Round 2: Slive-Chase 0-1

This is a strange game. White manages to win a pawn but ends up with his knight stuck behind enemy lines with no escape squares. As additional compensation, Black has a strong fianchettoed bishop patrolling the a1-h8 diagonal. Eventually, an imprecise move by White allows Black to round up the wayward equine adventurer. From then on it is simply a matter of technique.

[Event "BCC Championship"]
[Site "Somerville, MA USA"]
[Date "2004.09.15"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Slive, Alex"]
[Black "Chase, Chris”]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteUSCF "2039"]
[BlackUSCF "2289"]
[ECO "E91"]
[Opening "King’s Indian"]
[Variation "Classical"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 Re8 8.d5 Nb8 9.Be3 e6 10.Qc2 exd5 11.cxd5 Nbd7 12.Nb5 Nc5 13.Bxc5 dxc5 14.Qxc5 Nxe4 15.Qxc7 a6 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Nc7

[How is the knight planning to get out?]

17…Rb8 18.Rfe1 Bf5 19.Bd3 Nd6 20.Bxf5 Nxf5 21.g4 Nd6 22.Rac1 Bxb2 23.Rc2 Bg7 24.Ng5?

[According to Fritz, 24.g5!? = would have kept White in the game. Now, however, Black should win a piece and that’s enough to decide it]

24.Rbc8 25.Ne4 Be5 26.Ng5 Bd4?!

[This may be imprecise]

27.Nf3

[White could have saved the piece with 27.Ne4!? Nxe4 28.Rxe4 Bb6 29.d6 e.g., 29…Rxd6 30.Re8+ Rxe8 31.Nxe8 and though Black is probably still winning, at least there is something to play for]

27…Bb6 28.Rec1 Rd7 29.Nxa6 Rxc2 30.Rxc2 bxa6 31.Rc6 Ba7 32.Rxa6 Ne4 33.Ne5 Bxf2+ 34.Kg2 Rxd5 35.Nxf7 Kxf7 36.Kf3 Re5 37.Ra4 Bg1 38.Rxe4 Rxe4 39.Kxe4 Bxh2 40.a4 Bc7 0-1