[Event "Kenilworth Summer Tournament"]
[Site "Kenilworth, NJ"]
[Date "2016.06.30"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Moldovan, John"]
[Black "Damodaran, Ram"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A38"]
[WhiteElo "1839"]
[Annotator "Moldovan,John"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "2016.06.02"]
[Source "Moldovan, John"]
[SourceDate "2016.07.04"]
{Board 1 G/55+5 (delay) A38 English Opening Symmetrical Defense (by
transposition - 7.c4)} 1. e4 $5 {I thought about playing e3 but decided to
take a full leap.} c5 2. Nf3 g6 {The Hyper-Accelerated Dragon, something I've
never used or played against.} 3. d3 (3. c3 Bg7 $140 (3... d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 {
is another way to play.}) 4. d4 {is probably best but, since my foe likely
knows that better than I do, let's try a K's Indian Attack.}) 3... Bg7 4. g3
Nc6 5. Bg2 e5 (5... d6 {is more flexible.}) 6. O-O Nf6 {This is fine} ({
but I prefer} 6... d6 {with the options of ...Nge7 & ...f5.}) 7. c4 {On 2nd
thought... let's play an English.} (7. Nc3 {makes a Closed Sicilian.}) (7. Nbd2
{remains a Reti.}) 7... O-O 8. Nc3 d6 9. h3 {This is the most common move in
the position. It prepares a possible Be3 & stops ...Bg4.} Be6 {Diagram [#]} ({
Instead of copying with} 9... h6 {Black breaks the symmetry.}) 10. Nd5 $146 ({
There have been 3 games with} 10. Be3) ({2 with} 10. Kh2) ({1 with} 10. Bg5) ({
& 1 with} 10. Ng5) 10... Qd7 11. Kh2 Rfe8 {This misplaces the R & leaves f6
weak.} (11... Rab8 $142 12. Bg5 $140 Ne8 $11) (11... h6 $2 {loses a P to} 12.
Bxh6 $1 $16 {/\} Bxh6 $2 13. Nxf6+ Kg7 14. Nxd7 $18) 12. Bg5 ({Here} 12. Bh6 $6
{is neutralized by} Nxd5 ({Again, not} 12... Bxh6 $4 13. Nxf6+ $18) 13. Bxg7
Nc3 14. bxc3 Kxg7) 12... Bxd5 13. cxd5 Nd4 14. Nxd4 cxd4 (14... exd4 $142) 15.
Qd2 (15. Rc1 $142 $1 Rac8 $140 $6 (15... Rec8 {, clearing e8 for the N, is
right.}) 16. Qf3 $1 $16) 15... Rac8 16. f4 $6 (16. Rfc1 $142 $14) 16... Nh5 $2
(16... exf4 17. gxf4 Qa4 $11 {/\ ...Rc2 would have restored the balance.}) 17.
f5 $2 (17. Bf3 $1 exf4 (17... h6 $143 18. Bh4) (17... f6 $6 18. Bg4 Qe7 19. Bh4
) 18. Bxh5 $1 fxg3+ 19. Kxg3 Be5+ 20. Bf4 gxh5 21. Bxe5 Rxe5 22. Qh6 {/\ Rf6
would have given me a clear plus.}) 17... f6 18. Bh6 (18. Bh4 g5 19. Bf3 gxh4
20. Bxh5 hxg3+ 21. Kxg3 Re7 {was little or no better.}) 18... g5 (18... Bxh6
$142 19. Qxh6 Qg7 {&, with the veiled attack on g3, White is forced into} 20.
Qxg7+ Kxg7 $11) 19. Bxg7 Nxg7 20. Rac1 Rc7 $2 {This lets me take control of
the c-file.} (20... Red8 $142 $11 {as Ram suggested in the post-mortem.}) 21.
Rxc7 Qxc7 22. Rc1 Qd7 23. Qb4 h5 24. Bf3 $6 (24. Qc4 {keeps a firm grip on the
position.}) 24... Rd8 (24... Rc8 $142 25. Rxc8+ $140 ({or} 25. Rc4 Rc7 26. Be2)
25... Qxc8 $14 26. Qxd6 $6 h4 $1 $44 27. Qxf6 $4 Qc2+ 28. Bg2 hxg3+ 29. Kxg3
Nh5+ $19) 25. Qc4 h4 $2 (25... Rf8 $142 $16 26. Qc7 $140 Qxc7 27. Rxc7 Rf7) 26.
Qc7 $6 (26. gxh4 $142 gxh4 27. Qc2) 26... hxg3+ 27. Kxg3 Ne8 $4 (27... Kf7 $142
$16) {Now White wins.} 28. Qxd7 Rxd7 29. Rc8 Kf8 30. Bh5 Re7 31. Kg4 {Black is
reduced to P moves. His K & R are bound to the pinned, twice-attacked N.} b6
32. Bg6 a6 33. Kh5 b5 34. b4 {Zugzwang!} Kg7 {Instead of throwing in the towel,
Ram sends the steed to the glue factory.} 35. Bxe8 Ra7 36. Rd8 a5 37. Rd7+ Rxd7
38. Bxd7 {Black resigns. Time left - Moldovan 13:49, Damodaran 33:15
Estimated time used - Moldovan 44:21, Damodaran 24:55 Longest think by
White - 6 minutes for 18.Bh6 Longest think by Black - 4 minutes for 16...Nh5?}
(38. Bxd7 {After} axb4 39. Bxb5 Kh7 40. Be8 Kg7 41. Bg6 Kg8 42. Kh6 Kf8 ({or}
42... Kh8 43. Bf7) 43. Kh7 Ke7 44. Kg7 {Black has to shed Ps.}) 1-0
