Round Two: Philidor Counter Gambit
Anna Matlin (USCF 1843) - Jim West (USCF 2200), Somerset NJ 2/23/2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 f5 4.d3 c6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.a4 Be7 7.O-O d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.Bb5+ Kf8
Black threatens to win a piece by 10...a6.
10.d4 e4 11.Ne5 a6 12.Be2 Nc6 13.f3 Be6
I could have saved myself a lot of trouble by playing 13...Kg8 instead.
14.fxe4 dxe4 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.g4 Bd6 17.g5 Qc7
Black will get only two pawns for the minor piece, which is not enough.
18.gxf6 Bxh2+ 19.Kh1 gxf6 20.Bh6+
The winning line for White is 20.d5 Rad8 21.Qd4 Be5 22.Qc5+ Bd6 23.Bf4.
20...Ke7 21.d5 Rad8 22.Bc4 Be5 23.Rg1 Rhg8 24.Rxg8 Bxg8 25.Qg1 cxd5
26.Qxg8
White could have tried 26.Qg7+ Kd6 27.Qxc7+ Kxc7 28.Bxa6 d4 29.Ne2 Kb6 30.Bb5 Rc8 31.Rc1, but 31...Bd5 favors Black.
26...Qxc4 27.Qxh7+ Ke6 28.Qg6 Bxc3 29.bxc3 Qxc3 30.Rf1 Qh3+ 31.Kg1 Qg4+ 32.Qxg4 fxg4
33.Kg2 f5 34.Rb1 d4 35.Rb6+ Rd6 36.a5 Rxb6
This careless move throws away the win. Correct is 36...Kd5 37.Bf8 Rc6.
37.axb6 Kd7 38.Kg3
White misses a draw by 38.Bf8 Kc6 39.Bc5 d3 40.cxd3 exd3 41.Kf2 f4 42.Ke1 f3 43.Kd2 Kxc5 44.b7 f2 45.b8=Q f1=Q 46.Qe5+ with perpetual check.
38...Kc6 39.Kf4 e3 40.Kg3 Kxb6 41.c3 Kc5 42.cxd4+ Kxd4 43.Kg2 Kd3 44.Kf1 a5 45.Ke1 a4 46.Bf4 a3 47.Be5 a2 48.Kd1 e2+ 49.Ke1 g3 50.Ba1 g2 51.Kf2 g1=Q+ 52.Kxg1 e1=Q+ 53.Kg2 Qxa1, White resigns.
