[Annotations by Eugene Yanayt, with help from Patrick Hummel] Sometimes even in chess, luck plays a key role. Here is a game where I was completely dominated throughout the opening and middlegame by strong expert Minas Nordanyan, who had a 1-0 record against me going into the game. But fortunately I was able to get a fluke counterattack due to a couple of inaccurate moves by my opponent.
1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
6.Be2
e5
7.Nb3
Be6?
This is already a mistake. It does not make sense to commit the bishop to e6 this early. It may want to go to b7 instead. The better move is 7. ... Be7.
8.a4
b6?
Another mistake. White actually does not threaten to play a5 because black will be able to play Nbd7-Nc5 and eventually put heavy pressure on white's a5 pawn. Even if white manages to safely get his knight to b6, black can just reply with Rb8 and stand well. Thus b6 is unnecessary and weakening, especially considering the previous move Be6 -- the bishop would much rather go to b7 now.
9.Bg5
Nbd7
10.Nd5
Bxd5?
I played this move almost automatically, by habit from the 6. Be3 lines. But here it is actually by far not best. 10. ... h6! is far superior because it forces white to trade everything on f6, which works in black's favor, getting rid of the pesky knight on d5 and untangling the black pieces.
11.exd5
Be7
12.Be3
0-0
13.0-0
Qc7
14.Nc1
White has all the time in the world, so he goes to reposition his knight to c3 via a2. I actually misunderstood this move in the game, thinking he wanted to move it to c6 via a2 and b4. But of course that plan is not as strong, since black can just trade it off on c6. On the other hand, black seemingly cannot do anything. As a result of my inaccurate play I have given myself a terribile position in which I am forced to sit back and wait to lose. My plan of pushing my f pawn gives me no pressure on the kingside.
14...Qb7
15.c4
Ne8
16.Na2
f5
17.f3
Bf6?!
This move and the moves that follow are too slow. Black can ilafford to waste anymore time. Perhaps some drastic measures like Kh8-Rg8-g5 are called for here -- black has to get counterplay at all costs.
18.Nc3
g6
19.Qc2
Bg7?
20.a5
Here I suddenly realized that I want my dark-squared bishop on d8 and not on g7. If I could only trade it off on b6 for my opponent's dark-squared bishop I would be okay. But this proves impossible...
20...bxa5
21.Rxa5
Bf6
22.Ra3!
Rb8
Here I hoped to provoke b3, allowing me to play Bd8-Bb6, but no such luck... [ 22...Bd8?
23.Rb3
Bb6?
( 23...Qc8
24.Ra1+/-
) 24.Bxb6
Nxb6
25.Na4+-
]
23.Rb1
Now black is simply helpless...
23...Nc7
[ 23...Bd8?!
24.b4
Bb6
25.c5
dxc5
26.bxc5
Nxc5
27.Rxb6
Qxb6
28.Nd1+/-
]
24.b4
Ra8
I played this in fear of b5, but of course I allow the even more devastating c5.
25.c5
Qb8
26.cxd6
Ne8
27.Rxa6
Rxa6
28.Bxa6
Nxd6
29.Na4
e4
One last desparate attempt to activate my pieces...
30.Nc5?
Minas tried to get too fancy here. He could easily have prevented all counterplay with 30. f4, ready to meet 30. ... g5 with 31. g3. The g-file opening is no danger to white. However, the activation of black's knights is.
30...Ne5
31.fxe4?
Even here f4 is necessary, although extremely unpleasant. [ 31.f4
Ng4
32.Qe2+/-
]
31...Ng4
Now white is in trouble.
32.Qe2?!
[ 32.Bf4
white's best try 32...Bd4+
33.Kh1
( 33.Kf1?
fxe4-+
) 33...Nf2+
34.Kg1
Nh3+
35.Kh1
Nxf4
36.Nd7
Qa7
37.Nxf8
Kxf8-/+
]
32...Nxe4
33.g3
[ 33.Nxe4
Qxh2+
34.Kf1
Nxe3+
35.Qxe3
fxe4-/+
]
33...Nc3-+
34.Qe1
Nxb1
35.Nd7
Qe8
36.Nxf8
Qxe3+
37.Qxe3
Nxe3
38.Nd7
Bd4
39.Kh1
Nc3
40.d6
Ne4
41.b5
Nc4
42.Nb8
Nexd6
43.Nc6
Bf6
44.Nb4
Kf7
45.Nd5
Bd8
46.h4
Nb6
0-1