Chess and the constipated player

Just days before Chinese New Year, I was asked by the Penang Chess Association whether I'd mind playing in the Penang-Singapore match on the third and fourth days of the festival. Initially hesitant about committing my time, eventually I agreed to play all four games on the veteran's list. There would be two rapid chess games and two full time control standard chess games.

My wife would say later that I looked constipated in this picture. 

Perhaps she was correct. I was struggling to find a continuation that

would not embarrass me.   

Later, I opted out of playing the second day because the schedule was too early for me. I did not fancy having to wake up at six o'clock or 6.30 a.m. after coming home late on the first day. So I asked to be excused. But definitely, I would play on the first day: a rapid chess game followed by a standard chess game.

But as all good plans go, there was a last-minute hitch. I had to attend a family lunch with my in-laws on the third day of Chinese New Year. Everyone had agreed to have the lunch at 11 a.m. to accommodate me and I was happy. However, on my way out to the island, I did not reckon with the traffic congestion at the Penang Bridge toll plaza or the slow-moving traffic in the city. In the end, after trying to search for a parking space, etc, etc, I was late for the rapid chess game by about 20 minutes and Eng Seong had replaced me for the first round. Nevertheless, I was able to sit down for the second-round standard chess game:

Position after 21...bxc3

[Event "Penang-Singapore match"]
[Date "2019.02.07"]
[Round "2"]
[White "John Lee, Singapore"]
[Black "Quah Seng Sun, Penang"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A45"]
[PlyCount "136"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 c5 3. e3 d6 4. c3 cxd4 5. exd4 g6 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. Be2 O-O 8. Nbd2 b6 9. Nf1 Bb7 10. Ng3 Nbd7 11. Qd2 Ne4 12. Nxe4 Bxe4 13. Bh6 Nf6 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. O-O Qd7 16. h3 Rac8 17. Nh2 Qb7 18. f3 Bf5 19. Rf2 b5 20. Nf1 b4 21. Ne3 bxc3 (see the first diagram) 22. bxc3

If my opponent had played 22. Nxf5+ gxf5 23. bxc3, I would have been in for a torrid time. Maybe the game would still be balanced but the dynamics have changed and I would be required to play more actively on the queenside to compensate for my broken kingside. The threatening 24. Qg5+ would be looming and if I were to play 23...Qd5, thinking that I can defend the pawn, there would come 24. c4 and my opponent is definitely better.

Position after 37. Qb2

22... Be6 23. Rff1 Nd5 24. Nxd5 Bxd5 25. Rfc1 Bc4 26. Bd1 Rb8 27. Qe3 Rfc8 28. Bb3 e6 29. Rab1 Qd5 30. Qe4 Qa5 31. Qe3 Rb6 32. Qd2 Rbc6 33. Bxc4 Rxc4 34. Rb3 Qf5 35. Rb7 a5 36. Rb6 Qd5 37. Qb2? (see the second diagram) Rxd4!

Suddenly, I became wide awake in this game. Could this really happen? Was a rook combination in the air? I knew that I could recover the sacrificed piece after a series of exchanges but should I play 37...Rxd4 or 37...Rxc3? My assessment of the position lasted one or two minutes but I wasn't thinking deep enough.

I opted for 37...Rxd4 because a gut feeling told me that it was far more spectacular. But Dr Ronnie Lim pointed out to me later that 37... Rxc3 would be a gross mistake on account of 38. Rxc3 Qxd4+ 39. Re3! (see the third diagram) and the rook was safe because my queen was pinned by my opponent's queen. I would have blundered and lost a piece. Oops!

Position after 39. Re3

38. Re1 (after 38...cxd4 39. Rxc1+ Qxc1 40. Qxd4+ and 41. Qxb6, I would be up by two pawns in the game) 38...Rd2 39. Qb5 Qxb5 40. Rxb5 Rxc3 41. Rxa5 Rcc2 42. Rg5 Rxa2 43. f4 h6 44. Rg3 Kf6 45. Rb1 d5 46. Rb7 Rf2 47. Rb4 Kf5 48. Rb7 f6 49. Rg7 g5 50. fxg5 hxg5 51. Rb7 Rf4 52. Rb5 Ke4 53. Rgb3 e5 54. Rg3 d4 55. Rb4 Re2 56. Ra3 Rff2 57. Rg3 Rb2 58. Ra4 Rbe2 59. Rb4 Kd5 60. Rb5+ Kc4 61. Rb8 Rf4 62. Rc8+ Kd5 63. Rd8+ Ke4 64. Rd6 Re1+ 65. Kh2 Re3 66. Rd8 d3 67. Rxe3+ Kxe3 68. Kg1 Ke2 0-1

For the record, this inaugural match was won by Penang with a 50½-45½ score. That's a margin of five points. After the first day's play, Penang was leading the Singapore team by a mere one point. The hosts had won the first round handily but the visitors stormed back in the second round. However, Penang played decisively in the third and fourth rounds on the second day to put the victory to bed.