1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. cxd5 Nxc3 10. bxc3 exd5 11. Qb3 Rd8 12. c4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nc6 14. Be2 b6 15. Qc3 I had a general idea of what I was supposed to do here, but I was struggling to remember the correct piece placement and move order. I started to us a lot of time over the next dozen or so moves.
15. O-O Bb7 16. Rac1 Rac8 is more normal.
15... Bb7 16. O-O Rac8 17. Rfd1 Na5 18. Qb2 c5 19. dxc5 Rxc5 20. Rxd8+ Qxd8 21. Rd1 Rd5 22. Nd4 Rd6 23. Rc1 g6 White was beginning to generate threats and this move cleverly stops a lot of it long enough for Black to regroup his own plan.
24. Bf1 Nc6 25. Nf3 Rd1 26. Qc2 Rxc1 27. Qxc1 Qd5 28. Qd2 Needing a win, I really didn't want to play this, but I had to accept the fact that I was under 10 minutes now.
28... Qxd2 29. Nxd2 Ne5 30. h3 Bd5 31. a3 Kf8 32. f4 Nc6 33. Bb5 Na5 34. Kf2 Ke7 35. e4 Nb3 At first I thought I wanted to avoid this, but the alternatives were not to my liking. Then I saw move 38.
36. exd5 Nxd2 37. Ke3 Nb3 38. d6+ Kxd6 39. Bc4 Nc5 40. Bxf7 g5 41. f5 The protected passed pawn ensuers I won't lose to the queen side majority.
Probably a better idea was 41. fxg5 hxg5 with the idea of generating a passsed h-pawn. Still, Black has little to fear.
41... Ke5 42. g4 Ne4 43. Bc4 Nf6 44. Be2 h5 A blunder that gives me winning chances.
Afterward, Ernesto tried several attempts to show a win beginning with 44... Nd5+ 45. Kd2 but White could hold because of threats with the f-pawn and king invasions on the queen side.
45. gxh5 Kxf5 46. Bd3+ Actually I thouht this was winning. I did not think about this move long enough to consider alternatives as I was under 5 minutes now.
But 46. Kd4 offers mre chances, threatening to invade the Queen side. Black would not be too concerned if he can get his Knight in position to sacrifice for the a pawn, but he may not be able to do that so easily.
46... Ke5 47. h6 Nd5+ 48. Kd2 48. Kf3 was the last chance to attempt to win. After 48... Kf6 49. Kg4 Black can draw easily with 49... Nc3 followed by b5, a5, and b4, tradding off White's last useful pawn.(but Black must not get distracted by his own winning attempt by 49... Ne3+ 50. Kh5 Ng2 51. h7 Kg7 52. Kxg5 and now the Black Knight finds it difficult to get back to the Queen side. For example, 52... Ne3 53. Kf4 Nd5+ 54. Ke5 Nc3 55. Kd6 and White is winning.)
48... Kf6 49. Be4 Nf4 50. h7 Kg7 51. Bf5 Nh5 52. Kc3 Nf6 53. Kc4 Nxh7 54. Kb5 Nf6 55. Ka6 Nd5 56. Kxa7 Kf6 57. Be4 Nc3 58. Bc6 58. Bd3 was a little tougher, but Black can still draw.
58... b5 59. Kb6 Nb1 60. Bxb5 Nxa3 61. Bd7 61. Bd3 traps the Knight, but Black can hold with 61... Ke5 62. Kc5 Kf4 63. Kb4 Kg3 64. Bf5 Nc2+
61... Ke5 62. Kc5 Kf4 63. Be8 Nc2 I was under a minute here. Black grabbed the h-pawn but my King had time to get back in position while my Bishop prevented the advance of the g-pawn. Ernesto tested that position for about 20 moves before conceding the draw.
1/2-1/2
[JP Hyltin]
