don't call it a comeback

K - C
March match (4) 03/26/2006
E91 - King's Indian, 6.Be2

1.e4 g6 Kirk may think this is new for me, but actually the record will show that this was the first opening I ever played in a CFC rated game. 2.d4 Bg7 3.c4 This is what I was hoping for. I was secretly trying to backdoor into a Benoni while avoiding the Taimanov attack. 3...d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 c5 [6...e5 is the King's Indian proper. Not only did I want to play the Benoni, I firmly believe that blocking the long diagonal (after a d5 by White) is not strongest for a player at my level, what do I know though?] 7.dxc5 [Kirk claims this is his "refutation to the ...c5 line". 7.d5 of course leads to a benoni.] 7...Qa5!? [I know this works in other lines, but probably 7...dxc5 and trading off the queens was better here. Kirk mentioned that he liked 8.0-0 Qxd1 (but I wonder if 8...Qb6 was better) 9.Rxd1 . I think my line was too slow as I am already down in development] 8.0-0 Qxc5 9.Be3 Qc7 [I missed Kirk's next move. If I would've thought about it I may have tried 9...Qa5 ;
the only one I half-calculated was 9...Qb4 but that wasn't going to be pretty] 10.Nd5?! I knew there was stronger than this [The stereotyped plan of 10.Qd2 -- 11.Bh6 was probably good here, but would have allowed me to catch up in development. Kirk's idea was more dynamic if not as strong] 10...Nxd5 11.cxd5 Bxb2 12.Rb1 Bg7 13.Nd4 e5? [I missed Kirk's next move. After 13...Nd7 14.Nb5 is not as good because of (14.Rc1 Nc5 works good as well) 14...Qa5] 14.Rc1 Qe7 15.Nb5 Nd7? [15...Na6! was much better as 16.Nxa7 Nc5 blocks up the position again and minimizes losses. ] 16.Nxa7? [16.Nc7 Rb8 17.Bxa7 wins immediately] 16...Nf6 [16...Nc5 was better. I get on with it] 17.f3 Bd7 [17...Nh5 trying to create some counterplay may have been better.] 18.Qb3 Rfb8 19.Rc7 Bh6? I thought this was genius and freed everything. 20.Bxh6 Rxa7 21.Bg5! but i missed this. The game is pretty much over here 21...Kg7 22.Bb5 Rd8 23.f4 Too much pressure, I'm busted at this point 23...Qe8 24.fxe5 Nxe4 25.Bxd8 Nd2 26.Bf6+ Kg8 27.Bxd7 Qxd7 28.Rxd7 Nxb3 I figured I'd let him checkmate me 29.Rd8# Black checkmated Much better play by Kirk. Again I was overoptimistic and ignored any threats, like I do in most of my losses. 1-0