Great fighting game from Li Tian

In the 8th round of the HDBank Cup International, Li Tian met Filipino IM Oliver Dimakiling. The following game had me on the edge of my seat (watching in the comfort of my home with engine running!).

[Event "HDBank Cup International"]
[Site "Ho Chi Minh City"]
[Date "2013.03.23"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Oliver Dimakiling"]
[Black "Yeoh Li Tian"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. O-O Bf5 5. d3 Nbd7 6. c4 e6 7. Nc3 Bc5 8. cxd5 cxd5 9. a3 Rc8 10. Nh4 Bg4 11. d4 Be7 12. f3 Bh5 13. g4 Bg6 14. g5 Ng8  

14...Bh5 15. f4 (15. gxf6 Bxf6 {black regains the piece on h4}) 15... Ne4 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Bxe4 h6 is the choice of Fritz. Black has enough compensation for the pawn. However no human will play this way!

15. f4 Bh5 16. Qd3

Black plays the next few moves very accurately 

16...h6 17. Qg3

The best move according to the engine is 17. f5 hxg5 18. fxe6 fxe6 19. Ng6 when white has the advantage

 17... Bd6 18. e4

18. gxh6 Nxh6 19. Qxg7 Rg8 20. Qxh6 Qxh4 { Black has solved his problems and now threatens to win the white queen with ... Rxg2+ and ...Bf3+}

18... hxg5 19. e5

19. Qxg5 Qxg5 20. fxg5 Bg4 21. Nf3 Ne7 

19... Bb8

The bishop seems out of play on this diagonal but this is the correct decision. Retreating to e7 or f8 will end up cramping his own pieces.

20. f5 ?

This natural looking move in this position looks very strong but black's accurate play shows otherwise. 20. Be3 Ne7 21. Qxg5 g6 =

20... Qb6  

The knight is immune. 20... gxh4 ?? 21. Qxg7 $18

21. fxe6 fxe6 22. Bxg5 ?

I do not think White missed the pin. He probably knows he is in trouble and tries to mix it up by allowing the opening of lines at the cost of pawns. 22. Kh1 Qxd4 23. Bxg5 Bxe5 24. Rae1 Ne7 25. Bf4 

22... Bxe5 -+ 23. Bf4 Bxd4+ 24. Kh1 Ngf6  25. Ng6 Bxg6 26. Qxg6+ Kd8 27. Rab1  

Despite the black king stuck in the centre for the time being, it is still quite safe for him due to the black centre pawns restricting the white pieces. Black has to solve this problem in the long run and the white black square piece is the most dangerous so Black tries to eliminate this piece or drive it off the h2-b8 diagonal.

27...Be3

This is not the best way. (27... Nh5 28. Bg5+ Bf6 {and the black king can immediately go to c7, b8, a8 for safety as the threat of ... .Ng3 mate stops white from playing Rc1.})

28. Ne2 e5 29. Bg3

29. Bxe5 Nxe5 30. Qxg7 Rh7 31. Qxf6+ Qxf6 32. Rxf6 Ng4 33. Rf8+ Kd7 34. Rxc8 Rxh2#

29... Nh5 ?

Li Tian starts to go wrong. 

A) 29... Kc7 is a blunder because after 30. Qxg7 Kb8 31. Rxf6 +- Nxf6 32. Bxe5+ winning) 

B) 29... Rg8 {Black can try to hold everything with} 30. Nc3 d4 and now 31. Nd5 $4 Nxd5 32. Qxb6+ N5xb6 -+)

C)  29... d4 {is another alternative which again no human will play as it opens the diagonal for the bishop on g2. White still has no co-ordinated attack and the black king will soon find shelter} 30. Ng1 and black is still holding the advantage

 30. Bh4+ Kc7  

(30... Ndf6 31. Bxd5 Rc7 32. Rf5 Kc8 33. Rxe5) 31. Qf7 ! {Prevents ...Kb8.} g5 ? {This allows Nc3. The strongest move is} (31... Nf4 32. Nxf4 exf4 33. Bg5 Qd6 {Black will be safe but loses his pawns.}) 32. Nc3 Kb8 33. Nxd5 Qd4  (33... Qb5 34. Nxe3 gxh4 35. Rbd1 Rc7 36. Qf5 Nhf6 {Black still maintains an advantage due to his extra passed e-pawn}) 34. Qxd7 (34. Be1 Rcf8 35. Qxd7 Rxf1+ 36. Bxf1 Qe4+ 37. Bg2 Ng3+ 38. Bxg3 Qxb1+ and mate

34... gxh4 35. Rf7  

This is the only way for white to survive. Black was threatening ...Ng3+ opening the deadly h-file.}

A) 35. Rbd1 Ng3+ 36. hxg3 hxg3+ 37. Bh3 Qe4+ 
B) 35. h3 Ng3+ 36. Kh2 Rhd8 37. Qf7 Rf8 
B1) 38. Qxf8 (38. Qg6 Nxf1+ 39. Rxf1 Rxf1 40. Qd6+ Ka8 41. Bxf1 Bf4+ 42. Kh1 Qe4+ 43. Kg1 (43. Bg2 Qe1+ 44. Bf1 Qxf1mate
B2)38... Bg1+ 39. Rxg1 Rxf8 -+ ) 

C) 35. Ne7 Ng3+ 36. hxg3 hxg3+ 37. Bh3 Qe4+ 38. Rf3 Qxf3#) 

 35... Ng3+

This piece sacrifice is good and in fact the only move

36. hxg3 hxg3+ 37. Rh7 Rxh7+ 38. Qxh7 e4 !

