Kai Witte’s Blog

The moves following here look like a harmless, automated trade of the minor pieces. But actually I (white) missed a chance to win material here. What should I have done in move 14?

The actual game is below. Find the moves for white that win material.

[Event "rated standard match"]
[Site "Free Internet Chess Server"]
[Date "2008.10.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Magnakai"]
[Black "LinuxGuy"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1634"]
[BlackElo "1852"]
[ECO "C00"]
[TimeControl "1800+30"]
[JsCom "startply 26"]

1. e4  e6  2. Nc3  d5
 3. exd5  exd5  4. d4
 Nf6  5. Bg5  Be7
6. Nf3  Bg4  7. Bb5+  c6
 8. Be2  O-O  9. O-O
 Nbd7  10. Re1  Re8
11. Ne5  Bxe2  12. Rxe2  Ne4
 13. Nxe4  Bxg5 $4
 ( 13.
... dxe4 14. Bf4 Nxe5 15. dxe5 g5 16. Bg3 Qxd1+ 17. Rxd1 Rad8 18. Rde1 h5 $11
 ) 14. Nxg5 $2
 ( 14. Nxf7 Qe7
(14. ... Kxf7 15. Nd6+ ) 15. Nfxg5 dxe4 16. Nxe4 Nf6 17. f3 Nxe4 18. fxe4 Rf8
19. Qd3 Qf7 $18  ) Nxe5  15. Rxe5
 Rxe5  16. dxe5 $2
 (
16. Nxf7 Re1+ (16. ... Kxf7 ) 17. Qxe1 Kxf7 18. Qe5 Qf6 19. Re1 Rf8 20. f3
Qxe5 21. dxe5 Ke6 22. Kf2 c5 $16  ) Qxg5
 17. Qd4  Re8  18. f4
 Qf5  19. Qxa7  Qxf4
 20. Qxb7  Qxe5  21. Qxc6
 Qe3+  22. Kf1  Qe2+
 23. Kg1   1/2-1/2

Hint 1: show Win the black d pawn and f pawn.

Hint 2: show The e5 knight takes both pawns.

My opponent (white) made a huge mistake with Bh6:

Black to move and win material

Hint: show Remove the defender, then launch a discovered attack with tempo.

Solution: show BxB, QxB (otherwise will obviously loose material, too), Nd3+!. Possible line: 18. … Bxh6 19. Qxh6 Nd3+ 20. cxd3 Qxe1+

I (black) blundered here by taking that pawn on f3:

White to move and win material

Hint 1: show Remove the defender of the black bishop on f3

Hint 2: show Discovered attack against the black queen

Fortunately my opponent (white) didn’t see the solution and tried Rf1:

Black to move and retain some of the material advantage

Hint 1: show Don’t try to save the queen.

Hint 2: show Look for a pike.

Solution: show BxB, white’s best option is to take the black queen, then use the bishop to pike the white queen and white rook. This is one possible line: 22. … Bxg2 23. Rxf6 Be4 24. Qf1 Bxf6 25. Qxf6 Re6 26. Qf2 Bxb1 27. d5 Re5 28. Bxe5 dxe5 29. Qb2 Bf5 30. d6

Blunder by white (me)! I just took a black pawn with my rook.

black to move and win material

Black to move and win material.

Today both me and my opponent missed a chance to turn the game around.

[Event "rated standard match"]
[Site "Free Internet Chess Server"]
[Date "2008.08.07"]
[Round "?"]
[White "tordi"]
[Black "Magnakai"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1420P"]
[BlackElo "1695"]
[ECO "A40"]
[TimeControl "1200+20"]
[JsCom "startply 28"]

