Drawn Out

A draw was the result when Steve P. and Joe F. met for a championship tournament match last Tuesday. But the game offered high and low tides analyzed by Fritz after the break.


(41) PARSONS - Joseph T Farrell (1975) [A22]

ETOWN, 0010
[Fritz 11 (30s)]

A22: English Opening: 1...e5 2 Nc3 Nf6 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 last book move.
 

White threatens to win material: Bg2xd5 5...c6 <5... Nb6 is better, white needs to play Nxd5 at some point in the opening: Joe F.> White's piece can't move: c1 [¹5...Nxc3!? is worthy of consideration 6.bxc3 Nc6=] 6.Nf3± Nd7 7.d3 Be7 8.0–0 0–0 9.Nd2 [9.Bd2!?²] 9...N7f6 10.Nc4 White threatens to win material: Nc4xe5 10...Qc7 11.Bg5 Be6 12.Ne3 [12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bxe7 Nxe7=] 12...h6 [12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 h6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Qa4³] 13.Bxf6 [13.Bxd5!? should not be overlooked 13...Nxd5 14.Ncxd5 cxd5 15.Rc1=] 13...Nxe3³ [Not 13...Bxf6 14.Nexd5 cxd5 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Bxd5±; 13...Nxf6?! 14.Qc2³] 14.fxe3 Bxf6 Black has the pair of bishops 15.Rc1 [15.Qc1 Rad8³] 15...Qb6µ 16.Qd2 Bg5 17.Kf2 f5 18.Na4 Qb5 <18... f4 if 19 Nxb6, fxe dis ch wins but . . . 19 Kg1, fxe 20 Qc2, Q any 21 Nc3 is better for black than the game but still a game: Joe F.> Black threatens to win material: Qb5xa4 [18...f4 19.Kg1 Qxe3+ 20.Qxe3 fxe3 21.Nc5µ] 19.Nc5³ White threatens to win material: Nc5xe6 19...f4 Black threatens to win material: f4xe3 [Weaker is 19...Bxa2 20.b3 Bxb3 21.Qc3²] 20.Kg1 fxe3 21.Qc3 White threatens to win material: Qc3xe5
 

21...Rfe8?? not a good decision, because now the opponent is right back in the game [21...Rxf1+ 22.Rxf1 Bxa2 23.Qa3= (23.Qxe5 Bf6 24.Qf5 b6= (24...Bxb2 25.Be4 Bf6 26.Qh7+ Kf7 27.Bg6+ Ke7 28.Rxf6 Kxf6 29.Ne4+ Ke7 30.Qxg7+ Kd8 31.Qf8+ Kc7 32.Qxa8+-) ) ] 22.Ne4?? throws away a nice position [22.a4 Qb6 23.Nxe6 (23.Qxe5 Bg4 24.Qc3 Bxe2µ) 23...Rxe6 24.Qc4+-] 22...Be7³ [Worse is 22...Bxa2 23.Nd6 Qb6 24.Nxe8 Rxe8 25.b3 Qxb3 26.Qxb3+ Bxb3 27.Rb1±] 23.a3 Controls b4 23...Bg4 Black threatens to win material: Bg4xe2 24.Bf3 Bh3 25.Bg2 Bxg2 [25...Be6 26.a4 Qxa4 27.Qxe5³] 26.Kxg2= Qd5 27.Rf3 Qd4 [27...Rf8!?= has some apparent merit] 28.Qb3+² Qd5 29.Qxb7 Rab8 30.Qxc6 Qxc6 31.Rxc6 Rxb2 32.Rxe3 Ra2?? strolling merrily down the path to disaster
 

[32...Bxa3 33.Ra6 Bb4 34.Rxa7±] 33.Rc7 White threatens to win material: Rc7xa7 [¹33.Re6 secures the win 33...Rxa3 34.Rxe5+-] 33...Rxa3² 34.Rf3 [34.Nc3 Bd6 35.Rc6 Bf8²] 34...Ra2= Black threatens to win material: Ra2xe2 35.Nc3 Rc2 36.Re3 White threatens to win material: Re3xe5 36...Bb4 37.Nd5 Rxc7 38.Nxc7 Bc5 Black threatens to win material: Bc5xe3 39.Re4 Re7 [39...Re7 40.Nd5 Rd7 41.Rxe5 Bd4²] 1/2-1/2