generror: Another nice game by Atwood against the unfortunate Wilson, whose does play really well most of the time, but he just keeps missing the accuracy required to not lose in these highly tactical positions these two obviously loved. Actually, it's Atwood who makes the first mistake with <16...d4?>, although it's also understandable because the Stockfish line <16...Rf5 17.h3 Rxh5 18.g4> (D) really isn't obvious and continues with a deep rook sacrifice <18...Rf8! 19.gxh5 Kh8! 20.Rag1 Qf7 21.Ke1 Qxf4 22.Kd1 Nf5 23.Kc1 Ne3 24.Qd3 d4 25.Ng5 Rf5 26.Qe4 Qxe5 27.cxd4 cxd4 28.Qxe5+ Nxe5>, with Black having a slight advantage.  click for larger viewHowever, White soon gives away his advantage by a string of bad moves, beginning with <19.g4??> and culminating in <21.Qc2??>, after which Black sacrifices first a knight with <21.N6xe5!> and then a rook with <23.Rxf6!>. Now White's only chance would have been to give up the knight with <25.Raf1>, although that probably wouldn't have changed the outcome: After <26.Rae1?>, it's actually mate in 10, starting with the sweet <26...Qh4+!>. <28...Rxf3?> misses the beautiful forced mate <28...Qh3+ 29.Qg2 Rxf3+ 30.Kg1 Rf1+ 31.Qxf1> (D) <31...Qg4+ 32.Kf2 Qf3+ 33.Kg1 Qxh1+ 34.Kf2 Qxh2+ 35.Qg2 Qxg2#>.  click for larger viewI really love how the black queen is bullying the king, surrounded by all his heavy pieces, none of whom able to help him in any way :D After the final blunder <29.Kg1?>, it's over even faster, although in a slightly less beautiful way than in the above line. So yeah, this is another fun game between these two. Although Atwood keeps winning, I really admire Wilson's fighting spirit. I absolutely understand his mistakes and don't fancy myself doing any better. I just would try to avoid these kind of positions :) |