Chess Match: "Team RB" vs. "Fast Thinkers" Lurker Thread

[pindicator]

@Gustaran - if you're keeping notes, tell me after the game if 25. Qc7 was the right move. I couldn't quite make it work

[Gustaran]

You probably checked Qc7 and the Queen trade, right? That was my first idea as well but I couldn't find a clear win either.
From a practical point of view I think you made the correct decision, because now you still have an advantage. But if it had turned out that Qc7 doesn't work and you lose your pawn, you might very well suddenly be losing instead of winning and there is no need for such a gamble.

I'll put the computer analysis of 25.Qc7 in spoiler tags so you can come back and read it after the game is over.

25.Qc7! is indeed the best move. Some lines:

If White trades:

25.Qc7 Qxc7
26.dxc7 Rc8 [26...Raa8 27.Bf5 Kf8 28.c8Q Rexc8 29.Bxc8 Rxc8 30.Bxe5 Bxe5 31.Rxe5]
27.Bb1 Rxc7 [27...Ng6 28.Bf5]
28.Bxe5 Bxe5
29.Rxe5

If White doesn't trade:

25.Qc7 Ra8
26.Rb1 b5
27.cxb6 en passant capture

The best defense (without trading on c7 at any point) seems to be

25.Qc7 Rc8
26.Bxe5! Rxc7
27.dxc7 Qc8
28.Rcd1 Ra8
29.Bxf6 gxf6
30.Rd8+ Qxd8
31.cxd8Q+ Rxd8
32.Rb1

[pindicator]

My analysis of Qc7 - which should be a lot of fun for comparing against the computer analysis later

If black swaps queens right away then white wins: ... Qxc7 26. dxc7 and black doesn't avoid losing materil:

• Rc8 then Bf5 and black has two pieces under attack and the only way to cover the pieces is to move the rook back, but now the pawn can queen.
  
• Raa8 then again 27. Bf5 and white will win material
  
• g6 doesn't really stop Bf5 because white has 27. Bxe5, Bxe5 28. Bf5 which wins a piece or queens the pawn

So black can't swap queens. But he can defend. White is threatening to swap queens and divert the rook from the knight on e5, so the queen needs another defender.

... Raa8 26. Rb1, b5 and I was having trouble finding what the queen was doing besides getting trapped.





And while I'm talking about moves I thought about playing but didn't, 26. Bxh7, Kxh7 27. Qxf7 was mighty tempting too

[Jkaen]

Just analysed my lost game, why on earth didnt I play 6.Qa5+ !

And seems 15.Rd8 was the best moved followed by 16. Ne5 Rd4

[pindicator]

Mark another one down for Team RB!

[Jkaen]

We'll done

[Gustaran]

Good job, especially Qxb7 to finish the whole thing! I am not sure why your opponet is still playing on in his other game a whole rook down, but unless you stalemate him I think it's safe to assume this will be another win.

[pindicator]

Good job, especially Qxb7 to finish the whole thing! I am not sure why your opponet is still playing on in his other game a whole rook down, but unless you stalemate him I think it's safe to assume this will be another win.

Thanks! He really had run out of good moves in the end but spotting the backrank issues made for a fun queen "sacrifice"

And now I see I was right about Qc7! I wish I could remember the exact line that had me concerned, but I think it was the Rc8 one that you listed. I didn't see Bxe5 at all there


Edit: The second game got a resignation now too. Another point for RB

[Gustaran]

And now I see I was right about Qc7! I wish I could remember the exact line that had me concerned, but I think it was the Rc8 one that you listed. I didn't see Bxe5 at all there

Yes, I didn't consider Bxe5 until the computer suggested it, and even if I had - sacrificing your Queen this way is risky. Your fail-safe way was preferrable I think.

Edit: The second game got a resignation now too. Another point for RB

It was about time your opponent resigned! I am glad I was correct in predicting a 2-0 in this matchup.

In addition suddenly Jkaens game looks very winning, so we might get another full point there.

[uberfish]

Grats Pind, well played!