C62 Spanish Game: Steinitz Defence (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bd7 6.O-O Nf6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.Be3 Nxd4 9.Bxd7+ Qxd7 10.Qxd4)

This game was played in the 2014 August Grand Seven Fourteen II tournament that is held at Red Hot Pawn. I am currently leading this tournament and I have gathered 109 points so far, my lead to my rival for the win, caissad4, is 5 points. My only game left in this tournament is against him and by winning that game, I have secured my first win in a tournament at Red Hot Pawn. I have never been this close to winning a tournament there, so I need to focus on my last game and not to blunder it away. The game below was not an easy game to play even though the analysis done by the program would suggest that I was never in real trouble. There are usually situations in chess where I am not really sure about the best plan to continue the game, this usually puts me in deep thought and a place where I do not want to make a move because it might be not the best move after all. Of course at some point I have to make a move in order not to lose on time but only at that point I accept the consequences of my moves that might not always be to my liking.

The point at which kirbythecat started to lose his grip on the game can be seen in the position below.

Kirbythecat played 16...Qxd5 and replied with the accurate 17.Rxd5 and I was able to get a clear advantage. The reason why taking back on d5 with the rook is that in that way I could create pressure against the backward pawn on d6 which forced my opponent to be on the defensive. Had I taken back with the pawn, the pawn structure would have been symmetrical and it would have been difficult for me to play for the win, actually the position would have been roughly even. The problems only increased for my opponent in the remainder of the game and I never let go of my advantage.

[Event "Grand Seven Fourteen"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.08.11"] [Round "1"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "kirbythecat"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C62"] [WhiteElo "1914"] [BlackElo "1778"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "133"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 {Spanish Game: Steinitz Defense} 4. d4 exd4 (4... Bd7 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bxc6 {Spanish Game: Steinitz Defense. Nimzowitsch Attack}) 5. Nxd4 (5. O-O {Spanish Game: Steinitz Defense. Center Gambit}) 5... Bd7 6. O-O Nf6 7. Nc3 Be7 8. Be3 Nxd4 9. Bxd7+ Qxd7 10. Qxd4 {C62 Spanish Game: Steinitz Defence} O-O 11. h3 {Black has a cramped position} (11. Rad1 Ng4 12. Nd5 Nxe3 13. Nxe7+ Qxe7 14. Qxe3 Rfe8 15. f3 Qe6 16. a3 f5 17. Rd4 Rad8 18. Re1 c5 19. Ra4 a6 20. Kf2 Kf8 21. exf5 Qf6 22. Re4 Rxe4 23. Qxe4 d5 24. Qe6 Qd4+ 25. Kg3 Qf6 {Rodriguez Patino,I (1211) -Mora,M (1900) Bogota 