White = Carte Blanche
Black = TeamManager
01. e4 e5
02. d4 exd4
03. c3 dxc3
04. Bc4 c6!?
Unusual move. I am used to opponents accepting the gambit at this point, although I have played against lines like 4.. Nf6. I was tempted to recapture, but that is against the gambit spirit.
05. Nf3 d6
06. 0-0 Be7
I was not happy with my opening by this time. This is not the kind of set up I am used to playing against. I was afraid the centre would be locked soon, so decided to recapture to maintain a slight lead in development.
07. Nxc3 Nf6
08. Bf4 0-0
09. Qd4? Nh5
10. Be3 Re8
I was unhappy with my Qd4 move already, and was surprised I was not punished with moves like b5 or an unpleasant Bg4 pin. It would have been real hard for white to claim any advantage at all after surrendering the centre and being down a pawn. I'd consider white objectively lost with perfect play.
11. e5 d5
Desperation. My only hope to pry open the centre to evoke some tactics. Unsurprisingly, black wishes to keep the centre locked. White in a spot of bother.
12. Be2 g6
13. Rfe1 Be6
Black is trying to secure d5 and prepare c5 with complete central domination.
14. Rad1 c5
15. Qa4 d4
White in some serious problems! All his hopes are pinned on the d1 rook.
16. Bb5 Rf8?
Bizarre looking move. Nc6 (or even Bd7) clearly gives black an advantage with a completed development and control over the centre. Let's not forget black is up a pawn too.
17. Bh6 Ng7
18. b4 Qc8
19. Ne4 a6?
Useless try as the pawn is pinned to the rook. Black is clearly losing the thread here. In a matter of few moves the position has deteriorated drastically for black despite material advantage.
20. bxc6 Nd7
Black admits his mistake and surrenders the extra pawn. But this leaves white with a decisive initiative.
21. Bxd7 Bxd7
22. Qxd4 Bc6
Black is down a pawn now with his king vulnerable to white queen's tactical skirmishes.
23. Bxg7 Kxg7
24. e6+! f6
25. Nd6 Qc7
Kasparov said once that a white knight posted on d6 is worth a rook. Black is about to find out why.
26. Ne5 fxe5
27. Qxe5+ Kg8
28. Nf5 Qxe4
29. Nxe7+ Kg7
30. Rxe4 Bc6
A sham sacrifice forcing trade of queens and a minor piece, leading to a comfortable ending for white with a supported passed pawn.
31. Nd5 Rc8
32. Nb6 Rc6?
33. a4 Rxb6
Tsk Tsk! Black blundered a piece and ended up trapping the bishop. Naturally he chose to be down an exchange than down a piece.
34. cxb6 Bxa4
35. e7 Re8
36. Rd8 Kf6
37. Rxe8 Bex8
Black hopes to guard the queening square with the light squared bishop and somehow manage a draw with an active king on the king-side. His defense skills will be tested rigorously.
38. Rc5 Bc6
39. Rxc6!
Kaput! Rook can not be recaptured because that will allow the pawn to queen. Black resigns.
Overall a decent game. Black lost the game, rather than white winning it. I have my share of excuses though. I do not like long games. I haven't played in a while, and my opening was dodgy at best. I will stick to sounder openings for a while.
If anybody else wants to play, give me a buzz anytime after 8/9 pm EST.
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