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Help analysing a game

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Jitesh

I recently played this game and lost on time - Maybe I missed some good moves.

Please suggest.

waffllemaster

8...Be7
You could have played Bd6 but I like this move better because the pin bugs me.

11...Bg4
This is not a bad move, but you don't follow through on move 12 which would be to capture the knight on f3.  Otherwise why not put it on e6 right away?

13...Bd7
And as a consequence of move 12 you're forced back.  Ideally you'd have the set up Be6 Qc7 Re8 to defend and stay coordinated.

14...Be6
Yeah, it gives up the pawn.  I'm looking at 14...Ng4.

16...Qxe7
You coudln't avoid the doubled pawns.  After this move white wins a piece with f5 and when Bxf5 simply Qxf5.

18...Qd8
This runs into f5 again actually.  If Bd7 then white removes the defender with Bxf6.  If Bc8 then you're cutting off your a8 rook and white has Ng4 with different winning tactics.

24...Be4
Yes, good.  Looks like black may draw this after all.

25...Rec8
Yeah, I was scratching my head a bit on this one.  What I like is you're seemingly trying to discourage white from his break on b3 (by aiming at c3 indirectly).  But an easier way to do this is simply move a rook to the b file :)

30...g6
Yes, and even your bishop is better than his haha.

31...Re8
This file isn't an issue anymore.  The only possibility left (that isn't some kind of sacrifice) is opening up the queenside.  So a rook on b8 makes more sense.

33.b4
This is a decision point... if you can successfully play cxb3 e.p. for example your control of b1 and the light squares around white's king may gives you some leverage in the position.  Maybe it's not correct here, but white is actually in more danger of queenside lines opening at this point IMO.

35.a5
Yes, it seems white really wants the draw.  You can have it easily with 35...a6 and with no open lines, and no lines that can be opened in the future, there's nothing left to do in the position.  But I like how you dare white to keep advancing the pawns for a few moves.  As I said it could be very dangerous for him to open lines if you infiltrate on the queenside.


You say you're short on time now so I wont comment too much except to say moves like 58...Qxe5 really have to be avoided even in time trouble.  White can easily win this endgame with rook against bishop.  It turns out you had a perpetual with 58...Qf2+ but that's not as important as not recognizing that the rook vs bishop endgame is hopeless.

Jitesh

Thanks a lot wafflemaster - that was very helpful!