2015 1-0}) 11... c5 $146 { Black threatens to win material: c5xd4} (11... Rfe8 12. Rad1 c5 13. Qd3 Qc6 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. Qxd5 Rad8 16. Bf4 Rd7 17. e5 Red8 18. Qxc6 bxc6 19. exd6 Bxd6 20. Bxd6 Rxd6 21. Rxd6 Rxd6 22. Rc1 Kf8 23. Kf1 Ke7 24. Ke2 Ke6 25. Rd1 Rd5 26. Rd3 {Hahner, A-Lange,E Bad Schandau 1995 1/2-1/2 (40)}) (11... h6 12. f4 Rfd8 13. b4 c5 14. bxc5 dxc5 15. Qxd7 Rxd7 16. g4 a6 17. a4 Rad8 18. Rf2 Bf8 19. Kg2 g6 20. Rb1 c4 21. Kh2 Bg7 22. e5 Ne8 23. Kg2 Rc8 24. Rb6 f5 25. Rxg6 fxg4 26. hxg4 {Radchenko,M-Pasemko, V Kiev 2003 1-0 (44)}) (11... Rfd8 12. Rad1 $11) 12. Qd2 (12. Qd3 b5 $14) 12... Rfd8 13. Rad1 Qc6 14. f3 {Prevents intrusion on g4} b5 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. Qxd5 ({Inferior is} 16. exd5 Qd7 $11) 16... Qxd5 (16... Qc8 17. c3 $14) 17. Rxd5 $16 (17. exd5 $6 Bf6 $11) 17... Kf8 18. Rfd1 Ke8 (18... Rac8 19. Bf4 $16) 19. Bf4 a6 (19... Bf6 $5 20. c3 b4 21. Bxd6 bxc3 $16) 20. Bxd6 $18 Bxd6 21. Rxd6 Rxd6 22. Rxd6 Ke7 23. Rd5 c4 24. Kf2 Ke6 (24... Rc8 25. Ke3 $18) 25. Ke3 Rc8 26. c3 Rf8 27. Kd4 Rc8 28. f4 f6 29. g4 {[%cal Yf4f5] White prepares the advance f5} g6 (29... Ke7 $18) 30. f5+ gxf5 31. exf5+ Ke7 32. Ke4 (32. a4 bxa4 33. Ra5 Rb8 34. Rxa4 Rxb2 35. Rxa6 Rb7 36. Kxc4 Rd7 $18) 32... Rc7 $2 (32... h5 $142 $18) 33. Kf4 Kf7 (33... Rb7 {does not save the day} 34. Rd4 a5 35. Ke4 $18) 34. Rd6 Ra7 35. Ke4 (35. h4 {and White can already relax} h6 $18) 35... Re7+ 36. Kf3 Ra7 (36... a5 {doesn't get the cat off the tree} 37. Rb6 $18) 37. h4 h6 38. Kf4 a5 (38... Ke7 {there is nothing better in the position} 39. Rc6 Kf7 $18) 39. Rb6 b4 40. cxb4 axb4 (40... a4 {doesn't improve anything} 41. Rc6 $18) 41. Rxb4 Rxa2 42. Ke4 Kg7 (42... Ra8 {is one last hope} 43. Rxc4 Re8+ 44. Kd3 Rb8 $18) 43. h5 Kf7 44. Kd5 Ke7 45. Kxc4 (45. Rb7+ {might be the shorter path} Kd8 46. Kxc4 Kc8 $18) 45... Ra1 46. Kb5 Kd6 47. Rc4 Rb1 48. b4 Kd5 49. Rc5+ Ke4 50. Rc4+ Ke5 $4 {throws away a nice position} (50... Kd5 51. Rc8 Kd4 $18) 51. Rc6 (51. Kc5 Ra1 52. b5 Ra8 53. b6 Rc8+ 54. Kb5 Rb8 55. Rc6 Kf4 56. Rxf6 Kg5 57. Rg6+ Kh4 58. Kc6 Rc8+ 59. Kd7 Rb8 60. Kc7 Re8 61. b7 Re7+ 62. Kb8 Re1 63. Ka7 Re7 64. Ka8 Re1 65. Ra6 Re8+ 66. b8=Q Rxb8+ 67. Kxb8 Kg3 68. f6 Kxg4 69. f7 Kf4 70. Re6 Kf5 71. Re2 Kg5 72. f8=Q Kg4 73. Rg2+ Kxh5 74. Qf5+ Kh4 75. Qg4#) 51... Rg1 52. Re6+ Kf4 53. Rxf6 Rxg4 54. Rxh6 Kxf5 (54... Ke5 {cannot undo what has already been done} 55. Kc5 Rg3 56. b5 Rc3+ 57. Kb6 Rc8 58. Kb7 Rg8 59. b6 Rg1 60. Rc6 Kxf5 61. h6 Ra1 62. Kc7 Re1 63. b7 Re7+ 64. Kb6 Re8 65. h7 Kg4 66. Ka7 Rh8 67. b8=Q Rxh7+ 68. Ka6 Rf7 69. Qg8+ Kf3 70. Qxf7+ Ke3 71. Qe7+ Kd3 72. Rd6+ Kc2 73. Qe3 Kb1 74. Rd2 Ka1 75. Qe1#) 55. Kc5 Rg1 56. Kb6 (56. Rc6 Re1 57. b5 Re5+ 58. Kb6 Ke4 59. h6 Re7 60. Ka6 Kd5 61. Rg6 Re3 62. b6 Ra3+ 63. Kb7 Ke5 64. h7 Rh3 65. Rg7 Kf6 66. Rd7 Kg6 67. Kc7 Rxh7 68. Rxh7 Kxh7 69. b7 Kg6 70. b8=Q Kf5 71. Qb4 Kg6 72. Qg4+ Kf7 73. Kc6 