Annotated chess game: Challenge from doconnie

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ANNOTATED GAME

Challenge from doconnie
doconnie (1768) vs. byakuugan3 (1789)
Annotated by: byakuugan3 (1200)
Chess opening: Dutch (A80)

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24... h5

I couldn't really see any way to do anything in this position, so now I was just trying to secure the kingside. Playing lifeless positions like this can be tiring and make you want to destroy things, but positions like this can get interesting toward the end when one side finally does generate play.

25. Ba3 Nd7 26. Rac1 Kf7

Getting my king off the diagonal is all there is to do.

27. Nf3 Ra7

The only way I could possibly generate play would be to maneuver my major pieces around and make a b5 boost effective, otherwise this position is a dead draw.

28. Qb5 Bf6

Just controlling the knight's possible squares and making my bishop more flexible.

29. h4

Now White has really locked the position, and stopped all play on the kingside.

29... Qa6

This is the only way to get the queen off b5 and to continue planning a b5 boost. If White trades, then that frees up space for my rooks to double on the b-file, play b5, and then dominate the b-file with the rooks.

30. c4

White allows me to make the trade, so now that a pawn is going to move, finally some play has been created in the position.

30... Qxb5

This trade clears up more space for White's pieces than for mine, so it probably wasn't good, but I couldn't resist finally opening up some space

31. cxb5

axb5 was probably better, which brings a pawn on the edge toward the center. axb5 threatens cxd5 exd5 dxc5, but I can gain dynamic control of the a-file after a4, but whichever way White had recaptured, at least the position is not locked and drawish anymore.

31... Rc8

Defending the c-file is important, because I have no open files, but White has an open c-file,

32. dxc5

White wanted to give me a very weak c-pawn that can be taken advantage of with Rc2 Rec1,

32... bxc5 33. Rc2 Rac7 34. Rec1 c4

After this boost, I should have a slight advantage, but not a huge one

35. bxc4 Rc7xc4 36. Rc2xc4 Rxc4 37. Rxc4 dxc4

Endgames with only minor pieces tend to be less common than the frequently occuring rook endgames, since minor pieces are usually traded off before rooks. In endgames with only minor pieces, the maneuvering is usually slower and more strategic than most endgames.

38. Kf1

Having an active king is probably the first rule of endgames that most players are taught. Here White's king should be on the kingside, to contain my passed pawn and to help his passed pawn advance later.

38... Nb6

I take this opportunity to snatch off the a-pawn

39. Nd2

This move hangs the h-pawn, but also threats the c-pawn if Nxa4, but I'm not sure if losing the h-pawn is better than letting me snatch the a-pawn

39... c3 40. Nb3

but White

40... Nxa4 41. Nxa5 Bxh4

Now I'm up a solid pawn, which is usually enough to win in minor piece endgames where the bishops are on the same color, but here White might be able to hold a draw, since my king doesn't have an easy path to activity. All I need to worry about is not letting White promote, and not letting him win my c-pawn for free

42. Ke2 Bf6 43. Kd3 Nb6 44. Nc4

My advantage here is my extra h-pawn, which can't be taken advantage of yet, since I can't create a passed pawn with it, I need to worry about getting my king active first

44... Nd7 45. Bb4

White will win my passed pawn, so he can probably get a draw after all, but perhaps I could win the b-pawn and win with my majority on the kingside

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