Won against my highest rated opponent yet.
Narz vs. Warrior103
I knew him from Live Chess (blitz) and I knew he played very unusual & dubious openings so I was surprised to see his Correspondence rating so high. He beat me two of three (IIRC) in blitz but I figured I could take him if I had time to think.
He played the same blitz-type of moves & already by move eight I had him in a very awkward spot. I didn't expect him to play 8. Ng5? I thought he'd try to save the piece with c4 or maybe Bc4 though in the long run I don't think either of them do save it.
After taking the material & running & try my best just to play solid chess & survive 'till the endgame. I'm sure I didn't make all the right moves but fortunately neither did my opponent.
I wonder if 13. ... b6 was optimal. I get rather intimidated by visions of advancing pawn masses & even though it wasn't a developing move I figure the more pawns I could keep on the queenside the better (I ended up losing this pawn anyway though).
I'm not sure his ultimate grabbing of this pawn served him though, he gave up his kingside defensive knight & his queen & rook were rather awkward stationed where they were.
Not sure 18. d4 and 19. b4 were optimal moves for him. They didn't free up his position really & weakened his pawns, IMO.
I went with 20. ... h5 because I had to get my king's rook active somehow. Despite the apparent pressure on my king white couldn't get his last two pieces into the game in time to get me.
After 22.Rc1 I started to get a bit nervous thinking maybe I'm screwed after all, I don't remember my exact thought process though, I took alot of notes over the course of the game but erased them to make room for new notes.
24.Qc6 : I did not see any viable mating attack after this move so I swapped.
26. b5 : uh-oh, I start worrying I'm dead again... I couldn't see what to do but play e5, at this point I figure I will be lucky to get out unscathed & make a draw & am annoyed at myself for letting a piece-up opening come to this.
27. a4? : Big time blunder, IMO. I could not take the pawn on a2 because of the threat up a rook check on the back rank followed by a bishop-check at b4 but now Rxa4 covers b4.
27.... Rxa4
28.Rc8+ Ke7
29.Rxf8 Kxf8
30.Rxd7 exd4
White swaps a rook for two pieces but I am still up the exchange.
33. Kf2
Here I make a comment that the game from here will be hard for either of us to win. White immediately offers me a draw. I politely decline though saying I want to play it out.
The next ten or so moves feature me winning white's potentially dangerous b-pawn & finally convincing white to swap rooks. White's bishop has been awkward the whole game.
47.d5?
White's final blunder, IMO. Looks like a natural move but after Ke4 & Rd5 the pawn is going nowhere & the king & rook are untouchable.
50. ... Rd3
My plan here was to chase the bishop again with Rd2 when it went to h2 and then block him completely out of the game with f4 when he went to g3.
Instead white played 51. Be5 leading to a winning king & pawn endgame. White made me play it out nearly to the end before finally resigning with mate a few moves away.
Can't say I played it perfectly & probably threw away my win a couple of times (at least against perfect play by white) but I enjoyed it very much & was happy to come away with the win.