Once in Awhile the Old Lion Wakes Up!

[Terry McCracken]

Not a great game, played at 5/0.

Yes missed best move order but I am only human and didn't play some positional moves like a4 earlier on but I thought it fun, my opponent didn't.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Be3 a6 7. Bd3 b5 8.
Qe2 Nb6 9. b3 Bd7 10. O-O O-O 11. Nd2 f6 12. f4 f5 13. Nf3 h6 14. Kh1 g5
15. fxg5 hxg5 16. Nxg5 Bxg5 17. Qh5 Bxe3 18. Qg6+ Kh8 19. Rf3 Bg5 20. Rh3+ Bh4 21. Qh5+ Kg7 22. Rxh4 Rh8 23. Rg4+ Kf8 24. Qxh8+ Ke7 25. Rg7# 1-0

[d]rn1q1rk1/2pbb3/pn2p3/1p1pPpp1/3P4/1PNBBN2/P1P1Q1PP/R4R1K w - - 0 16

So, 16. a4 or my move, Nxg5!?

Cute finish.

[d]rn1q3r/2pb2k1/pn2p3/1p1pPp1Q/3P3R/1PNB4/P1P3PP/R6K w - - 1 23

Too bad I don't slap computers around like this anymore!

If my opponent sees this game my apologies....you don't give me these opportunities often as you play like a GM when on your game.

[Mike S.]

Not a great game, played at 5/0.

No, it is a great game! 16.Nxg5 is a good practical attempt to win a blitz game. I especially like 23.Rg4+!! which requires to see that 23...fxg4 loses.

[D]rn1q3r/2pb2k1/pn2p3/1p1pPp1Q/3P3R/1PNB4/P1P3PP/R6K w - - 0 23
(easy for engines)

Black's chance to draw was 19...Qh4!

[Terry McCracken]

Not a great game, played at 5/0.

No, it is a great game! 16.Nxg5 is a good practical attempt to win a blitz game. I especially like 23.Rg4+!! which requires to see that 23...fxg4 loses.

[D]rn1q3r/2pb2k1/pn2p3/1p1pPp1Q/3P3R/1PNB4/P1P3PP/R6K w - - 0 23
(easy for engines)

Black's chance to draw was 19...Qh4!

Thanks!

Actually, according to Houdini 1.5 in Arena 3.0 running on a Sandy Bridge i7 four cores @3.5 Ghz 16GB RAM gives this analysis.

