(167) Grant,J (2155) - Minnican,A (2040) [A40]
ELCA league Dragons2 v Ed.West, 20.03.2000
[Fritz 6 (50s)]
A40: Unusual replies to 1 d4
This game is theoretically significant 1.c4 b6 2.d4 e6 3.e4 Bb7 4.Bd3 f5 5.exf5 Bb4+ 6.Kf1 Nf6 7.Be2 0-0 8.c5 bxc5 9.a3 Ba5 10.dxc5
10...Ne4 Black gets strong initiative
[10...Nd5 11.Nf3 Rxf5 12.b4 Nxb4 13.axb4 Bxb4 14.Bb2 a5 15.h4 Rd5 16.Qb3 Na6 17.Nc3 Nxc5 18.Qc2 Rf5 19.Rh3 Qe7 20.Kg1 Raf8 21.Rf1 d6 22.Ng5 h6 23.g4 hxg5 24.gxf5 Rxf5 25.Bg4 Rf4 26.f3 gxh4 27.Qh2 Qg5 28.Rxh4 Nd3 29.Rh8+ Kf7 30.Qg3 Qc5+ 31.Kh2 Bxc3 32.Qh4 Bf6 33.Qh7 Qc2+ 34.Kh3 Rxf3+ 35.Bxf3 Nf4+ 36.Kg3 Qxb2 37.Qg8+ Kg6 38.Qh7+ Kf7 39.Qg8+ Kg6 40.Qe8+ Kf5 41.Bxb7 g5 42.Rh6 Qc3+ 43.Bf3 Ne2+ 44.Kg2 Nf4+ 45.Kh1 d5 46.Qf7 1-0 Beliavsky,A-Short,N/Groningen 1997/CBM 63/[Stohl] (46); 10...exf5? is no good because of 11.Qa4 Bb6 12.cxb6 axb6 13.Qf4+-]
11.Be3N [11.Nf3!? Rxf5
(11...Qf6 12.Qa4+-) 12.b4±; 11.b4 Qf6 12.Ra2 Bd5 13.Rb2 Nc6 14.bxa5 Rab8 15.Rxb8 Rxb8 16.Bd3 Qa1 17.Ne2 Bb3 18.Qe1 Nxc5 19.Qd2 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Ne5 21.Qc3 Qxb1 22.Qxe5 Bc4 23.Qc3 Qa2 24.Qd2 Qxd2 25.Bxd2 Rb1+ 26.Be1 Rb2 27.fxe6 Bxe2+ 28.Kg1 Rb1 0-1 Ippolito,D-Shabalov,A/Linares ESP 2000/The Week in Chess 271 (28)]
11...Qf6= 12.Bd4 [12.f3 Qxf5 13.b4²]
12...Qxf5µ Threatening mate... how?
13.Nf3 d6 Consolidates e5
[Instead of 13...Nxc5 14.b4 Bb6 15.Bxc5 Bxc5 16.bxc5 Qxc5 17.Ra2±]
14.b4 dxc5 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.bxa5 Nc6 17.a6 Rad8 18.Qb3 [¹18.Qc1!? Ba8 19.Rg1µ]
18...Ba8-+ 19.Qb2+ Nd4 20.Ra2?? leading to a quick end
[20.Nc3 Rb8 21.Nb5-+]
20...Rb8 White could resign here. It is a psychological mistake to play on in hopeless positions because you are then training your own subconscious that you willingly play in such positions. This means that when you get a difficult but playable position you do not put in your full effort because your subconscious thinks it is not worth it. A second point for congresses only is that energy should be conserved for where it does most good.
21.Kg1 [21.Rg1 hoping against hope 21...Bd5 22.Ke1-+]
21...Rxb2 22.Rxb2 Nxe2+ [22...Qf4 23.h3 Qc1+ 24.Kh2 Qxb2 25.Nbd2 Nxd2 26.Re1 N2xf3+ 27.gxf3 Nxf3+ 28.Kg3 Qe5+ 29.Kg2 Qh2+ 30.Kf1 Qxh3#]
23.Rxe2 If White now only could play h4...
23...Rb8 24.Re1 White threatens to counter with h3
24...Rb2 25.h4 Nxf2 26.Nbd2 Nxh1 [26...Bxf3 27.a4 Qg4 28.Kxf2 Rxd2+ 29.Ke3 Rb2 30.Re2 Rxe2+ 31.Kd3 Qd4#]
27.Kxh1 Rxd2 [27...Rxd2 28.Re5 Rd1+ 29.Re1 Bxf3 30.Kh2 Qf4+ 31.Kg1 Qd2 32.Rxd1 Qxg2#]
0-1