1. d4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. c4 b6 4. e3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bd3 Nd7 7. O-O e6 8. d5
e5 9. e4 Nc5 10. Bc2 Ba6 11. b3 Nf6 12. Re1 O-O 13. Ng5 h6 14. Nf3 Qd7 $2
{Crafty (score 2.13 at depth 10) thinks this is not a good move} ({Crafty
suggests:} 14. ... Nh5 15. Ne2 Qf6 16. b4 Nd7 17. Qd3 Bb7 18. g4 Nf4 19. Nxf4
exf4 $11 {(score 0.07 at depth 9)} ) 15. Be3 Ncxe4 $2 {Crafty (score 3.14 at
depth 10) thinks this is not a good move} ({Crafty suggests:} 15. ... Nb7 16.
Qc1 Ng4 17. Bd2 Rfd8 18. h3 Nf6 19. Bxh6 Nc5 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 $18 {(score 1.47
at depth 9)} ) 16. Nxe4 Kh7 17. Qd2 $2 {Crafty (score 1.83 at depth 10)
thinks this is not a good move} ({Crafty suggests:} 17. Nxf6+ Bxf6 18. h3 Bg7
19. Rc1 Bb7 20. Qd2 Rad8 21. Be4 a6 $18 {(score 3.78 at depth 9)} ) Ng4 18.
h3 Nxe3 19. Qxe3 b5 20. Nfd2 b4 21. f4 $2 {Crafty (score 1.50 at depth 9)
thinks this is not a good move} ({Crafty suggests:} 21. a3 bxa3 22. Rxa3 Bc8
23. Rxa7 Rxa7 24. Qxa7 f5 25. Nc3 c5 26. Qb6 $18 {(score 3.83 at depth 10)} )
f5 22. fxe5 Bxe5 $2 {Crafty (score 3.27 at depth 9) thinks this is not a good
move} ({Crafty suggests:} 22. ... fxe4 23. e6 Qe7 24. Rad1 Be5 25. Rf1 Rae8
26. Bxe4 c5 $18 {(score 1.40 at depth 9)} ) 23. Rab1 $4 {Crafty (score -0.67
at depth 9) thinks this is a blunder} ({Crafty suggests:} 23. Nc5 Qe8 24. Ne6
Bxa1 25. Nxf8+ Qxf8 26. Rxa1 Qe8 27. Qf4 Qe5 $18 {(score 3.27 at depth 9)} )
fxe4 24. Bxe4 Kg7 25. Nf3 Bc3 26. Rf1 Bb7 $2 {Crafty (score 1.79 at depth 9)
thinks this is not a good move} ({Crafty suggests:} 26. ... Qe7 27. Nd4 Bxd4
28. Qxd4+ Rf6 29. Rbe1 Qe5 30. Qd3 Re8 31. Bxg6 Qxe1 32. Rxe1 Rxe1+ $14
{(score 0.29 at depth 9)} ) 27. Nh4 g5 28. Nf5+ Kh8 29. Nxh6 $2 {Crafty
(score -1.57 at depth 9) thinks this is not a good move} ({Crafty suggests:}
29. a3 Rf6 30. Rf2 a5 31. Rbf1 Qe8 32. axb4 axb4 33. Qf3 $16 {(score 0.94 at
depth 9)} ) c5 $4 {Crafty (score 3.57 at depth 9) thinks this is a blunder}
({Crafty suggests:} 29. ... Qg7 30. Rxf8+ Rxf8 31. Rd1 Qxh6 32. Qxa7 Qh5 33.
