Alan Lasser’s Game of the Week        May 30, 2009

 

On 5/28/9 in the Milford Club I played an instructive game/30 against Jake LaPlant.  We castled on opposite wings and my attack developed first, causing him to give up his queen for a rook and a pawn.  Eventually he established a fine defensive position, barricaded behind a rook fortress, just moving his king back and forth, and the burden was on me to break through.  When your opponent is all tied up, use the opportunity to maneuver all your other pieces to their best positions before staging the break through.  When I achieved the optimal positioning, I sacrificed back my queen to get a won king and pawn ending. Even though I am a pawn down, his remaining pawns are very weak, and his king is too far away to help them.

 

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White Jake LaPlant

Black Alan Lasser

Event game/30

Site Milford Chess Club

Date 2009.05.28

Round

Result 0-1

ECO B02

1 e4 Nf6

2 Nc3 d5

3 exd5 Nxd5

4 Nxd5 Qxd5

5 Nf3 Bg4

6 Be2 Nc6

7 d3 O-O-O

8 O-O e5

9 Be3 f5

10 h3 Bh5

11 Nh4 . . .

(-0.78) -0.21 11. a3 Bg6 12. Nh4 Kb8 13. Nxg6 hxg6 14. Bg5 Be7 15. Bxe7 Nxe7

11 . . . Bxe2

12 Qxe2 f4

13 Bd2 Nd4

14 Qg4+ Kb8

15 Rac1?? . . .

(-2.27) -0.62 15. c4 Qd7 16. Rae1 Be7 17. Nf3 Qxg4 18. hxg4 Nxf3 19. gxf3 Bf6 20. Bc3 Rhe8 21. Re4

15 . . . g5

16 Nf5?? . . .

(-5.40) -2.36 16. Qxg5 Rg8 17. c4 Rxg5 18. cxd5 Ne2 19. Kh2 Nxc1 20. Rxc1 Rxd5 21. Re1 Kc8 22. Nf3 Rf5 23. Bc3 Bg7

16 . . . h5

17 Qxg5 Rg8

18 Qxd8+?? . . .

(-7.99) -5.68 18. Qxg8 Ne2

18 . . . Qxd8

19 Nxd4 Qxd4

20 Bc3 Qd5

21 f3 Bc5+

22 Kh1 Bd4??

(+6.81) +10.03 22... Rxg2 23. Kxg2 Qg8 24. Kh1 Qg3 25. d4 Qxh3 26. Kg1

23 Bxd4 Qxd4

24 b3 a5?

(+6.78) +7.64 24... Qe3 25. Rg1 Qd2 26. Rce1 Qxc2 27. Rxe5 Qxa2 28. b4 Qb2 29. Re4 Qd2

25 Rce1 Re8?

(+5.62) +6.78 25... Qb2 26. Rf2 Qxa2 27. Kh2 Qb2 28. Ree2 Qd4

26 Re2 Re6

27 Rfe1 . . .

(-5.85) -5.62 27. Rb1 c5 28. a4 h4 29. Kh2 Qc3 30. Rbe1 Kc7 31. Rd1 Qd4 32. Rf1 Qb2 33. Rd1 Re8

27 . . . b5

28 Re4 . . .

(-6.20) -5.81 28. Kh2 c5 29. Kh1 h4 30. Kh2 Kc7 31. Rb1 b4

28 . . . Qd6??

(+4.63) +6.20 28... Qb2 29. R1e2 Qxa2 30. Kh2 c5 31. Rxf4 exf4

29 a4 . . .

29.d4 doesn't work because of 29...Qa3 30.de Qa2 31.Rf4 Re5 32.Re5 Qa1+ 33.Kh1 Qe5

29 . . . bxa4

30 Rxa4 Qb6

31 Rea1 . . .

(-5.18) -4.44 31. Re2 Qc5 32. Rae4 Qa3 33. Kh2 Qc1 34. d4 Rd6 35. Re1 Qxc2

31 . . . Qf2

32 Rc4? . . .

(-6.46) -5.29 32. c4 Kc8 33. Rxa5 Qd2 34. Rb5 Rg6 35. Rg1 Rg5 36. Rc5 h4 37. Rd5 c6 38. Rd6 Kc7 39. c5 Rg7 40. Re6 Qc3

32 . . . Rg6

33 Rg1 c5

(+6.29) +6.53 33... Kb7 34. Re4 Rg5 35. Rc4 Kb6 36. Kh2 Rg6 37. Kh1 Rc6 38. Re4 Qxc2 39. Rxe5 Qxb3 40. Rxh5 Qxd3 41. Re5 a4

34 Kh2 Kb7

35 Kh1 Kb6

36 Kh2 Kb5

37 Kh1 Rd6

38 Ra1 Rd4

39 Raa4?? . . .

(-mate 25) -9.60 39. Rca4 Rxa4 40. bxa4 Kb4 41. Rb1 Kc3 42. Kh2 Kxc2

39 . . . Rxc4??

(+8.74) +mate 25 39... e4

40 Rxc4 h4

41 Kh2 Qd4

42 Rxd4?? . . .

The computer gives these question marks because White can hold out a few moves longer if I have to play queen takes rook instead of him taking my queen, but the endgame is still hopeless for him.

42 . . . cxd4

Resignation is appropriate, the White king cannot reach the defenseless pawns in time 43.Kg1 Kb4 44.Kf2 Kc3 45.Ke2 Kc2

 

Alan Lasser

 

email:

blacklightmazes@me.com

blacklightalanlasser@blacklightmazes.com

 

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