Gonna bump this thread again, in the hope that Tal keeps it going. This time I'm going to bump it by showing one of my recent games. This was a blitz 5/5 game, meaning each player gets 5 minutes for all his moves plus an additional 5 second increment each move. I was down to zero time (i.e. playing on the 5 sec increment only each move) by about move 21. As Black, I built up a strong attack on my opponent's King, but was desperately short of time and missed the best moves several times. It was still a very fun and exciting game though... and I got there in the end!
1 e4 d5
2 exd5 Nf6
3 Nc3Not a very testing line, especially when followed up with White's next move. More usual is 3 d4 when I like to reply with the sharp 3...Bg4. Players at my weak level often play another bad line here too: 3 c4 c6 4 dxc6 Nxc6 when Black is having all the fun in return for the sacrificed pawn.
3 ... Nxd5
4 Nxd5 Qxd5
5 Nf3 Bg4
6 Be2 Nc6
7 0-0 0-0-0
8 d3 e5White has played the opening insipidly, and I already have the better position IMO. With Kings castled on opposite sides the main strategy is to launch pawn storms and try to open lines against each others' Kings. This is what happens in the game, although White should now probably play something like 9 Be3 to complete his development first.
9 a3 f5
10 c4 Qd7
11 Bg5 Re8Probably 11...Be7 was better, but I had the idea of gaining a tempo for my pawn storm by attacking the Bg5 with a later ...h6.
12 h3 Bh5
13 b4 h6
14 Bc1 g5
15 Bb2 g4So my pawn storm has 'got there first', and Black is definitely better IMO.
16 Nh2 Rg8
17 b5 Nd4
18 Bxd4 Qxd4
19 a4(See diagram at bottom)
Continuing the plan of getting his pawn storm going, but his attack has been too slow and meanwhile
my pawns have already engaged. Thus, my position is now ripe to 'find something'. The move I played is just fine, simply building up the attack. But I could have gone for the more forcing move 19... gxh3. I was convinced there had to be something in this position and so I used up a ton of time calculating this move, which is why I ended up in desperate time trouble for the rest of the game. Looking at 19...gxh3 after the game it certainly seems like the variations stemming from 19...gxh3 20 Bxh5 Rxg2+ Kh1 Qf4 are good for me. However, I pussied out because I could not see a forced win even though my gut was telling me it was good. But anyway, my alternative is fine too - just wish I had not spent so much time on the 19...gxh3 line only to not play it!
19 ... Bc5
20 Kh1 Bf7But now I
definitely should have played 20...gxh3. However, I was about to run out of time and couldn't calculate anything at all. I'm still in a decent position after the move I played, but my advantage is much smaller.
21 hxg4 fxg4
22 Bxg4+ Kb8
23 Bf3 Qh4
24 Kg124 Qe2 would be a better way to defend the f2 pawn, although I'd still have slightly the better position.
24 ... Bd6But I miss the best response which is 24...e4! Remember I had to make every move within 5 seconds now, and I did not even consider this move.
25 Be4 Bh5
26 Qe1 Ref8
27 f3This is a mistake, exposing his King. I missed the immediate ...Bc5+ (but played it next move) and made a retreat with my Queen to a silly square. If I want to retreat my Queen then ...Qg5 is a much better square to go to since it is still threatening the White King.
27 ... Qe7?
28 a5 Bc5+
29 Kh1 Qg5Back to where I should have gone originally
30 Qe2 Bd4No idea why I played this. Clicking buttons lol.
31 Rab1 Be3
32 a6 b6I think 32...Qg3 wins for me, simply ignoring the White pawn storm since it is not a threat. But in case I have not mentioned it... I was rather short on time!
33 Rb2 Bf4And now White makes a huge blunder. He should try 34 Rd1 or 34 g4 when he is back in the game IMO.
34 Ng4? Qh4+
35 Kg1 Bxg4
36 fxg4 Bg3
37 Rxf8 Rxf8
0-1White resigned as he cannot prevent mate.
Not a perfect game, but a fun game. I wish I'd had the balls to play 19...gxh3. These blitz games are always exciting and full of errors though.
Position after 19 a4. I should have played 19...gxh3!