C44 Ponziani Opening and Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d3 Nf6 4.Be2 Be7 5.c3)

This is from the third round of the WORLD OPEN RAPID tournament that was played at FIDE Online Arena March 14th 2015. This was my third consecutive win on the tournament and only one game remained to be played. At this time I was really happy of the way that things had gone. When my opponent played 9.c4, the first blunder of the game saw the light of day. Ferrante's 8th move was not good either, but after 9.c4 my opponent started to be in serious trouble. After a few more moves I was able to win a pawn and I seemed to be going towards a win.

The huge mistake from my opponent on move 16, Bc5, could have meant an easy win for me, had I replied with 16...Rxb3 that is. I played 16...e4 in the game, which is a good move, but much worse than taking on b3.

I remained to be on the clearly better side of the board until I played 22...b6. At that point in the game I was still up a pawn, but my pawn structure at the kingside was ruined and I had doubled pawns on the f-file. Ferrante should have played 23.Na6 in reply and the game could have been heading towards a draw. Instead, ferrante played 23.Ne4, which attacked the pawn on f6, which I should have protected, but did not. I ended up only trading pawns when I could have been more greedy and try to win one.

A few moves later I lost a pawn and the position was equal once again. The equality did not last long as I did get some play with the move 26...Nd3. The problem for ferrante was that if he or she defends the pawn on f2, the pawn on b3 will likely fall. In the game my opponent played 27.Rf1 and defended the pawn on f2, but the pawn on b3 is much more important one to keep if possible.

Ferrante tried his or hers best to keep the material equality, but after my 30th move Nc5, it became obvious that I will win a pawn and likely the game as well. The rest of the game went smoothly for me and it ended after 56...Rg1 in my favor.

