C'est la vie

Hennie Schaper - Guadamjuzo (Nicaragua)

French Defence

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d4 3. e5 (I used to play the advance variation against the French - probably going to change after this game) c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qb6 6. Qb3 Qxb3 7. axb3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Nc3 Nge7 10. Bd2 0-0 11. Bd3 a6 12. 0-0 Bd7 13. Rfd1 b5 14. Be3 Rfc8 15. Ne2 Na5

So far, things have gone pretty much according to plan from both sides in this opening. White has compensation for the double pawn in the open lines and better weak bishop. For some reason, I did not even consider the only good move here (Nc1 with a roughly equal position), but sacrificed a pawn for no good reason.

16. Rdc1 Nxb3 17. Rxc8+ Nxc8 18. Rb1 Nb6 19. Bc2 Na5 20. Bd2 Bxd2 21. Nxd2 Nac4 22. Nxc4

It's black's turn to make a mistake now. After dxc4 I don't think white has any play against the black pawn steamroller.

22. ... Nxc4 23. Nc1 a5 24. Nb3 a4 25. Nc5 Be8 26. f4 g6 27. Bd3 Kg8 28. Kf2 Ke7 29. Ke2 Bc6 30. g4 f5 31. g5 Rh8

The material difference is still only one pawn, but to say I had little confidence in white's chances would have been an understatement. My opponent, rated 50 points higher than me, has played well so far, and on top of that he had 20 minutes left and I had 10. My next move is another mistake (I put all my hopes on a good knight versus bad bishop ending that was never going to happen anyway). Best would have been Kf2 - even then, white should lose.

32. Bxc4 dxc4 33. Kd2 h6 34. h4 hxg5 35. hxg5 Rh2+ 36. Ke3 b4 37. Na6 (better d5) Rh3+ 38. Kd2 Be4 39. Re1 c3+ 40. bxc3 bxc3+ 41. Kc1 a3 42. Rb4 Rh2 0-1

The position is completely lost and had been for some moves already. A pity to lose a game after nine games without a loss, but c'est la vie.