Game 9 Kevin Bonham v ggrayggray

[Garvinator]

1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.g3 h5 6.d3 h4 7.gxh4 Nc6 8.Bg5 Bf5 9.Nc3 Be7 10.e4 Bg4 11.Rg1 Nd4 12.Be2 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Nd7 14.Rg2 Ne5 15.Be2 Bxg5 16.hxg5 c6 17.Kf1 Qd6 18.Qd2 Rh3 19.Nd1 Nef3 20.Bxf3 Nxf3 21.Qf2 Nxh2 22.Ke2 Nf3 23.Ne3 Nd4 24.Kd2 Qb4 25.Kc1 Qc5 26.Kd1 0-0-0 27.Rc1 Rf3 28.Qg1 Nxc2 29.Rgxc2 Rxd3 30. Rd2 Qxe3 31. Qxe3 Rdxe3 32.Rc4 Rf4 33.Rh2 Rg3 34.Rc5 Rxe4 35.Rh7 g6 36.Rxf7 Rg2 37.Ra5 Rh4 38.Rf1 Rxb2 39.Kc1 Rhh2 40.Rxa7 Kb8 41.Ra3 Rbg2

[Kevin Bonham]

PGN Viewer

 

Well played. In particular, very accurate around moves 10-16 by the end of which I suspect the damage was done.

Rather embarrassing game to lose given my view of the From's (namely: that it is unsound!). I avoided the Mestel variation which is notoriously messy in deference to my outdated silicon assistant, but I think the real blame for this mess can go to the human side of the equation. I reckon 10.e4 was garbage, and if I had seen the extremely strong clamp you were able to get with the two knights (and certain other problems) I would have just played 10.Qd2 preparing 0-0-0 when I can't see what Black really has for the pawn.

[Garvinator]

Well played. In particular, very accurate around moves 10-16 by the end of which I suspect the damage was done.

Thank you

Rather embarrassing game to lose given my view of the From's (namely: that it is unsound!).

I chose the From because I had seen quite a few of your comments on it, so I played to see it in a real game of sorts.

Same goes for the choice of e4. Neither opening was played because I thought they would be surest way of getting a win, but played more for my personal interest value.

I reckon 10.e4 was garbage, and if I had seen the extremely strong clamp you were able to get with the two knights (and certain other problems) I would have just played 10.Qd2 preparing 0-0-0 when I can't see what Black really has for the pawn.

The silicon monster gives 10.e4 as best, but after I nudge it around a little, the advantage reduces to nothing significant, which means to me that I have some significant compensation for the pawns.

In my opinion, after e4 Bg4, Be2 would have been a bit better as it breaks the pin straight away.

On move 17, you commented - I am not sure I will get away with this. Were you considering playing something else and just decided to roll the dice with Kf1. If so, what were you hoping I would play? The silicon monster gives 17. a4 as a bit better, but still small advantage to black.

[Kevin Bonham]

In my opinion, after e4 Bg4, Be2 would have been a bit better as it breaks the pin straight away.

I agree with this. The problem I got was that you then had time to get the knights in and play c6 preventing Nd5 after which it became impossible to deal with the clamp.

On move 17, you commented - I am not sure I will get away with this. Were you considering playing something else and just decided to roll the dice with Kf1. If so, what were you hoping I would play? The silicon monster gives 17. a4 as a bit better, but still small advantage to black.

No, just a general comment about the condition of my position that had forced me to try giving up castling. What I was aiming for was to hide my king on g1 and even h1 but your counterplay always ended up being too fast for that to work.

By the way if you had played 35...Rf4 I intended resigning immediately at that point as that appeared to lead to me being two pawns down with no compensation and not even a hint of a swindle chance. I also had a very hard look at lines leading from the final position for swindle chances (even with computer assistance swindles can still sometimes happen and I was hoping I could get rid of enough pawns to come up with something) but decided there was nothing remotely promising.