Fritz, being the materialistic monster
it is doesn't like this move but for the
small price of a pawn I get some
20.Kh2 is safer, not cutting my Knight activity at last.
adrift.
43...bxa4 44.Bxa4 Bxd5 45.Bb5 Bf7
20...g5!=/+ 21.Nd5 Nxd5 22.cxd5
46.Kd2 Be6 47.Ke2 Bb3 48.Kd2 Bf7
49.Ke2 Be8 50.Bc4 Bf7 51.Bb5 Bb3
Qf6 23.Rf1 Raa8 24.f4?!
A typical "Cafolla move" trying to mix 52.Kd2 Ba2 53.Ke2 Be6 54.Kd2 Bb3
it up a bit as soon as I am slightly 55.Ke2 Kf6 56.Kd2 Be7 57.Ke2 Bg8
worse instead of trying to stay solid
58.Kd2 Bh7 59.Bc4 Bg6 60.Bc7
Possibly doing nothing with a move
like Kf1 or Qc4 was objectively better
but I'm still slow to criticize my desire
resolve the Q side pawn issue.
to
Sometimes fortune can favour the
brave!
32...axb3
32...cxb4 was slightly better.
33.Qxb3 Qa7 34.Bf1 Qa6 35.Be2
Qb5?!
17.Bd2 Bg4 18.Qc2 Bd6 19.h3 Bd7
20.Re2?!
and not make any more mistakes.
24...g4!-+ 25.h4 Rfe8 26.Be4 h5
I don't think that Yuri should have
been so quick to close up the
Kingside especially as his plan is to
head straight for an ending where
very often it is necessary to be able
to create threats of both sides of the
board.
27.Rfe1 Qg7 28.Kf2 f5?!=/+ 29.Bg2
Rxe2+ 30.Rxe2 Re8 31.Rxe8+ Bxe8
32.b4
Consistently pursuing the wrong plan.
The more pieces that come off here
the happier I'm becoming.
36.Bd1 Qxb3 37.Bxb3 b5?!
Too rash. Better was bringing the
Black king over to b6 first.
38.Ba5 Bd7 39.Bb6=/+ Kf8 40.Ke2
Ke7 41.Kd2 Be8 42.Ke2
I can't stray too far from the g file in
case of a sac on f4
42...Bf7 43.a4!!
Threatening mate in one but
amazingly Black couldn't facilitate it
with any move even if he wanted to.
60...Be8 61.Ke2 Bd7 62.Bb6 Bc6
63.Kd2 Bd6 64.Bd8+ Kg6
There is nothing Black can do, if he
marches his king over to the Q-side
he will have to entomb his bishop on
g6 to babysit the pawns effectively
leaving himself a piece down where
the action would be.
65.Bb6 Bd7 66.Ke2 Kf6 67.Kd2 Be6
68.Bb5 Bf7 69.Ke2 1/2-1/2
THE MENTAL CHECKLIST
Try running through this mental checklist before making your move:
1. Note all the checks and captures.
2. Ask yourself: ‘What is he trying to do?
3. Ask yourself: ‘What am I trying to do?
4. Finally, check for surprise moves-have I missed anything? Laborious at first, this routine soon
becomes second nature. You will avoid blunders using it!
By IM Andrew Martin
8|Page
Irish Chess Journal