1.d4
g6
2.Nf3
d6
3.e3
Bg7
4.c4
Nf6
5.b3
0-0
6.Nbd2
c5
Of the four games I found with this position, all of them continued 7. Bb2, which seems much more logical that 7. Be2.
7.Be2
I'm not sure where my light-square bishop belongs, so I just continue developing.
7...Nc6
8.Rb1?
Bf5
9.Ra1
Nb4!
Given that I'm now two tempi up, I may as well take the initiative that I've been given, and exploit the light-squared weakness in White's camp.
10.0-0
Bc2
10...Nc2?! is not as good. [ 10...Nc2
11.Rb1
Nxe3
( 11...Nxd4
12.exd4
Bxb1
13.Nxb1=
) 12.fxe3
Bxb1
13.Nxb1=
]
11.Qe1
Nd3
12.Bxd3
Bxd3-/+
13.Bb2
Nd7
14.Qc1
Bxf1
15.Nxf1
e5
16.d5
e4
Forcing the trade of bishops -- White's good bishop for black's (techincally) bad one.
17.Bxg7
Kxg7
[ 17...exf3?!
18.Bxf8
fxg2
19.Kxg2
Qg5+
20.Ng3
Rxf8=
]
18.Qc3+?!
Why trade queens an exchange down?
18...Qf6
19.Qxf6+
Nxf6
Natural, but incorrect. Correct was recapturing with the king to bring that piece into the game, and to not block Black's f-pawn, which can be used to protect e4. [ 19...Kxf6!
and if... 20.Nh4
( 20.N3d2
Ke5
21.Ng3
f5
followed by something like... 22.h4
preventing an immediate ...g5 22...Nf6
23.a3
Ng4
followed by ...f4 and the opening of the f-file and attack on the f2 pawn.) 20...Kg5
21.g3
and Black heads his knight to f3 via e5.]
20.N3d2
Rfe8
21.Ng3
h5
22.h3
22. h4 preventing 22...h4 seems more logical.
22...h4
23.Ne2
Nh5?!
Knight on the rim and all that. The knight is out of place here, and given White's soon-to-exist counterplay on the queenside, this is magnified to a greater degree.
24.Nc3
f5
25.Nb5!
I missed this shot. Now White gets some action on the queenside. The threat is obviously 26. Nc7 and 26. Nxe6.
25...Rad8?
Which rook doesn't really matter. Indeed, I had a case of chess blindness here, thinking that after 25...Rad8, then 26. Nc7 Re7 27. Ne6+ Rxe6 28 dxe6, and then I would play 28...R(d8)xd2, not seeing that there was still a black pawn on d6! [ 25...Red8
26.Nc7
Rac8
27.Ne6+
Kf6
28.Nxd8
Rxd8
29.Re1
Re8
30.Nb1=/+
; The key here is to protect a7 by simply advancing the a-pawn, taking the b5 outpost away from the knight, and ignoring the threat to e6 and keeping the exchange. It leads to a complex continuation. 25...a6?
Nice try, but not sufficient after... 26.Nc7=
; Black's best try is the deceptive looking... 25...Re7!
White must retreat... 26.Nc3
( The more natural looking 26.Nxd6 loses; for instance: 26.Nxd6?!
a6!
The key idea behind Re7, as it attempts to trap the knight with ...Rd8. White's only hope is... 27.b4!
cxb4
( 27...Rd8?!
28.bxc5=
) 28.c5
Nf6
29.N2c4
Nxd5
30.Rd1
Nc3
31.Rd2
Rc7
32.Nb6
Rf8
Note that the more natural looking 32...Rd8 gets Black in trouble. ( 32...Rd8?
33.Nxf5+!
gxf5
34.Rxd8=
) 33.Nd5
Nxd5
34.Rxd5-+
Black has some knots to untie, but should eventually win.) 26...a6-/+
and Black will attempt to break through on the queenside with ...Rb8 and ...b5]
26.Nxa7
Free pawn, but 26. Nc7 gets White back in the game. [ 26.Nc7!
Re7
( 26...Rh8
27.Ne6+
Kf6
28.Nxd8
Rxd8
29.Re1
Re8
30.Nb1=/+
) 27.Ne6+
Rxe6
( 27...Kf6??
28.Nxd8
Rd7
29.Ne6+-
) 28.dxe6
Kf6
29.Rd1
Kxe6-/+
]
26...Kf6
27.Nb5
Rd7
28.Nb1
g5
29.N1c3
f4
[ Perhaps I should have considered something like 29...g4!?
30.hxg4
fxg4
31.Na4
h3
]
30.Re1
Kf5
31.Na4
Nf6
32.Nb6
Rdd8
33.Nc7
Re7
34.Nb5
[ 34.Ne6!?
seems a lot more daring. Black is all tied up, and it seems like giving back the exchange is the only thing that is worthwhile. 34...Rxe6
35.dxe6
Kxe6
36.exf4
gxf4
37.Na4
Kf5
38.Nc3=/+
]
34...Ke5
Short on time, Black offered a draw. 1/2-1/2