A game

(Anonymous player) – US, 10 min. blitz, Petroff’s Defence:

1.e4 …e5
2.Nf3 …Nf6
3.Nxe5 …d6
4.Nf3 …Nxe4
5.d4 …d5
6.Bd3 …Bd6
7.0-0 …0-0
8.c4 …c6
9.Nc3 …Bf5
10.cxd5 …cxd5
11.Re1 …Nxc3
12.bxc3 …Bxd3
13.Qxd3 (I find no need to discuss the moves above in detail, it’s all theory so far)

13…Nc6
14.Bg5?! (Rb1 is stronger) …Qd7
15.Re2 …Rfe8
16.Rae1 …Rxe2
17.Rxe2 …Re8
18.Kf1 …h6

19.Bh4 …Re6
20.Rxe6 …fxe6 (I wasn’t confortable with 20…Qxe6 on account of 21.Qb5. However, that move is not really a threat given black’s best response: 21…Qe4!. This neat fritz line explains nicely why 22.Qxb7 is suicide (no, I hadn’t found that myself, which is why I didn’t play 21…Qxe6): 22.Qxb7? 22…Qd3+!, 23.Ke1 (Kg1?? is mate) …Qxc3+, 24.Ke2…Qc2+, 25.Ke3 (Kf1…Qd3+, 26.Ke1…Bb4, 27.Qxb4…Nxb4) …Qe4+, 26.Kd2…Bb4+, 27.Kc1…Qd3, 28.Be7 (28.Qxc6??…Ba3++)…Bxe7 and black has now both lost a piece and is forced to give up the Queen to avoid mate)

21.Bg3 …Bxg3
22.hxg3 …Kf2
23.Ke2 …a6
24.a4 …Qd6
25.Qc2 …Qa3 (thinking about getting ready to shake hands by now, but I would like to give it at least 10 more moves. White has doubled pawns after all)

26.Nh4 …Ne7
27.f4 …Qd6
28.Kf3 …b5
29.axb5 …axb5

30.Qd3 …b4
31.cxb4 …Qxb4
32.f5 …Qe1 (It’s getting clear that it’s white that fights for the draw. However white should be able to hold this position with correct play. The position isn’t equal, but I doubt black has enough for a win with correct play by both players: Not a lot of pawns left on the board, they are all pretty close to each other and both Queens and knights left on the board – should probably be draw, even if white would have to fight a bit for it. However, white needn’t make many mistakes before the game is lost. Actually, he needed only make one: )

33.Kg4?? (the losing move)

33…fxe5!+
34.Nxf5 …Qe6
35.Kf4 …g5+
36.Kg4 …Kg6!

In this position the white knight is lost and white has no choice but to exchange queens after black’s check on f5. So here white resigned. A good game.