1.e4
I was extremely confident going into this game. I was coming off a huge week the previous week, and felt nearly unstoppable. Why is it that whenever I get such feelings they are usually made to look ridiculous very quickly?
1...c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
Here we go again....
6.Be3
e6
7.f3
b5
8.g4
Nfd7
9.Qd2
Nb6
10.0-0-0
N8d7
Ah hah, this move is a nice improvement. Now if Nb3 I am not threatening Na5 attacking the bishop on b7. Of course I am stubborn and played Nb3 anyway. [10...Bb7
G. Shahade - Novikov 1-0 3rd NY Masters]
11.Nb3
I honestly didn't know what sense this move made, but I knew that Ponomariov played it once and won, and he's pretty good at chess
11...Qc7
Ponomariovs opponent didnt play this move. Actually his opponent played not so well at all and thus the result of the game shouldnt have really be linked to the opening. I think that in these positions black is OK
12.Qf2
Be7
13.Kb1
Does anyone see a constructive plan for white? If you do please email me so I can use it against Novikov next time, thanks! Honestly I have no idea what white is supposed to do here....black has no weaknesses, white has no ideas...black is having all the fun in my opinion.
13...Na4!
The same move that Igor played last week, with the difference that its actually a good move this time.
14.Nxa4
bxa4
15.Nd2
My knight is going to come to c4....maybe things arent so bad for me...
15...d5!
Very nice prophylactic move. To me this move looked ridiculous. First off he is opening the center without having castled. Second he is going to give himself an isolated pawn. All of these factors are rendered irrelevant by the inactivity and clumsiness of my pieces, especially my knight on d2. Where is it going to go next??
16.exd5
exd5
17.f4
I can't stand to play a game without a piece, so I was desperate to put my knight on f3.
17...0-0
18.Nf3
Rb8
19.f5?
Ba3?
Novikov misses a winning shot. Part of me breathed a sigh of relief, but part of me realized that this would only prolong the suffering, as a position like this is sure death against a player like Novikov. One good thing about action chess is I dont have to suffer for hours in a lost position. [19...Rxb2+!!-+
A thematic sacrafice that I saw as soon as I moved. Black wins in all variations. 20.Kxb2
Ba3+!
21.Kxa3
(21.Kb1
Qb8+
22.Bb6
Nxb6-/+
Novikov told me after the game that he thought I could play Rd3-b3 here to defend. He forgot that his pawn on a4 is guarding the b3 square. 23.Ka1
Nc4
Fritz calls mate in 3) ]
20.b3
axb3?
[20...Nf6
21.h3
Ne4-+
]
21.cxb3
Nf6
22.h3
Ne4
23.Qc2!
This is why ab3 was a big mistake. This move would not have been available if black had just played Nf6 straightaway. At this point I was beginning to feel that I might not lose for sure. I still suspected I would lose, but wasnt totally positive as I saw no immediate win for black.
23...Qb7
[23...Nc3+
24.Ka1
pin]
24.Ne5
Bxf5!
A shocking sacrafice. No reason to think...I need to just take the piece and pray.
25.gxf5
Rfc8
Well that extra piece didn't last me very long.... if I move my queen bad things happen.
26.Nc4
[26.Qd3
Nc3+
27.Ka1
Nxd1
28.Qxd1
d4-+
attacking e3 and h1.]
26...dxc4
27.Bxc4
Nd6
28.Bd5!
Somehow after this move I was pretty confident I would draw. I was watching Novikov make so many mistakes...missing a forced win....allowing me to trade queens, that I figured it was my destiny to hold this game. Unfortunately I got lazy at the wrong time
28...Rxc2
29.Bxb7
Rb2+
30.Ka1
Re2
31.Bf4??
Unfortunately I only saw Bb2 Kb1 Nb5....I forgot to consider Nb5 immediately. You know when you have those moments where a part of you feels like the next move you are about to make could be the difference between a draw or a loss.....yet you can't really see why so you just play the move you planned on making, and then you end up kicking yourself afterwards for not taking more time and trusting your instinct that this was a key position. This was one of those moments for me. [31.Bc1
After this move it is very difficult for black to prove an advantage. 31...Bxc1
32.Bxa6!
(32.Rxd6
Bb2+
33.Kb1
Be5
34.Rd7
Rb2+
35.Kc1
Rxa2
36.Rhd1
Despite the extra pawn, white has very good chances to draw) 32...Bb2+
33.Kb1
Rf2
34.Rxd6
Be5
35.Rd7
Rb2+
36.Kc1
Rxa2
37.Rhd1=
]
31...Nb5-+
Now because of the mate threats, black is simply winning. [31...Bb2+?
32.Kb1
Nb5
33.Rd2
]
32.Bc1
[32.Bxa6
Bb2+
33.Kb1
Nc3#
]
32...Be7!
33.Bb2
[33.Bxa6
Bf6+
34.Kb1
Nc3+
35.Ka1
Rxa2#
]
33...Rxb7
Well this game brought me back to Earth real quick. It looks like its back to the drawing board as to what to play against Novikovs Najdorf. The next chance would not occur for a few weeks as I got black the next few games... 0-1