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Following the story of a long game

By Steve | November 9, 2006

Sometimes you find yourself in a long game that transitions through many phases, where the phases almost seem like different games, played by different rules, with different goals. The connection between the phases is found in the way small advantages change from one form to another.

Some games fascinate because of tactical fireworks. If that’s the only kind of game you like, you can skip this one. It fascinates me because of the way, after a long struggle, the game finally turns on one side’s king being in a slightly better spot. (Here’s a replayable version.)

(53) pierrekelderman - eddins [B01]
32nd GK tournament

[Eddins,Steve]

Phase 1: The Opening Scramble, in which the white queen finds herself
in the middle of traffic. White has the advantage of the move.

1.e4 d5 2.exd5
Nf6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bc4 Bg4 5.f3 Bf5 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.Nge2 Nb6 8.Bb3 Nfxd5 9.Nxd5 Nxd5
10.0-0 e6 11.d4 Bd6 12.c4 Nf6 13.c5

Gives up d5 and turns the d4 pawn into a
tempting target.

13…Be7 14.Ba4+ c6 15.Nf4 h6 16.b4 Nd5 17.Qd2?!

White’s
queen is a bit overloaded, protecting both the f4 knight and protecting against
a deadly fork on d4.

17…Nxf4 18.Qxf4 Bg5 19.Qd6 The only reasonable
square, but it loses a pawn. 19…Qxd6 20.cxd6

Phase 2: The Early
Endgame, in which four rooks and the light-squared bishops maneuver for
position. Black has a pawn advantage (after collecting the d6 pawn), plus the d4
pawn is still a target.

20…Bxc1 21.Raxc1 Kd7 22.b5 cxb5 23.Bxb5+ Kxd6
24.Rfd1 Rac8 25.a4 Bc2

The beginning of a maneuver to transfer the bishop to
d5.

26.Rd2 Bb3 27.Rb1 Rc3 28.Rdb2 Bd5 29.Be2 Rhc8 30.h3 Ke7 31.Kf2 Rc2 32.Ke3
Kf6? Missing a tactical shot to pick up another pawn. [32...R8c3+
33.Kf2 Rxb2 34.Rxb2 Ra3] 33.Bd3 R2c3 34.Kd2 Kg5 35.Be4 White’s
maneuvering has been a little more effective. 35…Bxe4 36.fxe4 b6 37.Rf1
R8c7?

A basic tactical error, returning the extra pawn.

38.Rxf7 Rxf7
39.Kxc3 Rc7+ 40.Kb4 Kf4

Phase 3, in which White tries to make something
happen in the center and on the queenside. The position is roughly equal.

41.d5 exd5 42.exd5 Ke5 The king is a better blockader than the rook.
43.Rd2 Kd6 44.a5 bxa5+ 45.Kxa5 Rc5+ 46.Ka6 Rxd5 47.Rf2 Ke6 48.Kxa7

Phase
4, in which the remaining action is on the kingside and the white king is out of
position. Black has the advantage of a better-placed king.

48…Rf5 49.Re2+
Kf6 50.Kb6 Rd5 Trapping White’s king on the queenside. 51.Kc6 Rd1

Phase 5, in which a king, rook, and two pawns maneuver against a rook and
two pawns. Black retains his positional advantage.

52.Kc5 Kf5 53.g3 Rd3
54.Rf2+ Ke4 55.Rf4+ Ke5 56.Rg4 g5 57.h4 Rc3+ Forcing White’s king to step further from the kingside.

58.Rc4?? With the rooks off the
board, it’s an easy win for Black. 58…Rxc4+ 59.Kxc4 Ke4

Phase 6,
mopping up.

60.hxg5 hxg5 61.g4 Kf4 62.Kd3 Kxg4 63.Ke2 Kg3 64.Kf1 Kh2
0-1

One Response to “Following the story of a long game”

  1. Navan Says:
    November 23rd, 2006 at 11:28 pm

    The chess diagrams from your script look very nice.

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