Tired of chess

...but not quite as one would think of it. Played 2,5 games today, which takes some energy! That´s all.

Now I want to analyze a game. Let´s see... Yes, the first game against my new chess computer.

10. 9. 2014  ChessCurious - Novag Super VIP (Fixed Time, Level 1) 
Analyzed with Stockfish 5 & Houdini 4 Pro

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 The Philidor Defense. 3.d4 3.Bc4 is another way to play here. 3...Nf6 3...exd4 being more usual. 4. Bc4 Nxe4 5. dxe5 c6 6. O-O d5 All theory up till here. 7. Re1?! Dubious. 7. Bb3 is the choice of engines, 7.Bd3 is also playable.

7...Nxf2! 8.Kxf2 Bc5+ Or 8...dxc4 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8. 9. Be3 Bxe3+ 10. Rxe3 dxc4 

                                                 Slight advantage for black.

11. Qxd8+ 11.Qd6 is an interesting alternative. 11...Na6. Kxd8 12. Nbd2 I pondered also the more aggressive 12.Ng5?! but 12...Ke7 with moderate advantage for black. Be6 12...b5?! 13.Ne4 13. Ne4? 13.Nd4 would have won the pawn, for example 13...Re8 (13...b5? 14.a4!) 14.Nxe6 Rxe6 15.Nxc4 Nd7 Equal. 13...Nd7 Black´s advantage.

14. a4? This is surprisingly another error. 14...Re8? Waste of a move. 14...Kc7. 15. Nd6 Dream position for knight. 15...Rf8 16. Nxb7+ Kc7 

17. Nd6? This return is also mistake! 17.Na5! 17...Nxe5? 17...f6! Undermining the knight. 18. Nb5+ cxb5 19. Rxe5 bxa4! Only move keeping the advantage. 

20. Rxa4 Rfd8? 20...Rfb8! 21. Ke2? 21.c3 would have given equality. I find it peculiar that white can allow black to put his rook deeper on the d-file. 21...a6? This is what I would call a time trouble move, even without time trouble! 21...Rdb8 and 21...h6 were good options. 22. h3? 22.Nd2! Rd4 23.b3 with equality. 22...Rab8! 

23. Rxa6?! I do think however that taking this pawn is practical choice. 23.Rc5+. 23...Rxb2 Black should be winning here. 24. Ne1 Passive, but best. 24...Kb7 25. Rea5 

Could white force perpetual here? That was my idea anyway. 25...c3? 25...Bd5. 26.Ra7+ Kb6 27. R7a6+ Kc7 28. Ra7+ 28.Rc5. 28...Kc6 29. R7a6+? 29.R5a6. 29...Rb6 Moderate advantage for black.

30. Rxb6+ Or 30.Nd3 Rxa6 31.Rxa6+ Kb5 32.Ra3! 30...Kxb6 31. Ra3! White must put pressure to this pawn. 31...Rd2+? This may look like powerful move, but it isn´t. 31...Re8 and 31...Bc4+ would have kept the advantage. 32. Ke3 Now black has again just little edge.

32...f5!? 33. Rxc3 Rd1 34. Nf3 Or 34.Nd3 but I chose the text move because it gave black chance to exchange at least the rooks, which I found pleasant. 34...Bd5 35. Rd3 Rxd3+ 35...Bxf3. 36. cxd3 36.Kxd3 would have been fine too. 36...Kc5 

                                                   
                                               Only white could win here, but...
                                   
37. Kf4 Bxf3 38.gxf3 Kd4 39. Kxf5 Kxd3 40. h4 g6+ 41. Kg4 h6 42. Kf4 Kd4 Even 42...Kd2 would be drawing here.

43. Kg4 Ke5 44. f4+ Ke4 45. h5 gxh5+ 46. Kxh5 Kxf4 47. Kxh6  ½-½

Well, this was all-in-all quite appropriate first game. I played inaccurately early on, computer snapped a pawn, but also played inaccurately to lose the winning edge, and we arrived at an endgame which left no chance for either side to win, as the computer really played it practically perfectly! Decent first round of play.