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The simple answer to the question above is: when it is a win (with help).
A nice game for caro kann players, I enjoyed playing this game, not because I won but because I got to see a simple idea bare fruit.
The game under review is:
1. e2-e4 c7-c6 2. d2-d4 d7-d5 3. Nb1-c3 d5xe4 4. Nc3xe4 Nb8-d7 5. Ne4-g5 Ng8-f6 6. Bf1-d3 e7-e6 7. Ng1-f3 Bf8-d6 8. Qd1-e2 h7-h6 9. Ng5-e4 Nf6xe4 10. Qe2xe4 Nd7-f6 11. Qe4-e2 Qd8-c7 12. Bc1-d2 b7-b6 13. O-O-O Bc8-b7 14. Nf3-e5 c6-c5 15. Bd3-b5+ Ke8-e7 16. Ne5-c4 Bd6-f4 17. d4xc5 Bf4xd2+ 18. Rd1xd2 Qc7xc5 19. Nc4-e5 Rh8-d8 20. Rh1-d1 Rd8xd2 21. Rd1xd2 Bb7xg2 22. Bb5-c4 Bg2-e4 23. Ne5-g4 Qc5-f5 24. Ng4xf6 Ke7xf6 25. Qe2-e3 Kf6-e7 26. Qe3-d4 Ke7-f8 27. Bc4-d3 Be4xd3 28. Rd2xd3 Ra8-c8 29. c2-c3 h6-h5 30. Rd3-g3 Qf5-f6 31. Qd4xf6 g7xf6 32. Kc1-d2 Rc8-c4 33. b2-b3 Rc4-h4 34. h2-h3 Kf8-e7 35. Rg3-d3 b6-b5 36. Rd3-g3 e6-e5 37. Kd2-e2 f6-f5 38. Rg3-d3 Ke7-e6 39. Ke2-f1 e5-e4 40. Rd3-e3 Ke6-e5 41. Kf1-g2 f5-f4 42. Re3-e1 f4-f3+ 43. Kg2-h2 Rh4-f4 44. Re1-g1 h5-h4 45. Rg1-c1 Rf4-f6 46. Kh2-h1 Rf6-g6 47. c3-c4 b5xc4 48. Rc1xc4 Rg6-g2 49. Rc4-c5+ Ke5-d4 50. Rc5-h5 Rg2xf2 51. Rh5xh4 Rf2xa2 52. Rh4-f4 Kd4-e3 53. Rf4xf7 Ke3-f2 54. Kh1-h2 e4-e3 55. Rf7-g7 e3-e2 56. Rg7-e7 e2-e1=Q 57. Re7xe1 Kf2xe1+ 58. Kh2-g3 f3-f2 59. h3-h4 f2-f1=Q 60. Kg3-g4 Ra2-g2+ 61. Kg4-h5 Qf1-f7+ 0-1
I decided not to break the game down into basic moves, instead; I would like to talk about this game in general terms, ideas rather than concrete calculations.
The first 10 to 20 moves are theory and if you play this type of game you should be able to rattle off these moves quickly, you could debate whether or not there were better move options in this game but thats not the subject I want to discuss with this article. I want to talk more about ideas, thoughts and or plans, with this in mind lets move to move 29 after white played c3.
If we look at board with the idea that it is blacks move (which is the case) and quickly review the position (no calculation) we see that black is up a pawn and has a 4 to 2 advantage on the kingside, white in turn as a 3 to 2 advantage on the queenside. If we left it at that you might think black has the advantage and should win the game? So lets go one step further, black is up a pawn (material) black must have given up something to gain an advantage material, yes, he gave up a move (time). So now let us look at the position with this information and try to assess the position now and the position 10 to 20 moves later in general terms dont calculate. Make your own assessment.
My assessment was (is) until I do further review; even though black is a pawn up I can see a position down the road with (if I make a move like 29..Kg8) black in a passive position defending his extra pawn while white because of his slight advantage in time sets up a active position (advanced) that forces black to submit to a draw.
Who would pick this option if they had a choice, so we must look at the board and try to come up with an idea, obviously black would like to get his pieces off the board and have a centralize king to take advantage of his 4 to 2 while watching whites 3 to 2 advantage, but white is not going to sit there and allow black to catch up in time and swap pieces willingly. So we need to find a way (an idea) that would persuade white to want to make moves that benefit black. (I am talking about natural looking moves).
This is were the idea of playing 29...h5 was hatched...grin To be fair if white played correctly I believe this line is also a draw, but this is a much easier game for black to play because the plan was crystal clear (king in the center, march those pawns down the board). The thoughts behind 29...h5 were; I have just given white a target (which I am sure he was looking at already) and it would appear I overlooked his threat. Now look at the next 5 moves (whites moves look natural and playable) but black gets into the endgame with a major piece off the board (the queen) the king centralized with a crippled 4 to 2 advantage on the queenside and because whites moves look so natural (responding to blacks moves) black actually gets a bigger advantage then he should have in the game.
Again, as I said concrete analysis may show a different story and my whole plan or idea may be proven totally incorrect, but as they say even a bad plan is better than no plan at all...grin
Comments, suggestions, ideas are always welcome.
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