Another Interesting Corr. Game

I just finished another correspondence game which was very interesting. In fact, this was against the same opponent as the previous interesting game!

bobadillamitchelle(2051) - MrMash(2095) Chess.com

1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb4

Those of you who follow this blog will notice that I have learned my lesson and immediately played ...Bb4 when the knight went to c3.

4. e4 Bb7 5. Bd3 f5!?

The sharp reply. Of the alternatives, ...Nc6 is safer, and ...Qh4 is going to end decisively and quickly, but likely in white's favor if they know the theory (or look it up, since this is correspondence).

6. f3!?

A solid reply, aiming to slow things down and maintain the strong center. Theory says Qh5+ or Qe2, but I rather like the f3 idea. Note that 6. d5? is no good because of the pin on the c3 knight, among other things.

6. ...fxe4 7. fxe4 Nf6



More or less playable for both sides. Standard English Defense ideas come into play, white tries to maintain the center and attack, black tries to undermine the center, which would cause devastation in the white camp.

8. Bg5 h6 9. Bxf6!? Qxf6 10. Nf3 Nc6

The white center looks a bit awkward, but so do black's pieces.

11. e5! Qf7

Else the weakened e8-h5 diagonal will be black's downfall.

12. 0-0! Qh5

The white onslaught seems to come out of nowhere, so black tries to slow the game down now.

13. d5

White would rather attack quickly, before black can regroup.

13. ...Bc5+ 14. Kh1 Ne7

The computer thinks I can get away with the capture on e5, but it just looks too risky to me. Besides that, more support on that weak diagonal couldn't hurt.

15. Be2?!



Finally the pressure lets up a bit. This looks like it is setting up a strong discovery on the queen and supporting a capture on d6, but in reality, it gives black time to take the initiative and actually get an advantage.

15. ...Nf5!

Mate threat on g3 trumps anything white has.

16. Ne4 Ne3

Sure, I get an exchange, but then I have to sit back a little while to see if white can muster up some counterplay.

17. Qa4?

Takes the queen out of the equation for the moment. After 17. Nfg5! there are still substantial difficulties for black, who might not have an advantage at all.

17. ...Qg4

If not for mate threats, black would have been toast a long time ago.

18. Ng3 Bxd5!

Now we see the real weakness of 17. Qa4. This pin destroys the white position.

19. b4!



A desperate try to sharpen up the game. Anything less is tantamount to resignation.

19. ...Bc6 20. Qb3 Nxf1

I finally take my exchange that I won several moves ago.

21. Rxf1 Be7 22. b5 Bb7 23. Qd3

"I'm still gunning for you!"

23. ...0-0-0

"Show me what you got!"

24. a4 Rhf8



The black bishops will soon prove decisive, but white still has faith in the queenside attack.

25. Ra1 Bc5 26. a5 Kb8

Better safe than sorry.

27. axb6 axb6 28. Nf1 Qe4

Once the queens are off, this should become trivial.

29. Qxe4 Bxe4

Uh... looks like it should become trivial then.

30. N1d2 Bb7

As long as I don't do anything too rash, this should be a fairly straightforward grind.

31. h3 Rf7 32. Kh2 Rdf8 33. Rf1

Waiting around for the hammer to fall.

33. ...Bb4

Threatens simply to take on d2.

34. Nb3 Bc3

These bishops are just unstoppable and unrelenting.

35. Rd1 Kc8

Calmly preparing rook penetration.

36. Rc1



And now the hammer comes down swiftly.

36. ...Bxf3! 37. Bxf3 Bxe5+ 38. Kg1 Rxf3!!

And it all gets simplified to a very easy ending.

39. gxf3 Rxf3 40. Rb1? Rxh3



White has had enough and resigned. 0-1

Hope you all enjoyed this one. As always, I welcome comments here or via email.