Black finds the move favoured by the engine. The threats on h8 and d5 forces white's next move

39. Qf5 

Despite a piece for two pawns, white is not winning due to the exposed white king and the pawn on g3. The e-pawn is immune. Qxe4 Rh8+ wins

39...  Rh8+  

Li Tian took a few minutes for this but I do not like it as there are possible tactical threats on e5. The best move is the simplest 39....a6. With the king now truly safe, black can concentrate on his king attack.} (39... Bf2 $4 40. Qf4+ Ka8 41. Nc7+ Kb8 42. Na6+ Ka8 43. Qb8+ Rxb8 44. Nc7#) (39... a6 40. Nxe3 (40. Bxe4 Rh8+ 41. Kg2 Qd2+ 42. Kf3 Qf2+) 40... Qxe3 41. Rf1 Rh8+ 42. Bh3 Ka7 43. Qg4 (43. Kg2 Rg8 44. Bg4 Rd8 45. Bf3) 43... Rd8 44. b4 Rd2 45. Bg2 Rd6) (39... Bd2 40. Rd1 (40. Rg1) 40... Rh8+ 41. Bh3 Qxb2)

40. Bh3 Bd2  

This draws at best even though black is not in danger of losing due to the exposed white king

41. Rf1 a6 42. Nf4 Ka7

42... Qxb2  43. Qxe4 Be3 44. Qg2 Qd4 45. Qxg3 Bxf4 46. Rxf4 Rxh3+ 47. Qxh3 Qxf4 

43. Ne2  

43. Nh5 e3 44. Nxg3 Ba5 45. b4 Bc7 46. Ne2) 43... Qe3 By now Li Tian is playing on the 30 second increments

44. Ng1

Dimakiling is not interested in a draw which is obvious from the way he handled the middle-game. After 44. Nxg3 Qxg3 45. Qc5+ Ka8 46. Rf8+ Rxf8 47. Qxf8+ Ka7 48. Qc5+ Ka8 49. Qf8+ Qb8 50. Qxb8+ Kxb8 draws due to opposite colored bishop

44... Be1 45. Qe5

White spent a lot of time on this move. He is close to losing with incorrect play e.g 45. Rf4 Bf2 -+ 46. Qxe4 g2+ 47. Kxg2 Qg3+ 48. Kf1 Qxg1+ 49. Ke2 Qe1+  wins for black. Or 45. Qf4 Rxh3+ 46. Nxh3 Qe2 and White has to give unthinkable material to stop mate on h2 

45... g2+  

Black can also draw with 45... Rh6 46. Rf8 g2+ (46... Bf2 47. Qb8+ Kb6 48. Qd8+ Kb5 49. Qd5+ Kb6 50. Qd8+ draws) 47. Kh2 Rxh3+ 48. Nxh3 g1=Q+ 49. Nxg1 Qh6+ 50. Nh3 Qxf8 51. Qxe4 Ba5 {and now only black can play for win}

46. Kxg2 Rg8+ 47. Kh1 Bf2 

Perhaps with such short time left, Li Tian missed 47... Rxg1+ 48. Rxg1 Qxh3+ 49. Qh2 Qf3+ 50. Qg2 (50. Rg2 ?? Bf2 -+ White is completely tied up and the e-pawn will be unstoppable.) 50... Qh5+ 51. Qh2 Qf3+ with perpetual

48. Qh2 Bg3 ??  

48... Bxg1 49. Rxg1 Qf3+ 50. Bg2 Qf6 51. Rf1 Qxb2 52. Qg1+ Ka8 53. Qf2 Qxa3 Black will not lose.

49. Qe2 Qxe2 ??

Incomprehensible when you are one piece down. I do not understand Li Tian's subsequent poor play. It cannot be due to time scramble as there is 30 second increment for each move

 50. Nxe2 Be5 51. b4 Rd8 52. Rf5 Bb2 53. a4 Ba3 54. b5 axb5 55. axb5 Kb6 56. Bf1 Re8 57. Nc3 Bc1 58. Nd5+ Ka5 59. Be2 Ba3 60. Kg2 Rg8+ 61. Kh3 Re8 62. Kg4 b6 63. Rf7 Ra8 64. Rb7 Bc5 65. Kf4 e3 66. Ke4 Re8+ 67. Kd3 Kxb5 ?? 68. Nc7+ Kc6 69. Bf3+ Kd7 70. Nxe8+ 1-0