Ouch
One thing's for sure: I am not invincible. And the Maroczy may be my Kryptonite...
I was planning on posting everything in chess publisher but too much analysis I think, this happened before once. So just the game in chess publisher, and everything else here.
Peterson,David (1876) - Gafni,Kevin (1989) [B39]
Reno Class A Championship, 10.01.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Qxg4 Nxd4 9.Qd1 Ne6 10.Qd2 Qa5 11.Rc1 a6? The early a6 is a good idea in the other system I play against the Maroczy, here it is wrong [11...b6;
11...d6]
12.f4 d6 13.Be2 Bd7 14.0-0 b5? Still incorrectly following this plan, which is not effective here
15.f5! my position is in shambles already
15...Bxc3? I am falling apart, I missed the threat
16.bxc3?! [16.Rxc3 it must be stronger to leave the pawn structure intact]
16...Nc5 17.fxg6?! [17.e5! Qc7 18.exd6 exd6 19.Bd4]
17...hxg6 18.Qd5? This move looks very strong, but [18.Bxc5 puts nails in the coffin 18...dxc5 19.Qd5]
18...0-0 19.Bxc5?!
[19.Rxf7! Rxf7 20.Qxa8+ Rf8 21.Qd5+ Be6 22.Qg5]
19...Be6?
[19...Qxa2! move order is important here 20.Rf2 Be6 21.Qg5 dxc5 22.cxb5 axb5 23.Bxb5 Qa3 I do not see White winning this]
20.Bb4 Qxa2 21.Qd1 [21.Qd3 Bxc4 22.Rc2 Bxd3 23.Rxa2 Bxe2 24.Rxe2 doesn't seem so bad, although White is still winning]
21...Bxc4 22.Bxc4 Qxc4 23.Qd4? "I just figured it would be an easy win" -Peterson [23.Ra1 Qxe4 This is very difficult for Black]
23...Qxd4+ 24.cxd4 a5 25.Bd2
OK, so I have these connected passed pawns, there are two ways to draw this, one is to get the piece for the pawns, the other is to trade one pair of rooks and get all of white's pawns and go into a drawn (impractically won) R+B v R ending
25...Ra7? This is inaccurate, I should not be afraid of Rc7 as this takes away from White's defense of my passed pawns [25...a4]
26.d5? White returns the favor [26.Ra1 a4 27.Rfb1 Rb8 28.Kf2 the pawns are stopped]
26...a4 27.Be3?
[27.Ra1 Rc8 The pawns are sterile with the bishop on the e1-a4 diagonal]
27...Rb7 28.Rc6?!
I was hoping for this move, White is hoping to attack the Black position, this is incorrect, he should just play against the pawns
[28.Ra1 Ra8 This may still be drawn, the pawns are ready to roll]
28...Ra8!= with initiative! This felt good.
29.Rfc1 a3 The rook on a8 threatens to become active on a4
30.Bd4 f6 no mates here 31.Rc8+
[31.Rc7 Rxc7 32.Rxc7 Ra4! 33.Bc3 b4 34.Ba1 b3 35.Rb7 Rxe4 36.Kf2 b2 37.Bxb2 axb2 38.Rxb2 Black is winning]
31...Rxc8 32.Rxc8+ Kf7 33.Rc3
[33.Ra8 b4 34.Kf2 b3 35.Rxa3 b2 36.Bxb2 Rxb2+=]
33...b4 34.Rb3 a2
I found the way to regain the piece
35.Kf2 Ra7 36.Ba1 Rc7
It's all about rook play
37.Rxb4 Here my opponent offered a draw
[37.Rb2 Rc1 38.Rxa2 b3 39.Ra7 b2 40.Bxb2 Rc2+ the bishop is still lost]
37...Rc1 I moved almost instantly and decided to keep playing. It's not as though I have particularly good chances, but it is very hard to change your frame of mind and I was counting on a mistake, his pawn structure is weaker
38.Bd4 a1Q 39.Bxa1 Rxa1 40.h4 Ra3 41.Rb2 Rd3
42.Re2?! if the rook doesn't voluntarily become passive then Black can make no progress
42...f5! 43.Re3 fxe4?
