[Event "Junior Joust 2021 Spring 5"] [Site "Temecula"] [Date "2021.06.12"] [Round "3.2"] [White "Zhang, Benny"] [Black "Zhao, Evan"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C65"] [Opening "Spanish: Berlin Defence"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {The Ruy Lopez} Nf6 4. Nc3 {Transposing to a Four Knights opening.} Bb4 5. Bxc6 {White gives up the minor exchange.} ({Normal is} 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6 7. Bg5 Bxc3) 5... dxc6 6. O-O {= (0.00/47 S11)} Bxc3 {Black takes because he wants to grab the e4-pawn. But, if he resisted this temptation he could keep his dark-squared Bishop and retain the advantage of the bishop pair.} 7. bxc3 Nxe4 8. d3 (8. Qe2 Nf6 9. Qxe5+ Be6 10. Ba3 {is very awkward for Black since the Bishop on a3 prevents Black from Castling short.}) 8... Nxc3 {it is temping for Black to grab a pawn but not such a good idea here. The second player should be leary of this sort of pawn grab because it neglects his development. And, what does Black get for his trouble? A not so important doubled c-pawn.} 9. Qd2 (9. Qe1 {double attack.} Nd5 10. Qxe5+ Ne7 11. Qxg7) 9... Nd5 10. Nxe5 O-O 11. c4 Nf6 12. Bb2 Re8 13. Nf3 Bf5 14. d4 Bg4 15. Ne5 $2 {Hangs the Knight because the d4-pawn is pinned.} (15. Qd3) 15... Rxe5 16. f3 Be6 17. Qb4 Rg5 { Black wants to attack the White King but the Rook can get short of squares out here as we will see in the game.} (17... Re2 18. Rae1 {Black welcomes trades because he is a piece up.} ({not} 18. Qxb7 Rb8 {with an x-ray attack that wins the Bishop on e2.})) 18. Rfe1 b6 19. f4 Rg6 20. Re5 h6 {Allowing a fork.} ( 20... Ng4 21. Re2 Qh4 22. h3 Nf6 {threatening ...Bxh3, ... Qxh3 and ...Qxf4.}) 21. f5 Bxf5 22. Rxf5 Qd7 23. Rf2 (23. Re5 {Claiming the open file is stronger.} ) 23... Re8 24. h3 {Black probably wanted to keep the Knight off g4, but he overlooked this hangs the h3 pawn because the g2 pawn is pinned.} (24. Re1 { Contesting the open file is better.}) 24... a5 {this kicks the Queen back into play where it may help defend the White King.} (24... Qxh3 {picks up the hanging h3 pawn.}) 25. Qd2 {walking into a fork.} (25. Qb3) 25... Re4 (25... Ne4 {forking the Queen and Rook}) (25... Qxh3 {is also possible still}) 26. Qd3 Re8 (26... Qe7 {doubles on the open file and avoids retreating the Rook.}) 27. Re2 Rxe2 28. Qxe2 Ne8 (28... Qxh3) 29. Re1 {now it is White who is doubled on the e-file.} Nd6 30. Bc3 Re6 31. Qd2 Rxe1+ 32. Qxe1 Nxc4 33. Qe2 Nd6 34. Qa6 Nb5 35. Qa8+ Kh7 {hangs the Bishop.} 36. Kh1 Nxd4 (36... Nxc3 {picks up a free piece}) 37. Bxd4 Qxd4 38. Qxc6 Qc5 39. Qe4+ g6 40. Qf3 h5 $2 {hanging the f7 pawn.} 41. Qxf7+ Kh6 42. Qf4+ Kg7 43. Kh2 $2 {Fatal since this allows Black to force a trade of Queens, and the resulting pawn ending is hopeless for White. White's only hope was to keep the Queens on the board and hope he could endlessly pester the Black monarch.} Qd6 44. Qxd6 cxd6 45. Kg3 Kf6 46. Kf4 g5+ 47. Ke4 Ke6 48. Kd4 d5 49. Ke3 Ke5 50. Kd3 d4 51. Ke2 Ke4 52. Kd2 b5 53. Ke2 a4 (53... b4 {Remember to "lead with the candidate."}) 54. a3 {Now, the a3-pawn holds back two Black pawns. Even so, Black could still win by sac'g one e.g.} d3+ (54... b4 55. axb4 a3 56. b5 a2 57. b6 a1=Q 58. b7 {Close but no cigar. But, the story would have been different had the queenside pawns been a rank or two up the board.} Qb2+ 59. Kd1 Kd3 60. b8=Q Qd2#) 55. Kd2 Kd4 56. Kc1 Kc3 57. Kd1 Kb3 (57... b4 {also works e.g.} 58. axb4 a3 59. b5 a2 60. b6 a1=Q# { Note, mating quicker can make a difference especially in a G/15 game when the winning side might be short on time.}) (57... d2 {makes a lot of sense too} 58. g3 (58. Ke2 Kc2) 58... Kd3 59. h4 gxh4 60. gxh4 b4 61. axb4 a3 62. b5 a2 63. b6 a1=Q#) 58. Kd2 Kxa3 59. Kxd3 Kb2 60. Ke4 a3 61. Kf5 a2 62. Kxg5 a1=Q 63. Kxh5 Qd1+ {Now, Black has to figure out how to stop two connected passers with a Queen and distant King. Hopefully, he has time on his clock. But, it was unnecessary to let White win the d3- and g- and h-pawns.} 64. Kh4 Kc2 65. g4 b4 66. g5 b3 67. g6 b2 68. Kg5 b1=Q 69. h4 Qb5+ 70. Kh6 Qd2+ 71. Kh7 Qh5+ 72. Kg7 Qxh4 73. Kf7 Qhf4+ 74. Kg7 Qd7+ 75. Kg8 Qc4+ (75... Qb8#) 76. Kh8 Qcc8# 0-1