I’ve found lately that a key ingredient in any position is pressure, particularly in the sense of making constant improvements to the position. When two players keep doing the right things, it becomes increasingly difficult to play the next move correctly, as this game shows. Each side had a chance to win this game as pressure influenced both players to go wrong. The time control was 5+3. My comments are under the PGN display.
[Event "Casual Blitz game"]
[Site "lichess.org/k36hHgPl"]
[Date "2020.08.01"]
[White "mruknowwho"]
[Black "RookToRow7"]
[Result "1-0"]
[UTCDate "2020.08.01"]
[UTCTime "17:34:12"]
[WhiteElo "1825"]
[BlackElo "1857"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[TimeControl "300+3"]
[ECO "C48"]
[Opening "Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation"]
[Termination "Normal"]
[Annotator "lichess.org"]
1. e4 { [%clk 0:05:00] } e5 { [%clk 0:05:00] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:05:02] } Nc6 { [%clk 0:05:01] } 3. Nc3 { [%clk 0:05:04] } Nf6 { [%clk 0:05:01] } 4. Bb5 { [%clk 0:05:05] } { C48 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation } d6 { [%clk 0:04:55] } 5. d4 { [%clk 0:05:06] } exd4 { [%clk 0:04:57] } 6. Nxd4 { [%clk 0:05:07] } Bd7 { [%clk 0:04:59] } 7. O-O { [%clk 0:05:08] } Be7 { [%clk 0:04:59] } 8. Bg5 { [%clk 0:05:10] } O-O { [%clk 0:04:56] } 9. Re1 { [%clk 0:05:10] } a6 { [%clk 0:04:57] } 10. Ba4 { [%clk 0:05:10] } b5 { [%clk 0:04:54] } 11. Bb3 { [%clk 0:05:11] } Na5 { [%clk 0:04:54] } 12. Nf5 { [%clk 0:05:07] } Bxf5 { [%clk 0:04:49] } 13. exf5 { [%clk 0:05:08] } c5 { [%clk 0:04:43] } 14. Bxf6 { [%clk 0:04:52] } Bxf6 { [%clk 0:04:43] } 15. Bd5 { [%clk 0:04:53] } Rb8 { [%clk 0:04:36] } 16. Qf3 { [%clk 0:04:51] } Qc7 { [%clk 0:04:32] } 17. Rad1 { [%clk 0:04:47] } b4 { [%clk 0:04:24] } 18. Ne4 { [%clk 0:04:46] } Bxb2 { [%clk 0:04:25] } 19. Nxd6 { [%clk 0:04:38] } Bc3 { [%clk 0:04:18] } 20. Re4 { [%clk 0:04:16] } Rbd8 { [%clk 0:04:14] } 21. Nc4 { [%clk 0:03:56] } Nxc4 { [%clk 0:04:12] } 22. Rxc4 { [%clk 0:03:56] } Qe5 { [%clk 0:04:09] } 23. Re4 { [%clk 0:03:25] } Qf6 { [%clk 0:03:27] } 24. Rg4 { [%clk 0:03:04] } Rfe8 { [%clk 0:03:18] } 25. h3 { [%clk 0:02:25] } Re5 { [%clk 0:03:16] } 26. Be4 { [%clk 0:00:54] } Rde8 { [%clk 0:03:18] } 27. Bd3 { [%clk 0:00:16] } Qe7 { [%clk 0:01:44] } 28. h4 { [%clk 0:00:10] } f6 { [%clk 0:01:41] } 29. h5 { [%clk 0:00:10] } Qc7 { [%clk 0:01:36] } 30. g3 { [%clk 0:00:09] } Bd4 { [%clk 0:01:29] } 31. h6 { [%clk 0:00:10] } R8e7 { [%clk 0:01:14] } 32. hxg7 { [%clk 0:00:09] } Re1+ { [%clk 0:01:06] } 33. Rxe1 { [%clk 0:00:11] } Rxe1+ { [%clk 0:01:08] } 34. Kg2 { [%clk 0:00:13] } Re8 { [%clk 0:00:55] } 35. Qd5+ { [%clk 0:00:14] } Qf7 { [%clk 0:00:52] } 36. Qxf7+ { [%clk 0:00:13] } Kxf7 { [%clk 0:00:50] } 37. Bc4+ { [%clk 0:00:14] } Ke7 { [%clk 0:00:46] } 38. g8=Q { [%clk 0:00:15] } { Black resigns. } 1-0
4...d6?! Many dislike the Four Knights Game. Here Black plays a “normal” move (in terms of general principles). But here he limits the dark square bishop by blocking it.
