NIC 2023-2024, reeks 5G, ronde 1, 3 december 2023
Oude God 5 – Leuven Centraal 9, bord 1
Wit: Kenneth Cauwenberghs (1535)
Zwart: Pablo Rojas Garcia (NC)
Analysis by Pablo Rojas Garcia
1. d4 e6 2. e4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. O-O Be7 8. Be3 O-O 9. c5 Ne4
Position after 9. … Ne4
10. Nbd2
Much better is 10. Nc3, and then for instance 10. Nc3 Nb4 f5 11. h3 Bh5 12. Qb3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Bxf3 14. gxf3 b6
10. … Nxd2 11. Bxd2
11. Qxd2 Bxf3 12. gxf3 There are interesting ideas in the open column in g1-g8 and both white bishops aiming at my king side. yet it is true white king is insecure. But I consider this line is sharper for white in a sense of activity and threads for a tradeoff of insecurity.
11. … Nxd4 12. b4 Bf6 13. Rb1 Qd7 14. Bf4 Rfe8 15. a4 a6 16. Be3 Nxf3+ 17. gxf3 Bf5 18. Bf4
18. Qc2 Bg6 19. Rbe1 Qh3
18. … c6 19. Qc2 Bg6 20. Rbe1 Qh3 21. Bg3 Bxd3 22. Qxd3 h5 23. Re3 d4 24. Re4 Re6 25. Rfe1 Rae8 26. b5 axb5 27. axb5 h4 28. Bd6 cxb5 29. Rxe6 Rxe6 30. Rxe6 Qxe6
Position after 30. … Qxe6
This is indeed a sharper move. 30… fxe6 31. Qxb5 Qxf3 32. Qe8+ Kh7 I thought that 31. … Qxf3 was tricky because of possible perpetual checks on h5. I missed it was covered by Qf3. This position is much better for black.
31. Qxb5 Qd5 32. Qe8+ Kh7 33. Qe4+ Qxe4 34. fxe4 d3 35. Kf1 Bc3 36. h3
36. f3 Kg6
Kg6 37. f3 f6 38. Kf2 Kf7 39. Ke3 d2 40. Ke2 Bb4 41. Bf4 d1=Q+
Pushing the king backwards.
42. Kxd1 Bxc5 43. Bd2
Very tricky endgame. It should be winning for black.
43. … Ke6 44. Bc3
Position after 44. Bc3
44. … g6
not the best idea. I should keep loyal to my original plan when driving the king backwards. 44. … b5 was the right idea. Maybe I was feeling unsure whether it was not too soon for this. And then for instance 45. Kd2 b4 46. Bb2 Bd6 47. Kc2 Be5 48. Bc1 Bc3 49. Kd3 f5 50. Bd2 Bxd2 51. Kxd2 fxe4 52. fxe4 Ke5 53. Kd3 b3 54. Kc3 Kxe4 55. Kxb3 Kf3.
45. Ke2 Bd6 46. Ke3 Be5 47. Be1 g5 48. Ba5 f5 49. Bd8 Bf6 50. Bc7 Be5 51. Bd8 Bf4+ 52. Kd3 fxe4+ 53. Kxe4 Kd6 54. Bb6 Kc6 55. Bd4 Bd2 56. Bf2 Kb5 57. Kd3 Bc1 58. Kc2 Bf4 59. Kb3 Kc6 60. Kc4 b5+ 61. Kd4 Kb6 62. Be1 Bd6 63. Bd2 Be7 64. Kd5 b4 65. Kc4 Ka5 66. Kb3 Kb5 67. Be3 Kc6 68. Kc4 Kd7 69. Bd2 Ke6 70. Be3 Ke5 71. Kb3 Kd5 72. Bb6 Bc5 73. Bd8 Be3 74. Bf6 Bd2 75. Kc2 Be3
Position after 75. … Be3
76. Kd3
76. Kb3 is the way to draw with white, although the engine still evaluates this as clearly winning for black.
76. … Bf4 77. Be7 b3 78. Kc3 b2 79. Kxb2 Kd4 80. Kc2 Ke3 81. Kd1 Kxf3 82. Ke1 Kg2 83. Ke2 Kxh3 84. Kf2 Bc7
Throwing my victory through the sewer. Probably I was relieved that finally I removed the tension from the position. But I sadly relax too much. I should have gone to the bathroom to take out more de-stress a little more after such an achievement. 84. … g4 86. Bd6 g3+ 87. Kf3 g2 88. Bc5 Kh2 89. Bd4 Ba3 90. Kg4 Be7 91. Kf5 g1=Q 92. Bxg1+ Kxg1 93. Kg4 Kg2 94. Kf5 h3 –+
85. Bxg5 Bb6+ 1/2-1/2
Draw agreed.