } 35... f4 { [%eval -2.99] } 36. Rg8+ { [%eval -3.14] } 36... Kf5 { [%eval -3.23] } { As they say, the rest is technique. } 37. Rh8 { [%eval -2.98] } 37... Kxe5 { [%eval -2.8] } 38. Rxh6? { [%eval -5.31] } { Mistake. Ke2 was best. } (38. Ke2 Kd4 39. Rxh6 e5 40. Rh5 e4 41. Rxg5 f3+ 42. gxf3 Nf4+ 43. Kd2 e3+) 38... Ne3+ { [%eval -5.28] } 39. Ke2 { [%eval -5.09] } 39... Nxg2 { [%eval -4.87] } 40. Kf3?? { [%eval #-28] } { Checkmate is now unavoidable. Rh5 was best. } (40. Rh5 Ke4 41. Rxg5 f3+ 42. Kf1 Ne3+ 43. Ke1 e5 44. Rg6 Nc4 45. Rf6 Ke3) 40... Nh4+ { [%eval -8.18] } 41. Ke2? { [%eval #-16] } { Checkmate is now unavoidable. Kg4 was best. } (41. Kg4 f3 42. Rxh4 gxh4 43. Kxf3 Kf5 44. Ke2 e5 45. Kd3 e4+ 46. Kc4 e3) 41... f3+ { [%eval #-13] } 42. Kd3 { [%eval #-12] } 42... f2 { [%eval #-11] } 43. Ke2 { [%eval #-11] } 43... Nf5 { [%eval #-13] } { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1