[d] rn1q1rk1/2pbb3/pn2p3/1p1pPpp1/3P4/1PNBBN2/P1P1Q1PP/R4R1K w - - 0 16

Houdini_15a_x64:
4/14 00:00 1,479 0 +0.89 a2-a4 b5-b4 Nc3-a2 Nb8-c6 Bd3xa6
5/16 00:00 3,183 0 +0.61 a2-a4 g5-g4 Nf3-d2 Be7-b4 Nc3-a2
6/22 00:00 7,565 0 +0.54 a2-a4 g5-g4 Nf3-d2 b5-b4 Nc3-a2 Nb8-c6 Bd3xa6
7/22 00:00 12,401 0 +0.53 a2-a4 g5-g4 Nf3-d2 b5-b4 Nc3-a2 Nb8-c6 Bd3xa6 Be7-g5
8/22 00:00 16,389 512,000 +0.53 a2-a4 g5-g4 Nf3-d2 b5-b4 Nc3-a2 Nb8-c6 Bd3xa6 Be7-g5
9/22 00:00 34,764 146,000 +0.59 a2-a4 g5-g4 Nf3-d2 b5-b4 Nc3-a2 Nb8-c6 Bd3xa6 Bd7-c8 Ba6-b5
10/22- 00:00 65,787 264,000 +0.52 a2-a4 g5-g4
10/22+ 00:00 142,163 534,000 +0.66 a2-a4
10/27 00:00 173,518 628,000 +0.51 a2-a4 g5-g4 Nf3-d2 b5xa4 Be3-h6 Nb8-c6 Bh6xf8 Qd8xf8 Nc3xa4 Nc6xd4 Qe2-e3 Nb6xa4 Qe3xd4 Be7-c5
11/27+ 00:00 284,806 952,000 +0.57 a2-a4
11/27 00:00 334,520 1,082,000 +0.63 a2-a4 g5-g4 a4xb5 a6xb5 Ra1xa8 Nb6xa8 Nf3-d2 b5-b4 Nc3-b5 Na8-b6 Kh1-g1 Nb8-c6 Rf1-a1 Be7-g5
12/27- 00:00 587,290 1,668,000 +0.56 a2-a4 g5-g4
12/27 00:00 834,180 2,138,000 +0.48 a2-a4 b5xa4 b3xa4 a6-a5 Nf3-d2 Nb8-c6 Qe2-h5 Rf8-f7 Nd2-f3 Rf7-h7 Qh5-g6+ Rh7-g7 Qg6-h6 Ra8-b8 Nc3-b5
13/31+ 00:00 1,320,027 2,761,000 +0.54 a2-a4
13/31 00:00 1,429,950 2,882,000 +0.51 a2-a4 b5xa4 b3xa4 a6-a5 Nc3-b5 Nb8-c6 c2-c3 g5-g4 Nf3-d2 Ra8-b8 Nd2-b3 Bd7-e8 Rf1-b1 Be8-f7 Ra1-a2
14/31 00:00 2,156,409 3,661,000 +0.51 a2-a4 b5xa4 b3xa4 a6-a5 Nc3-b5 Nb8-c6 c2-c3 g5-g4 Nf3-d2 Ra8-b8 Nd2-b3 Bd7-e8 Rf1-b1 Be8-f7 Ra1-a2
15/33 00:00 4,007,675 4,917,000 +0.54 a2-a4 b5-b4 Nc3-d1 a6-a5 h2-h3 Nb8-c6 Be3-c1 Bd7-e8 Nd1-e3 Be8-f7 Bc1-b2 Qd8-d7 Ra1-d1 Ra8-b8 Kh1-g1
16/33 00:01 6,453,862 5,867,000 +0.53 a2-a4 b5-b4 Nc3-d1 a6-a5 h2-h3 Nb8-c6 Nd1-f2 Qd8-e8 Ra1-d1 Qe8-f7 Kh1-g1 Ra8-d8
17/40 00:01 14,249,602 7,204,000 +0.54 a2-a4 b5-b4 Nc3-d1 a6-a5 h2-h3 Nb8-c6 Nd1-f2 Qd8-e8 Kh1-g1 Qe8-f7 Ra1-d1 Qf7-h7 Be3-c1 Ra8-d8 Nf2-g4 Qh7-g7 Ng4-e3
18/48- 00:04 39,352,220 8,687,000 +0.47 a2-a4 b5-b4
18/48 00:09 93,521,190 9,403,000 +0.52 a2-a4 b5xa4 b3xa4 a6-a5 Nc3-b5 Nb8-c6 c2-c3 g5-g4 Nf3-d2 Ra8-b8 Bd3-c2 Rf8-f7 Ra1-b1 Rf7-h7 Kh1-g1 Bd7-e8 Be3-f4 Be8-f7 Qe2-e3 Qd8-d7
