1.e4
e6
2.d4
d5
3.Nc3
Bb4
4.e5
c5
5.a3
Bxc3+
6.bxc3
Ne7
7.Nf3
Nbc6
8.Bd3
Qa5
9.Bd2
c4
10.Bf1
Bd7
11.g3
f6
12.exf6
gxf6
13.Bh3
0-0-0
14.0-0
All standard stuff so far. Normally in this position, black plays the immediate 14...e5. But in this position I felt it would be hard for white to do anything with the center locked, whereas black has a clear plan of expanding on the kingside. Hence I decided on a new move which prepares to open lines to white's king before going ahead with the central break.
14...Rdg8N
This move puts the rook on the half-open file and frees d8 for my knight to defend e6.
15.Qe1
Nd8
In the next few moves, I now plan to play ...Ng6, and ...h7-h5-h4.
16.Nh4?
This move gets white into trouble. [ 16.Bh6
, frusturating black's plan to expand is the move I expected. White will follow with 17.Qe3 and an interesting game will result.]
16...Ng6-/+
17.Kh1
This sad move is not what white wants to do, but there is nothing better. The position resulting after [ 17.Nxg6
hxg6
18.Bg2
Rh7
is strategically hopeless for white. Black will have all the time in the world to mate white on the kingside, and white will never have a chance to make a threat for the rest of the game.]
17...Nxh4
18.gxh4
Qa4!
Threatening ...Qxc2 and preparing ...e5.
19.Qd1
e5
20.Bg2
Bg4
21.f3
Bf5
22.dxe5
fxe5
23.Bg5
Qc6
Black has an obvious advantage in this position, though white can still try to sit tight and defend with something like 24.Qd2. But knowing that passive defense may be doomed to failure, white decides to lash out with what should be the losing move.
24.f4?
h6!-+
Now black wins by force.
25.fxe5
I expected [ 25.Bxd8
which I would have met with 25...Rxg2
26.Kxg2
Rxd8
with a winning attack. White can no longer defend now that the f-pawn is not no f3. For example: 27.fxe5
d4+
28.Kf2
Bh3
29.Rg1
Rf8+
30.Ke1
d3
31.cxd3
Qb6
32.d4
Qb2-+
Even though it's not hard to see that black has an easy win after this, I still expected white to play this way. At least there's some chance for black to go wrong in this line, but the refutation of 25.fxe5 just seemed so obvious. Still, 25.fxe5 is quite possibly the best move.]
25...Qg6
Now white must give up the exchange.
26.Rxf5
Qxf5
27.Bf3!
The best chance. [ 27.Bxd8
Qxe5
28.Ba5
Rxg2
29.Kxg2
Rg8+
30.Kf2
Qxh2+
31.Ke3
Qe5+
32.Kf2
Qg3+
33.Ke2
Re8+-+
is too easy for black.]
27...Qxe5
28.Bd2
Having played very well so far, I can finish my opponent off by playing the simple 28...Ne6 29.Be1 Rd8 with a winning material advantage. But for some reason I was afraid of some ghost lines where white puts his bishop on g3, and my king is in an awkward position on the h3-c8 diagonal. Hence I decide on a seemingly safe move that wastes time and lets white back into the game.
28...Kb8??
29.Be1
Ka8
30.Bxd5
Rg6
31.Qf3
Rf6
32.Qg2
Rhf8
33.Bg3
Qxc3
34.Rb1
Black may still be better, but white has a lot of counterplay with his strong two bishops. With both sides in time trouble, I needed only a draw to assure our team's victory. So I just decided to sit tight and make it clear that white couldn't make progress.
34...Nc6
35.Qe4
Qd2
36.Qxc4
Rd8
37.Bg2
Qd7
38.a4
Rf5
39.Qe4
Rc5
40.Bf2
Ra5
41.Qe3
h5
42.Qb3
Rf8
43.Be1
Raf5
44.Bg3
Qf7
45.Qc3
Qd7
46.Qa3
Re8
47.Qc3
Ref8
48.Qb2
Re8
49.Qa3
Rc8
50.c4
Rf7
51.c5
Re8
52.a5
a6
53.Qb3
Rc8
54.Bd6
Rg7
55.Bh3
Qe8
56.Qf3
Rd8
57.Bg2
Qf7
58.Qc3??
Qd7??
Yes, we both missed 58...Rxg2. Yes, that would have won of the spot. Strange things happen.
59.Rf1
Rf7
60.Re1
Re8
61.Rb1
Rg8
62.Bd5??
Qf5!
This time I don't miss my chance.
63.Rd1
Qxd5+!
64.Rxd5
Rf1#!!
Mate!! 0-1