Electronic Knights 2021 Semi-Final

21ENs04

You might enjoy this weird and challenging game, where I tried to leave the typical known path in the opening, creating an early imbalance. Besides this, during the game, I enjoyed the conversation with my opponent Robert Skipper, Professor of Philosophy very much.

[Event "USCF  21ENs04 - 2021 Electronic Knights"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.03.01"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Skipper, Robert Boyd"]
[Black "Schroeer, Egbert"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B09"]
[WhiteElo "1952"]
[BlackElo "1947"]
[Annotator "Schroeer,Egbert"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[EventDate "2023.03.01"]
[EventType "tourn (corr)"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[SourceVersionDate "2021.05.17"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 {[%cal
Bg1f3,Bf3g5,Bg5e6,Be6c7,Bc7a8,Ba8b6]} c5 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. e5 Ng4 8. e6 fxe6 9. Ng5
Bxb5 10. Nxe6 (10. Nxb5 Qa5+) 10... Bxd4 11. Nxb5 (11. Nxd8 $5 Bf2+ $7 12. Kd2
Be3+ 13. Ke1 Bf2+ 14. Kd2 Be3+ 15. Ke1 Bf2+ 16. Kd2 $10) 11... Qa5+ {B09: Pirc
Defence: Austrian Attack.} 12. Qd2 (12. c3 Bf2+ 13. Kd2 Be3+ 14. Ke1) 12...
Qxd2+ (12... Qxb5 $2 {12...Qxd2+ 0.00} 13. Nc7+) (12... Qxb5 $2 13. Nc7+ (13.
Nxd4 $2 cxd4 14. Qxd4 Rf8 $19) 13... Kd7 14. Nxb5 $18) 13. Bxd2 {h3 is the
strong threat.} Kd7 {The position is equal.} (13... Bxb2 $2 14. Nec7+ Kd7 15.
Rb1 $18 (15. Nxa8 Bxa1 16. Nxa7 Nc6 $17)) 14. Nec7 (14. Nbxd4 {simplifies} cxd4
15. Nxd4 Nc6 16. Nf3) 14... a6 $1 15. Nxa8 axb5 16. a4 bxa4 {Threatens to win
with ...Kc6.} (16... Bxb2 $2 17. Rb1 Bd4 18. c3 $18 (18. Rxb5 c4 $16) (18. axb5
c4 $14)) 17. Nb6+ Kc6 18. Nxa4 Nd7 19. Nc3 Re8 $146 {And now ...e5 would win.}
(19... e5 20. h3 Ngf6 21. fxe5 Nxe5) ({Predecessor:} 19... Nb6 20. Nd1 Nc4 21.
c3 Bg7 22. Bc1 h5 23. O-O h4 24. Re1 Bf6 25. h3 Nh6 {½-½ Radjabov,T
(2729)-Ivanchuk,V (2750) Amber-blindfold 16th Monte Carlo rapid 2007 (4)}) 20.
h3 {or Nf2?} Ngf6 (20... Nf2 21. Rf1 Bxc3 22. Bxc3 Ne4 23. Rf3 d5) 21. O-O-O
(21. Ne2 Bxb2 22. Ra2 Bd4 23. c3 e5 {[%cal Yd7b6] With the idea ...Nb6!} 24.
cxd4 exd4) (21. Ne2 $5 {[%cal Rc2c3]} Ne4 22. Nxd4+ cxd4 23. Rg1 $14) 21... e5
22. fxe5 Nxe5 23. Rhf1 Nc4 {Excellent horsemanship.} 24. b3 {exchange the N for
a B with Ne3 seems better and pins his King} Ne3 25. Bxe3 Rxe3 26. Rxf6 {Remove
Defender, Decoy oh wow} Bxf6 $10 {Endgame. KRB-KRN} (26... Rxc3 $2 {26...Bxf6
-1.17} 27. Rf3 $1 {and over}) 27. Nd5 Re6 {Hoping for ...Bg5+.} 28. c4 Bg5+ 29.
Kb1 Re5 30. Rf1 Rf5 {Dodges Rf7} 31. Re1 {[%cal Yh3h4]} (31. Rxf5 gxf5) 31... b5
32. Re2 {Prevents Rf2.} b4 33. Kb2 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.12 (very
precise) /Black=0.00 (flawless) . Inaccurate: White=1 --- OK: White=7 Black=14
Best: White=8 Black=2} 1/2-1/2