g4 Qe8 34. Qxb7 Qxe4 35. Qxc7 $19 {(score -1.57 at depth 9)} ) 30. Rxf8+ Rxf8
31. Qxg5 Qg7 32. Qxg7+ Kxg7 33. Nf5+ Kg8 34. Nxd6 Bd4+ 35. Kh1 Bc8 36. g4 Bd7
37. Nf5 Rf6 $2 {Crafty (score 6.22 at depth 11) thinks this is not a good
move} ({Crafty suggests:} 37. ... Bxf5 38. Bxf5 Be5 39. Rf1 Bg3 40. g5 Re8
41. Kg2 Re1 42. Rf3 $18 {(score 4.04 at depth 10)} ) 38. Rf1 $2 {Crafty
(score 4.23 at depth 11) thinks a good move has been missed} ({Crafty
suggests:} 38. Nxd4 cxd4 39. c5 Rf4 40. Re1 Kf7 41. c6 Be8 42. a3 d3 43. axb4
$18 {(score 6.22 at depth 11)} ) Kh7 $4 {Crafty (score 10.30 at depth 11)
thinks this is a blunder} ({Crafty suggests:} 38. ... Bxf5 39. Bxf5 Be3 40.
h4 Kg7 41. g5 Rd6 42. Kg2 a5 43. g6 Rf6 $18 {(score 4.23 at depth 11)} ) 39.
Nxd4+ Kg7 40. Rxf6 Kxf6 41. Nf3 a6 42. h4 $2 {Crafty (score 8.22 at depth 12)
thinks this is not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty suggests:} 42. g5+ Ke7
43. h4 a5 44. Ne5 Bc8 45. g6 Kf6 46. Nd3 Bg4 47. Kg2 Kg7 48. Nxc5 $18 {(score
11.21 at depth 11)} ) Bxg4 43. Kg2 Kg7 $4 {Crafty (score 12.23 at depth 12)
thinks this move loses more quickly} ({Crafty suggests:} 43. ... Bh5 44. Kg3
a5 45. Kf4 Ke7 46. Ke5 Kd7 47. d6 Bf7 48. Bf5+ Kd8 49. Ng5 Bh5 $18 {(score
8.94 at depth 12)} ) 44. d6 $2 {Crafty (score 9.65 at depth 11) thinks this
is not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty suggests:} 44. Ne5 $18 {(score 12.23
at depth 12)} ) Kf6 45. d7 $4 {Crafty (score 6.88 at depth 12) thinks this is
not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty suggests:} 45. Kg3 $18 {(score 10.03 at
depth 11)} ) Bxd7 46. h5 Kg7 47. Kg3 Kh6 48. Kh4 $2 {Crafty (score 5.99 at
depth 13) thinks this is not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty suggests:} 48.
Bg6 a5 49. Ne5 Be6 50. Kf4 Bh3 51. Nd3 Bg2 52. Ke5 a4 53. Nxc5 a3 $18 {(score
7.69 at depth 12)} ) Be8 49. Bg6 Bc6 $4 {Crafty (score 12.15 at depth 12)
thinks this move loses more quickly} ({Crafty suggests:} 49. ... Bxg6 50.
hxg6 Kxg6 51. Ne5+ Kf5 52. Nd3 a5 53. Nxc5 Ke5 54. Nb7 Kd4 55. Kg3 Ke4 56.
