I am not especially proud of this win. I feel that Black played better moves on the whole, but he was too slow in our timed 15 minute game. This game showed me some of the vulnerabilities of the Polish (Sokolsky).
[White "igor"]
[Black "anon"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1868"]
[BlackElo "1887"]
[TimeControl "1200"]
1. b4 c6
A most unusual response to the Polish, but as a Caro-Kann advocate I respect it.
2. Bb2 a5?!
A typical move that many players believe to be effective against Flank openings. It aims to create an isolated White pawn on the a-file, as well as gaining an open file for the Black rook. These supposed advantages often prove insignificant, and I feel that it wastes time on the whole. I would advocate developing a piece as being more in keeping with hypermodern theory.
3. bxa5
a3 may be better, but I did not see any future for the b4 pawn once Black has unleashed his dark-squared bishop. It seemed to me I would have lost time trying to defend the b-pawn in order to avoid a relatively small weakness in my pawn structure.
3. .. d5!
Black demonstrates savvy about the Polish, anticipating that I want to play c4. I begin to sense there will be no easy gotcha's for me in this Polish.
4. e3 Nf6 5. c4!
If Black takes, my bishop can recapture, obtaining a decent development. If he doesn't, then cxd5.
5. .. e6!?
Hemming in his light-squared bishop. While this is solid, I have my doubts.
6. Nf3
I'd love to play Bc3, supporting a5, but that confounds the development of my Queen's knight. Furthermore, it seems rash to delay development of my other pieces. Better to cede the pawn than delay development to such an extent.
6. .. Bd6
Aiming at an eventual e5.
7. Nc3?
Not an ideal square for my Queen's knight. Better may have been 7. Na3?! aiming for Nc2 and tempting Black to exchange his active bishop for a passive knight.
7. Qxa5
Might as well scoop up the pawn now and begin applying pressure to my weak Q-side.
8. Be2?!
Dismayed by Black's awareness of the Polish, I play a passive move out of character for me, with an eye to rapid castling. Stronger I think is 8. d4.
8. Nbd7 9. O-O dxc4
Black forces my bishop to move twice, emphasizing my waste of a move. Black prepares for an eventual b5. However, he does not realize that I can prevent that move if it is not played immediately.
10. Bxc4 O-O
Although Black neglects an immediate b5, he obtains sound, solid development. I see nothing amiss in Black's position and cannot come up with a plan, so I simply defend.
11. a4
With an isolated pawn, it is better to advance it, and a4 seems like a safe square. It also prevents the much-dreaded b5. It is at this point I notice that Black is taking far too long on his moves. He is not managing his time wisely and that suggests an alternative method to victory--time. I need only defend, not attack, and his clock will run out at this rate.
11. .. e5
Black liberates his light-squared bishop and threatens e4.
12. Qc2
Necessary to prevent e4.
12. .. Nb6!
Black gains a tempo and increases the pressure on a4.
13. Bb3 Bg4!
Black gains another tempo.
14. Ng5
The only reasonable move.
14. .. Nbd5 15. Nge4 Nxe4 16. Qxe4?
I should have recaptured with the knight, attacking the bishop and gaining a tempo. The Queen has no business moving.
16. .. Nf6?
16. .. f5! is stronger by far, forcing my Queen back and seizing control of the center. Perhaps Black fears the resulting pin of his knight, but his King could simply move to h8 and he'd be okay. Black's knight has an excellent post at d5, and there is no reason to move it.
17. Qc2 Bh5?!
A bit passive, although I sympathize with the goal of improving the bishop. Black could have developed the idle rook on f8 to e8, preparing for Be6 to get rid of my strong light-squared bishop.
18. Ne4?
I'm careless--nothing else to say about that move.
18. .. Nxe4 19. Qxe4 Bg6!
Black gains a tempo and a pawn.
20. Qc4 Qxd2
Chomp! Ouch.
21. Bc3?
I was hopeful this move might win some material, but no dice. As a matter of fact, it makes my position worse. Counter-intuitive Ra2 may have been preferable.
21. .. Qd3!
Black forces the trade of Queens and gains a powerful light-squared bishop. This should be the end for me, but should and is are two different things in chess. My opponent is behind in time by about a minute, and I hope to expand that time advantage through quick, skillful defense.
22. Qxd3 Bxd3 23. Rfd1 e4 24. Bc4? Bxh2+!
Ouch! I make my second goof. Black wins another pawn. I saw this shot immediately after Bc4, and premoved Kxh2 to save a few seconds. Time, I think to myself, is the only way I can win this game. Not pretty, but a fact.
25. Kxh2 Bxc4 26. Rd7!
If I expect Black to eat up his clock, I need to get some counter-play in this game, even if it ultimately leads nowhere.
26. .. Ba6?
Passive. The post at d3 is stronger and protects the e4 pawn. Better is 26. .. b5.
27. Re7
Not a good move, but a quick one. Speed is its only virtue. Black ponders one minute, far too much for my juvenile move.
27. .. Rfe8 28. Rd7 c5? 29. a5!
Now it is going to be difficult for Black to play b5. Black banked on the goal of capturing my a-pawn, and that dogma obstructed his reasoning.
29. .. Rac8 30. Rad1!
Now Black can no longer attempt a trade of rooks. It is not in my interest to simplify. I want the position to remain locked down and as complicated as possible.
30. .. h6
Black consumes thirty seconds to come up with a fairly humdrum move. He is ahead in material, but needs time to plan a breakout. I do not intend to give him much time.
31. Kg1?
A pointless move, but so what? Black spends twenty-two seconds pondering his next move.
31. .. Kf8
Black is desperate to trade rooks, and who can blame him? Time is running short.
32. g4
Probably unnecessary, but again, so what? I'm spitting out moves that are fairly innocuous, but Black ponders them like I'm Kasparov.
32. .. f6
A continuation of Black's cumbersome plan to trade rooks. I ignore it. I just want to get my King into play somehow. I found that Kg1 did not help me at all.
33. Kg2 Rc6?
I'm not sure what Black is doing here. He probably isn't sure either.
34. Kg3 Re7 35. Rd8+!
I decline the trade of rooks, of course. Too simple.
35. .. Kf7 36. R8d7!
Now if he takes my rook, I force his King to the last rank and positional Limbo, a prospect he doesn't much like.
36. .. Bd3!
Black imperils my rook and obtains a superb post for his bishop, but is it enough? I don't bother thinking about it, I just make the obvious move.
37. Rxe7+ Kxe7 38. f3!
I fear pawn and bishop chains. This one is much too threatening to tolerate, even though it can be replaced by another.
38. .. Ke6!
Effectively preventing me from playing Kf4 for the moment.
39. fxe4 Bxe4 40. Kf4 Bc2 41. Rd2 g5+ 42. Kf3 Bg6
Black blew another forty seconds coming up with that easy move.
43. Rb2 Kd5?
With less than a minute left, Black drops an important pawn.
44. Rxb7 f5 45. gxf5 Bxf5
Black has less than ten seconds left. I have four minutes. I could go take a bathroom break and still win. There's no point in notating any of the other moves. I could have played anything at all.
46. Rd7+ Rd6 47. Re7 Re6 48. Rxe6 Kxe6 49. a6 1-0
No, not a pretty win, and my play wasn't brilliant, but I was cunning and used time to my advantage.
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