A bit of banter between Keith & Henrik – not sure what’s going on but it sounds interesting!
Keep you all in the loop.
I don’t fancy the R ending after 37.Rxc7 cxb4 with 2 connected passed pawns for you, so let’s hope that pawns are better than Knights in this position !
My move is therefore 37.bxc5 !?
Let’s simplify further, the rock ending locks complicated enough.
Thanks Henrik, & I think I have to play Rxd7
This move won most votes and I also like it because; it simplifies, takes away any future knight forks and sort of paves the way for my footsoldiers on the queen side. But it may lead to the complete annihilation of my cavalry.
Fine by me Henrik – it’s all a bit of fun !
Instead of asking Stockfish or Fritz, which defies the purpose of a human chess contest, I would like to ask my teammates for their help, if you don’t mind.
The position is critical and I feel that the next move will determine if I will be able to play for a win or not. To get over the finishing line is sometimes the hardest job.
I have 4 candidate moves that I would present to my teammates, and depending on their answer I will choose one of these moves.
35.-
a, Kxf5
b, gxf5
c, Rxc3 or
d, cxb4
We head for an ending….35.Rxh7
As expected. But I’m happy to trade off one pair of rocks with 34.-Rxh7 and will then try to get my queen side pawns moving.
You can enjoy your fruit and I will have some of my own… as you predicted 34.Bxf5
The fruit needs to be picked, so rock takes on a3 is consistent with blacks play and the most ambitious move.
I can see that you are threatening check mate in two moves if I cooperate. 34.Bxf5 and if 34.-gxf5 then 35.R3h6*, but I won’t make it so easy for you.
I think I will have to keep active. 33.Rfh3 (33.Nb1 is to passive)
The check was one of the expected moves, therefore blacks reply can come with the speed of light:KF6. And for the first time in the game is starts to feel like both parties has run out of diplomacy and have declared war!
I didn’t expect (or see) 31….Re7, but it gives me a chance to activate at least one of my Rooks. My move is 31.Rh7+
I knew you would keep both your rocks in order to terrorize my king side and to justify your plan with g4.
My King has proven capable of defending his turf, so far, but my 7th rank needs propping up, hence 30.-Re7, today.
31.Rh3 the pieces on the 3rd rank spring to life !
I’ll try to go for the low hanging fruit to begin with.
Hi Henrik, yes my position is a bit tricky. Still there are plenty of potholes on Douglas Prom for someone to fall into !
I will go for 29.Nc3
Happy Weekend Keith,
The first move is kind of gimme as my Queen can’t back down, hence 27.- Qxd3.
That gives you another gimme with 28.Bxd3, to avoid losing material.
As we are entering the endgame, black may find himself in the driver’s seat, but since the road ahead resembles Douglas Promenade, black cannot yet switch on cruise control.
But 28.-Re8 looks natural and activates blacks last piece, while keeping the foot on the pedal.
H.
I’d better chase your Q away. 27.Ne2
27. R4g3 – white completes his masterplan to get complete control of the 3rd rank !
PS Yes g4 a move earlier might have been better – I did look at it but chickened out !
Yes, I’ll think twice before I challenge the third rank. Instead I’ll take on your queen, head-on, and continue to penetrate your position. (Oops, that sounded x-rated.)
27.Kg2 yes I wish I knew what White was up to as well !
Ha, ha. I dont know about x-rated, but an X-ray vision is required to see through white’s scheming.
I leave your poisonous rock, for the moment, and let your pieces punch the air. Instead, I’ll say hello to your King, with a back-ranker, and use the e-file as I mentioned earlier. Re1, check, but not mate!
I didnt realise we were playing an X rated game
No choice now…..25. Rxg4 !! oops I left my rook hanging…..
To get white frustrated is always one of the purposes of playing the Alekhine. After an impressive build-up, white is getting itchy fingers and is having a “premature attackulation”, 🙂
Time to bust open the K side where I have superior number of pieces !
Time for the monarch to have word in and to take the sting out your bishop and queen battery, lusting for a savage attack on my king ,with Kf7.
Likewise with 23.Qd3
Yes, suddenly the q-side starts to ignite. I better stop that bishop in its track with the prophylactic a6.
22.Bc2 very interesting position
My knights are ready to greet you.
21.-Nd7
As you have locked the Kside I’d better try somewhere else. 21.b4
I better lock the straitjacket and throw away the key then, with 20.- h5. 🙂
20.Rg1 is the move today.
Good moves are worth waiting for and I can see your intentions; vacating g1 for a rock and stepping out of a potential future check. My reply has to be the natural, 19.-Nc7, making the horses ready for battle.
Yes, tricky move to face.:-\ After a bit of a think I’m going to play 19.Kh1 keeping my options open
18.-f5(!)
A gutsy move that puts white into a straitjacket. Your f-pawn or bishop is not moving any time soon I reckon, 🙂
17.a3 that N isn’t going any further forward.
Time to call in the Cavalry for a flank attack! Or is this just a red Herring?:) 16.- Na6, and let’s see what these hard-working black stallions have in store? What an aesthetic duo they are on b6.
16. Bd3 – maybe I’ll save the pawn sac for the next time I beat the Alekhine 😉
15.-Re8, claiming the open file….no the pawn sac didn’t catch my eye.
15.Qd2 The Q ‘limps’ back to the extremely safe d2 square from where it surveys both sides of the board
(by the way did you look at 12.e5-e6 which looked quite a good pawn sac.)
And black recaptures and gets the first check in, 🙂
13.-Bxd4+, and thereby forcing 14. Qxd4. Assuming this is played
Black demonstrates that he is still bossing the black squares by the positional push
14.-c5, and the white Queens has to “limp” back.
13. Wt quickly plays 13.Bd4 to exchange Bk’s best piece.
And white released the tension that had become unbearable? 😉
The reply is simple: 12.-exd6 and guess who will take control of the opened e-file?
12. Stay safe and thank for making our game a little more easy to analyse. I will now let my pieces do the talking and stop this running commentary, but the white (walker) General may continue reflecting over his destiny.
11. and the white coloured bishop finally reaches its ideal square .
11. Hmmm – better get my K safe in that case !
10. c6 and black can soon start chipping off the white centre, at his leisure.
9. 0-0 Yes, you better, but pawns can’t go backwards, 🙂
9. Nf3 Ha Ha ! I’d better consolidate.
You fell for the ” temptation”. 🙂 (HF)
8.-Bc8 and white’s centre is about to collapse!
Has the General of the white army not learnt from the mistakes of WW1, where foot soldiers were sent forward to their death? Blacks deadly trenches are ready to strike back!
8.d5 nice pawn centre ! (KA)