Bold Theoretical Novelty (For Me Anyway): Ruy Lopez (Pt. 7)

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Avatar of brandonQDSH

So this is me playing Little ChessPartner again. The computer again chooses to play a Morphy-Steinitz Defense like in my previous thread:

<http://www.chess.com/forum/view/game-analysis/game-ending-blunder-and-game-saving-draw-ruy-lopez-pt-4&gt;

I do have to rid myself of the habit of playing 5. h3 but we again arrived at the same position: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. h3 Nf6 and in my previous game, I played 6. d3 which is the most popular move in the database. But doesn't it look a little passive? At least I thought so at the time, so others suggested the bolder (looking anyway) 6. 0-0!? which I thought drops a pawn. But pretty everyone there agreed that it's sound. And to support their conclusions, no one in the database responded with 6. ... Nxe4 which surprised me a little, so I decided to go for it here. It turned out pretty well for a test run, but it does produce a very sharp position that I'm not too familiar/comfortable with just yet.

After some, probably unwise, pawn grabbing, material is even, with Black trading two Bishops and a pawn for my Rook and two pawns. Normally, I like having two pieces against a Rook, but Black had dominating piece activity as we transitioned to the endgame, which proved very problematic for me. Ultimately, I didn't feel to bad when the computer wanted to draw (D)

Avatar of frank713

Aloha Brandon,

Interesting chess game - LCP gave you here!

Looking at the end position I think it does look drawish as its very tricky for either side to move pawns and even some of their pieces safely for a win in either direction. But earlier in the game I will have to get back to you on that! Hm!

Avatar of rooperi

I'm probably missing something, Just had a quick look at the final position..

Is there nothing in the maneuvre f4 followed by Ba5? The Rook will have to go to b8 to defend against Bd8 and f5#, But then Bc7.....????

Avatar of Nytik

Hmmm. It's a curiosity of most Ruy Lopez variations that you can't take the e4-pawn, isn't it? So many people take the pawn, and although you can't gain any material advantage (at first) the resulting position is very comfortable for white...

Avatar of brandonQDSH

rooperi

Yeah I think there were still some possibilities to fight for that full point even after the final position. I was looking hard at playing something like 37. f4!? During the game, I was still pretty good in terms of time pressure, but I was getting a bit tired as I missed lunch and was going to dinner in like 30 minutes; kind of random, but it was on my mind at the time hehe :)

Anyway, now that I'm looking at it, f4 does look strong because I thought Black could just pressure the pawn with Rf3, but that would leave his h-pawn hanging. Black looks like he has a nice attack with my King tied down to h-1 and forming a battery on the h-file. But White also has a strong attack in the center. The mating threat that you suggested looks very real.

I guess it's a question of who gets there first? Do you think its White? Maybe in the future I'll try and press on with 37. f4!

Avatar of brandonQDSH

Nytik

Definitely before this game, if I was Black, I would have played 6. ... Nxe4?! thinking that I won a pawn, and that White wouldn't have enough compensation, i.e. tactics on the e-file.

I was even a bit nervous after 7. Re1 Bf5!? because my original plan (as suggested in the previous thread) was to follow up with 8. d4 to bust the game wide open. But the only plan I saw was to play d3, which I thought the computer would have responded with Nc5, but he instead retreated to Nf6, which is what I wanted. But now he has an extra piece developed, so I'm not sure how that changes things.

In the end, it worked out okay, but the position that 6. 0-0 produces is very sharp in my opinion, and I'm not sure if I'm ready for it just yet, i.e. going pawn grabbing the first chance I got. But it was fun, and the move is definitely playable. And I think it just looks better than the passive 6. d3 :(

Avatar of brandonQDSH

frank713

Are you saying that the endgame looks drawish because both sides are kind of nervous about what the other side will bring to the table in terms of an attack? I guess either side could force the issue, but in my case, I was hungry =/

Perhaps the moral of the story is that if the computer is offering you a draw, there must be some tangible threat that it is concerned about that a stronger player or Master may be able to exploit.

In situations like this, I'm pretty okay with taking a draw against my rival, but in the near future, maybe I'll be able to claim a point!

Avatar of frank713

Aloha Brandon,

More like it was 12:30am and I was tired! Hm, I'll take the LCP side Monday at Windward Chess & Go Club and see what we come up with OTB!

Pat is wanting to go for a ride and get some fresh fruit down the road, so communicate later. And for record I like Black's position a bit more! Sealed Grr!

Avatar of brandonQDSH

frank713

Well, it's interesting to know that you favor Black more. No fault in that. When the computer "offered" me a draw by means of repetition, I considered my candidate moves, with me mainly threatening 41. f4 and Black threatening to battery up and Queen.

I guess the computer is at least somewhat apprehensive of his King being surrounded by all of my pieces, as a mating net can be created if it blunders.

Of course, if you were Black and declined the draw offer, what would you play after 41. Rd2 or 41. Rd2 Kf5 42. Rd5+ hmm?

Avatar of frank713

We'll play it OTB and see what happen 5:00pm Monday! It works both ways as to who blunders first, as as you said LCP rather go for the draw - unless you have a clear line to win or know your opponent well enough you go ahead hope for a blunder, but in this case it could go both ways and I will give my answer at OTB G/15, add a little pressure! Laughing

As it will be our last meeting with you before you had out to Graduate school! If we have time we'll start a fresh game as well you how that goes most meetings! Plus you never who may visit us, maybe Mililani or Pearlridge chess players from the other side of the Island!