A Certain Failure of Technique

2012 USCL Action

(295) Ginsburg-ARZ (2400) – Jones-CAR (2249) [E14]
ICC 60 15 u Internet Chess Club, November 5, 2012

 

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 b6 5.e3 Bb7 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 c5 8.Nb3 cxd4 9.exd4 d5 10.c5 bxc5 11.dxc5 Nbd7?

Black needed to play Qe7.

12.Qd4!  A very strong centralization.

a5 13.a3 e5 14.Nxe5 Nxe5 15.axb4!  Black just emerges with a terrible game.

Nc6 16.Qh4 axb4

17.Bg5 Re8 18.Rxa8 Bxa8 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.Bb5

With a decisive advantage.

Rc8 22.Bxc6! Rxc6 23.Ra1 Bb7 24.f3 d4 25.Kf2 Bc8 26.Rc1

If you wanted 26. Ra5, you’d be right!  Black would have to resign shortly.

d3 27.Ke3 Re6+ 28.Kxd3 Ba6+  This flurry of checks was black’s last chance, but he is off by a few tempi.

29.Kd4 Re2 30.Ra1 Rxb2 31.Rxa6!

I correctly go for the rook ending which is winning with least fuss.

Rxb3 32.Kd5 Kf8 33.c6 Rc3 34.Rb6 b3 35.Kd6 Rd3+ 36.Kc7 Ke7

The winning maneuver now is to place the King on c8, then the pawn on c7, then the rook on b7, then the king on b8, and wins.  I had missed in this formation that black cannot defend with the King on d7 as c8=Q is discovered check!  Embarrassingly, I have the chance on all the subsequent moves to set up this winning plan.

37.Kb7 Rc3 38.Rb4 Kd6 39.Rb6 Ke7 40.f4 h5 41.g3 Kd6 42.h3 Ke7 43.g4 hxg4 44.hxg4 Kd6 45.g5

Only now does the above-mentioned winning plan not work anymore.  45. f5! still did the trick as black’s king must give way then I can proceed with Kc8, c7, Rb7, and Kb8.

f5 46.c7+ Kd7 47.c8Q+ Rxc8 48.Rxb3 Rc4 49.Rb6 Rxf4 50.Rf6 Ke7 51.Kc6 Rd4 52.Rxf5 Game drawn by mutual agreement 1/2-1/2

At least Arizona won the match 2.5 to 1.5  We are now in the playoffs against the St Louis Archbishops.   My record during the regular 2012 season:  +3 -1 = 2,  4 out of 6.  Should have been 4.5 if I had known this elementary rook ending!