2017 Unc Fraud Round 2 CM Jerry Baker, 2037 - Anton Taylor, 1966 Nimzo-Larsen: Indian (A01)

2017 Unc Fraud Round 2
CM Jerry Baker, 2037 - Anton Taylor, 1966
Nimzo-Larsen: Indian (A01)

1. b3 Nf6 2. Bb2 e6 I'm still partial to this move even though g6 is technically accepted as the far superior choice. The idea of g6 is that the bishop on b2 will be unprotected while the g7 bishop is protected by a castled king which could give black tactical opportunities. My move is just to remain consistant with my Nimzo-styled repertoire. 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 Nbd7 Bd6 is an interesting alternative that is vigorous and interesting. 5. Be2 Bd6 6. O-O e5 7. d3 O-O 8. Nc3 The idea of this move is to try Nd5 after white pushes e4 and black responds d4 (I guessed) but I curtail the whole idea without even thinking whether it has merit or not. 8. ... c6 9. e4? I don't like this advance. The simple reply makes white's pieces awkward and does nothing to stop the black lioghtsquared bishop from developing (which is I think the only promising plan in this equal position). 9. ... d4 10. Nb1 b5 I thought this move was interesting but probably objectively Re8 followed by Nf8-g6 makes more sense to counter white's f4 is better. However, I smelled blood and struck out with a counter-attack on the opposite wing. If white leaves things alone and just follows his plan f4 comes faster than any break on the queenside by black. 11. a4 Nb6 12. Ba3 This move isn't particularly good but white has very few options. Komodo like axb5 but that seems like at the very least clearing up some of black's awkward piece placement. A sample line might be something like 12. axb5 cxb5 13. c3 dxc3 14. Nxc3 a6 15. d4 exd4 16. Nxb5 axb5 17. e5 Be7 18. exf6 Bxf6 19. Rxa8 Nxa8 and the position looks a little better for white but black can hold. 12. ... bxa4 13. Bxd6? Allows black to improve his queen and weakens the black squares in white's camp without this bishop. 13. ... Qxd6 14. bxa4 a5 The idea of this move was to prevent the stranded a-pawn from moving off the target square. This however misses a defensive resource that white has on the very next move. 15. Nbd2? A mistake. The immediate c3 was demanded to either cut into the black center or defense the a-pawn with a strong knight on c3. Neither position seems good for black. Black wouldn't be lost but he (I) spent a lot of time think about nabbing the isolated pawn and would have to rethink the whole gameplan. 15. ... Nfd7? For his part black too commits an error. Bd7 pressures the pawn and now white can't play the c3 break. 16. Nb3 Qb4 17. Nfd2 Nxa4 18. Bg4 Nc3 19. Qf3 Nb6 20. Nb1 Bxg4 21. Qxg4 a4 22. N3d2 a3 I spent a lot of time on this move and as expected I make a mistake. The text is still winning but I did not even consider the merits of Komodo's logical Nb5. 23. Nb3 c5? After some energetic play I decided to play slowly and it puzzles me. a2 seems to finish things. After 23... a2 24. Nxc3 Qxc3 25. Qe2 c5 26. Qd2 Qxd2 27. Nxd2 Rfc8 Black is dominant. 24. h4 c4 25. dxc4 Nxc4 26. h5 Ra6 h6 was a swifter solution to white's elementary threat. 27. Nxc3 Qxc3 28. Ra2 f5?? A costly mistake that almost loses a completely won ending. The idea should have been something like 28... Nb2 29. h6 Rxh6 30. Rxa3 d3 31. cxd3 Nxd3 32. Qf3 Qb2 33. Rfa1 Nxf2 34. Qxf2 Rh1+ though white can play better he is still at a major disadvantage, 29. exf5 Raf6 30. Nc5 Nd2?? I commit a mistake that should lose on my last recorded move after 31.Ne6 R8f7 32.Rfa1 white just wins. However, white too was in major time trouble and allowed a variation that led to white being a piece up. 0-1