| Sep-11-03 | | chessnuts: That's quite an upset; the game was calm, and then the lone pawn (which L. should know well, if she plays the Polish opening often!) is taken, and the game is won... in the sequence 23-27. What was White's error?
Was it the Queen trade that White initated in 19? 19. b3 seems much better. It seems that so long as Queens are on the board, Black's inability to move the Knight from b8 is crippling.
Is it that White allowed black the better pawn structure near the end? f6-e6 control the center, and can advance into it. Perhaps x. e4 was better.
The weakness of the b5 Pawn (3. b5) becomes apparent by move 22 since White's Rook cannot abandon the King's file, and Black has two Knights with which to capture the pawn. Is, then, 'trade heavily' a good recipe for Black after 3. b5? And if so, is 3. b5 weak, because it allows so simple a response? The endgame after 22 does not seeem to me to be favorable to White. Was there at least a draw in it?
I don't see that any variation after 24 can win the pawn back. Can anyone else?
After 24 Rxc8, I think White cannot win, but at least the pressure diminishes.
After 23 Bxb8 Rxb8 24 e4, the horrible Kngiht's tour to d5 is at least avoided. Can White draw? If White is happy to trade and trade, can he at least find a decent strategy that trades down to a draw? It seems very risky to leave the lone pawn near two Knights in the endgame. But, I think there was a way around move 19 to maintain the initiative, and go on to win. |
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