An unsound sacrifice

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Anatoly_Sergievsky

Here's an unrated 10 minute live game I played not long ago. I got to a point where the position looked like something out of tactics trainer. I used a minute or two on it, couldn't determine the soundness of the sacrifice, and just made the move, hoping for the best. (What the heck, right? It's unrated, and it had the potential to be cool.)

Now, under review, I'm almost certain that it wasn't sound. Still, I'd like your thoughts on the game.... both the opening, and the ending. The middle game was awful, I know. No need to point it out to me. Undecided (Alternative, better moves are welcome though.)

There's a surprise at the end, too.

Thanks!

Escapest_Pawn

Yes, as I am sure you realize you had cut the board in half with his queen stuck queenside, but he missed several opportunities to force a swap, easily winning.

His 16,,,c6 helped you

18...Nc6 or....Qd5 would have made his game easy.  Even 26 ...Qxd4+ returns a piece yet still wins.

28...Qg4 is a no brainer.

Raweyes

Cheers for the determination to carry on even after two harsh blunders. Even though it was unrated, lots of people would simply resign at the fruitless loss of a minor piece, let alone one from the juggernauts behind. And (to be honest) I would probably be checkmated were I to be on your opponents' toes.

Biarien

Wow, quite a way to make something out of nearly nothing!  That's a nice mate at the end -- not a very common mating position, at least from what I've seen.

estacio

coulhave played 28. B-e3+ then 29. Q-h6mate