[Event "Tournament 27899239"] [Site "online arena"] [Date "2015.03.14"] [Round "3"] [White "ferrante"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C44"] [WhiteElo "1749"] [BlackElo "1821"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "112"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 {King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation} 3. d3 (3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 Bd7 (5... f5 6. exf5 Bxf5 7. O-O {Spanish Game: Morphy Defense. Modern Steinitz Defense}) 6. d4 g6 {Spanish Game: Morphy Defense. Modern Steinitz Defense Fianchetto Variation} (6... Nge7 {Spanish Game: Morphy Defense. Modern Steinitz Defense})) 3... Nf6 4. Be2 Be7 5. c3 {C44 Ponziani Opening and Scotch Gambit} d5 6. exd5 (6. Qc2 O-O 7. Bg5 Be6 8. Nbd2 Qd7 9. O-O Rfe8 10. b4 a6 11. a3 h6 12. Bh4 Nh7 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Rfe1 dxe4 15. dxe4 Ng5 16. Nf1 Nxf3+ 17. Bxf3 Qf6 18. Ne3 Ne7 19. Rad1 Rad8 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 {Prohaszka, P (2294) -Fordan,T (2215) Budapest 2005 1/2-1/2 (32)}) 6... Qxd5 $146 {White has a cramped position} (6... Nxd5 7. O-O O-O 8. Nbd2 (8. Re1 Re8 9. Nbd2 Nf4 10. Ne4 Nxe2+ 11. Qxe2 Bg4 12. h3 Bh5 13. Qe3 f5 14. Ned2 Bg5 15. Qe2 Bf6 16. Nb3 e4 17. dxe4 Rxe4 18. Qd2 Rxe1+ 19. Qxe1 Qd6 20. Bg5 Bxg5 21. Nxg5 Re8 22. Qf1 Qe7 {Ludwig,M-Flessa,H Zuerich 1983 1-0 (43)}) 8... a5 9. Nc4 Bf6 10. Ne3 Re8 11. Nxd5 Qxd5 12. Bg5 Qd6 13. Qa4 Bxg5 14. Nxg5 Qg6 15. Qh4 h6 16. Ne4 b6 17. Bh5 Qe6 18. f4 g6 19. Nf6+ Kg7 20. Nxe8+ Qxe8 21. Bf3 {Moravek,I (1782) -Savina,M (1719) Slovakia 2007 1-0 (44)}) 7. Nbd2 Bf5 (7... O-O $11) 8. Nb3 (8. Nc4 e4 9. Ne3 Qd7 $11) 8... Rd8 (8... a5 9. O-O a4 $17) 9. c4 $2 (9. d4 $142 { and White has air to breath} exd4 10. Nbxd4 $11) 9... Qd7 $17 10. O-O Bxd3 11. Bxd3 Qxd3 12. Qxd3 Rxd3 13. Be3 O-O 14. Rad1 Rfd8 15. Rxd3 Rxd3 16. Bc5 $4 { shortens the misery for White} (16. Rc1 a5 $19) 16... e4 (16... Rxb3 $142 { and Black wins} 17. Bxe7 Rxb2 18. Bxf6 gxf6 $19) 17. Bxe7 $17 exf3 (17... Nxe7 18. Ne5 Rd6 19. f3 $17) 18. Bxf6 fxg2 (18... gxf6 19. Nc5 fxg2 20. Kxg2 $17) 19. Kxg2 gxf6 20. Nc5 Rd2 21. Rb1 Rc2 22. b3 b6 {Black threatens to win material: b6xc5} 23. Ne4 (23. Na6 Rxa2 24. Nxc7 Ne5 $17) 23... Rxa2 (23... Kg7 $142 $5 24. Rd1 f5 $19) 24. Nxf6+ $15 Kh8 25. Nd5 {White threatens to win material: Nd5xc7} Ne5 (25... Na5 26. Nxc7 Ra3 27. Rd1 $15) 26. Nxc7 $11 Nd3 { Black threatens to win material: Nd3xf2} 27. Rf1 (27. Kf3 $142 $5 $11 {is interesting}) 27... Rb2 $17 28. Nb5 (28. Kf3 Rxb3 29. Ke4 Kg7 $17) 28... a5 29. Nd4 Kg7 30. Kg3 (30. Kf3 $5 Nc5 31. Rd1 $19) 30... Nc5 $19 31. Kf3 (31. Kf4 Kf6 $19) 31... Nxb3 32. Rg1+ Kf6 33. Nxb3 (33. Ke4 {is no salvation} a4 34. Nb5 Rxf2 $19) 33... Rxb3+ 34. Ke4 Rb2 (34... a4 $142 {keeps an even firmer grip} 35. Rg8 a3 36. h4 $19) 35. Rg2 $2 (35. Ra1 Rxf2 36. Rb1 Re2+ 37. Kd5 $19) 35... a4 36. Kd4 (36. Rg3 {no good, but what else?