19/48 00:12 115,804,251 9,464,000 +0.52 a2-a4 b5xa4 b3xa4 a6-a5 Nc3-b5 Nb8-c6 c2-c3 g5-g4 Nf3-d2 Ra8-b8 Bd3-c2 Rf8-f7 Ra1-b1 Rf7-h7 Kh1-g1 Bd7-e8 Be3-f4 Be8-f7 Qe2-e3 Qd8-d7
20/48- 00:20 202,021,288 9,865,000 +0.45 a2-a4 b5xa4
20/48+ 00:42 421,079,321 9,996,000 +0.59 Qe2-d2
20/56 00:46 469,361,940 9,991,000 +0.65 Qe2-d2 g5-g4 Nf3-g5 Nb8-c6 Nc3-e2 Qd8-e8 h2-h4 Qe8-h5 g2-g3 Qh5-h6 Kh1-g1 Nc6-b4 Ne2-f4 Nb4-c6 Ra1-d1 Ra8-c8 a2-a4 b5xa4 Bd3xa6 Rc8-e8 Nf4-d3 a4xb3 c2xb3 Re8-a8
21/56 00:53 540,830,161 10,020,000 +0.65 Qe2-d2 g5-g4 Nf3-g5 Nb8-c6 Nc3-e2 Nc6-b4 h2-h4 Nb4xd3 c2xd3 a6-a5 Kh1-g1 Be7-b4 Qd2-c2 Bb4-e7 Ne2-f4 Be7xg5 h4xg5 Qd8xg5 Qc2xc7 Qg5-d8 Qc7-d6 Nb6-c8 Qd6-c5 Nc8-e7 Ra1-c1 Ra8-c8 Qc5-d6
22/56 01:11 730,240,813 10,205,000 +0.65 Qe2-d2 g5-g4 Nf3-g5 Nb8-c6 Nc3-e2 Nc6-b4 h2-h4 a6-a5 Kh1-g1 Nb4xd3 c2xd3 Be7-b4 Qd2-c2 Bb4-e7 Ne2-f4 Be7xg5 h4xg5 Qd8xg5 Qc2xc7 Qg5-d8 Qc7-d6 Nb6-c8 Qd6-c5 Nc8-e7 Ra1-c1 Ra8-c8 Qc5-d6 Rc8xc1 Rf1xc1 Ne7-c8 Nf4xe6 Nc8xd6 Ne6xd8 Rf8xd8 e5xd6
23/70+ 01:55 1,214,476,803 10,490,000 +0.75 Qe2-d2
23/70 02:01 1,275,072,528 10,503,000 +0.71 Qe2-d2 g5-g4 Nf3-g5 Nb8-c6 Nc3-e2 Nc6-b4 h2-h4 a6-a5 Kh1-g1 Nb4xd3 c2xd3 a5-a4 b3-b4 Qd8-e8 Ra1-c1 Be7-d8 Ne2-f4 a4-a3 Qd2-c3 Ra8-a7 Be3-f2 Ra7-a8 Qc3-b3 Ra8-a7 Rf1-e1 Bd8xg5 h4xg5
24/71 03:42 2,401,431,675 10,802,000 +0.76 Qe2-d2 g5-g4 Nf3-g5 Nb8-c6 Nc3-e2 Nc6-b4 h2-h4 a6-a5 Kh1-g1 Nb4xd3 c2xd3 Qd8-e8 Ne2-f4 Be7-d8 a2-a3 a5-a4 b3-b4 Kg8-g7 Qd2-c2 Rf8-h8 Be3-f2 Kg7-g8
25/71- 05:39 3,728,773,457 10,990,000 +0.67 Qe2-d2 g5-g4
25/80+ 11:02 7,477,068,664 11,294,000 +0.86 Nf3xg5
25/80+ 15:41 10,621,544,648 11,281,000 +1.47 Nf3xg5
25/96 20:10 13,673,399,299 11,298,000 +1.86 Nf3xg5 Be7xg5 Rf1-f3 Bg5-h4 Ra1-f1 Nb8-c6 Rf3-h3 Rf8-f7 Be3-h6 Rf7-h7 Qe2-h5 Qd8-e7 Nc3-e2 Kg8-h8 Qh5xh4 Qe7xh4 Rh3xh4 Nb6-c8 Rf1-f4 Nc8-e7 Bh6-g5 Ne7-g6 Bg5-f6+ Kh8-g8 Rh4xh7 Kg8xh7 Rf4-f3 Kh7-g8 Rf3-h3 Bd7-e8 c2-c3 Nc6-b8 Kh1-g1 Nb8-d7 Bf6-g5 Be8-f7
26/96+ 27:15 18,539,965,387 11,337,000 +1.99 Nf3xg5
26/96+ 34:53 23,761,989,336 11,352,000 +2.23 Nf3xg5

