Neil Thakor (950) Tracy High - Garrett Dong (1000) West High
Art Freiler School, Tracy 05/28/2005
[annotated by Tom Langland]



1.c4 e5 2.e3 e4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Be2
(where is the knight on g1 going to go now?)

4...c6
(preparing for d5!)

5.Nh3
(not a good spot for the knight, just watch why)

5...d6
[5...d5! is still the best plan]

6.0-0 Bxh3! 7.gxh3
(White's kingside is all messed up, Black should seriously consider castling queen-side and THEN start an attack)

7...Nh5?? 8.Bxh5 Qg5+ 9.Kh1 d5
(finally!)

10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Be2 Bd6 12.f4
(White sees Blacks plan to go after h2)

12...exf3 13.Bxf3 Qe5 14.Qe2 d4?
(White's Queen is guarded, so the pawn on e3 is not really pinned)

15.exd4!?
[15.Bxb7! is way better]

15...Qxe2
(when behind in material you do NOT wanted to trade off pieces, but the Black Queen is pinned anyway)

16.Nxe2 Nc6 17.d5 Ne5 18.Nd4 Nxf3 19.Rxf3 0-0-0 20.Nf5 Rhe8 21.Rf1!?
(Black's threat of Re1+ is nothing to worry about)

21...g6 22.Ng7? Re2
[White's knight is now virtually trapped after 22...Re7 ]

23.Rxf7 Re1+ 24.Kg2 Re2+ 25.Kg1 Rf8?
(Black should not be continuing to offer to trade off more material when still behind)

26.Rxf8+ Bxf8 27.Ne6 Bh6 28.d3??
(now White gives back his extra piece)

28...Re1+! 29.Kg2 Bxc1 30.d6 Kd7
(attacking both the N and the P)

31.Nf8+ Kxd6 32.Nxh7 Re2+ 33.Kf1 Rc2
[33...Rxh2 34.Kg1 (or 34.Rxc1 Rh1+ 35.Ke2 Rxc1 (and Black would be winning)) 34...Rc2 (gets a free pawn)]

34.Nf6!?
(probably not a good idea to have both your remaining pieces on the same diagonal and the pawn on b2 not guarded)

34...Bxb2 35.Rb1??
[35.Ne4+! Kd5 36.Re1 saves the knight]

35...Bxf6 36.Rxb7 a5
[Black is now winning the game. All he needs to do is to keep his pawns, and the double up on the white pawns one at a time, starting with 36...Rxa2! ]

37.Rb6+ Ke5 38.Rb5+ Kd4 39.Rxa5 Kxd3
(Black has managed to trade a couple of pawns off, but if he has none left, his winning chances evaporate)

40.Ra6 Be5
[40...Bd4!! 41.Rxg6 Rc1+ 42.Kg2[] Rg1+ 43.Kf3[] Rxg6 and Black would have been easily winning]

41.Rxg6
(Black chances to force a win are gone, only White might have a chance to win because he still has some pawns that might Queen yet)

41...Rc1+ 42.Kg2 Rc2+ 43.Kf1 Bxh2!?
[43...Rxa2 is probably better as all White's pawns would be on the same side of the board and should be easily stopped)]

44.a4 Ra2 45.Rg7 Rxa4 46.Rd7+ Kc3 47.Kg2 Ra2+ 48.Kf3 Ra4 49.Ke2 Re4+ 50.Kf3 Rf4+ 51.Ke3 Rh4 52.Rd3+ Kc4 53.Rd2?? Rxh3+?
[how about 53...Bf4+ easily winning]

54.Ke4 Bc7?
(this loses the Black bishop, but the game is a draw with or without it)

55.Rc2+ Kb5 56.Rxc7 1/2-1/2