Kf2 Kd4 57. Nxa5 $18 {(score 5.71 at depth 14)} ) 50. Ne5 Bg2 $2 {Crafty
(score 14.99 at depth 12) thinks this move loses more quickly} ({Crafty
suggests:} 50. ... Bb7 51. Nf7+ Kg7 52. Kg5 Kf8 53. h6 Ke7 54. h7 Be4 55.
h8=Q Bxg6 56. Kxg6 Kd7 57. Qd8+ Kc6 58. Qd6+ Kb7 59. Qxc5 $18 {(score 13.29
at depth 12)} ) 51. Be8 $4 {Crafty (score 8.80 at depth 11) thinks this is
not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty suggests:} 51. Nf7+ Kg7 52. Kg5 Kf8 53.
h6 Ke7 54. h7 a5 55. h8=Q Kd7 56. Bf5+ Kc6 57. Qc8+ Kb6 58. Qb8+ Bb7 59. Be4
a4 60. Qxb7+ $18 {(score 14.99 at depth 12)} ) Be4 $4 {Crafty (score 12.27 at
depth 12) thinks this move loses more quickly} ({Crafty suggests:} 51. ... a5
52. Bg6 Kg7 53. Kg5 Kf8 54. Nd7+ Kg8 55. Nxc5 Bf3 56. h6 Kf8 57. Kf6 $18
{(score 8.80 at depth 11)} ) 52. Bb5 $4 {Crafty (score 5.68 at depth 13)
thinks this is not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty suggests:} 52. Bg6 $18
{(score 12.27 at depth 12)} ) Bb1 53. Bxa6 $2 {Crafty (score 5.34 at depth
13) thinks this is not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty suggests:} 53. Ba4
Bxa2 54. Nd7 Bb1 55. Nxc5 a5 56. Nb7 Be4 57. Nxa5 Bf3 58. Nc6 Bxh5 59. Nxb4
$18 {(score 6.98 at depth 12)} ) Bxa2 54. Ng4+ Kh7 55. Bc8 Bxb3 56. Bf5+ Kh8
57. Bd3 Bd1 58. Ne3 Bf3 59. h6 b3 60. Kg5 b2 61. Bb1 Be2 62. Kf6 Bg4 $4 {This
offers a mate in 5 to the opponent} ({Crafty suggests:} 62. ... Kg8 63. Ke7
Bh5 64. Kd6 Kf7 65. Nd5 Bg6 66. Nc3 Bh5 67. h7 Kg7 68. Kxc5 $18 {(score 6.70
at depth 12)} ) 63. Nxg4 Kg8 64. Ne5 Kh8 65. Nd7 ({Mate in 5 missed} 65. Nf7+
Kg8 66. h7+ Kf8 67. h8=Q# ) Kg8 66. Nxc5 ({Mate in 7 missed} 66. Ne5 Kh8 67.
Nf7+ Kg8 68. h7+ Kf8 69. h8=Q# ) Kh8 67. Nd3 Kg8 68. c5 ({Mate in 7 missed}
68. Ne5 Kh8 69. Nf7+ Kg8 70. h7+ Kf8 71. h8=Q# ) Kf8 69. c6 Ke8 70. h7 ({Mate
in 7 missed} 70. Nc5 Kd8 71. Na6 Ke8 72. h7 Kd8 73. h8=Q# ) Kd8 71. h8=Q+ Kc7
72. Nxb2 Kd6 73. c7 ({Mate in 7 missed} 73. Qb8+ Kc5 74. Ba2 Kxc6 75. Nd3 Kd7
76. Ne5# ) Kd5 74. c8=Q Kd6 75. Qh2+ ({Mate in 1 missed} 75. Qhd8# ) Kd5 76.
Qc4# {Magnakai checkmated} 1-0