8.Bg5. Also playable is 8.Be3
11...Na5?! Black understandably wants to trade off a knight for a bishop. Although the reasoning makes sense, there lies a potential danger in the center, especially given Black’s light square weaknesses.
12.Nf5. Nothing fancy here. Just putting more possibilities onto the table.
12...Bxf5!? Black reacts immediately, which opens the center up even more.
14.Bxf6! Much better than say 14. a3 or 14. a4. White can now exploit the light squares.
19....Bc3. (19....Qxd6?? 20. Bxf7+! drops Black’s queen.)
25.h3?? I was concerned about the back rank and ended up making this unfortunate error. The issue with this move is that the rook on g4 is overworked. (See my comment on Black’s 26th move.)
26.Be4. Practically forced. Otherwise White’s back rank is too weak.
26...Rde8?? But here Black misses his chance. Correct was 26...Rxd1+ 27.Qxd1 h5! and White is in trouble. For example if 28.Rf4, then 28...g5 wins material and White has poor counter-attacking chances.
29....Qc7. Note the potential danger of the White’s queen coming to a8.
31. h6. So begins the attack.
32....Re1+?? Fatal. Black simply cannot afford to break his rook duo on the e-file.
34...Re8. No better is 34...Re5. It would be met with 35.Qa8+.
35.Qd5+. The icing on the cake. White’s light square control proves to be decisive.
38. g8=Q. Black resigns. Sometimes mounting pressure is a player’s best friend.
[Event "Casual Blitz game"]
[Site "lichess.org/k36hHgPl"]
[Date "2020.08.01"]
[White "mruknowwho"]
[Black "RookToRow7"]
[Result "1-0"]
[UTCDate "2020.08.01"]
[UTCTime "17:34:12"]
[WhiteElo "1825"]
[BlackElo "1857"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[TimeControl "300+3"]
[ECO "C48"]
[Opening "Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation"]
[Termination "Normal"]
[Annotator "lichess.org"]
1. e4 { [%clk 0:05:00] } e5 { [%clk 0:05:00] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:05:02] } Nc6 { [%clk 0:05:01] } 3. Nc3 { [%clk 0:05:04] } Nf6 { [%clk 0:05:01] } 4. Bb5 { [%clk 0:05:05] } { C48 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation } d6 { [%clk 0:04:55] } 5. d4 { [%clk 0:05:06] } exd4 { [%clk 0:04:57] } 6. Nxd4 { [%clk 0:05:07] } Bd7 { [%clk 0:04:59] } 7. O-O { [%clk 0:05:08] } Be7 { [%clk 0:04:59] } 8. Bg5 { [%clk 0:05:10] } O-O { [%clk 0:04:56] } 9. Re1 { [%clk 0:05:10] } a6 { [%clk 0:04:57] } 10. Ba4 { [%clk 0:05:10] } b5 { [%clk 0:04:54] } 11. Bb3 { [%clk 0:05:11] } Na5 { [%clk 0:04:54] } 12. Nf5 { [%clk 0:05:07] } Bxf5 { [%clk 0:04:49] } 13. exf5 { [%clk 0:05:08] } c5 { [%clk 0:04:43] } 14. Bxf6 { [%clk 0:04:52] } Bxf6 { [%clk 0:04:43] } 15. Bd5 { [%clk 0:04:53] } Rb8 { [%clk 0:04:36] } 16. Qf3 { [%clk 0:04:51] } Qc7 { [%clk 