I had been intending to play [43...Rd4 44.exf5 gxf5 I thought this was a draw, I'm not really sure. It's definitely better than the game though 45.h5 (45.Rf3 Rd2+ 46.Kf1 Rxd5 47.g4 Kg6 48.Re3) 45...Rxd5 46.Rg3 f4 47.Rg4 Rf5 48.h6 e5 49.Rh4 Kg8 50.h7+ Kh8 51.Rh6 d5 52.g4 (52.Ke2 Rg5 53.Kf2 d4 54.Kf3 d3 55.Rd6 Rg3+ 56.Ke4 Re3+ 57.Kf5 Kxh7 58.Rd7+) 52...fxg3+ 53.Kxg3 d4 54.Kg4]
44.Rxd3 exd3
45.g4! I missed this move when I played fxe4, I had convinced myself that he would have to go after the pawn but this is foolish[45.Ke3 Kf6 46.Kxd3 (46.g4 still draws) 46...Kf5-+ a pipe dream] ½-½
This game reminds me of a game about a year and a half ago that I had forgotten but I will dig it up and post it. It was also an Accelerated Dragon (but not a Maroczy Bind), I fell behind to the point that it looked as if there would be no salvation. But then found a winning endgame and ended up drawing.
I think this game exposes several character flaws that may trip me up on my quest to become a master.
First, overconfidence. This tells in my shallow approach to the position, falling so far behind so early. I haven't been challenged in a long time and this leads to laziness and cockiness. It also shows off the board, I have been lazy lately because I have been playing well. I just don't want to study, even though I believe that the regular habit of studying helps more than the tangible knowledge gained from studying. I am going to play the expert section at the Western Class Championships and hopefully this will humble me a bit so I can close out this tournament with the necessary determination and effort. Also in my last game in the Maroczy I was playing a different line, and I was prepared to play it again and had found some options. But for some reason I reverted to the line I used to play, a line I haven't looked at in over a year. This was definitely a good chance to use it but then I ended up playing the plans from my new variation instead of the plans from my old variation. Very sloppy.
Second, tunnel vision. In the analysis to my last game I mentioned that I probably would have played 13.Ng5 in response to 12...Rg8 because I had seen it several moves earlier and I thought it was strong. Here I play 14...b5 because I am on autopilot, I am not even paying attention to White's options I am merely trying to free my game. Again, sloppy.
Third, mental fatigue. After White squanders his chance and loses his way I should keep pressing. There's no reason not to play 43...Rd4, I was ready to play this and I was ready to keep pressing. Then I got caught up in 43...fe and convinced myself that this was winning overlooking a very simple reply. This is quite uncharacteristic. Although I had not spent very much time (I spent about 10 minutes after we reached the time control and 40 minutes on my first 30 moves), I really worked to find the solution I did. I think this must have had an effect on my ensuing play because usually my calculation in pawn endings especially is on point. If I think I can play well in Los Angeles next weekend I'm going to have to be much sharper than this. Study habits obviously contribute to the sharpness of your brain as long as you don't overwork it. I'm trying to find a balance this week.
The Maroczy is certainly a challenge for Accelerated Dragon Players. In his series on Jeremy Silman's website IM Timothy Taylor discusses his frustration with the Maroczy. I may be looking for alternatives. My next two games I also have black but against 1.d4 players, it would be interesting to see if they decide to hunt me down in this line instead.
One good thing about this game, I'm realizing why I lose games.
This song pretty much sums it up:
I'm fixing a hole where the rain gets in
And stops my mind from wandering
Where it will go
I'm filling the cracks that ran through the door
And kept my mind from wandering
Where it will go
And it really doesn't matter if
I'm wrong I'm right
Where I belong I'm right
Where I belong
See the people standing there
Who disagree and never win
And wonder why they don't get in my door
Bonus: A quote from Hillary Clinton when she was in a hispanic neighborhood in Las Vegas: "We treat these problems as if one is guacamole and one is chips, when ... they both go together," Good metaphor...
