R. Duijker - E. Vroombout [E81]

Amsterdam Championship 2007


A super exciting position. My first impression was that White had the better chances, but never underestimate the Black bishops. It's probably dynamically balanced.

25. Rfe1 Ra8?! Perhaps not the most convenient square for the rook. 26. Nf6!? White's going for it. 26... Bxg2+! Played with a bang. 27. Kxg2 Again captured with a bang. Now it was clear to everyone that the players were also playing a psychological battle. 27... Bxf6 28. Rxf7 Bxg5 29. Qxg5!? An astonishing decision! White decides to walk with his King into free space, hoping to keep the game going. I had expected 29. Rxh7+ with the possible follow-up: 29... Qxh7 30. Qxh7+ Kxh7 31. fxg5 Rb8 32. Re6 Rxb5 33. Rxd6 Rxb2+ 34. Kg3 with a draw. 29... Qxf7 30. Re7 Qd5+ 31. Kh3 Qf3+ 32. Kh4 32. Qg3 was another option, but then 29.Rxh7 was clearly the better choice. 32... Qf2+ 33. Kh3 Qxb2 The first player started shaking his head now. The spectators thought he was going to force a draw. 34. Re3? An attempt to win or simply a missed draw, that's the question. To a draw leads 34. Rxh7+ Kxh7 35. Qxf5+! and White can always get the rook on a8 via d5 or e4, with a draw. 34... Rg8 Oops. 35. Qxf5 Qg2+ 36. Kh4 Qxh2+ 37. Rh3 Qf2+ 38. Kh5 Qe2+ 39. Kh4 Qf2+ 40. Kh5 Qe2+ Timetrouble over. 41. Kh4 Qe7+! 42. Kh5 Qe8+ Also winning was 42... Rg6 43. Kh4 Rg6! 44. Re3!? A last swindling attempt... 44... Qg8? ... and it works! Correct was 44... Qd8+! 45. Kh5 (45. Kh3 Qg8! 46. Qh5 Qf8!) 45... Rh6+! 46. Kg4 (46. Kxh6 Qh4+ 47. Qh5 Qf6+) 46... Qh4+ 47. Kf3 Qh1+ 48. Ke2 Rh2+ 49. Kd3 Qb1+ winning the Queen. 45. Kh5! Now White is back in business again. His King can even assist with mating sometimes. 45... Qa8 46. Re4 c4? 46... Qd8! 47. b6?! Duijker is stubbornly refusing all draws. After 47. Qf7! it's a draw: 47... Qxe4 48. Qf8+ Rg8 49. Qf6+ Rg7 50. Qf8+ 47... c3 But now he really has to: 48. Qf7! Rg8?? A dramatic decision, while real time trouble had not started yet. Correct was 48... Qxe4 49. Qf8+ Rg8 50. Qf6+ 49. b7 A more beautiful win would have been: 49. Qf6+ Rg7 50. Kh6! Qg8 51. Re8! 49... Qa5+ 49... Qf8 50. Qxf8 Rxf8 51. Rc4 50. f5 And here, too, 50. Kh6! Rg6+ 51. Qxg6! would have been prettier. 50... Qb6 51. Qf6+ and only here, it seemed to dawn on Vroombout what he had done. Completely shattered, he resigned. 1-0 [Arne Moll]