Thursday Game of the Week 10/21

For my game this week on my blog, I’ve selected a game played against a master at a local chess club. I have played this master a handful of times at the club and have managed to reach drawn endings sometimes, but I’m usually too low on time.
I’m White and the time control is G/5. This is a 2. c3 Sicilian that doesn’t seem to go either way until the very end. The endgame study is the main focus of this game.

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Nc6 7. Be3 Bg4 8. f3 Nxd4 9. Qxd4
At this point I believe I have the move order slightly wrong as I’m recreating this from memory.

9. ...Bd7 10. Bc4 Qxd4 11. Bxd4 Rc8 12. Nd2 e6 13. O-O a6 14. Rfe1 Bc5 15. Bd3 Ke7 (The move order is correct from here.)

16. Bxc5+ Rxc5 17. Ne4 Rd5 18. Nxf6 Rxd3 19. Nxd7 Rxd7 20. Rad1 Rhd8 21. Rxd7+ Rxd7 22. Re2
Now the endgame is here and things look slightly better for black. The Rook has the open d-file, but cannot press an attack. As such, both sides must work with their pawns for the win.


22. ...f5 23. Kf2 h5 24. Ke3 g5 25. h3 Kf6 26. Rd2 f4+ 27. Ke2 Rxd2+
The game is back to neutral again. Even when checking it in the computer, Black is only thought to have a .10 edge on White.

28. Kxd2 Ke5 29. Kd3 Kd5 30. c4+! Kc5
White now gains the edge. The computer says .66 for White. However, the only true advantage for me when playing was that I’m actually in front of Black on time at a little more than two minutes to a minute. This is rare indeed for this master to be short on the clock.
Now I have a choice to make: stay and work with my queenside pawns or go for the running game. I opt for the latter, but I burn 20-25 seconds counting it out.

31. Ke4 Kxc4 32. Ke5 Kd3 33. Kxe6 Ke2 34. Kf5 Kf2 35. Kxg5 Kxg2 36. Kxf4 Kxh3 37. Ke3?? Kg3!

Now I’ve done it. I should have played 37.Ke5 so I can support my pawn push and I won’t be checked when Black’s pawn queens on h1. The worst part is I burned a valuable 15 seconds looking at the move too, leaving me with a minute on the clock.


38. f4 h4??
Can it be? Black has overlooked the winning 38. …Kg4!! I’m sure that this is because Black only has 20 seconds left on his clock.

39. f5 h3 40. f6 h2 41. f7 h1=Q 42. f8=Q Qc1+ 43. Kd3 Qxb2 44. Qg8+ Kf2 45. Qf7+ Ke1 46. Qe6+ Kd1??
With 10 seconds left, Black blunders the draw. If 46. …Kf1, then a draw is forced.

47. Qg4+ Ke1 48. Qg1++
If 47. …Qe2+, then 48. Qxe2+ Kc1 49. Qc2++ If 47. …Kc1 then 48. Qg1++