A Rook on the 7th

Bob L. (lenningrl) got the upper hand in a Caro-Kann against khob86 in the Battle for the Bluegrass against the Winchester club, giving our club the lead 4.5-3.5. When the rook went to the 7th on move 16 the die was cast. Too many pawns heading for queening squares forced White to eventually resign. Fritz analyzes after the break.


(40) khob86 (1802) - lenningrl (1734)
Online Chess Chess.com (1), 30.09.2009
[Fritz 11 (30s)]

B10: Caro-Kann: 2 d3 and 2 c4 1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bb5+ Bd7 5.Bxd7+ Nxd7 last book move

6.d4 Black has a cramped position. Black's piece can't move: f8 6...Ngf6 7.0–0 e6 8.Nc3 Bd6 9.Nb5 White threatens to win material: Nb5xd6 9...Qb6 10.Nxd6+ Qxd6 11.Qe2 0–0 12.Qd3 [12.Ne5 Qc7=] 12...Rac8 13.b4 [¹13.c3!?= is an interesting alternative] 13...Qc7 [13...Qxb4?! 14.Ba3 Qc3 15.Bxf8 Kxf8 16.Qxc3 Rxc3 17.Rfc1=] 14.c3 [14.Bd2!?µ] 14...Qxc3–+ 15.Qxc3 Rxc3 16.Bd2 Rc2

17.Rfb1 Rfc8 18.b5 [18.Be3 Ng4–+] 18...b6 [18...Nb6!? 19.Be1–+] 19.a4 a5 [19...Ne4 20.Be3–+] 20.h3? Controls g4 [¹20.bxa6 Ra8 21.Rc1 Rxc1+ 22.Rxc1³] 20...Ne4–+ 21.Rd1 Nxd2 22.Nxd2 Rb2 23.g3? [¹23.Nf3–+] 23...Rcc2 24.Nf3 [24.Nf1 doesn't get the cat off the tree 24...Rxf2 25.Rac1 Rg2+ 26.Kh1 Kf8–+] 24...Rxf2 25.Rf1 [25.Ne1 doesn't improve anything 25...Nf6 26.Nd3 Rg2+ 27.Kf1 Rbc2–+] 25...Rxf1+ [¹25...Rg2+ seems even better 26.Kh1 Rxg3 27.Ng1–+] 26.Kxf1 Rc2 27.g4 f6 28.Re1 [28.g5 hardly improves anything 28...Kf7–+] 28...Kf7 29.Kg1 [29.Ra1 does not win a prize 29...e5–+] 29...Rc4 [29...Ra2 seems even better 30.Rc1–+] 30.Ra1 e5 31.dxe5 Nxe5 32.Nh4 g6 33.Ng2 Ke6 [33...d4 makes it even easier for Black 34.Kh2–+] 34.Rf1 [34.Kf2 cannot change destiny 34...Nd3+ 35.Kf3 Ke5–+] 34...Rxa4 35.Nf4+ Kd6 36.Rd1 [36.Ng2 there is nothing else anyway 36...Nd7 37.Rc1–+] 36...Rxf4 37.Kg2 Rc4 [37...a4 and Black can already relax 38.Rc1–+] 38.Kg3 Rc5 39.Rf1 Ke6 0–1