My 5th and last Colle-Zukertort game from the World Open 2008

[Zukertort_Player]

To all Colle-Zukertort players:
This is an endgame battle of which I was successful in it.
I have enclosed the text of the game, just in case you prefer not to download it.
As usual, I welcome your analysis, constructive criticism, and your comments.
Enjoy the game!

World Open: Colle-Zukertort System
Franz Bisson(1400)
August Piper(1505)
Game 9:
1. D4 d5
2. Nf3 Nf6
3. E3 c5
4. Bd3 g6
5. C4 (As far as I know, this is the theoretically best move as per the recommended approach as per the Colle-Zukertort System.) cxd4(Let the complications begin!)
6. Exd4 dxc4(This is only a temporary positional advantage, as white will trade-off is d-pawn to: get rid of the isolated d-pawn weakness, give increased scope to the bishop, there is also a possibility of more complications that usually favors the person on the white’s side of this, (assuming that black isn’t better prepared in this line.))
7. Bxc4 e6
8. 0-0 Bg7
9. Nc3 0-0
10. Ne5(Thematic and trying for tactics revolving around a sacrifice on the f7-pawn.) a6
11. A4!(White is effectively preventing some black’s thematic pawn push) Qc7
12. Qb3 Nc6
13. Nxc6 Qxc6
14. D5 exd5
15. Nxd5 Nxd5
16. Bxd5 Qf6
17. Be3!(By the look on my opponent’s face, he was not expecting this move. I was daring him to take on b2, as I wondering if he saw my plan.) Qxb2
18. Qxb2 Bxb2
19. Rab1!(The plan has sprung!) Bg7
20. Bxb7 Bxb7
21. Rxb7(Now, white is on the 7th rank!) Rfb8
22. Rfb1 Be5
23. G3(I am not sure if I should have played h3 instead. I see the pawn’s are on the wrong color in the endgame: same color as my bishop, and same color as my opponents bishop. Rightfully or wrongfully, I played it because I was thinking to severely limit the scope of hi bishop. Where my king is, I thought that I could play it that way.) Rxb7
24. Rxb7 Rb8
25. Rxb8 Bxb8
26. Kf1 Kf8
27. Ke2 Ke8
28. Kd3 Kd7
29. Kc4 Kc6
30. F4 f5
31. Bd4 Bd6
32. Be5 Ba3
33. Bd4 Bd6
34. Be5 Ba3
35. Bd4 Bf8
36. Bf6 Bc5
37. Bd4 Bxd4
38. Kxd4 a5??(This loses for black, as he has to allow me to penetrate into his camp through either the queenside or kingside. Better for black was to strive for the opposition.)
39. Kc4 Kb6
40. Kd5 Kb7
41. Kc5 Ka6
42. Kc6 h6
43. H3 g5
44. Kd5 Kb6
45. Kd4!(White is winning here.) Kc6
46. H4 gxh4
47. Gxh4 h5
48. Ke5!(White is well-centralized here, and can help the queen. I will then later switch to winning all of black’s pawns on the kingside.) Kc5
49. Kxf5 Kb4
50. Ke5 Kxa4
51. F5 Kb4
52. F6 a4
53. F7 a3
54. F8=Q+ (This is a key check, as it prevents black from using his tempo for a pawn-push.) Kb3
55. Qb8+ Kc2
56. Qb4 a2
57. Qa3 Kb1
58. Kf5 a1=Q
59. Qxa1+ Kxa1
60. Kg5 Kb2
61. Kxh5 Kc3
62. Kg5 Kd4
63. H5 Ke4? (..63 Ke5 was better, but does not stop the pawn push of 64. H6)
64. H6 1-0

[soldner]

Thanks Franz! I always like seeing what other people thought when they moved.

[Zukertort_Player]

Thanks for your thoughtful comments!
Feel free to analyze any of my games and offer any suggestion(s) as you deem fit!
Have a good day!

[Rudel]

This game is now available on our viewer.