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ANNOTATED GAME
The Two Bishop Endgame
ethansiegel (1827) vs. nicolso (1793)
Annotated by: ethansiegel
(1986)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B43), Kan, 5.Nc3
ethansiegel (1827) vs. nicolso (1793)
Annotated by: ethansiegel
(1986)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B43), Kan, 5.Nc3
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25. hxg5 |
Of course not fxg5; I liked this recapture for opening the h-file with two rooks and two bishops on. What I didn't see, however, was 25. Nxe6!, which leaves white with a great attack after either dxe6 26. Bxe6+ (and black faces huge problems after the king moves to the h-file) or R-moves followed by 26. Nxg5 and at least equality. | ||||||||
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25... Nd5 |
? This move looks good on the surface as it threatens a variety of things: the pawn on f4, to advance e4-e3, maybe to even play Nb6 with an eye to Nc4+, forking the rook. But white now has a sacrifice of his own that wins the Nd5 and turns the tables: 26. Nxd7 Bxd7 (not Nxd7 27. Bxe6+) 27. Rxd7! Nxd7 28. Bxe6+, and white's attack is tremendous. | ||||||||
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26. Nxe6 |
?! The wrong pawn! This improves white's situation over what it was a few moves ago, but is a much weaker move than Nxd7. | ||||||||
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26... Rf7 |
Much better than dxe6 27. Bxe6+, but after all the carnage, _this_ position is roughly equal. | ||||||||
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27. g6 |
This was a hard move to find, but I like it a lot. The rook must move (and e7 is the only safe square), and this really hems in the black king. | ||||||||
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27... Re7 |
Forced. | ||||||||
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28. Nd8 |
Threatening 29. Nxc6, which will either run into Nxc6 30. Rxd5, winning a piece, or dxc6 30. Rd8+ Re8 31. Rxe8#. | ||||||||
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28... a5 |
Nothing better, as there's no way to move the Nb8 and free the Ra8 to roam the 8th rank. | ||||||||
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29. Bc5 |
?! Getting cute and going for an extra threat on the Re7, when simply Nxc6 gives white a winning edge. | ||||||||
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29... b4 |
?? Na6 was the saving move, as Nxc6 could be met with Nxc5!, re-defending the d7 square in the process. | ||||||||
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30. Rxd5 |
?! Missing Nxc6, which -- with the white pawn on g6 -- would now win easily! 30. Nxc6 Nxc6 (not dxc6 31. Rd8 and mate to follow) 31. Rxd5, and black needs to drop the Re7 for a bishop to avoid going down even further. Rxd5 is still solid, as it wins a knight and rook for a rook, but there's still a lot of chess left, now. | ||||||||
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30... Bxd5 |
The only move. | ||||||||
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31. Bxe7 |
Also the only move. | ||||||||
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31... Nc6 |
Pretty much forcing the exchange of knights. | ||||||||
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32. Nxc6 dxc6 |
Okay, let's take stock now. White is up a bishop for two pawns, has a slightly more aggressive position, and black's king is a little vulnerable. On the other hand, black has some aggressive pawns and a little firepower, too. Having escaped a losing position, we turn to winning a won game, which is full of challenges! | ||||||||
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33. f5 |
I'd love to play Be6+, but black's Bd5 prevents that, so I have thoughts of trying to turn my kingside pawn edge into a new queen. | ||||||||
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33... Re8 |
A good move, supporting an e-pawn push and hitting the bishop. | ||||||||
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34. f6 |
I like this move even if the computer analysis doesn't; this makes it hard for black to do any counterattacking. | ||||||||
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34... gxf6 |
Best. | ||||||||
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35. Bxf6 |
All of a sudden, there's the threat of Rh1 followed by Rh8#! | ||||||||
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