I was planning on posting everything in chess publisher but too much analysis I think, this happened before once. So just the game in chess publisher, and everything else here.
Peterson,David (1876) - Gafni,Kevin (1989) [B39]
Reno Class A Championship, 10.01.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Qxg4 Nxd4 9.Qd1 Ne6 10.Qd2 Qa5 11.Rc1 a6? The early a6 is a good idea in the other system I play against the Maroczy, here it is wrong [11...b6;
11...d6]
12.f4 d6 13.Be2 Bd7 14.0-0 b5? Still incorrectly following this plan, which is not effective here
15.f5! my position is in shambles already
15...Bxc3? I am falling apart, I missed the threat
16.bxc3?! [16.Rxc3 it must be stronger to leave the pawn structure intact]
16...Nc5 17.fxg6?! [17.e5! Qc7 18.exd6 exd6 19.Bd4]
17...hxg6 18.Qd5? This move looks very strong, but [18.Bxc5 puts nails in the coffin 18...dxc5 19.Qd5]
18...0-0 19.Bxc5?!
[19.Rxf7! Rxf7 20.Qxa8+ Rf8 21.Qd5+ Be6 22.Qg5]
19...Be6?
[19...Qxa2! move order is important here 20.Rf2 Be6 21.Qg5 dxc5 22.cxb5 axb5 23.Bxb5 Qa3 I do not see White winning this]
20.Bb4 Qxa2 21.Qd1 [21.Qd3 Bxc4 22.Rc2 Bxd3 23.Rxa2 Bxe2 24.Rxe2 doesn't seem so bad, although White is still winning]
21...Bxc4 22.Bxc4 Qxc4 23.Qd4? "I just figured it would be an easy win" -Peterson [23.Ra1 Qxe4 This is very difficult for Black]
23...Qxd4+ 24.cxd4 a5 25.Bd2
OK, so I have these connected passed pawns, there are two ways to draw this, one is to get the piece for the pawns, the other is to trade one pair of rooks and get all of white's pawns and go into a drawn (impractically won) R+B v R ending
25...Ra7? This is inaccurate, I should not be afraid of Rc7 as this takes away from White's defense of my passed pawns [25...a4]
26.d5? White returns the favor [26.Ra1 a4 27.Rfb1 Rb8 28.Kf2 the pawns are stopped]
26...a4 27.Be3?
[27.Ra1 Rc8 The pawns are sterile with the bishop on the e1-a4 diagonal]
27...Rb7 28.Rc6?!
I was hoping for this move, White is hoping to attack the Black position, this is incorrect, he should just play against the pawns
[28.Ra1 Ra8 This may still be drawn, the pawns are ready to roll]
28...Ra8!= with initiative! This felt good.
29.Rfc1 a3 The rook on a8 threatens to become active on a4
30.Bd4 f6 no mates here 31.Rc8+
[31.Rc7 Rxc7 32.Rxc7 Ra4! 33.Bc3 b4 34.Ba1 b3 35.Rb7 Rxe4 36.Kf2 b2 37.Bxb2 axb2 38.Rxb2 Black is winning]
31...Rxc8 32.Rxc8+ Kf7 33.Rc3
[33.Ra8 b4 34.Kf2 b3 35.Rxa3 b2 36.Bxb2 Rxb2+=]
33...b4 34.Rb3 a2
I found the way to regain the piece
35.Kf2 Ra7 36.Ba1 Rc7
It's all about rook play
37.Rxb4 Here my opponent offered a draw
[37.Rb2 Rc1 38.Rxa2 b3 39.Ra7 b2 40.Bxb2 Rc2+ the bishop is still lost]
37...Rc1 I moved almost instantly and decided to keep playing. It's not as though I have particularly good chances, but it is very hard to change your frame of mind and I was counting on a mistake, his pawn structure is weaker
38.Bd4 a1Q 39.Bxa1 Rxa1 40.h4 Ra3 41.Rb2 Rd3
42.Re2?! if the rook doesn't voluntarily become passive then Black can make no progress
42...f5! 43.Re3 fxe4?
