Philidor Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 a6 4. 0-0 Bg4 5. h3 Bh5 6. d4 exd4 7. Qd3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Nf6
It is difficult to imagine but black's move is a blunder. I was focusing on exploiting the weakness on b7, but missed the simplest and most effective way to do so. After 9. Qb3 threatening f7 and b7 white has a winning position. After my move things are far from clear.
9. e5 dxe5 10. Qxb7 Nbd7 11. Qb3 Qe7 12. Bd2 (c3 is stronger, but I felt I needed coverage of the e1 square in some variations) Nb6 13. Re1 Nxc4 14. Qxc4 Qd6 15. Na3 (playing it safe; better is Rxe5, but I was not 100% sure) Be7
Black's last move is a mistake (0-0-0 was required). I had to play Rxe5 here (black cannot take because of Qc6). Instead I played the tempting but wrong Bb4.
16. Bb4 Qxb4 (the losing move - after c5 instead black has an excellent game) 17. Qc6+ Kf8 18. Qxa8 Re8 19. Rxe5 f6 20. Re2 Qxb2
I had seen that - it is only a temporary knight sacrifice.
21. Rae1 Qxa3 22. Rxe7 Qxe7 23. Rxe7 Kxe7 24. Qe4+
White has a completely won position. Black will lose more pawns, and cannot get his rook and knight to work together. Black might as well have resigned here, because I had plenty of time left. The game concluded:
24. ... Kf7 25. Qxd4 Kg6 26. Qd3+ Kf7 27. Qxa6 Nd6 28. Qc6 Kg6 29. Qxc7 Nf7 30. a4 Ne5 31. a5 Rf8 32. a6 Rf7 33. Qc5 Nd7 34. Qd4 Ne5 35. a7 Rf8 36. Qe4+ Kg5 37. a8=Q 1-0
In spite of the inaccuracies, a pleasing win against an opponent rated 50 points higher than me.
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