It had to search quite deep to see that 16. Nxg5!! is a forced win!
Definitely not easy for computers, I'm surprised!

A Blitz game and I pull off a bit of a brilliancy! This Old Lion feels very content after this meal! I think after my

16. Nxg5!! It's over for Black.

My move 23. Rg4+!! raises the beauty of the game even though it was easy.

Maybe others could test the top engines on fast hardware and give their results?

Sorry for tooting my own horn Regards,

[fern]

Nice game, Terry, and you have the right to blown your horn. We are severely defeated so many times by machines that any victory must be tasted to the full.

hugs
Fern

[Terry McCracken]

Nice game, Terry, and you have the right to blown your horn. We are severely defeated so many times by machines that any victory must be tasted to the full.

hugs
Fern

Ha! Thanks, Fern.

Actually, I wanted people to test this position and see how hard 16. Nxg5 actually is for modern hardware and engines. Houdini took over 10 minutes to find the move!

Start You Engines, Please

[d]rn1q1rk1/2pbb3/pn2p3/1p1pPpp1/3P4/1PNBBN2/P1P1Q1PP/R4R1K w - - 0 16

Best Move, Nxg5

[fern]

It is hard even for humans, though a deeper view see that after the exchanges all is clear for massive attack. I did not analyze that far, but I see that after black queen takes in g5, the white rook goes -I suppose.- to a position in f column to threat everything from g3 ...after that, the fog of war but with many chances.

fern

[Terry McCracken]

It is hard even for humans, though a deeper view see that after the exchanges all is clear for massive attack. I did not analyze that far, but I see that after black queen takes in g5, the white rook goes -I suppose.- to a position in f column to threat everything from g3 ...after that, the fog of war but with many chances.

fern

You sack the Night but you don't follow up taking the Bishop. Best would be 17. Rf3! I played 17. Qh5?! which spoiled my combination but still gave winning chances.

I think I need to make a new thread to get the members to test the position on move 16.

[fern]

Maybe is better to continue the exchanges in order to let the black queen compromised in a dangerous column.
Dunno.
Is what I would do after my half a minute analysis. I tend to play too fast and somewhat shallow for the same reason.

[Mike S.]

Black's chance to draw was 19...Qh4!

I guess this was a kind of psychological problem, because with two extra pieces in a blitz game, Black certainly wanted to win and most probably did not consider to return material.

[D]rn1q1r1k/2pb4/pn2p1Q1/1p1pPp2/3P4/1PNBbR2/P1P3PP/R6K b - - 0 19

Analysis by Houdini 1.5a w32-2def (at depth 22):

1. = (0.00): 19...Qh4 20.Rh3 Qxh3 21.gxh3 Nc6 22.Rg1 Bxg1 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Qg6+ Kh8 25.Qh6+
2. +- (22.21): 19...Bf2 20.Rh3+ Qh4 21.Rxh4+ Bxh4 22.Rf1 Be8 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Rf4 Bh5 25.Qxh5 Rf7 26.Rxh4 Kf8 27.Qg5 Ke8 28.Rh8+ Kd7 29.Qg8 Rf8 30.Qxf8 Kc6 31.Qf7 Kb7 32.Qxe6 Nc6 33.Rxa8 Nxa8 34.Nxd5 Nd8 35.Qxf5 Nc6 36.Qf2 Nd8 37.h4 c6 38.Nf6 Nc7 39.h5 Nf7 40.Ne4 Nh6 41.Nd6+ Kb6 42.d5+ c5
3. +- (#11): 19...Bg5 20.Rh3+ Bh4 21.g3 Rf7 22.Qxf7 Nc6 23.Rxh4+ Qxh4 24.gxh4 Nxe5 25.dxe5 Rg8 26.Qh5+ Kg7 27.Rg1+ Kf8 28.Qh6+ Rg7 29.Rxg7 Ke8 30.Qh8#

Houdini does not disagree with 17.Qh5:

[D]rn1q1rk1/2pb4/pn2p3/1p1pPpb1/3P4/1PNBB3/P1P1Q1PP/R4R1K w - - 0 17

Analysis by Houdini 1.5a w32-2def:

1. = (0.00): 17.Qh5 Bxe3 18.Qg6+ Kh8 19.Rf3 Qh4 20.Rh3 Qxh3 21.gxh3 Nc6 22.Rg1 Bxg1 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Qg6+ Kh8 25.Qh6+
2. = (0.00): 17.Rf3 Bh4 18.Rh3 Kg7 19.g3 Bg5 20.Rh7+ Kxh7 21.Qh5+ Kg7 22.Bxg5 Qe8 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Bf6 Rxf6 25.exf6 Qf8 26.Qg6+ Kh8 27.Re1 Nc6 28.Qh5+ Kg8 29.Nxd5 exd5 30.Qg6+ Kh8 31.Qh5+ Kg8 32.Qg6+
3. -/+ (-0.98): 17.Bxg5 Qxg5 18.Rf3 Kf7 19.Rg3 Qh4 20.Rh3 Qg4 21.Qxg4 fxg4 22.Rf1+ Kg8 23.Rxf8+ Kxf8 24.Rh8+ Ke7 25.Rh7+ Ke8 26.Rg7 Nc6 27.Rxg4 Nb4 28.Bg6+ Ke7 29.Rh4 Rf8 30.Rh7+ Kd8

[Terry McCracken]

Black's chance to draw was 19...Qh4!

I guess this was a kind of psychological problem, because with two extra pieces in a blitz game, Black certainly wanted to win and most probably did not consider to return material.

[D]rn1q1r1k/2pb4/pn2p1Q1/1p1pPp2/3P4/1PNBbR2/P1P3PP/R6K b - - 0 19

Analysis by Houdini 1.5a w32-2def (at depth 22):

1. = (0.00): 19...Qh4 20.Rh3 Qxh3 21.gxh3 Nc6 22.Rg1 Bxg1 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Qg6+ Kh8 25.Qh6+
2. +- (22.21): 19...Bf2 20.Rh3+ Qh4 21.Rxh4+ Bxh4 22.Rf1 Be8 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Rf4 Bh5 25.Qxh5 Rf7 26.Rxh4 Kf8 27.Qg5 Ke8 28.Rh8+ Kd7 29.Qg8 Rf8 30.Qxf8 Kc6 31.Qf7 Kb7 32.Qxe6 Nc6 33.Rxa8 Nxa8 34.Nxd5 Nd8 35.Qxf5 Nc6 36.Qf2 Nd8 37.h4 c6 38.Nf6 Nc7 39.h5 Nf7 40.Ne4 Nh6 41.Nd6+ Kb6 42.d5+ c5
3. +- (#11): 19...Bg5 20.Rh3+ Bh4 21.g3 Rf7 22.Qxf7 Nc6 23.Rxh4+ Qxh4 24.gxh4 Nxe5 25.dxe5 Rg8 26.Qh5+ Kg7 27.Rg1+ Kf8 28.Qh6+ Rg7 29.Rxg7 Ke8 30.Qh8#

Houdini does not disagree with 17.Qh5:

[D]rn1q1rk1/2pb4/pn2p3/1p1pPpb1/3P4/1PNBB3/P1P1Q1PP/R4R1K w - - 0 17

Analysis by Houdini 1.5a w32-2def:

1. = (0.00): 17.Qh5 Bxe3 18.Qg6+ Kh8 19.Rf3 Qh4 20.Rh3 Qxh3 21.gxh3 Nc6 22.Rg1 Bxg1 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Qg6+ Kh8 25.Qh6+
2. = (0.00): 17.Rf3 Bh4 18.Rh3 Kg7 19.g3 Bg5 20.Rh7+ Kxh7 21.Qh5+ Kg7 22.Bxg5 Qe8 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Bf6 Rxf6 25.exf6 Qf8 26.Qg6+ Kh8 27.Re1 Nc6 28.Qh5+ Kg8 29.Nxd5 exd5 30.Qg6+ Kh8 31.Qh5+ Kg8 32.Qg6+
3. -/+ (-0.98): 17.Bxg5 Qxg5 18.Rf3 Kf7 19.Rg3 Qh4 20.Rh3 Qg4 21.Qxg4 fxg4 22.Rf1+ Kg8 23.Rxf8+ Kxf8 24.Rh8+ Ke7 25.Rh7+ Ke8 26.Rg7 Nc6 27.Rxg4 Nb4 28.Bg6+ Ke7 29.Rh4 Rf8 30.Rh7+ Kd8

Trust me...17. Qh5 is a mistake, Rf3!! and it's Curtains!