2017 Cleveland Open Round 4
Anton Taylor, 2002 - Kevin Ho, 1934
Sicilian: Moscow (B51)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. a4 I'm becoming quite comfortable in this position. I made a note in an earlier game that this is a sideline played several times by World Champion Magnus Carlsen. 4. ... a6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. O-O b6 8. d4! This is by far the best move in the position. trading the pawns improves white's control of the center and leaves several squares still very weak (d5, c6, and b6 and probably more but these are the worst). 8. ... cxd4 Unhappy choice but there is nothing better. Black may already be committed to weak moves. 9. Qxd4? An error letting the advantage slip a bit. Better is Nxd4 because it is difficult to extricate this knight. e5? would lead to both Nf5 and/or simply jumping a knight into d5 and white gains a big advantage. 9. ... Ngf6 10. Bg5 Qc7 11. Rfe1 Bb7 12. Rad1 O-O 13. Bf1? As it turns out it is hard to find a clear plan for white here for me. I spent a decent amount of time on this move. The bishop must either be moved now or be forced to move with tempo later after black plays either rook to the logical c8. f1, however, is the wrong square. I came to the conclusion later on that e2 was better and this is confirmed by komodo. I was afraid for the pawn on e4 but Nd2 holds all things together in equilibrium. 13. ... Rfd8 14. Nd2 Re8? This move is completely unnecessary and I was happy to see it. I needed some time. Komodo recommends h6 but I think any advantage for black in that case is only slight. 15. Nc4 d5 Immediately after playing this move my opponent offered me a draw. I had told him before the game began that I was playing for a win. I politely declined after thinking for a good long time (he asked on my time, not the first or last mortal sin committed by this opponent in this game). 16. exd5 Nxd5 17. Bxe7 Rxe7 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. Ne3 Nf6 20. Nxd5 Nxd5 21. Bd3? Letting black's mistake playing d5 at the wrong time slip away. Qe4! here probably wins or at least presents enough problems that black must create a weakness or two to solve. 21. ... Rd7?? I felt this was losing for black but I did not see the winning combination. 22. Qe4! Rdd8 23. Qxh7+ Kf8 24. Qh4 The silicon monsters can easily justify grabbing the second extra pawn but during the game I could not see how to proceed and survive opening the files in front of my king. It just seemed that discretion was the better part of valor in this case. It is worthwhile to note that white gains time after chasing the black king to e7 by Qd4 (threatening to win the knight) to see this check this variation: 24.Qh8+ Ke7 25.Qxg7 Rg8 26.Qd4 and the needed time saving the queen and threatening the knight is achieved. Had I seen this I would have dived into the captures. 24. ... Nf6? 25. Qb4+? 25. Qh8+ Ke7 26. Qxg7 Rg8 27. Rxe6+!! Kxe6 28. Re1+ and the king hunt is terminal. 25. ... Kg8 26. g3 Rac8 27. c3 a5 28. Qh4 Rd6 29. Bc2? g4! wins. Rc2 should also be winning but g4 is much more precise and to the point. 29. ... Rcd8 30. Qg5 Rd5 31. Qe3 Ng4 32. Qe2 Nf6 33. Bb3 R5d6 34. Rxd6 Rxd6 35. Rd1 g6 36. Qf3 Kg7 37. Rxd6 Qxd6 38. Qb7?? I knew I had blown things immediately after I played this move and should probably be worse afterward. However, my opponent misses the correct reply and I'm still in the game. Bc4 to allow Qe2 if necessary and/or Bb5 covering everything and then advancing the inevitable passed pawn is winning for white. 38. ... Nd7? Qd2! 39. Qe4 Nc5 My opponent seemed happy with this fork but in my opinion this helps white. Is the endgame long and difficult? yes. Is white still winning? technically. It's a long hard road but I needed the win and knights complicate things for me. 40. Qc2 Nxb3 41. Qxb3 Qc5 42. Qb5! If black takes this trade he will lose quickly. So, the queen keeps her dominance on the queenside for white. If the white king can keep cover white wins. 42. ... Qd6 43. b4 axb4 44. Qxb4? Obviously wrong but the rigors and the time situation were getting to me. Also, every other move at this point I was getting draw offers. A floor TD stood nearby waiting for my complaint but I wanted to beat the loudmouth by ignoring him ... not let him win the psychological war by enlisting a TD. 44. ... Qd1+ 45. Kg2 Qd5+ 46. f3 Qd2+ 47. Kh3 e5? Qe2 holds. 48. Qxb6 Qh6+? "Monkey sees check, monkey makes check" as the saying goes. The rigors of this ending are getting to him too. Qxc3 was the move I expected. 49. Kg2 Qd2+ 50. Qf2 Qxc3 51. Qa2? Qe2 is more precise ... threatening the e-pawn and if 51. ...Qa5? Qb5! 51. ... Qa5 52. h4 f5 53. Kh3 Qe1 54. Kg2 Qa5 55. Qc2 Kf6 56. Qc6+ Kf7 57. Qd7+ Kf6 58. g4 fxg4 59. fxg4 Qa8+ 60. Kg3 e4 61. Qd4+ Ke6 62. Kf4 Qf8+ 63. Kxe4 Qf1 64. Qe5+ Kd7 65. Qb5+ Qxb5 66. axb5 Ke6 67. g5 Kd6 68. Kd4 Kc7 69. Ke5 Kb6 70. Kf6 Kxb5 71. Kxg6 Kc6 72. h5 Kd6 73. h6 Ke5 74. h7 Kf4 75. h8=Q Kg4 76. Qf8 Kh4 77. Qf4+ Kh3 78. Kh5 Kg2 79. Kg4 Kh1 80. Kg3 1-0
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