0:04:32] } 17. Rad1 { [%clk 0:04:47] } b4 { [%clk 0:04:24] } 18. Ne4 { [%clk 0:04:46] } Bxb2 { [%clk 0:04:25] } 19. Nxd6 { [%clk 0:04:38] } Bc3 { [%clk 0:04:18] } 20. Re4 { [%clk 0:04:16] } Rbd8 { [%clk 0:04:14] } 21. Nc4 { [%clk 0:03:56] } Nxc4 { [%clk 0:04:12] } 22. Rxc4 { [%clk 0:03:56] } Qe5 { [%clk 0:04:09] } 23. Re4 { [%clk 0:03:25] } Qf6 { [%clk 0:03:27] } 24. Rg4 { [%clk 0:03:04] } Rfe8 { [%clk 0:03:18] } 25. h3 { [%clk 0:02:25] } Re5 { [%clk 0:03:16] } 26. Be4 { [%clk 0:00:54] } Rde8 { [%clk 0:03:18] } 27. Bd3 { [%clk 0:00:16] } Qe7 { [%clk 0:01:44] } 28. h4 { [%clk 0:00:10] } f6 { [%clk 0:01:41] } 29. h5 { [%clk 0:00:10] } Qc7 { [%clk 0:01:36] } 30. g3 { [%clk 0:00:09] } Bd4 { [%clk 0:01:29] } 31. h6 { [%clk 0:00:10] } R8e7 { [%clk 0:01:14] } 32. hxg7 { [%clk 0:00:09] } Re1+ { [%clk 0:01:06] } 33. Rxe1 { [%clk 0:00:11] } Rxe1+ { [%clk 0:01:08] } 34. Kg2 { [%clk 0:00:13] } Re8 { [%clk 0:00:55] } 35. Qd5+ { [%clk 0:00:14] } Qf7 { [%clk 0:00:52] } 36. Qxf7+ { [%clk 0:00:13] } Kxf7 { [%clk 0:00:50] } 37. Bc4+ { [%clk 0:00:14] } Ke7 { [%clk 0:00:46] } 38. g8=Q { [%clk 0:00:15] } { Black resigns. } 1-0
4...d6?! Many dislike the Four Knights Game. Here Black plays a “normal” move (in terms of general principles). But here he limits the dark square bishop by blocking it.
8.Bg5. Also playable is 8.Be3
11...Na5?! Black understandably wants to trade off a knight for a bishop. Although the reasoning makes sense, there lies a potential danger in the center, especially given Black’s light square weaknesses.
12.Nf5. Nothing fancy here. Just putting more possibilities onto the table.
12...Bxf5!? Black reacts immediately, which opens the center up even more.
14.Bxf6! Much better than say 14. a3 or 14. a4. White can now exploit the light squares.
19....Bc3. (19....Qxd6?? 20. Bxf7+! drops Black’s queen.)
25.h3?? I was concerned about the back rank and ended up making this unfortunate error. The issue with this move is that the rook on g4 is overworked. (See my comment on Black’s 26th move.)
26.Be4. Practically forced. Otherwise White’s back rank is too weak.
26...Rde8?? But here Black misses his chance. Correct was 26...Rxd1+ 27.Qxd1 h5! and White is in trouble. For example if 28.Rf4, then 28...g5 wins material and White has poor counter-attacking chances.
29....Qc7. Note the potential danger of the White’s queen coming to a8.
31. h6. So begins the attack.
32....Re1+?? Fatal. Black simply cannot afford to break his rook duo on the e-file.
34...Re8. No better is 34...Re5. It would be met with 35.Qa8+.
35.Qd5+. The icing on the cake. White’s light square control proves to be decisive.
38. g8=Q. Black resigns. Sometimes mounting pressure is a player’s best friend.