River Valley Community Chess Association (RVCCA)

M.Rohe–M.Wittje

RVCCA Ladder Match

Arcadia Books and Café, Spring Green, WI.

July 6th, 2011

Time Control: G/30 +5

[Queen's Gambit Declined (D31), 3.Nc3]

Summary: This game was a Queen's Gambit (Declined); Mike Wittje came out with some early aggressiveness on the queenside. Mike Rohe forced a trade of queens to relieve some of the pressure. Later Mike W pushed both of his knights into Mike R's territory, but he was able to force one out, leaving the other one hanging. From that point on, it was mostly endgame technique, with an extra bishop and a lone pawn on the queenside, 4 pawns each on the kingside, as well as a rook a piece. Mike R was able to blockade his position so that Mike W couldn't get at his pawns, and then slowly took control of Mike W's territory.
Eventually Mike W offered a trade of rooks, which Mike R jumped at, leaving Mike W's king with no way to defend both sides of the board. There was the one mistake by Mike W, bringing the knights in without enough support (he had them set up so they were protecting each other, but Mike R was attacking one with a rook, and then attacked the other with a pawn, forcing it to move and leave the other knight with no guards), and another minor error each, but that was about it! Pretty good game by both of them.

1. d4 d5 2. c4
Queen's Gambit (D06)
2...e6
Queen's gambit declined (D30)

3. Nc3
QGD (D31), 3.Nc3

3...Bb4
Black decides to deviate from the book.
[Other good options: 3...c5 QGD (D32), Tarrasch defence; 3...c6 QGD (D31), semi-Slav; 3...Be7 QGD (D31), Charousek (Petrosian) variation; 3...b6 QGD (D31), Alapin variation]

4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Nf6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 Nbd7 8. e3 c5 9. Nf3 Qa5 10. Qb3 Ne4 11. Rc1 Nb6 12. Qb5+ Qxb5 13. cxb5 Na4
Black should have played c4 first, locking White's c-pawn down.
This move takes it from -0.99, in Black's favor, after 13.cxb5; to +0.37 in White's favor. Certainly not a major jump, but definitely a turning point.

14. c4 cxd4 15. Nxd4 Nac3??
This loses a piece, since it's guard can be forced to move away, leaving the c-knight hanging.
This move takes it from +0.42, slightly in White's favor, after 15.Nxd4; to +2.63 in White's favor. Certainly a major jump at this point in the game.

16. f3 Nc5 17. Rxc3 Bd7 18. cxd5 b6 19. d6 a6 20. bxa6 Nxa6 21. Bb5 Nc5 22. Bxd7+ Kxd7 23. Bg3
Be7 is better, since the protection of the passed d-pawn would be more permanent.
Note: Analysis has the game in White's favor: +5.65

23...f6 24. Ke2 Ra5 25. Rb1 Rb8 26. e4 e5 27. Nb3?
This move blocks the rook from guarding the a-pawn; on the surface, it appears White could play a discovery on the a-rook, but Black would have a discovery of his own (Nxc5+ bxc5 with a discovered attack on the b-rook; this forces a trade of rooks, to go along with the trade of knights, so the net effect is that Black wins a pawn. However, White would still be up a piece and then Black would have very little chance of counterplay).

27...Nxb3 28. Rcxb3 Kxd6 29. Rxb6+ Rxb6 30. Rxb6+ Kc7 31. Rb3 Kc8 32. Bf2 h5 33. h4 Ra6 34. Bc5 Re6 35. Kd3 Rc6 36. Kc4 Rc7 37. Kd5 Kd7 38. Rb6 Kc8
White has systematically closed off all avenues of counterplay and gotten his king into an active position. There's little Black can do now but wait...
Note: Analysis has the game in White's favor: +7.02

39. a4 Rb7 40. Rxb7 Kxb7 41. a5 Kc7 42. Ke6 Kc6 43. Bb6 Kb7 44. Kf7 g5
With the bishop & pawn protecting each on the queenside, and White's king ready to devour Black's pawns on the kingside, there's little Black's king can do to prevent pawn promotions.
Note: Analysis has the game in White's favor: +12.14