1. Find a better move 15 for white which wins material.

2. Find a better move 29 for black that wins material.

Once again I (black) got in trouble after my opponent engaged multiple threads at once with 20. f4:

Who is the one in trouble?

I used up almost all my time to think of a way out. Usually there is one in such a situation. But I didn’t see that actually there was not only a way to get out with minor material disadvantage, but even with a significant advantage!

Black to move and win material.

Hint: show Black can pin the white knight in two moves. Then use a (threat of a) fork to gain advantage of that pin.

Solution: show 20 … Na5 prepares a pin of the white knight to the white king with one of the rooks. Moving the knight away does not work: 21. Nd3 Rhc8+ 22. Kd1 Qa4+, which uses the black queen to fork the white king and the white rook and wins a rook.
Those two major threats considered, this is a reasonable continuation: 20. … Na5 21. fxe5+ Kg7 22. e6. After this delay black has a chance to play out his advantages: 22. … Rhc8 23. Qc3+ Qxc3+ 24. bxc3 Rxc5 25. Rxf7+ Kh6

My own “solution” was a bit puny. If you look at how I won, please consider that after that situation I had only two minutes left :-)
show

[Event "rated standard match"]
[Site "Free Internet Chess Server"]
[Date "2008.08.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "bobbilipili"]
[Black "Magnakai"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1584"]
[BlackElo "1722"]
[ECO "B54"]
[TimeControl "1200+20"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. Nc3 Nf6 8.
Qd2 Nc6 9. f3 e5 10. Nb3 Be6 11. O-O-O Ke7 12. Bh6 $2 {Crafty (score -0.14 at
depth 11) thinks this is not a good move} ({Crafty suggests:} 12. g4 b5 13.
Nd5+ Bxd5 14. exd5 Na7 15. c5 Qc7 16. c6 Rhc8 $16 {(score 1.14 at depth 9)} )
Bxh6 13. Qxh6 Qb6 14. c5 dxc5 15. Qe3 Nd7 16. Na4 Qb4 17. Naxc5 Nxc5 18. Nxc5
Bxa2 19. Rd7+ Kf6 20. f4 $4 {Crafty (score -3.75 at depth 9) thinks this is a
blunder} ({Crafty suggests:} 20. Rxb7 Qd4 21. Qxd4 Nxd4 22. b4 Rhc8 23. Rb6+
Be6 24. Bxa6 Rc7 25. Rd6 $11 {(score 0.05 at depth 10)} ) Rhd8 $4 {Crafty
(score -0.15 at depth 9) thinks a good move has been missed} ({Crafty
suggests:} 20. ... Na5 21. fxe5+ Kg7 22. e6 Rhc8 23. Qc3+ Qxc3+ 24. bxc3 Rxc5
25. Rxf7+ Kh6 26. c4 Bxc4 27. Bxc4 Rxc4+ $19 {(score -3.75 at depth 9)} ) 21.
fxe5+ Kg7 22. Rxb7 Qd4 23. Ne6+ $4 {Crafty (score -5.36 at depth 12) thinks
this is a blunder} ({Crafty suggests:} 23. Qxd4 Nxd4 24. b3 Rac8 25. Kb2 Rxc5
26. Kxa2 Ra5+ 27. Kb2 Rxe5 28. Bc4 Ne6 29. Bxa6 Rxe4 $11 {(score -0.13 at
depth 11)} ) Kg8 $4 {Crafty (score 5.77 at depth 11) thinks this is a
blunder} ({Crafty suggests:} 23. ... Bxe6 24. Qxd4 Rxd4 25. Rc7 Nxe5 26. g3
Rc8 27. Rxc8 Bxc8 28. Bg2 Bb7 29. Rd1 Rc4+ 30. Kd2 Bxe4 31. Bxe4 Rxe4 $19
{(score -5.36 at depth 12)} ) 24. Nxd4 Rxd4 $4 {Crafty (score 9.95 at depth
12) thinks this move loses more quickly} ({Crafty suggests:} 24. ... Nxd4 25.
Rc7 Rab8 26. Rc3 a5 27. Bc4 Bxc4 28. Rxc4 Nb3+ 29. Kc2 Rd2+ 30. Qxd2 Nxd2 31.
Kxd2 Rxb2+ $18 {(score 5.77 at depth 10)} ) 25. Rc7 $4 {Crafty (score 7.02 at
depth 10) thinks this is not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty suggests:} 25.
Rb6 Rc8 26. Bxa6 Nxe5+ 27. Bxc8 Rc4+ 28. Kd2 Rxc8 29. b3 Bxb3 30. Qxb3 Nc4+
31. Ke2 Nxb6 32. Qxb6 $18 {(score 9.95 at depth 12)} ) Bb3 $4 {Crafty (score
11.16 at depth 10) thinks this move loses more quickly} ({Crafty suggests:}
25. ... Na5 26. Be2 Rad8 27. Rd1 Nb3+ 28. Kc2 Rxd1 29. Bxd1 $18 {(score 7.02
at depth 10)} ) 26. Rxc6 $4 {This offers a mate in 1 to the opponent}
({Crafty suggests:} 26. Be2 a5 27. Rxc6 Rb4 28. Rf1 Rd8 29. Qf3 a4 30. Rd6
Rd4 31. Rxd8+ Rxd8 $18 {(score 11.16 at depth 10)} ) Rd1# {bobbilipili
checkmated} 0-1

Once again my newly gained endgame powers saved a game in which I messed up the middle game. Thank you, Josh Waitzkin! Great tutorial. I played the whole endgame through the 10 second Fisher time, since I was already down to 4 minutes at move 35.

[Event "rated standard match"]
[Site "Free Internet Chess Server"]
[Date "2008.08.04"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Magnakai"]
[Black "paveltherussian"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1699"]
[BlackElo "1662E"]
[ECO "C20"]
[TimeControl "1800+10"]
[CBBWhiteId "*"]
[CBBBlackId "*"]
[JsCom "startply 104"]

