IM Aman Hambleton is currently finishing off a GM norm tournament in the chess mecca of the United States (St. Louis of course!). Though we typically focus on wins by Canadian players, this week, we're looking at a game he lost in the third round. After a bad opening in which he went down a pawn, his young opponent, fresh off a GM norm, makes one or two inaccuracies to let Aman back into the game. Just after everything is under control, Aman makes a big mistake in a 3-2 rook endgame.
[Event "2016 Saint Louis Invitational"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.06.09"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Liang, Awonder"]
[Black "Hambleton, Aman"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C07"]
[WhiteElo "2406"]
[BlackElo "2442"]
[PlyCount "130"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 {fashionable, yet I am convinced White gets good
play in a number of lines here} 4. exd5 Qxd5 (4... exd5 {heads to a different
sort of game in which White plays against Black's isolated queen's pawn (IQP)
after the inevitable exchange of the d4 for c5 pawn}) 5. Ngf3 cxd4 6. Bc4 Qd7
7. O-O {the main move. White will soon recover the d4 pawn} (7. Qe2 {is also
interesting and something I have played a few times. Here, Black may try and
hold on to d4 but is generally ill advised to do so, as White can get quick
development with moves like Nb3, Bg5, 0-0-0}) 7... Nc6 8. Nb3 Nf6 9. Nbxd4 Nxd4
10. Nxd4 a6 11. Re1 b5 {everything is still very normal here, and the position
has been played many times. I suspect Aman was aiming for this position with
his choice of opening; however, I would prefer to play White here.} 12. Bb3 Bb7
13. Bf4 Be7 14. a4 $1 {White activates his least active piece (the rook on a1)}
Bd5 $6 {a big decision} (14... O-O {looks impossible on account of} 15. Nxe6 (
15. Rxe6 $13 Bc5 (15... Nd5 16. Re4 $11) 16. Be3 Bxd4 17. Rxf6 gxf6 18. Bxd4)
15... Qxd1 16. Raxd1 fxe6 17. Rxe6 {where the threat of a discovered check as
well as the attack on the e7 Bishop seems to guarantee White his piece back.
However, Black is actually OK here!} bxa4 18. Ba2 Bd5 $1 19. Bxd5 Nxd5 20. Rxd5
Rxf4 21. Rxe7 Rf7 {and Black should have little trouble in holding the draw}) (
14... b4 {runs into the strong looking} 15. a5 {after which Ba4 is a very
serious threat which cannot easily be parried, as Black cannot castle (due
again to Nxe6)}) (14... Nd5) 15. axb5 Bxb3 $2 ({Aman may have been worried
about} 15... axb5 16. Bxd5 Rxa1 17. Bc6 (17. Qxa1 Nxd5 18. Qa8+ Bd8 $11) 17...
Rxd1 18. Rxd1 b4 19. Be5 $14) 16. cxb3 Bc5 {otherwise Black is just down a
pawn for nothing} (16... Bb4 17. Qf3 $18) 17. Be5 Bxd4 {Black must accept the
inferior ending} 18. Qxd4 Qxd4 19. Bxd4 {These positions are always a pleasure
to play when you are on the advantageous side. White's chances of losing are
slim to none, and he has a very real chance of bringing home the win, even
without having done anything too special up to this point.} a5 20. Bc3 $6 {
White's first inaccuracy} (20. b4 a4 21. b6 Kd7 22. Ra3 {is an idea}) (20. Be5
{with the idea Rec1 was strong as well}) 20... Ke7 21. Bxa5 Nd5 22. Bc3 Rxa1
23. Rxa1 Rb8 {The loss of g7 is necessary as ...f6 or ...Rg8 run into Ra7+.
Black cannot trade minor pieces either, as that exchange would fix White's
tripled pawns leaving him with connected passers} 24. Bxg7 Rxb5 25. Ra3 {
This is what Black had counted on - forcing White's rook into passivity.
However, White soon finds a way to make progress.} f6 26. Bh6 Kf7 27. Bd2 $6 {
with the idea of playing perhaps Kf1 (to avoid back rank problems) and b4
(followed by Rb3 if Black were to capture the pawn).} (27. h4 $1 Rc5 28. h5 {
the point of playing h4. Now Black cannot play Rc2 due to Ra7+}) 27... Rc5 {
Black tries to get active and use White's back rank problems to his advantage}
28. Ra1 Rb5 29. b4 {The only way to play for a win} Nxb4 30. Bxb4 Rxb4 31. Rb1
{My initial feeling when considering this position was that it should be a
draw, but, having won a similar position in a tournament last month, I know
realize that the defender's task is far from easy.} e5 32. Kf1 Ke6 33. Ke2 f5
34. b3 Kd5 35. Rd1+ {a clever way of bringing the rook to the more active d3
square} Kc5 36. Rd3 e4 37. Rh3 Kd4 38. Rxh7 Rxb3 39. Rd7+ Ke5 40. g3 Rb2+ {
It's important to note the time control at the event - only 90 + 30s with no
additional time after the 40th move. This position looks very holdable to me,
but Aman strays and things get out of control} 41. Rd2 Rb5 42. Rd8 Rb2+ 43. Kf1
Kf6 44. h3 Rb3 45. Kg2 e3 $4 {the crucial error. Black should try and sit
still, as the onus is on White to improve his position} (45... Rb2 {with the
threat of e3 was the correct way to continue} 46. h4 ({White cannot prevent ...
e3 with his rook} 46. Re8 Kf7 47. Re5 Kf6 48. Re8) 46... e3 47. Kf3 exf2 48.
Kg2) 46. Rf8+ Kg6 47. f4 e2 48. Re8 {The e2 pawn, though far advanced, becomes
a sitting duck} Rb2 49. Kf3 Rb3+ 50. Kf2 Kh5 51. Rxe2 Ra3 52. Re5 Ra2+ 53. Kf3
Ra3+ 54. Re3 Ra1 55. g4+ fxg4+ 56. hxg4+ Kh4 57. g5 Rf1+ 58. Ke4 Kg4 59. Ke5
Rxf4 60. g6 Rf8 61. g7 {Awonder must have felt very confident about the Q vs.
R ending. I would have been tempted to simply move my rook off the e-file and
push g7 later} (61. Rc3 Kg5 62. Rg3+ Kh6 (62... Kh4 63. Rg1 Re8+ 64. Kf6 Rf8+
65. Ke7) 63. g7 Rg8 64. Kf6) 61... Re8+ 62. Kf6 Rxe3 63. g8=Q+ Kf3 64. Kf5 Ke2
65. Qg2+ Ke1 {Aman must have felt that Awonder knew the technique for winning
this position - the third rank defense, but it is actually not so easy. I'd
encourage you to look it up, as it is an important position to know!} 1-0
