#chess #scotchgame #steinitzvariation #chessbriliancy
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This game was against a stronger opponent who played the Scotch Game and as usual, I used the super winning Steinitz Variation, and we played down the Modern Defense line (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nc3 Bb4). At the time of this game, I had never lost a game of the Steinitz Variation out of 20 games, so I was very motivated to win!
White surprised me by finding the only correct move on move 6 (6. e2) and here, I was completely out of theory. I decided to approach this by "cashing out", which is always an option in the Steinitz Variation. I don't do this in the most accurate manner, and then on move 8, I make a mistake that gives White a commanding lead and attack [+5.3].
The next phase of the game, from moves 9 to 16, had White knowing that they were winning, and I knew they were winning. White spent a lot of time in this part of the game lining up an attack. I valiantly tried to defend, but at a certain point, White had an evaluation of almost [+10]!
However, on move 17, with their clocking winding down to around five minutes (vs my 12 minutes), White's resolve to attack started to waver and they made a rather passive backwards bishop move. I suspected that they couldn't find the attack, and potentially, were averse to material loss. Using that perspective, I decided to counterattack (17... Bg4)! I knew that my position was losing, but, if White decided to trade down, they would lose their attack and I might be able to get back into the game!
And this psychological tactic worked! White traded down, nerfing their own attack, and we ended back in equality [0.00]!
Indeed, after some inaccurate moves (following a brilliancy!) White wand I entered a rook and knight endgame where I was slightly ahead. Now, rook and knight endgames are complicated and difficult. Now, rook and knight endgames are complicated and difficult, and there were numerous twists and turns. I lose my advantage with White being able to force a draw by repetition. However, they refused to draw, giving me back the advantage. Later, they blunder (43. Kb2) giving me a massive winning advantage [-4.5]. The next move, I blunder right back, trying to play fast as White only had 26 seconds left on the clock and I lose a piece [+2.2]. Oh no!
I decide to play a bit more slowly and didn't think I made any blunders during the game. However, the evaluation post-game was interesting as both White and me made major mistakes, and didn't see opportunities. Rook and knight endgames are complicated! However, as per another aphorism of Tartakower, "the winner of the game is the player who makes the next-to-last mistake."
On move 50, with 15.2 seconds left on the clock, White makes a terminal blunder (50. Kd1) [-7] which allowed me to win both of their rooks with a lovely attack pattern, which I saw! This left the endgame where I had two rooks and they one knight. After I traded one of my rooks for their remaining knight, I had a pawn and rook left, so mate was easy and assured. Checkmate came on move 77 - what a match! GG!
The big takeaway from this game is to play on in a losing position! Humans are not computers so never underestimate the psychological flow of the game, especially when making a counterattack!
Game on chess.com: www.chess.com/...
21 сен 2024
