[Event "msmith_ms's Study: Hayward v Haldane 2020"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/socvKKi0/33pJ1oyA"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C26"] [Opening "Vienna Game: Mieses Variation, Erben Gambit"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/msmith_ms"] [StudyName "msmith_ms's Study"] [ChapterName "Hayward v Haldane 2020"] [UTCDate "2020.10.19"] [UTCTime "16:46:12"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/socvKKi0/33pJ1oyA"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { Game played by Alan Hayward (White) and Robin Haldane (Black) at two moves per day by text in October and November 2020. Comments below by Alan Hayward } 1... e5 2. Nc3 { We agreed not to play an opening that we usually play } 2... Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. exd5 c6 { After 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 nf6 3 c4 in the Scandinavian, I always play 3 ... c6, so I wasn't going to take the pawn } 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 cxd5 7. Bg5 Be7 8. O-O-O Nc6 9. Qd2 d4 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Ne4 Be7 12. f3 { Now my knight has a retreat square } 12... f5 { A typical attacking move by Robin followed by a pawn sacrifice } 13. Nf2 Be6 14. Kb1 Nb4 15. a3 Nd5 16. Qxd4 Bf6 17. Qa4+ Kf7 18. Ngh3 Qc7 19. Rxd5 { I have a couple of books with chapters on the exchange sacrifice and wanted to look at them, but felt that would be cheating } 19... Bxd5 20. Nf4 Qb6 21. Nd1 Bc6 { If 21 ... Be6, 22 Nxe6 Kxe6 23 Bc4+ and the Black king is too exposed } 22. Qc4+ Kf8 23. Bd3 Bd7 24. Nd5 Qd6 25. N1e3 b5 26. Qb3 g6 27. g4 f4 28. Nxf6 Qxf6 29. Qb4+ Qe7 30. Qxf4+ Qf7 31. Qc7 Be8 { In a difficult position, I felt this may not be the best move } 32. Qe5 { I now have a knight and 3 pawns for a rook and an exposed king, but did not find winning the game easy } 32... Qg7 33. Qd5 Rc8 34. Bxb5 Bxb5 35. Qxb5 Qd4 36. Qb7 Re8 37. Nd5 Rg8 38. Qc6 Kf7 39. g5 Rg7 40. Nc3 { 40 Nf6 was tempting, but more important to get the Rook in play } 40... Re6 41. Qb7+ Kf8 42. Qc8+ Re8 43. Qc6 Rge7 44. Ne4 { Change of plan, must block the file } 44... Re6 45. Qc7 R8e7 46. Qf4+ Kg7 47. Qc1 { My favourite move of the game and probably a good one, castling with the queen, although I did not see it before this point } 47... Rb7 48. b3 Rc6 49. Ka2 a5 50. Rd1 Qe5 51. a4 Qxh2 52. Qb2+ { The long diagonal must be worth more than the h pawn } 52... Kf7 53. Rd2 Qc7 54. c4 { Now Black cannot do much } 54... Rb8 55. Nf6 Rd6 56. Nd5 Qb7 57. Rh2 Kg8 58. Re2 Rxd5 59. cxd5 { Now if 59 ... Qxd5 60 Re7 wins } 59... Rd8 60. Re5 Qf7 61. Qe2 Kf8 62. Re6 Qc7 63. Rf6+ Kg7 64. Rc6 Qf7 65. d6 { I thought that it was a slight advantage having nearly 24 hours for every other move and did not see this move until after about 22 hours } 65... Re8 66. Qc4 Qxf3 67. Rc7+ Kf8 68. Qd4 Re2+ { I expected 68 ... Qe2+ 69 Ka3 Qe5, but after70 Qxe5 Rxe5 71 Rc8+ followed by 72 d7 wins a rook for a pawn } 69. Ka3 { Black resigned } *