Pass The Pawn, Will'Ya?

This recent game features quite a bit of maneuvering. Once again I had the edge from the start, then gave it away but converted into a winning queen-bishop end game with a passed pawn to my advantage. The idea of playing the Reti comes from reading his book "Games by Master Chess Players".

T.Lassila - N.N., Correspondence Game (A04 - Reti Opening)

1. Nf3 e6
2. c4 Bc5?

Either my opponent thinks I'm using an opening book and trying to get out of book or then has no idea of general opening principles.

3. d4 Bb4+
4. Bd2 Bxd2+

Black has now moved the bishop three times and it's no longer even on the board!

5. Qxd2 d5
6. b3 Nf6

Better would have been 6. e3.

7. Nc3 O-O
8. Ne5 Ne4
9. Nxe4 dxe4
10. f3?! exf3

This was probably a mistake that gave Black some play, but I just couldn't let him park that pawn on e4. In hindsight, patience in removing it might have been a better choice.

11. exf3 Re8
12. Be2 Qe7

My king is dangerously weak and I castle in the nick of time.

13. O-O Nc6?!

Messing up his pawn structure. This weakness proved to be fatal for Black.

14. Nxc6 bxc6
15. Rfd1 Qh4
16. Qe1 Qg5
17. Qd2 Qg6

At this point my pieces seemed awkwardly placed so I tried to exchange the queens. The bishop is very bad at this point but will end up as a vital piece in the end.

18. f4 e5

Sacrificing a pawn with the idea of a cheap mate. The attack would be much more fierce if Black hadn't squandered the dark-squared bishop on move 4.

19. dxe5 Bh3

I pondered between Bf1 and Bf3. Both stop the mate but Bf3 enables Bxc6 forking the rooks later on once the threat of mate has passed. Note that the black rook can't leave the 8th rank due to 20...Re6 21. Qd8 Re8 to prevent mate. Black saw this and made a move that dangerously opened up his king.

20. Bf1 h5?

While simultaneously attacking my king position seems like a good idea, 20...h4 would have been more correct since it doesn't open up Black's king as much as the game move.

21. Kh1! Bg4

Now Black's attack fizzles as my king is better protected than his.

22. Rde1 Rad8
23. Qf2 f6?

Pointless move. Not only does it open up Black's king, it allows a very strong response.

24. e6 Bxe6?

I missed some material here: 25. Rxe6! Rxe6 26. f5 wins the bishop.

25. Rad1?! Bg4
26. Rxd8 Rxd8

Black doesn't seem to care about his a-pawn, so I thank him and create a passed pawn.

27. Qxa7 h4
28. Qf2 Rd1
29. Rxd1 Bxd1
30. c5 Bg4

With the idea of creating a strong outpost for the bishop. The h-pawn is hanging so I take it once making sure Black has no immediate threat.

31. Qxh4 Qb1
32. Qf2 Qc1
33. Qg1?! Qxf4

This was a bit inaccurate as the trap 34. Bc4+ is quite obvious. But it does drive the Black queen away from the 1st rank.

34. Bc4+! Kf8

Appears to be an unnecessary check but now my bishop is very strongly placed while Black's is completely useless. As a grandmaster has said, "Passed pawns must be pushed". The check also wins a tempo here.

35. a4 Qd2
36. h3 Bd1
37. a5 Bc2
38. a6 Qa5

Luring the queen out to hunt the a-pawn gives White a winning play. Notice it's a queen-bishop end game but my last four moves were pushing pawns!

39. Qd4! Qe1+

Threatening mate. Anything else would lose the bishop and/or the game. For example: 39...Ke7? 40. Qe3+ Kf8 41. Qe6 Bg6 42. Qg8+ Ke7 43. Qxg7+.

40. Kh2 Qe8
41. Qh4 Bf5?

41. a7 and 42. Qa1 also wins. The only move for Black is 41... Qe5+ but 42. Qg3 and Black can't reach a draw no matter what he tries. Now the exchange of queens wins immediately.

42. Qh8+ Ke7
43. Qxe8+ Kxe8
44. a7 1-0