Two Queen Pawn Games

ALD - RMD, 11/21/2004 [D02]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Bf5 3. Bf4 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. e3 Nf6 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Bd3 [=] Ne4 8. O-O Nxc3 9. bxc3 Bxd3 [Correct; 9. ... Bxc3?] 10. Qxd3 Ba5 [10. ... dxc4] 11. cxd5 [Too slow. White now has a small edge which he foolishly dissipates. Better is 11. Ng5.] exd5 12. c4 [12. Rab1] Nc6 13. cxd5 Qxd5 14. Rfc1 h6 [14. ... Bb6] 15. Rc5 [15. e4] Qe6? 16. d5 Qd7? [16. ... Qf6!] 17. Rd1? [17. Qb5!] Nb4 [17. ... Bb6] 18. Qa3 Qe7? [18. ... b6!] 19. Qxa5? [19. Rxa5] b6 20. Qxb4 Qxc5? [Black is in no position to trade queens; 20. ... bxc5.] 21. Qxc5 bxc5 22. Bxc7 a6 [22. ... Rac8] 23. Rc1 [23. d6] f6 24. e4? [24. Rxc5] Ra7 25. Bb6 [25. d6] Rb7 26. Bxc5 Rfb8 [26. ... Re8] 27. g3 a5 [27. ... f5] 28. Bd4 Rb4 29. e5 a4? [29. ... fxe5] 30. exf6 gxf6 31. Bxf6 a3 [31. ... Rb1 or 31. ... Kf7] 32. d6 Kf7 33. Be7? [33. d7 and Black might as well resign.] Ke6? [Loses. A defense could be put up after 33. ... Rb1 34. Rxb1 Rxb1+ 35. Kg2 Rb2.] 34. Re1+! Kd7 35. Ne5+ Ke8 36. d7+?? [Missing a win. 36. Bh4!! R4b7 37. d7+ Rxd7 38. Nc6+ Kf7 39. Nxb8.] Kxe7 37. Re3 [Another inaccuracy; 37. Re3.] Kxd7 38. Nxb4 Rxb4 [This simplified ending is probably still won for White, but much more accuracy is required now.] 39. Re3 Ra4 40. Kg2 Kd6 41. Kf3 Kd5 42. Re8 [42. g4] Kc5 [42. ... Rc4] 43. Rh8 [43. Re5+] Rd4 44. Rxh6?! [Gives Black too much counterplay; 44. Ke3.] Rd2 45. Rh5+ Kb4 46. Rh4+ Kc3 47. Rh8 Kb2 [47. Rxa2] 48. Ke3 Rc2 49. h4 Kxa2 50. h5 Kb1 [50. ... Rc7] 51. h6 a2 52. Ra8 [52. Rb8+, which I considered and discarded, is stronger.] Rc7 [52. ... Rc8!] 53. g4 a1=Q 54. Rxa1+ Kxa1 [This endgame is lost for Black because his King is too far away to help the Rook with the defense.] 55. g5 Re7+ 56. Kf3 Rh7 57. Kg4 Kb2 58. f4 Kc3 59. Kh5 Rf7 [59. ... Rb7 puts up a stronger defense, but Black is lost in any event.] 60. g6 Rxf4 61. g7 Rf5+ 62. Kg6 Rf3 63. h7 Rg3 64. Kf7 Kd3 65. Kg8 Rd3 66. Kh8 Rd8+ 67. g8=Q Rxg8+ 68. hxg8=Q 1-0

RMD - ALD, 12/3/2004 [D03]

1. Nf3 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 e6 [4. ... h6 is recommended by Chessmaster, but this was played in Kavalek-Quinteros, Hanover 1983 (Informant 36/439), when White got a strong plus out of the opening. I like the text move better.] 5. e4 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Be7 7. Nxf6+ Bxf6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. c3 O-O 10. Bb5 Ne7 11. O-O Rd8 12. Ne5 Ng6 [12. ... c5] 13. Qh5 Nxe5 14. dxe5 Qf4 [14. ... Qe7] 15. Rfe1 [15. Rad1] Rd2 16. Re2 Rxe2 [16. ... Rd5] 17. Qxe2 a6 18. Bd3 b5? [18. ... Bd7] 19. Be4 [Missing 19. g3 Qa4 20. b3 Qa5 21. Qe4 Rb8 22. Qxh7+ Kf8 23. Qh8+ Ke7 24. Rd1 c5 25. Qxg7, with two pawns to the good and an overwhelming position.] Rb8 20. b4 [20. Qd3] Bb7 21. Bxb7 Rxb7 22. g3 Qf5 23. Kg2 c6 24. a4 Rc7 25. f4 [25. axb5 keeps a small edge; now the position is even.] g6 26. Qe3 [26. h4] Qc2+ 27. Kh3 [27. Kg1] Qf5+ [27. ... Rd7] 28. g4 Qc2 29. Qc5? [29. Rc1 maintained equality.] Qd3+? [Missing 29. ... Rd7, threatening 30. ... Rd2, with a strong attack.] 30. Kh4 h6 [Too slow; 30. ... Qd2.] 31. axb5? axb5? [Missing 31. ... g5+ 32. fxg5 hxg5+ 33. Kxg5 Qd2+ 34. Kh4 Qxh2+ 35. Kg5 Kg7 with a strong attack.] 32. g5? hxg5+ 33. Kxg5 [33. Kg4] Qf5+ 34. Kh4 Qxf4+ 35. Kh3 Qf3+ 36. Kh4 Rd7 37. Rg1? [37. Ra8+ is a stronger defense, although White is still lost in any case. The text move allows a mate in 6 with 37. ... Qh5+ 38. Kg3 Rd3+ 39. Qe3 Rxe3+ 40. Kf4 Qxe5+ 41. Kg4 Qf5+ 42. Kh4 Rh3#.] Qf4+ 38. Kh3 [This allows a mate in 7 similar to the one described before, starting with 38. ... Qf5+, but 38. Rg4 also allows White to create a mating net with 38. ... Rd3+.] Rd3+ 39. Rg3 Qf1+? [Black loses his way; 39. ... Qf5+ mated.] 40. Kh4 g5+? [And now the attack is completely gone. 40. ... Rd2 was necessary to retain mating chances.] 41. Kxg5 Qf5+ 42. Kh4+ Rxg3 43. hxg3 Qe4+ [This queen endgame is completely drawn.] 44. g4 Qd5 45. Qd4 Qxd4 46. cxd4 Kg7? [Forgetting the elementary concept of opposition; 46. ... Kh8!] 47. Kh5? [White could get a strong position by grabbing the opposition with 47. Kg5 Kg8 48.Kf6 Kf8 49. g5 Ke8 50. g6 fxg6 51. Kxg6 Ke7 52. Kg7 Ke8 53. Kf6 Kd7 54. Kf7 Kd8 55. Kxe6.] Kh7 48. g5 Kg7 49. Kg4 Kg6 1/2-1/2