Rats

Last night I played Harry Ratner in the club championship. I played well up to the 30th move, and was up a pawn, but at the position below, I played Rgf8 which left me open for a bishop fork from d6. There were lots of other moves I could have made, but I was too stubbornly trying to defend the f7 pawn.

Below Harry missed a mate in 2: Nd7 Ka8 Rxc8. So I dragged it out another 20 moves to no success.


[Event "Spondon Club Championship 2007/08"]
[Date "2007.10.09"]
[White "Harry Ratner"]
[Black "Dean Madden"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B01"]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Qa5 5. a3 c6 6. b4 Qc7 7. Bc4 Bf5 8. d3 e6 9. O-O Bd6 10. h3 Nbd7 11. b5 Ne5 12. Bb2 Nxc4 13. dxc4 O-O-O 14. Qe2 h6 15. Nd1 Be7 16. Ne3 Bh7 17. Be5 Qb6 18. bxc6 Qxc6 19. Nd4 Qe4 20. Nf3 Rhg8 21. Rfe1 Nd7 22. Bd4 Kb8 23. Bc3 Bc5 24. Bb4 Bxe3 25. Qxe3 Qxe3 26. Rxe3 Bxc2 27. Rc1 Bg6 28. Rd1 Nb6 29. Rc1 Rc8 30. Ne5 Rgf8 31. Nxg6 Nxc4 32. Nxf8 Nxe3 33. Rxc8+ Kxc8 34. fxe3 Kd8 35. Nh7 f6 36. Bf8 g5 37. Bxh6 Ke7 38. Kf2 a6 39. e4 b5 40. Ke3 a5 41. Kd3 e5 42. g4 Kf7 43. Bxg5 fxg5 44. Nxg5+ Kg6 45. Nf3 Kf6 46. h4 Ke6 47. h5 Kd6 48. h6 Kc5 49. Nxe5 b4 50. axb4+ axb4 51. h7 b3 52. Kc3 1-0