} Re2+ 37. Kd4 Rxf2 38. Ra3 Rf4+ 39. Kd5 Rf5+ 40. Kd6 $19) 36... a3 37. Kc3 Re2 38. Rg1 Rxf2 39. Ra1 a2 40. h4 Kg6 41. Kb4 Kh5 42. Kb5 Rb2+ 43. Kc6 f5 44. Kd5 Kg4 45. c5 (45. Kd4 {does not help much} f4 46. Kc3 Rg2 47. Kb3 f3 48. c5 bxc5 49. Rf1 Re2 50. h5 f2 51. Rc1 Re1 52. Rc4+ Kf3 53. Rc3+ Ke4 54. Rc4+ Kd5 55. Rc2 a1=Q 56. Rd2+ Kc6 57. h6 Rb1+ 58. Kc2 Rc1+ 59. Kd3 Qd4+ 60. Ke2 f1=Q#) 45... bxc5 46. Kxc5 (46. Rg1+ { cannot change destiny} Kxh4 47. Ra1 Kg3 48. Rg1+ Rg2 49. Rf1 f4 50. Ke4 Re2+ 51. Kd3 f3 52. Rd1 Rb2 53. Rg1+ Kf4 54. Ra1 f2 55. Rf1 Kg3 56. Ke3 Rb3+ 57. Kd2 Rb1 58. Kc2 Rxf1 59. Kd3 Rd1+ 60. Kc4 a1=Q 61. Kxc5 Qc3+ 62. Kb6 Rb1+ 63. Ka7 Qa1#) 46... h5 (46... f4 47. Rg1+ Kf5 48. Ra1 f3 49. h5 f2 50. Rf1 Ke4 51. Rd1 Rb1 52. Rd4+ Ke3 53. Rd8 Rc1+ 54. Kb4 a1=Q 55. Re8+ Kf3 56. Rf8+ Kg3 57. Rg8+ Kh4 58. Kb3 Rc3+ 59. Kb4 Qb2+ 60. Ka5 Ra3#) 47. Kc4 (47. Rg1+ {doesn't do any good} Kxh4 48. Rh1+ Kg3 49. Rg1+ Rg2 50. Ra1 f4 51. Kc4 f3 52. Kd5 f2 53. Kd6 Rg1 54. Rxa2 f1=Q 55. Ra3+ Kh4 56. Ra4+ Rg4 57. Rxg4+ hxg4 58. Kc5 g3 59. Kb4 g2 60. Kb3 g1=Q 61. Kc3 Qc5+ 62. Kb2 Qcc1+ 63. Kb3 Qfc4#) 47... Kxh4 (47... f4 48. Rg1+ Kxh4 49. Rh1+ Kg3 50. Rg1+ Rg2 51. Ra1 f3 52. Kd5 f2 53. Kd6 Rg1 54. Rxa2 f1=Q 55. Ra3+ Kh4 56. Ra4+ Rg4 57. Rxg4+ hxg4 58. Kc5 g3 59. Kb4 g2 60. Kb3 g1=Q 61. Kc3 Qc5+ 62. Kb2 Qcc1+ 63. Kb3 Qfc4#) 48. Kc3 (48. Kd5 {does not win a prize} f4 49. Ke4 Kg3 50. Rg1+ Kf2 51. Ra1 f3 52. Kd3 Kg3 53. Kc3 Rb1 54. Rxa2 f2 55. Rxf2 Kxf2 56. Kd4 h4 57. Kc3 h3 58. Kc2 Rb7 59. Kd3 h2 60. Kc3 h1=Q 61. Kd4 Qc6 62. Ke5 Rb5+ 63. Kd4 Rd5+ 64. Ke4 Qc4#) 48... Rf2 49. Kd3 (49. Kb3 {doesn't improve anything} Kh3 50. Rg1 f4 51. Ka3 Kh2 52. Ra1 h4 53. Kb3 h3 54. Ka3 Kg2 55. Rxa2 Rxa2+ 56. Kxa2 f3 57. Kb3 f2 58. Kb4 f1=Q 59. Kc5 Qf5+ 60. Kb4 h2 61. Kb3 h1=Q 62. Ka3 Qd3+ 63. Ka4 Qhb1 64. Ka5 Qa3#) 49... Kg3 50. Ke3 (50. Rg1+ {hardly improves anything} Kf3 51. Ra1 h4 52. Rc1 h3 53. Ra1 Kg2 54. Rc1 h2 55. Ke3 h1=Q 56. Rxh1 f4+ 57. Ke4 Kxh1 58. Kd3 a1=Q 59. Ke4 Re2+ 60. Kd3 Qd1+ 61. Kc4 Rc2+ 62. Kb3 Qb1+ 63. Ka4 Ra2#) 50... f4+ (50... Kg2 51. Re1 h4 52. Ra1 h3 53. Rc1 h2 54. Ra1 f4+ 55. Ke4 h1=Q 56. Rxh1 Kxh1 57. Kd3 a1=Q 58. Ke4 Re2+ 59. Kd3 Qd1+ 60. Kc4 Rc2+ 61. Kb3 Qb1+ 62. Ka4 Ra2#) 51. Kd3 f3 (51... h4 52. Kc4 Kg2 53. Kb3 h3 54. Rxa2 Rxa2 55. Kxa2 f3 56. Kb2 f2 57. Kb3 h2 58. Kc3 f1=Q 59. Kb4 h1=Q 60. Kc5 Qh5+ 61. Kd4 Qfd1+ 62. Kc3 Qa5+ 63. Kb2 Qaa1#) 52. Rg1+ (52. Kc4 {doesn't change anything anymore} Rg2 53. Kd5 f2 54. Ke6 Rg1 55. Rxa2 f1=Q 56. Ra3+ Kh4 57. Ra4+ Rg4 58. Rxg4+ hxg4 59. Kd5 g3 60. Ke6 g2 61. Kd5 g1=Q 62. Ke6 Qc5 63. Kd7 Qff5+ 64. Ke8 Qcf8#) 52... Rg2 53. Ra1 (53. Rf1 {a fruitless try to alter the course of the game} f2 54. Ke3 Rg1 55. Rxf2 a1=Q 56. Rf3+ Kg4 57. Rf4+ Kg5 58. Ke4 Re1+ 59. Kd3 Kxf4 60. Kc4 Rc1+ 61. Kb3 Rc3+ 62. Kb4 Qb2+ 63. Ka5 Ra3#) 53... h4 (53... f2 54. Kd4 Rg1 55. Rxa2 f1=Q 56. Rc2 Qf6+ 57. Kd3 Rd1+ 58. Kc4 Qd4+ 59. Kb5 Rb1+ 60. Rb2 Rxb2+ 61. Kc6 Rb6+ 62. Kc7 Qd6+ 63. Kc8 Rb8#) 54. Ke3 (54. Kc4 {doesn't get the cat off the tree} h3 55. Kc5 h2 56. Rd1 Rg1 57. Rd8 Rc1+ 58. Kd6 Rd1+ 59. Kc5 Rxd8 60. Kb5 h1=Q 61. Kc6 Qc1+ 62. Kb6 Rb8+ 63. Ka7 Qc7+ 64. Ka6 a1=Q#) 54... h3 55. Kd3 h2 56. Ke3 (56. Kd4 {doesn't get the bull off the ice} Rg1 57. Rxa2 h1=Q 58. Ra8 Rd1+ 59. Kc3 Qe1+ 60. Kb3 Qe3+ 61. Kb4 Qd4+ 62. Ka5 Qc3+ 63. Ka4 Ra1+ 64. Kb5 Rb1+ 65. Ka4 Qb4#) 56... Rg1 (56... Rg1 57. Rxa2 h1=Q 58. Kd4 Rd1+ 59. Kc3 f2 60. Kb4 Qe4+ 61. Ka5 Rd5+ 62. Kb6 Qe6+ 63. Kc7 Rd7+ 64. Kc8 Qe8#) 0-1