2017 Winter Sucks Round 3 Meghan E. Waters, 1611 - Anton Taylor, 1906 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik Attack (B13)

2017 Winter Sucks Round 3
Meghan E. Waters, 1611 - Anton Taylor, 1906
Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik Attack (B13)
http://chessmicrobase.com/microbases/9425/games/919182

1.e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Be7 7. Be2 Nc6 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3

This move is in the database but has an extremely small sample. Bf4 has a much larger sample, takes over a lot more squares, and just looks far more aggressive. 9. ... b6 10. a3 The majority of games where this move was tried in this position are lost by white. Rc1 is the mainline at this point (and scores 70% for white so pretty good actually but still a small sample). 10. ... dxc4 11. Bxc4 Na5 12. Ba2 Ba6 13. Re1 Rc8? 

This was an inaccuracy on my part. The better plan is Bc4 tradin the Bishops immediately or gaining complete control of the c4 square and displacing white's bishop. 14. Rc1 Bb7? Here I lose my grip on the plan in the position. If I had intended this move it was better to play it on the move I played Ba6 and save time. Komodo still likes Bc4 to seek the slight advantage. 15. b4? Qe2,Qd3, and Ne5 are all better alternatives to this move. b4 wastes time chasing the knight to a square it wants to go to anyway. 15. ... Nc4 16. Nb5? This is the losing move. The a3 pawn needs no defender as Ne5 contests the c4 square and threatens to trap the knight if it takes on a3. 16. ... Nxe3 17. Rxc8 Qxc8 18. Rxe3 Nd5 19. Bxd5 Bxd5 20. Ne5 Qb7 21. f3

It's hard to suggest a better move that this. losing the g2 pawn loses so in a sense it is forced but Bg5 activating Black's potential monster bishop is a nasty threat. 21. ... Bg5 22. Rc3 Rc8 The text is winning but 22. ... f6! wins on the spot. I only mention the move because I focused too much on the threat of Rc7 to see the counter-blow and never even considered f6. 23. Rxc8+ Qxc8 24. Nxa7 Qa6 25. h4?? Nac6 was necessary. This just loses a piece for nothing. 25. ... Be3+ 26. Kh2 Qxa7 27. Qd3 Bf4+ 28. g3 Bxe5 29. dxe5 h6 30. f4 Qc7 31. g4 Qc4 32. Qd2 Qf1 33. f5 Qh1+ 34. Kg3 Qg1+ 35. Kh3? This allows a mate in six moves that I missed (Komodo gives 35... Bf3 36. h5 Bxg4+ 37. Kh4 Bxf5 38. Qf4 Qe1+ 39. Qg3 Qh1+ 40. Qh3 Qxh3#). I choose instead to simplify into the won endgame a piece up. 35. ... Bc4 36. h5 Bf1+ 37. Kh4 Qg2 0-1