Game of the Week

T.Scott–M.Rohe
Spring Green General Store

Spring Green, WI., April 28th, 2011
Time Control: G/30 +5

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bf4 

Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack (D35)

4...Bb4 5.Qd3 0–0 6.a3 Bd6 7.Nh3 a6 

Prevents intrusion on b5 

 

8.g3 

Controls f4

 

8...Nbd7 

[8...dxc4!? 9.Qxc4 b5µ; 8...Nc6 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.Bg2 Bxh3 12.Bxh3=]  

9.Bg2  

[9.cxd5 e5 10.dxe5 Nxe5²] 

9...Nb6?? 

Gives the opponent new chances. Black's attack on the c-pawn is premature & easily parried 

[9...e5!? 10.c5 e4²]  

10.c5² 

This push gains space and gives White a slight edge 

10...Bxf4 11.Nxf4 Nbd7 12.0–0 c6 13.b4 

[13.Qe3 Nxc5 14.dxc5 d4±]  

13...e5²

White, again, has a slight edge

14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Qd4 Re8 16.e4  

[16.Na4 Bf5=] 

16...dxe4= 17.Qxd8 Rxd8 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Bxe4 g5 20.Nh5 Ng6 21.Rad1 Be6 22.f3 

Consolidates g4, White's move limits his bishop's mobility

22...Bb3 23.Rb1 Bc4 24.Rfc1 

White is probably better off fighting for the d-file or taking control of the e-file, rather than chasing Black's bishop around

[24.Rfe1 Rd2=; 24.Rfd1 h6²] 

24...Rd4  

[24...Bd3!? 25.Rb2 Ne5=]  

25.Rd1± Rad8 26.Rxd4 Rxd4 27.Bc2  

[27.Nf6+!? should not be overlooked 27...Kh8 28.Re1²; 27.Nf6+ Kh8²]

 

27...Rd2= 28.Rc1 Bd3  

[28...Ne5 29.Be4³]  

29.Bxd3 Rxd3 30.f4 

If White plays Rd1, either the rooks or bishops would be traded; in both cases, Black would lose control of the d-file 

[30.Re1 Kf8 31.Nf6 Kg7 32.Ne8+ Kf8=; 30.Nf6+ Kg7 31.Ne8+ Kf8³]

30...h6 

tChess evaluates the game as virtually dead even at this point, but did not like Black's move, instead preferring gxf4.

[30...gxf4!? 31.gxf4 Rh3µ; ¹30...gxf4!? 31.Nxf4 Nxf4 32.gxf4 Rxa3µ]  

31.fxg5 hxg5 32.Rc4?  

[32.Nf6+!? is worth looking at 32...Kg7 33.Ne8+ Kf8 34.Nf6=] 

32...f5µ 

Black gains initiative and the edge, Black's move limits the mobility of White's rook.

33.g4? f4??  

With this move Black loses his initiative, White's move should lose a pawn to a knight fork, but neither player sees it, and it goes unplayed the next couple of moves.

34.a4? Kf7 35.b5? a5 

[35...Rd1+ might be the shorter path 36.Kf2 Ne5 37.Rc2–+] 

36.bxc6 bxc6 37.Kf2? Ne5

Black finally spots the fork

38.Nxf4 

White tried a desperation move, but it loses the rook.

[38.Re4 hoping against hope 38...Rd2+ 39.Ke1 Nf3+ 40.Kf1–+ OR 38.Rc2–+ a last effort to resist the inevitable]  

38...Rd2+ 39.Kg3 Nxc4 40.h4 

[40.Ng2–+ is one last hope; it's no good, but what else?]  

40...gxf4+ 41.Kxf4 Rd5 

And "the rest is a matter of technique."

[¹41...Rd4+!? keeps an even firmer grip 42.Kf5–+]  

42.h5 Ne5 43.g5 

[43.h6 cannot change destiny 43...Kg6 44.g5 Nd3+ 45.Ke3 Nxc5–+] 

43...Ng6+!

the final nail in the coffin. forces the win  

44.Kg4 Nh8 

[44...Rd4+ keeps an even firmer grip 45.Kg3 Ne5 46.Kf2–+ OR ¹44...Ne5+ and Black can already relax 45.Kf4–+]

 

45.h6 Kg6 46.h7 Kxh7 

[¹46...Rxg5+ seems even better 47.Kf4–+]  

47.Kh5 Rxc5 48.Kh4 Rc4+ 49.Kh5 Rxa4 

[49...Kg7 50.g6 Nxg6 51.Kg5 Rf4 52.Kh5 Kf6 53.Kh6 Rh4#] 

50.g6+–+ Nxg6 51.Kg5 Rf4 52.Kh5 Rf1 

[52...a4 53.Kg5 a3 54.Kh5 a2 55.Kg5 a1Q 56.Kh5 Qe5# OR 52...Rg4! secures victory]  

53.Kg5 Ne5  

[53...a4 and Black can already relax 54.Kg4–+]  

54.Kh4 Rg1 55.Kh5 Kg7 56.Kh4 Kf6 57.Kh3 Kf5 

[57...Ng4 58.Kh4 Nf2 59.Kh5 Rh1#]  

58.Kh2–+ Rg8 

[58...Nf3+ makes it even easier for Black 59.Kh3 Rg3+ 60.Kxg3] 

59.Kh3 Kf4 60.Kh4 Rh8# 0–1

Black Mates

Analysis by Deep Shredder 12, Deep Rybka 12, Deep Fritz 12, and tChess. 

Annotation by Mike Rohe and Taylor Scott