B50: Sicilian: 2...d6, Miscellaneous
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.h3 g6 5.Bc4 a6 6.a4 Nc6 7.d3 Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nh2 Nd4 10.Be3 Qb6 11.b3 [ 11.Ne2 Nxe2+ 12.Qxe2 Qxb2= ]
11...Nc6 12.Rb1 Qc7 13.f4 Na5 [ 13...e6 14.Qd2=/+ ]
14.f5 Nxc4 15.bxc4 Bd7 16.a5? [ 16.Bg5 e6= ]
16...Rfb8? both players seem to think this pawn is poisoned [ 16...Qxa5 17.Bd2 Qc7=/+ ]
17.Bd2 [ 17.Rb6 gxf5 18.exf5 Kh8+/- ]
17...b5 18.axb6 Rxb6 19.Qf3 [ 19.fxg6 hxg6 20.Rxb6 Qxb6= ]
19...Rab8 [ 19...Rxb1 20.Rxb1 Rb8 21.fxg6 Rxb1+ 22.Nxb1 fxg6 23.Qd1=/+ ]
20.Rbc1?! "Instead of fighting for b-file, my ooponent chose to give it to me. At this I grew overconfident, as he has doubled pawns, and I have the only open file." [ 20.Rxb6 Qxb6 21.fxg6 fxg6+/= ]
20...Bc6 [ >=20...gxf5!? 21.exf5 Bc6=/+ ]
21.fxg6 hxg6 22.g4 [ 22.Nd5 Bxd5 23.cxd5+/= ]
22...Be8?! "I fall asleep! The best move to combat the obvious g5 is .. Rf8 - which also protects f7. Even .. e6 has merit." [ >=22...e6=/+ ; 22...Rf8 23.Nd5 Bxd5 24.exd5= ]
23.g5+- Nh5 24.Nd5 "Ouch! What a way to mess up a good game! I had played Balabat a couple of times. This move dazed me."
24...Qd8 [ 24...Qa7 25.Nxb6 Qxb6 26.c3+- ]
25.Nxb6 "Isn't it funny how one blunder follows another. Now I am bleeding. At this point, knowing the strength of my opoonent, I almost resigned. Only the smirk on his face changed my mind. I was bleeding, but my blood tasted good to me!! We were going into trench warfar; if he lowered his shield one time, I was going to kill him!" [ 25.Ba5!? e6 26.Nf6+ ( 26.Nxb6 Qxg5+ 27.Qg4 Qe3+ 28.Kg2 f5+/- ) 26...Bxf6 27.gxf6+- ]
25...Rxb6? [ >=25...Qxb6 26.Ng4 a5+- ]
26.Ba5 Qb8 27.Bxb6 Qxb6 28.Kg2 [ 28.Rb1 keeps an even firmer grip 28...Bd4+ 29.Kg2 Qc7+- ]
28...a5 "Hey, push the passed pawn. Maybe something will break loose!"
29.Ng4 a4 30.Nh6+ Bxh6 "Forced or mate comes quickly. The bishop was my best support for my passed pawn." [ 30...Kh7!? 31.Nxf7 a3 is not necessarily better, but doesn't get Black mated]
31.gxh6 Nf6 [ 31...e5 32.Kh2+- ]
32.Ra1 "Beginning of the death of my passer."
32...Qb2 33.Qf2 Kh7 34.Rfb1 Qe5 35.Qd2 Bd7 [ 35...Nh5 36.Kg1+- ]
36.c3?! [ 36.Rf1 Qh5 37.Rf3 Qxh6 38.Qxh6+ Kxh6+- ]
36...Nh5+/- 37.Qf2?! [ >=37.Qe3 Qxc3 38.Rf1 Qb2+ 39.Kg1+- ]
37...Nf4++/= 38.Kh1 f6? [ >=38...Nxd3 39.Qxf7+ Kxh6+/= ]
39.Qh2?? [ 39.Qe3+- ]
39...g5 "Offers nice support for an aggressive looking knight. [ >=39...Bc6 40.Rb2 Nxd3 41.Qxe5 Nxe5=/+ ( ‹41...fxe5 42.Rb6 Bxe4+ 43.Kh2+/- ) ]
40.Rb7?? [ 40.Qd2 Bxh3 41.Rg1 Bd7+/= ]
40...Bxh3?? gives the opponent counterplay [ >=40...Bc6 Black missed this excellent chance 41.Rab1 f5-+ ]
41.Rxa4 [ 41.Qg3 Kxh6 42.Rg1+/- ]
41...Bg2+= "A mating net appears. I thought, 'Oh God, let it happen!'"
42.Kg1?! [ White should really start thinking about a draw here 42.Qxg2 Nxg2 43.Raa7!= Qxc3 44.Rxe7+ Kg6 ( 44...Kxh6?? 45.Rh7+ Kg6 46.Rag7# ) 45.h7 ( 45.Rg7+ Kh5 46.h7 Qe1+ turns into the same thing) 45...Qe1+ 46.Kh2 Nf4 47.Rg7+ Kh5 48.h8Q+ Kg4 49.Qc8+ Kf3 50.Ra2 Qh4+ 51.Kg1 Qe1+= ]
42...Bxe4 43.dxe4 [ >=43.Rxe7+! should be examined more closely 43...Qxe7 44.dxe4=/+ ]
43...Qxe4-/+ "Yes! One move from mate."
44.Rxe7+ Qxe7 45.Ra1?? "Moving the king or queen would have been better." [ >=45.Qd2-/+ ; 45.Kf1?! Qb7!-+ ]
45...Qe3+-+ 46.Kf1 Qf3+ 47.Qf2 [ 47.Kg1 Nh3+ 48.Qxh3 Qxh3 49.Ra7+ Kxh6-+ ]
47...Qd3+ 48.Ke1 Qxc3+ "The rook is mine."
49.Qd2 Qxa1+ now Jimmy can force a queen trade and go into a winning endgame [ 49...Qxa1+ 50.Kf2 Qd4+ ; 49...Qxa1+ 50.Qd1 ] 0-1