I had been intending to play [43...Rd4 44.exf5 gxf5 I thought this was a draw, I'm not really sure. It's definitely better than the game though 45.h5 (45.Rf3 Rd2+ 46.Kf1 Rxd5 47.g4 Kg6 48.Re3) 45...Rxd5 46.Rg3 f4 47.Rg4 Rf5 48.h6 e5 49.Rh4 Kg8 50.h7+ Kh8 51.Rh6 d5 52.g4 (52.Ke2 Rg5 53.Kf2 d4 54.Kf3 d3 55.Rd6 Rg3+ 56.Ke4 Re3+ 57.Kf5 Kxh7 58.Rd7+) 52...fxg3+ 53.Kxg3 d4 54.Kg4]
44.Rxd3 exd3
45.g4! I missed this move when I played fxe4, I had convinced myself that he would have to go after the pawn but this is foolish[45.Ke3 Kf6 46.Kxd3 (46.g4 still draws) 46...Kf5-+ a pipe dream] ½-½
This game reminds me of a game about a year and a half ago that I had forgotten but I will dig it up and post it. It was also an Accelerated Dragon (but not a Maroczy Bind), I fell behind to the point that it looked as if there would be no salvation. But then found a winning endgame and ended up drawing.
I think this game exposes several character flaws that may trip me up on my quest to become a master.
First, overconfidence. This tells in my shallow approach to the position, falling so far behind so early. I haven't been challenged in a long time and this leads to laziness and cockiness. It also shows off the board, I have been lazy lately because I have been playing well. I just don't want to study, even though I believe that the regular habit of studying helps more than the tangible knowledge gained from studying. I am going to play the expert section at the Western Class Championships and hopefully this will humble me a bit so I can close out this tournament with the necessary determination and effort. Also in my last game in the Maroczy I was playing a different line, and I was prepared to play it again and had found some options. But for some reason I reverted to the line I used to play, a line I haven't looked at in over a year. This was definitely a good chance to use it but then I ended up playing the plans from my new variation instead of the plans from my old variation. Very sloppy.
Second, tunnel vision. In the analysis to my last game I mentioned that I probably would have played 13.Ng5 in response to 12...Rg8 because I had seen it several moves earlier and I thought it was strong. Here I play 14...b5 because I am on autopilot, I am not even paying attention to White's options I am merely trying to free my game. Again, sloppy.
Third, mental fatigue. After White squanders his chance and loses his way I should keep pressing. There's no reason not to play 43...Rd4, I was ready to play this and I was ready to keep pressing. Then I got caught up in 43...fe and convinced myself that this was winning overlooking a very simple reply. This is quite uncharacteristic. Although I had not spent very much time (I spent about 10 minutes after we reached the time control and 40 minutes on my first 30 moves), I really worked to find the solution I did. I think this must have had an effect on my ensuing play because usually my calculation in pawn endings especially is on point. If I think I can play well in Los Angeles next weekend I'm going to have to be much sharper than this. Study habits obviously contribute to the sharpness of your brain as long as you don't overwork it. I'm trying to find a balance this week.
The Maroczy is certainly a challenge for Accelerated Dragon Players. In his series on Jeremy Silman's website IM Timothy Taylor discusses his frustration with the Maroczy. I may be looking for alternatives. My next two games I also have black but against 1.d4 players, it would be interesting to see if they decide to hunt me down in this line instead.
One good thing about this game, I'm realizing why I lose games.
This song pretty much sums it up:
I'm fixing a hole where the rain gets in
And stops my mind from wandering
Where it will go
I'm filling the cracks that ran through the door
And kept my mind from wandering
Where it will go
And it really doesn't matter if
I'm wrong I'm right
Where I belong I'm right
Where I belong
See the people standing there
Who disagree and never win
And wonder why they don't get in my door
Bonus: A quote from Hillary Clinton when she was in a hispanic neighborhood in Las Vegas: "We treat these problems as if one is guacamole and one is chips, when ... they both go together," Good metaphor...