Sorry to post so many games over the weekend. But it was a three-day weekend at my parents house, and with them to watch my kid I had a ton of time to play serious games online. I'll slow down after this one
This one goes in BBV because it's a draw as black against an opponent 200+ points better than me, and I think my first ever result against a player who has a peak standard rating of over 2000. And what a shock, we have yet *another* rook and pawns ending. I think I played this one a little better.
[Event "ICC"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2010.12.26"]
[White "Villain"
[Black "KyleMayhugh"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1747"]
[BlackElo "1532"]
[ECO "C34"]
[Opening "King's knight's gambit"]
[TimeControl "2700+45"]
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4
That's the second king's gambit I've seen this weekend. I think I went months without seeing one before this. My standard rule is that I don't study openings, just the basic ideas of all openings, so I'm definitely not responding by book.
3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d4 d5 5. exd5 Qxd5
6. c4 Qa5+ 7. Nc3 Bg4 8. Be2 Bd6
This was screaming for a long castle but I just didn't have the nerve, especially with his queenside pawns already so far forward and ready to storm.
9. c5 Be7
At this point, I notice that my queen is in really, really big trouble. Oops.
10. Bxf4 Rd8
11. Bd2 Nb4
I think I should have played Bxc5 here and salvaged two pawns for the bishop. Instead I tried desperately to provide some cover for the queen, but I can still be forced to lose material here.
12. a3 Bxf3 13. axb4 Bxe2
14. Nxe2 Qb5
Opponent makes a mistake on the capture order that saves the day.
15. Qa4 Qxa4
Then he generously declines the a-pawn and just forces an exchange of queens.
16. Rxa4 a6 17. O-O Nf6 18. Re1 O-O 19. Bc3 Nd5 20. Ng3 Nxc3
Looking back, I regret exchanging the well-placed knight for the mediocre bishop.
21. bxc3 Bh4 22. b5 axb5 23. Ra7 Bxg3 24. hxg3 Rb8
After 24. hxg3 we've reached the rook and pawns ending, which looks like this:
My goals here are to prevent the creation of a passed pawn with the c and d pawns white has, then to activate my rooks or remove his from their great spot even if it means giving back the pawn I'm up, then hope that his doubled pawns on the other side will hurt him enough to allow me the win or at least a draw.
25. Re7 Rfc8
26. c6 bxc6 27. Raxc7 Rxc7 28. Rxc7 Kf8 29. Rxc6 Ke8 30. Rc7 b4
31. cxb4 Rxb4 32. d5 Rd4 33. Rc5 Kd7 34. Ra5 Ke7 35. Kf2 Kd6
36. Ra7 Rxd5 37. Rxf7 Rg5 38. Kf3 Ke6 39. Ra7 Kf5 40. g4+ Ke5
41. Ra5+ Kf6 42. Ra6+ Ke5 43. g3 h6 44. Ra5+ Kf6 45. Ra6+ Ke5
46. Ra5+ Kf6 47. Ra6+ Ke5
1/2-1/2
I don't think there was a win there in the endgame, but there might have been.