I unexpectedly had two Whites in a row in this tournament, so was able to immediately rectify my error of an incorrect e3-e4 pawn push in Annotated Game #309 with an example of a correct e3-e4 pawn lever. The difference here is that Black closes the center early, making the pawn break possible since White’s d-pawn cannot be undermined or exchanged as a result. My opponent then makes a tactical error which should have led to a loss, but I fritter away my advantage into an even endgame. A late blunder as we officially agreed a draw was bad, but given that I should have easily won earlier, perhaps it was just karma evening out.
[Event “?”] [Site “?”] [Date “????.??.??”] [Round “?”] [White “ChessAdmin”] [Black “Class B”] [Result “1/2-1/2”] [Annotator “ChessAdmin/Dragon 3.2”] [ECO “D00”] [PlyCount “79”] [GameId “2176007679303869”] 1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Bd3 e6 4. f4 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Nf3 c4 {this decision by Black to close the center now makes the e3-e4 pawn lever White’s main (correct) idea.} 7. Bc2 b5 8. O-O a5 9. Qe2 {the idea is to support the e-pawn push, while getting the queen off the back rank.} (9. Nbd2 {followed by e4 is better for development, however.}) 9… Be7 10. Nbd2 b4 11. e4 $ 14 {while Black’s queenside pawns are further advanced and therefore control more space, White’s central play more than offsets this.} a4 12. Ne5 Qc7 13. Nxc6 bxc3 $ 2 {after a long think, my opponent goes for this trick option, which should in fact lose.} (13… Qxc6 14. e5 Ng8 {and White only has a slight plus, but this must have looked unappetizing.}) 14. Nxe7 $ 1 {also played after a long think, to make sure it worked tactically.} cxd2 15. Nxd5 $ 18 {the key follow-up.} Nxd5 16. Bxd2 Nf6 17. Bc3 {another long think here. While this isnt bad, I should have prevented castling instead.} (17. Bb4 {and White’s task is much easier with the king in the center.}) 17… O-O 18. d5 $ 6 {this unnecessarily loosens central control and gives back much of White’s advantage.} (18. a3 {is simple and locks up Black’s a-pawn while giving the bishop a postential outpost on b4.}) (18. Rac1 {also works after} a3 19. bxa3 Rxa3 $ 2 20. Bb4 $ 1) 18… Qb6+ $ 6 (18… exd5 19. e5 Re8 $ 16) 19. Kh1 $ 16 exd5 20. exd5 $ 6 {an example of too-materialistic thinking.} (20. e5 $ 1 Bg4 21. Qe1 d4 22. Qf2 $ 18 {a nice tactical finesse with the pin, which I did not see.}) 20… Re8 $ 14 21. Qf3 Re3 $ 6 (21… a3 $ 14 {breaking up the pawns, one way or another, would essentially equalize.}) 22. Qd1 $ 6 (22. Qf2 $ 1 $ 18 {again missing the pinning idea.}) 22… Bg4 23. Qd4 {the best choice.} (23. Bd4 Qd6 $ 11) 23… Qxd4 24. Bxd4 Re2 25. Bd1 Rd2 $ 6 (25… Re4 $ 14) 26. Bxf6 {seizing the chance to inflict structural damage on Black.} Rxd1 27. Raxd1 Bxd1 28. Rxd1 gxf6 $ 16 {Black’s fragmented pawn structure gives White an obvious edge, but as the saying goes, “all rook endings are drawn”} 29. Kg1 $ 6 (29. a3 {again is a key idea, preventing the advance of Black’s a-pawn.}) 29… Kf8 (29… a3 $ 1 $ 11) 30. Kf2 {now my opponent recognizes the idea of the a-pawn advance, eliminating Black’s pawn weakness on the queenside, after which she can cover the kingside adequately.} a3 $ 1 $ 11 31. bxa3 Rxa3 {now it’s a draw.} 32. Rd2 (32. Rc1 Rxa2+ 33. Kf3 Ra4 $ 11) 32… Ke7 33. d6+ Kd7 34. Ke2 c3 35. Rc2 Kxd6 36. Kd3 f5 37. g3 Kd5 38. h3 h5 39. Rxc3 Rxa2 40. Rc2 $ 4 {if exchanged, this is now a lost K+P ending. I was hallucinating under time pressure and did not see how Black’s king could penetrate. However, my opponent also was tired of the struggle and took the draw.} (40. Rb3 Rg2 41. Rb5+ $ 11) (40. Ke3 Rg2 41. Kf3 $ 11) 1/2-1/2