1. e4 e5 2. d4 Nc6 3. d5 Nce7 4. Nf3 Ng6 5. Nc3 N8e7 6. Bc4 d6 7. Bg5 h6 8.
Be3 c6 9. h3 cxd5 10. Nxd5 Be6 11. c3 Nxd5 12. Bxd5 Bxd5 13. Qxd5 Qc7 14.
Qb5+ Qc6 15. Qxc6+ bxc6 16. c4 Be7 17. g3 Bd8 18. Rd1 Bc7 19. h4 O-O 20. h5
Ne7 21. g4 Rfd8 22. g5 d5 23. Bc5 dxe4 24. Rxd8+ Rxd8 25. Nxe5 $2 {Crafty
(score -1.74 at depth 12) thinks this is not a good move} ({Crafty suggests:}
25. Bxe7 Rd7 26. gxh6 exf3 27. hxg7 Rxe7 28. h6 Re8 29. b4 Rb8 30. a3 Rd8 $11
{(score 0.10 at depth 12)} ) Bxe5 26. Bxe7 Re8 27. Ba3 hxg5 28. Ke2 Bf4 29.
b3 Rd8 30. Rd1 Rxd1 31. Kxd1 g4 32. Bc5 a6 33. Bd4 g6 34. hxg6 fxg6 35. a4
Kf7 36. b4 Ke7 37. b5 cxb5 38. cxb5 a5 39. Bb6 Kd7 40. Bxa5 Kc8 41. Bd2 g5
42. a5 Kb7 43. a6+ Kb6 44. Ba5+ Ka7 45. Bd2 Kb6 46. Be3+ Kc7 47. b6+ Kb8 48.
Ke2 Kc8 49. Bc5 Kb8 50. Be7 Kc8 51. Bd8 Kb8 52. Bc7+ Bxc7 53. bxc7+ $4
{Crafty (score 8.22 at depth 16) thinks this is not the quickest way to win}
({Crafty suggests:} 53. a7+ Kb7 54. bxc7 Kxc7 55. a8=Q g3 56. fxg3 g4 57.
Qxe4 Kd6 58. Ke3 Kd7 59. Qxg4+ Kd6 $18 {(score 11.50 at depth 12)} ) Kxc7 54.
Ke3 Kb6 55. Kxe4 Kxa6 56. Kf5 Kb5 57. Kxg4 Kc4 58. Kxg5 Kd5 59. Kf4 Kd4 60.
Kf5 Kd5 61. f3 Kd6 62. f4 Ke7 63. Kg6 Ke6 64. Kg5 Ke7 65. Kg6 Ke6 66. f5+ Ke7
67. Kg7 Ke8 68. f6 Kd7 69. f7 Ke6 70. f8=Q Ke5 71. Qf6+ $4 {Crafty (score
11.31 at depth 13) thinks this is not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty
suggests:} 71. Qb4 Kf5 72. Qd4 Ke6 73. Kg6 Ke7 74. Qd5 Ke8 75. Kf6 Kf8 76.
Qd8# {(score 327.56 at depth 11)} ) Ke4 72. Kg6 $4 {Crafty (score 11.31 at
depth 12) thinks this is not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty suggests:} 72.
Qc3 Kd5 73. Kf6 Ke4 74. Qd2 Kf3 75. Kf5 Kg3 76. Qe2 Kh3 77. Kf4 Kh4 78. Qg4#
{(score 327.54 at depth 13)} ) Ke3 73. Qf5 $4 {Crafty (score 11.28 at depth
12) thinks this is not the quickest way to win} ({Crafty suggests:} 73. Qc3+
Ke4 74. Qd2 Ke5 75. Qd3 Kf4 76. Kf6 Kg4 77. Qe3 Kh4 78. Kf5 Kh5 79. Qg5#
{(score 327.54 at depth 12)} ) Ke2 74. Qh3 Kf2 75. Kf5 Ke2 76. Qg3 Kd2 77.
Qf3 Kc2 78. Qe3 Kb2 79. Qd3 Ka2 80. Qb5 Ka3 81. Ke4 Ka2 82. Kd3 Ka3 83. Kc2
Ka2 84. Qa6# {paveltherussian checkmated} 1-0

At the latest after my move 52 it is obvious that I am winning. But there is a better way. After 52. …Bxc7, how could I (white) have gained a queen faster?

I (white) set up a trap here.

White threatens trap