C12: French: Classical System: McCutcheon Variation

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 Black threatens to win material: d5xe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Black is behind in developement 4... Bb4 4... dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nbd7 6. Qf3+/= 5. e5+/= This push gains space 5... h6 6. exf6 hxg5 7. fxg7 Black has the pair of bishops 7... Rg8 8. h4 Qf6 9. hxg5 Qxg5 Black has a cramped position. 10. Nf3 White threatens to win material: Nf3xg5 10... Qxg7 11. Qd2 Black has a cramped position 11... Nc6 12. O-O-O Bd7 White has an active position 13. a3 White threatens to win material: a3xb4 13... Be7 14. Kb1 White has an active position 14. Nb5 O-O-O= 14... O-O-O=/+ 15. g3 Covers h4 15... Rh8 Black threatens to win material: Rh8xh1 16. Bb5 Rxh1 17. Rxh1 Black has a cramped position 17... Bf6 Black threatens to win material: Bf6xd4 18. Ne2 Rh8 19. Rxh8+ Qxh8 20. Qf4 Ne7 21. Bxd7+ Kxd7 22. Ne5+ Bxe5 23. dxe5 Qh1+ 23... Ke8 24. Qe3= 24. Ka2 24. Nc1 Qh7+/= 24... Qe4 25. Qxe4 dxe4 A knight endgame occured. 26. Nc3 White threatens to win material: Nc3xe4 26... e3 Black threatens to win material: e3xf2 27. f4 Black has a new passed pawn: e3 27... Nf5 Black threatens to win material: Nf5xg3 28. Ne2 The knight blocks e3 28... Kc6 29. g4 White threatens to win material: g4xf5 29... Nh4 30. c4 b5 Black threatens to win material: b5xc4 31. Kb3 Kc5 32. cxb5 Kd5 33. Ng3? >= 33. Nc3+!? Kd4 34. Kc2-/+ 33... Ng2-+ 34. f5? >= 34. g5-+ 34... exf5 35. gxf5 Kxe5 36. Kc2 36. Kc3-+ 36... Kf4 37. Ne2+ Kxf5 38. Kd3 38. a4 hardly improves anything 38... Nf4 39. Ng1 Kg4-+ 38... Nf4+ 39. Kxe3 Nxe2 40. Kxe2 Ke4 41. a4 41. b3 f5-+ 41... Kd4 41... >= f6-+ makes it even easier for Black 42. b4 42. Kd2 is still a small chance 42... Kc4 43. Kc2-+ 42... Kc4 42... >= Kc3!? keeps an even firmer grip 43. a5-+ 43. b6 43. Kd2 is no salvation 43... Kxb4 44. Kd3 Kxa4-+ 43... cxb6 43... cxb6 44. a5 b5-+ 0-1 [Fritz 9 (5s)]