Kf8 74. Kd6 Kf7 75. Qg5 Kf8 76. Ke6 Ke8 77. Qe7#) 56... Rb1 57. b5 Kg5 (57... Kg4 {does not help much} 58. Rh8 Rf1 59. Ka6 Ra1+ 60. Kb7 Rb1 61. b6 Kg5 62. Ka7 Ra1+ 63. Kb8 Rb1 64. b7 Ra1 65. Kc7 Rc1+ 66. Kd7 Rd1+ 67. Ke6 Re1+ 68. Kd5 Rd1+ 69. Ke4 Re1+ 70. Kd3 Rd1+ 71. Kc2 Rd5 72. b8=Q Kg4 73. Rg8+ Kf5 74. Rf8+ Kg4 75. Qf4+ Kh3 76. Qf3+ Kh2 77. Qf2+ Kh3 78. Rf3+ Kg4 79. Qg2+ Kxh5 80. Rh3#) 58. Rh8 Kf6 (58... Rf1 {does not win a prize} 59. Ka6 Ra1+ 60. Kb7 Rb1 61. b6 Kg4 62. Kc7 Rc1+ 63. Kb8 Ra1 64. b7 Rb1 65. Kc7 Rc1+ 66. Kd6 Rd1+ 67. Ke5 Re1+ 68. Kd4 Rd1+ 69. Kc3 Rb1 70. b8=Q Rxb8 71. Rxb8 Kxh5 72. Rg8 Kh6 73. Kd3 Kh7 74. Rg3 Kh8 75. Kd4 Kh7 76. Ke5 Kh8 77. Ke6 Kh7 78. Kf6 Kh8 79. Kf7 Kh7 80. Rh3#) 59. Kc6 (59. h6 Kg6 60. Ka6 Ra1+ 61. Kb7 Rb1 62. b6 Rb3 63. Kc7 Rc3+ 64. Kb8 Rd3 65. b7 Rd1 66. Ka7 Ra1+ 67. Kb6 Rb1+ 68. Kc6 Rc1+ 69. Kd5 Rd1+ 70. Ke4 Re1+ 71. Kd3 Rd1+ 72. Kc2 Ra1 73. b8=Q Ra2+ 74. Kb3 Re2 75. Qg3+ Kf5 76. Qf3+ Ke5 77. Qxe2+ Kf4 78. Rf8+ Kg5 79. Qg2+ Kh4 80. h7 Kh5 81. h8=Q#) 59... Rc1+ (59... Kg7 {doesn't change the outcome of the game} 60. Rc8 Kf7 61. b6 Rc1+ 62. Kb7 Ra1 63. Kb8 Kf6 64. b7 Re1 65. Rc5 Rg1 66. Ka7 Rg7 67. Ra5 Rh7 68. Ka8 Rh8+ 69. b8=Q Rxb8+ 70. Kxb8 Kg7 71. Kc8 Kf6 72. Kd7 Kf7 73. h6 Kf6 74. h7 Kg7 75. Ke6 Kxh7 76. Kf6 Kh8 77. Kf7 Kh7 78. Rh5#) 60. Kb7 Kg7 (60... Rc5 { does not solve anything} 61. b6 Kg7 62. Rc8 Rxh5 63. Rc6 Kf7 64. Kc7 Re5 65. b7 Re7+ 66. Kb8 Re1 67. Ka7 Rb1 68. Rh6 Kg7 69. Rb6 Ra1+ 70. Ra6 Rxa6+ 71. Kxa6 Kf6 72. b8=Q Kf5 73. Kb5 Kg5 74. Qe5+ Kg4 75. Kc4 Kf3 76. Kd4 Kf2 77. Qf4+ Kg2 78. Qg4+ Kh1 79. Ke3 Kh2 80. Kf2 Kh1 81. Qg1#) 61. Rc8 Rb1 62. b6 Kh6 (62... Kf7 {a fruitless try to alter the course of the game} 63. Rc5 Ke7 64. Kc7 Rd1 65. b7 Rd7+ 66. Kb6 Rd6+ 67. Ka7 Rd7 68. Ka8 Rd8+ 69. b8=Q Rxb8+ 70. Kxb8 Kd6 71. Ra5 Ke7 72. Kc7 Kf8 73. Kd7 Kf7 74. h6 Kf6 75. h7 Kg7 76. Rh5 Kf6 77. h8=Q+ Kf7 78. Qh7+ Kf8 79. Rf5#) 63. Rc5 Rb2 (63... Rd1 {doesn't change anything anymore} 64. Ra5 Kh7 65. Ka7 Rd7+ 66. b7 Kh6 67. Ka8 Rd8+ 68. b8=Q Rxb8+ 69. Kxb8 Kh7 70. Ra6 Kh8 71. Rg6 Kh7 72. Kc8 Kh8 73. Kc7 Kh7 74. Kd6 Kh8 75. Ke6 Kh7 76. Kf7 Kh8 77. Rh6#) 64. Kc7 (64. Ra5 Rb1 65. Ka7 Rf1 66. b7 Rf7 67. Ka8 Kh7 68. b8=Q Rf8 69. Ra7+ Kg8 70. Qxf8+ Kxf8 71. Kb8 Kg8 72. Kc8 Kh8 73. Kd8 Kg8 74. Ke8 Kh8 75. Kf7 Kh7 76. Ra6 Kh8 77. Rh6#) 64... Rg2 (64... Rf2 { cannot change what is in store for White} 65. b7 Rf7+ 66. Kb6 Rf8 67. Rc8 Rf1 68. b8=Q Rb1+ 69. Kc5 Rxb8 70. Rxb8 Kg5 71. Rg8+ Kxh5 72. Kd6 Kh6 73. Ke5 Kh5 74. Kf4 Kh6 75. Kf5 Kh7 76. Rg6 Kh8 77. Kf6 Kh7 78. Kf7 Kh8 79. Rh6#) 65. b7 Rg7+ 66. Kb6 (66. Kc6 Rg8 67. Kd6 Rd8+ 68. Kc7 Re8 69. b8=Q Rxb8 70. Kxb8 Kh7 71. Rc6 Kh8 72. Rg6 Kh7 73. Kb7 Kh8 74. Kc8 Kh7 75. Kd7 Kh8 76. Ke7 Kh7 77. Kf7 Kh8 78. Rh6#) 66... Rg8 67. Ka7 (67. Ka7 Rg7 68. Ra5 Kh7 69. Ka8 Rg1 70. b8=Q Rg8 71. Ra6 Rxb8+ 72. Kxb8 Kh8 73. Rg6 Kh7 74. Kc7 Kh8 75. Kc8 Kh7 76. Kd7 Kh8 77. Ke6 Kh7 78. Kf7 Kh8 79. Rh6#) 1-0