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ANNOTATED GAME
Walking a tightrope
yatsyshin (2099) vs. nyctalop (2065)
Annotated by: nyctalop (2166)
Chess opening: Gruenfeld (D87), exchange, Seville variation
yatsyshin (2099) vs. nyctalop (2065)
Annotated by: nyctalop (2166)
Chess opening: Gruenfeld (D87), exchange, Seville variation
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56... Be5 |
The only move. It prevents a very nasty discovered check, it forces the Rook of the b-file or the 8th rank, it makes room for the King to escape and it prepares to advance the h-pawn. Talk about doing multiple things at once. I'd just like to add a small opinion of mine. When there are advanced passed pawns on both flanks, or more generally, there is heavy play on both flanks, a Bishop comes very close to the value of a Rook because it can focus fire, defend, blockade on both sides of the board and sometimes all of that at once. | |||||||
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57. Ra8 |
The only move for White, as well. Playing 57. Rc8 suddenly loses after 57...Kg7 58. Ne6+ Kh6 59. Kd5 (forcing the Bishop from its over-active post in the middle of the board) Bb2! (guarding against Rc1) 60. g7 (otherwise White has to sit and what the h-pawn queening) Bxg7 61. Rc1 b2! ( advancing with tempo) 62. Rh1 Kh5 (White was threatening mate) 63. Rxh3+ Kg4 and Black will soon have a full fledge Queen on his hands. | |||||||
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57... Kg7 |
Forced or else mate follows. | |||||||
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58. Ne6+ |
Again the only move. Trying to change the move order loses because after 58. Rxa4 h2 59. Ne6+ and Black can play Kf6 because there is no mate on f8 anymore. | |||||||
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58... Kh6 |
Again the only move, as mentioned earlier Kf6 gets the King mated with Rf8. | |||||||
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59. Rxa4 |
After an incredible long struggle, White finally gets to capture at least one of the troublesome passed pawns. Again, this is the only move that keeps White in the game. Trying to play something like 59. Kd5 gets clobbered by 59...Nc4 and the Black Bishop is the star of the show. | |||||||
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59... Bf6 |
Again, the only move. Mate was threatened on h4. This Bishop is sure making up for the lost time in the earlier part of the game, when it was the worst piece on the board. | |||||||
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60. g7 |
Not forced anymore, but the best try. White wants to make a Queen for himself as well. | |||||||
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60... Kh7 |
60...Bxg7?? 61. Rh4#. The King is the only piece that can catch the pawn. | |||||||
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61. Rg4 |
White is still determined to queen that pawn. | |||||||
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61... Bxg7 |
The shortest way to splitting the point after an arduous battle. The awesome Bishop sacrifices itself for White's most dangerous pawn. | |||||||
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62. Rxg7+ |
Taking with the Knight loses to 62...b2. White must still be careful. | |||||||
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62... Kh8 |
But so must I. After 62...Kh6 63. Rg3, the threat of mate gives White just enough time to capture all the pawns and use his last remaning soldier to bring home the point. | |||||||
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63. Rxe7 |
The game is almost drawn now. White munches one more for the road. | |||||||
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63... b2 64. Re8+ Kh7 65. Ng5+ Kg7 66. Re1 |
There won't be enough mating material left on the board after 66...b1Q 67. Rxb1 Nxb1 68. Nxh3 Kf6, so draw was agreed at this point. A very difficult and sharp endgame that was like walking a tightrope that is set aflame behind you. | |||||||
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