<beenthere240: Dreeve ran into severe time trouble early and at the end had 30 seconds for 7 moves. Carlsen had 40 minutes left on his clock. The people who say that Carlsen is unsportsmanlike because he simply waits for his opponents to make a mistake will doubtlessly cite this game.>

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SF suggests 25. d6 Be6 with a small plus for Black. I wondered a minute why Black shouldn't play 25... Rxe3

Borg, Wilander and Evert pretty much did the same thing in tennis and nobody knocked them for it.>

As Phil Esposito once said:

Because some of them... they just don't seem to find the way to the horrible logic, on the path of their strategy, the horrible logic which shelters behind such shady moves as 25. d6 and blunders like 25. Kf2...

Been there, done that. But take in mind there are more dark forests than chess. Far more than you think. And far further than chess.

And then again... seems not completely irrelevant:

Unsportsmanlike?? How so? Nonsense! That's like saying Mayweather was unsportsmanlike because he allowed McGregor to expend all his energy and exhaust himself trying to stay toe to toe in the first half. Well HELLO! That's part of being a boxer!

I've played guys who used an hour to my 20 minutes to maintain an equal position, and then loose on time. Sorry, that's part of the game and the calculation of strength. example..

Balogun-Carlsen; Bal kept pace early on, but after finally making time control he began to collapse. He was spent. Well, DUH.. If endurance is unsportsmanlike, then WHY USE CLOCKS?! It's part of the race! Why fault Magnus for mopping up blunders after an opponent implodes?

Don't think so. It's the opposite in this case. Let's face the whole story...

As White HAD to POSSIBLY sac e3/e5 at their 25th move, although in fact Black then had to defend f7 with Be6 after 25. d5-d6 to keep the initiative, rather than using two moves with the same Rook (position! The other pieces have to WAIT= tempo loss=2 moves) to gobble up e3/e5 (by the way, position: the e-file is less important than d- and f-file, one exception: Bd7-e6 to stop Bb7-d5 from attacking f7).

Therefore 25. d6 Be6; d5/e6/f7 are most the strategic squares in this position. Not the e3/e4/e5 squares; as White could defend a possible Rxe5 by blocking e4 with a piece, but that piece would then be displaced: defending yet another helpless pawn at the e-file: e5. From the f-file (Rf4-e4) or distracted fom the a2-g8 diagonal (B-e4). Yet another White punk to defend a useless dark square: e5. Because -the obvious one of this story- f6-f7 would be a weak move in any way... two opposite punks facing each other at e5/f6. Again, go figure.. boy oh boy. What a wasteland would that become.

So, it's all about the light squares in this position. Therefore, again, 25. d6 Be6

25. Kf2 was a most passive move to play, materialistic if you like.. it's not Monopoly. And even if it were Monopoly.. get away!

Not neglectible either: White cannot put enough pressure on the d-file, otherwise White had the advantage then. Thus: it all comes down to the position. And to find the right strategy behind a position.

It's just I usually have no time for this kind of unbridled nonsense, so I must be in a jolly good mood, I assume.

After all it's just simple geometrics, I suppose no high math. I'm quite sure. No matter what.

At move 25 the White King to f2 could not hold on to e3. There was no time, positionally. By the way: WK's not a babysitter. It's a powerful dude. Not supposed to be the elephant in the room. Thereby Kf2 prevents another tempo move -for White- on f7 namely Rb1-f1. I am dying here.

Kf2 stands in the way (f7), like the pawn at d5... 25. Kg1-f2 is made to protect White's weakest object, defend if you like: the poor pawn at e3.. the nerve! What a planned strategy! Genius.

Chess strategy is not exactly about socialism either, I assume. But okaaay, let's proceed... gotta give everything a try after all.

Active play: d6> Bd5> Rbf1; 3 (tempo) moves on f7. Pieces working effectively together, okay? In perfect harmony, so to speak.

What can Black do in the meanwhile?

Okay; as Black can gobble up 2 center pawns with their ONLY active piece, thus the most dangerous one, if they like to...at the e-file (but have to let go of pawn b3 while eating e5 with their Re3). The dirty little bugger at b3 is the sting of Black's advantage. Bd5 tackles both. Because Bd7 is a weakie. No need to wake that guy up yet. NB: Multitasking, remember?

Or... you know what? Black can activate their Bishop from d7 to e6.

---#---

If you do speak of 'real chess' and cannot find tempo (active) moves, while you are forced to it; under the given circumstances that your opponent is about to gobble up 2/3 of your center pawns... with their bloody Rook.

But White can have at least 1/3 of their center pawns at d6 instead: the one.. why not attack c7 and e7 as well? Still.. in 1 move. Uhm.. which one?

...Moves.. regarded to the weakest point of your opponent, which is not seldom f7; as you are playing with the White pieces... while you have a LSB at your command... to occupy the a2-g8 diagonal and an open f-file a tempo? Just one little move.. While Black has their LSB at d7? Maybe to stop a possible d5-d6...

Then why would SF suggest 25. d6 Be6....??

Maybe Black wants to defend BOTH d7 and f7??? Why not. For God's sake. This is pure torture.

Don't ask to hold your hand.
Ehm...

Then why do you play chess anywayz? Why -in general- are you interested in strategy games at all? Go figure lol did Dreev want to promote ALL of their center pawns? So, WHAT did they want/plan with 25. Kf2?? Strategy wise? Wasn't d5-d6 good enough for him? Who knows what goes through the mind of a bug when it hits a windshield.. in the center..

Well IMHO, the position was literally screaming for d5-d6, as the Black Rooks get blocked from the 7th Rank as well.

F7.. 7th Rank.. do I need to spell it out for you? F-file. A2-g8 diagonal? Kg8, pawn b3.. what has Kg1 to do with all this? His Majesty... Another Czar in Town. At -another- dark square object.. defending a useless dark square object -another pawn- at the wrong file after 25. Kf2 ... No waaay!!! Speaking of timing. Strategy? My arse. Did I bore you enough already*

We are discussing REAL CHESS! Wake up, guise!

Now wait...

Unblock d5 for the LSB, maybe??? Center field opponent, DSB missile incoming, whatevah. 1 move, again. The whole light squares blablarium. Where's Captain Tom when you need him? Ground Control? Sure.

2B or not 2B,

or perhaps Dreev wanted to win the World Cup!

Do you play at the dark or the light squares?

A. It'll be the dark (Dreev) squares for me, bitte. Not scared here.

B. At the luciferian squares, please let meh in

C. No opinion; both will do, probably.. I'm actually totally on the blank side about this one, but the Masters must know, ask them. Why bother meee? I am not a real gamer, you see.

D. There are 64 suares man, do you want me to count them all? You must be joking.

E. Hey.. if it was THAT EASY, I would beat ALL of those patzers already. I don't believe a word you say.

F. I know, but I am allergic to anything what moves in the right direction. Especially when it comes in my direction.. Just let me be. And I'll be fine. Yay!!!

G. You can do it; go ahead while I cover your back. No hard feelings, okay??