Chess: White vs. Computer (1100) 8th May 2022: Win, 0 blunders, 0 mistakes

A good game. No blunders, no mistakes. No really tough moves either though, just took advantage of opponent mistakes.

• Moves 34
• Best 20 (58%)
• Exce 9 (26%)
• Good 2 (6%)
• Innac 1 (3%)
• Book 2

Analysis

Opening: Rui Lopez until move 3

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 is standard RL. 3.. Bd6 is odd. 3.. a6 (the Morphy Defense) 4. Ba4 Nf6 is standard, because it attacks the bishop.

Missed mates

After 30.h3, Rb3+ misses a mate in 2. My idea was to open the d pawn to attack by the Queen, but this misses the point that the pawn can be used against the king. 30..Qc1+ means 31.Kd3 is forced, with any of Qd2#, Qc3#, or 31..Rc3# delivering the win.

After 31.Kf2 there is a faster mate than 31..Qxd4+. Actually quite a cool one. 31..Ne4+ means that either 32.fxe4 Rc2#, 32.Ke2 Rc2#, or 32.Kg2 Rb2#

Missed best

• 3..Bd6 : a6 - see opening
• 10..c5 : a6 - allows taking toward the center and opening the A rank to the rook
• 11..cxb5 : Bc7 - don’t really get this one. The bishop is undefended where it is I guess.
• 12..Bf4+ : Bc5 - Missed this. The queen can’t retake because of the fork threat on Nxe4+. If white doesn’t fall for the trap, the bishop is still better positioned.
• 13..Bxc1 : Re8 - I’m trading down here. Re8 prepares for Rxe4+, forking the King and Queen. But white can definitely avoid losing anything here. Too complicated for me.
• 16..Qc7 : Qa5 - both attack the e5 pawn, which is the goal. Difference seems v. subtle
• 18..Qb6 : Rd5 - My idea was to exchange queens. The rook move pushes the queen away. Too clever for me
• 29..a1=Q : g5 - Very clever: blocks off f4. Gets a mate on 32.

Move list

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bd6[1] 4. a3 Nf6 5. Qe2 O-O 
6. Nc3 Nd4?[2] 7. Nxd4 exd4 8. Qc4?[3] dxc3 9. a4 cxd2+ 10. Kxd2 c6[4] 
11. c3 cxb5 12. Qd4 Bf4+ 13. Ke2 Bxc1 14. Raxc1 bxa4 15. Rcg1 Re8 
16. e5 Qc7 17. f3 Rxe5+ 18. Kf2 Qb6 19. b4 axb3 20. Rc1 Qxd4+
21. cxd4 Rb5 22. g3 a5 23. Ra1 a4 24. Rac1 b2 25. Rxc8+ Rxc8 
26. Rb1 a3 27. g4 a2 28. Rxb2 Rxb2+ 29. Ke3 a1=Q 30. h3 Rb3+[5]
31. Kf2 Qxd4+[5] 32. Kg3 Qe5+ 33. Kf2 Rc2+ 34. Kf1 Rb1# 0-1

[1]: See opening analysis
[2]: a mistake, opening the line that transpires
[3]: A bad mistake, allowing the knight take
[4]: fine, a6 is a bit better
[5]: Missed mates, see above