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ANNOTATED GAME
"Great Snakes, Batman! A 100-mover!"
sago (1964) vs. ionadowman (2024)
Annotated by: archduke_piccolo
(2332)
Chess opening: Robatsch (modern) defence (B06)
sago (1964) vs. ionadowman (2024)
Annotated by: archduke_piccolo
(2332)
Chess opening: Robatsch (modern) defence (B06)
 Interactive |
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51... Rf7+ |
The ensuing sequence is forced. White must lose the exchange. | ||||||||
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52. Ke1 Rg1+ 53. Kd2 |
... and now we see why Black's 50th had a defensive component. | ||||||||
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53... Bh6 |
There's nothing to be done about the pin. White will be left with B N vs R 2P - still a rough material equality, but the isolated doubled b-pawn group is a real handicap. White has to rely on piece activity to stay in the game. And that's the rub, for Black. If those pieces get really active they could prove very dangerous. Here follows a period of intricate manoeuvring. | ||||||||
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54. Nc3 |
(!) Cutting his losses. | ||||||||
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54... Bxe3+ |
(!?) Maybe 54...Rd7 is more precise? | ||||||||
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55. Rxe3 |
The upside for White is that now he has all his pieces in action. Black's advantage, though real, seems miniscule. | ||||||||
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55... Kg6 56. Re2 Rg4 57. Rh2 Rd7+ 58. Kc2 |
(!) Not 58.Ke2? (or Ke3) Re7 or 58.Ke1? Rb4. | ||||||||
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58... h4 59. Ne2 Kf5 |
For the next 10 moves Black probes on the K-side, looking for a way through. White seems to have few problems holding Black out. | ||||||||
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60. Bc3 Rh7 61. Kd3 h3 62. Ke3 Rgh4 |
Maybe now was the time to mobilise the Q-side. This move doesn't look especially forceful... | ||||||||
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63. Kf3 Rf7 64. Bd2 Rd7 65. Be3 Rd3 66. Nc1 Rd8 67. Kg3 Rg4+ |
Not so much hoping for 68.Kxh3?? Rh8 and mate next, as to drive the WK back to the f-file. There's clearly nothing doing on the K-side for Black, but in order to start operations on the other wing, Black will have to regroup: one rook to protect the h-pawn, one to occupy and interdict the d-file. | ||||||||
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68. Kf3 Rh8 |
The only means of protecting the h-pawn that is consistent with Black's plan for regrouping. | ||||||||
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69. Ne2 Rgh4 70. Nf4 Rh4h6 71. Ne2 Rd6 |
Completing the regrouping. Fortunately for Black, his opponent has been in the meantime unable to initiate any worthwhile counterplay. | ||||||||
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72. Nf4 a6 |
(!) At last! The h-pawn is a goner, of course, but with it will go a pair of rooks - not an undesirable thing from Black's point of view. | ||||||||
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73. b4 |
(!?) A move difficult to judge. Probably played in anticipation of 73.Rxh3 Rxh3 74.Nxh3 Rd3. | ||||||||
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73... cxb4 |
(!) It so happened I had intended ...c4 here, but forgot when the position appeared (I hadn't really expected 73.b4). Of course the move played is the better choice. | ||||||||
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74. Rxh3 Rxh3+ 75. Nxh3 a5 76. Nf2 a4 |
Black's pawns storm down the Q-side. Judging by the material balance, the situation would look drawish, but I had a lot of confidence in those Q-side pawns. Can White hold? I was beginning to think Black could win this! | ||||||||
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77. Bc1 |
The alternative was 77.Ne4 Rd3 78.Ng3 Kg6! 79.Ne2 Rb3 etc. The move played seems the more resilient. | ||||||||
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77... Rc6 |
(!) | ||||||||
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78. Nd3 a3 |
(!) The first tactical shot of the endgame! There will be more. | ||||||||
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79. bxa3 bxa3 80. Ke3 |
White could not take again on a3 owing to 80.Bxa3? Rc3 picking up a piece and winning. | ||||||||
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