Your king went in the wrong direction in the ending. It's much better to approach the center. Your king is safe and a strong piece. Instead of 22.Kh2, try 22.Kf2 and then, assuming the same moves from black, 22...Rxe5 23.Bxe5 Nd5 24.Ke2 Nb4 25.Kd2 Nxa2?? 26.c3 and black's knight is trapped.
Knights are weakest against rook pawns. Your rook pawn in this game queens with check. So instead of 49.h5 much better is 49.g3 with the idea of making the knight fight against the rook pawn. You may even win, although I'm assuming it's probably a draw by repetition. It would require a lot of analysis.
For the most part a well played game other than missing the opponent's Knight threat to your pawns. Otherwise this should have been AT LEAST a draw for you and probably more.
Just a few constructive critics:
9. Nd5 is a bit premature. You still have another piece to develop so you should play 9. Bf4 to develop this piece to participate in the game supporting an idea of e4-e5 pawn advance.
On move 22 you should simplify with 22. Rxe8 Nxe8 when with pawns on both sides of the board the Bishop (long range piece) will operate better than the Knight (short range piece) in this endgame. In general the Bishop will be more effective on an open board and the Knight will be better in a closed (fixed) position.
24. c3, a prophylactic move (preventing opponent's ideas) restricting the Black Knight from the Nd5-b4 move seems the simplest.
26. Bd6 really does not make concrete threats or accomplishes a concrete goal. Instead you should play 26. Bc3! when you temporarily trap the Black Knight and threaten to walk your King in to win the Knight and/or the fractured pawns Black must allow to create an escape square for the Knight.
49. h5 is a bit premature. Instead you should bring your other pawn up with 49. g4 so they can work together. Black is hoping to sacrifice the Knight for your one advanced pawn and then Black will have the quicker passed pawn to promote after that. But if you have a second advanced pawn then this plan by Black cannot succeed.
Like I said in the beginning, just one tactical oversight costs you this game. Always make sure to ask yourself before you make your move what threats does my opponent have and if they have a threat to be concerned with does my move properly deal with this threat by the opponent. Just a simple "sanity check" like this will help you to more easily recognize and handle the opponent's threats.
Very close game.
ReplyDeleteYour king went in the wrong direction in the ending. It's much better to approach the center. Your king is safe and a strong piece. Instead of 22.Kh2, try 22.Kf2 and then, assuming the same moves from black, 22...Rxe5 23.Bxe5 Nd5 24.Ke2 Nb4 25.Kd2 Nxa2?? 26.c3 and black's knight is trapped.
Knights are weakest against rook pawns. Your rook pawn in this game queens with check. So instead of 49.h5 much better is 49.g3 with the idea of making the knight fight against the rook pawn. You may even win, although I'm assuming it's probably a draw by repetition. It would require a lot of analysis.
For the most part a well played game other than missing the opponent's Knight threat to your pawns. Otherwise this should have been AT LEAST a draw for you and probably more.
ReplyDeleteJust a few constructive critics:
9. Nd5 is a bit premature. You still have another piece to develop so you should play 9. Bf4 to develop this piece to participate in the game supporting an idea of e4-e5 pawn advance.
On move 22 you should simplify with 22. Rxe8 Nxe8 when with pawns on both sides of the board the Bishop (long range piece) will operate better than the Knight (short range piece) in this endgame. In general the Bishop will be more effective on an open board and the Knight will be better in a closed (fixed) position.
24. c3, a prophylactic move (preventing opponent's ideas) restricting the Black Knight from the Nd5-b4 move seems the simplest.
26. Bd6 really does not make concrete threats or accomplishes a concrete goal. Instead you should play 26. Bc3! when you temporarily trap the Black Knight and threaten to walk your King in to win the Knight and/or the fractured pawns Black must allow to create an escape square for the Knight.
49. h5 is a bit premature. Instead you should bring your other pawn up with 49. g4 so they can work together. Black is hoping to sacrifice the Knight for your one advanced pawn and then Black will have the quicker passed pawn to promote after that. But if you have a second advanced pawn then this plan by Black cannot succeed.
Like I said in the beginning, just one tactical oversight costs you this game. Always make sure to ask yourself before you make your move what threats does my opponent have and if they have a threat to be concerned with does my move properly deal with this threat by the opponent. Just a simple "sanity check" like this will help you to more easily recognize and handle the opponent's threats.