White: Jacob Fortuna (1844)
Black: Chris Irwin (1443)
4.4.2008
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. a3
This move is the fourth most popular move for white from the position after 2... e6. Kasparov, Kramnik, and Anand all prefer other moves. But, in Jacob's defense, Hikaru Nakamura played 3. a3 in 2004. However after black's next move, he diverges from this game, not advancing the d-pawn.
3... c5 4. d5
Nakamura played 4. Nf3, not allowing black to enter a Benoni a tempo ahead.
4... exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. g3
7. e4 is slightly better
7... Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. Nf3 Nbd7 10. O-O a6 11. a4
Here we reach a theoretical position, occurring almost 900 times in my database. But, in these games, white did not waste a tempo playing a2-a3-a4. So from those positions it is white to move. Unfortunately, I was inexperienced in the Modern Benoni, this being my first rated game with it, and I failed to take advantage of this extra tempo immediately. Instead I wasted time trying to decide where my queen belonged.
11... Qa5? =
11... Re8 an 12... Qc7 would have kept the slight advantage.
12. Bf4 Qb6 13. Qc2 Re8 14. a5
only wastes a tempo, forcing black to move the queen back where she belongs, on c7. 14. Nd2 with the threat of Nc4 was much stronger.
14... Qc7 15. h3
Preventing black's hopes of Ng4-e5
15... b5 16. axb6 Nxb6 17. Rad1
17. e4 was required
17... Bf5 18. Qc1 Ne4 19. Rfe1 Nxc3 20. bxc3 a5
The surprising 20... Na4!? was found in computer analysis. This is an interesting plan, and keeps black's pieces much more active than what occurred in the game.
21. Nd2 a4 22. Qa3 Be5 23. e4
23. Bxe5 Rxe5 24. e4 keeps white's pawn structure in tact.
23... Bxf4 24. gxf4
24. exf5 is not possible. White drops a piece after Rxe1+ 25. Rxe1 Bxd2
24... Bd7 25.c4 f6
to hold the e5 square as long as possible
26. Ra1
26. Qc3 Kf7 27. e5 was better
26... Kf7 27. Qc3 Rab8 28. Ra3
I thought for a long time what course of action to take. I wanted to take full control of the b file, and tie white's pieces down to defending against my passed pawn and a break-through on the queen side. Knowing the position would remain at least partially closed, I knew I could take my time, and played
28... Na8 29. Nf3 Rb4 30. e5 Bf5 31. e6+ Ke7 32. Kh2?
32. Nd4!
32... Reb8 33. Nd2
By now, I saw white's attention diverted to the queen side, and noticed his king side weaknesses: doubled pawns, isolated pawn, somewhat open king. So I played another unusual-looking move
33... Qd8 34. Rea1
I expected 34. Be4 which is actually winning: 34...Bxe4 35. Nxe4 Qf8 36. f5
34... Nb6 35. Bf3 Qf8 36. Bd1 Ra8 37. Bc2?
This drops a pawn.
37... Qh6 38. Bxf5 Qxf4+ 39. Kg1 Qxf5 40. Re1
So now black has a critical decision to make. He has a won endgame, but also a possible king side attack, if he can open some lines for a rook. Honestly, I didn't notice or consider the fact that if I traded down, I could win this end game rather easily. This is my own inexperience and rating
showing.
40... g5 41. f3
hanging another pawn. I decided not to take it rather quickly, because I noticed the b1-a7 diagonal could be dangerous if I lost control of it. I was still determined to open a file to activate my a8 rook.
41... h5 42. Kg2 g4 43. fxg4 hxg4 44. h4 Rb8
I missed 44... Nxc4 45. Nxc4 Qxd5+ 46. Kg3 Rxc4
45. Rf1 Qe5
finally seeing the won endgame
46. Qd3 Qh5 47. Rh1?
Having no way to prevent ...Rb2, white needed to be able to play Rf2 in response.
47... Rb2 48. Rc3 a3?
48... Nxc4 and white can resign
49. Rxa3 Nxc4 50. Ra7+ Ke8 51. Qxc4??
Black can mate in 6 moves
The final mistake: 51. Rb1 Qh6 (51... Qxh4?? and black is getting mated: 52. Qg6+) 52. Kg3 Rxb1 53. Rh7 Qe3+ 54. Qxe3 Nxe3 55. Nxb1 Rxb1 and now white is certainly losing, but he hasn't lost yet.
51... Rxd2+ 52. Kg3 Qe5+ 53. Kxg4 Rd4+
I missed an immediate win, which was forced from move 51. See if you can find it, from the diagram above.
54. Qxd4 Qxd4+
and white resigned.
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