70 years Correspondence Chess in Bulgaria: Draw against GM Bokar, Dr. Jason
I was lucky to escape with a draw against GM Bokar, Dr Jason of the USA, http://www.iccf-webchess.com/game?id=417900. He is around 50 years old, and a Professor of mechanical engineering. He also works in the Michelin Tyre company as a tyre performance engineer.1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 Qb6 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.O-O Qxb2
Grabbing the pawn is always risky. But one can't win games without taking risks. The ChessOK opening tree gives only 9. Nb5, but followed by 18 games, with White winning 77.8% of them. But I had won a game in this line against GM Pauwels, Christophe, in the Andrew Sustarsic memorial, which I have annotated here.
9.Qe1 c4 10.Rb1 Qxc2 11.Bd1!
At the time, it was a shock for me. Now I find three more games with this move, in my ICCF database. This line seems to be unknown in OTB Chess, but I don't know about Playchess.
11...Qxb1 12.Nxb1 Bxb1 13.Ba4 Bd3 14.Qa5 Kd7
All the previous moves are almost forced for both sides. Here, Walker, Georg (2438) - Murden, Clive (2434) / JUB/DJ/A (-), ICCF 2011 went 15.Bxc6+ Kxc6 16.Rc1 b6 17.Qa6 Be7 18.g4 Kc7 19.Ng5 Nh6 20.Bd2 Rhb8, 1/2-1/2 (36 moves) .
15.Rd1
Here, I had a long think. The move first suggested by engines is 15...Nge7, but then this allows 16.Rxd3 cxd3 17.Ng5 Nf5 18.Nxf7 Rg8 19.Bxc6+ bxc6 20.Qa6 Rc8 21.Bd2 Be7 22. g4 ! as I now find in Yurov, Aleksandr Andreevich (2379) - Nemtsev, Savely Vladimirovich (2347) / MT-Averkin (RUS) (-), ICCF 2012, 1-0(28). In Geist, Helmut Dr (2592) - Pfretzschner, Roland (2546) / GER/Pirs10/B (GER) (-), ICCF 2011, Black tried 21.... Rc7 22.Qxd3 Be7 23.g4 Nh4 24.Nd6 Rb8 25.f4 Rb2; 1-0(47). Of course, at the time I did not have access to these games. But as there were several games pending and the clock was not stopping, I finally decided to play 15...h6.
15...h6 16.Bc1 b6 17.Qa6 Kc7 18.Bxc6 Kxc6 19.Nd2!!
This was another shocker. Till this move, I thought White may be better, but never winning. But soon, I discovered the reality. That's why, 15...b6 seems to be a better alternative now.
19...Kc7 20.Nb3 Bb4!
Getting my pieces out was most important. If 20...Ne7 (the engine favourite) 21.Nc5 bxc5 22.Qd6+ Kc8 23.dxc5 a5 24.Qb6 Bc2 25.c6 Rb8 26.Qa6+ Kc7 27.Qa7+ Kxc6 28.Qxb8 Bxd1 29.Be3! d4 30.Bxd4 Kd5 31.Be3 Nf5 32.Qb5+ Ke4 33.Qxc4+ Kxe5 34.Qc3+ Ke4 35.Ba7 was not a journey to the liking of my king.
21.Nc5 Bxc5 22.dxc5 Ne7 23.Be3 d4!
Sacrificing a pawn, but activating my pieces and gaining counterplay.
24.Bxd4 Nd5 25.a4 Rhc8 26.Qb5 Kd8
26...Kb7 27.cxb6 axb6 28.Bxb6 Nc3 29.Qd7+ Kxb6 30.Qd4+ Rc5 31.Qxc3
Rxa4 32.Qd4 Kb5 33.Qd7+ Kb4 also seems OK, but that's another run with my king.
27.cxb6 axb6 28.Bxb6+ Nxb6 29.Qxb6+ Ke8 30.Rc1 Rab8 31.Qd4 Ra8 32.Qb2 Rc5
Now, all the Black pieces are active. In general, the Queen is supposed to be better than a Rook, Bishop and a Pawn. This happens when the Queen, in cooperation with the other pieces, is able to attack and capture more material. But here, the White queen was not able to make progress.
33.f4 Rca5 34.Ra1 Kf8 35.Qb4+ Kg8 36.Kf2 Be4 37.Qxc4 Bd5 38.Qb4 Bc6 39.g3 g6 40.Ke3 h5 41.Qd6 Bxa4
Now, I heaved a sigh of relief. The remaining White pawns are all on one side, and the game was moving towards a draw.
42.h3 R5a6 43.Qc5 Rb8 44.Qc4 Bb5 45.Qc7 Rf8 46.Rxa6 Bxa6 47.g4 Bf1
48.gxh5 Bxh3 49.hxg6
Here White offered the draw, and I gladly accepted.
1/2-1/2
Here is the current crosstable, and I am tied for the 11th to 13th places:
