1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
g6
I must confess that I've forgotten most of the theory that I once knew on the Dragon! Therefore I deliberately chose a quiet approach to begin with and a solid approach rather than an overtly attacking stance. I'd be interested to hear any feedback on the game from people who know the opening.
6.Be2
Bg7
7.Be3
0-0
8.Qd2
Nc6
9.h4
I have seen games where Black gains plenty of aggressive counterplay by sacrificing the exchange on c3 once White has castled q-side and so I decided to delay this move and set the pawns rolling on the k-side.
9...Nxd4
10.Bxd4
Qa5
Threatening 11. ... Nxe4.
11.f3
Be6
Eyeing a2 if I castle long.
12.g4
Rfc8
Now it's clear that my king will have to stay put, for now at least, and so I crack on with my attack.
13.h5
b5
A poisoned pawn if ever I saw one!
14.h6
This seems to contradict the plan of exchanging pawns in front of the Black king in order to open lines for an all-out attack but my idea now was to gain control of the black squares and target Prasun's king in the corner with the hope of a small long-term advantage.
14...Bh8
This allows me to exchange off the bishops but 14. ...Bf8 looks worse as the bishop has no play.
15.g5
Nd7
Prasun thought for over 15 minutes on this move and it looks right to me. I had hoped for the more defensive 15. ... Ne8 covering g7, where I felt that I had the edge, although I did realise that an attempt at a quick win with 16. Bxh8 Kxh8 17. Bxb5 planning to capture the knight and play Qd4+ seems to fail to 17. ...Rxc3! and, if 18. Bxe8 anyway, 18. ...Re3+ 19. Kd1 Qxd2 (or even 19. ...Qb6) 20. Kxd2 Rxf3 and Black is definitely better.
16.Bxh8
Kxh8
17.f4
Neccessary, I thought, to keep the knight out of e5 and support the g5 pawn. I couldn't see any way of forcing my way through after 17. Qd4+ f6. [Crafty: 17.Bxb5
Rxc3??
(>=17...Rab8
One line starts as +/- and ends up as -/+ is 18.Bxd7
Bxd7
19.Qd4+
f6
20.gxf6
Rb4
21.Qd5
Qxd5
22.Nxd5
Rxb2
23.fxe7
Rcxc2
24.Nf4
Kg8-/+
Obviously most of this is not forced but it is Crafty's inital assessment.) 18.Qxc3+
]
17...b4
18.Nd5
Bxd5
19.exd5
Qc5
Simultaneously covering d4 and hitting c2.
20.0-0-0
At long last! The position seems pretty level now which makes me wonder whether the plan to control the black squares is a little unambitious.
20...Rc7
21.Bg4
An advantage of having the bishop on this square is that, once the knight moves, it prevents a Black rook from occupying c8.
21...Nb6
22.Qd4+
Black's pressure was mounting and so it's time to simplify.
22...f6
Threatening mate on c2!
23.Qxc5
Rxc5
24.Be6
Defending the pawn but also trapping the Black king in the corner.
24...a5
25.Rh3
We were both down to our last few minutes on the clock here. After the game we briefly discussed 25. f5!? which prevents Black's next fixing move and gives me the chance to open up lines for my rooks around the Black king. I didn't really have time to calculate whether there was any future in it and so played for active rooks. In retrospect it looks quite good and so it might have been better for Black to have played 24. ...f5 preventing this.
25...f5
26.Re3
Ra7
27.Rde1
Rac7
28.R1e2
Nc4
29.Rd3
Nb6
With a minute left Prasun is ready to repeat moves.
30.Bf7
Rc4
Time control reached. I have used up 58 and a half minutes, Prasun 59!
31.Rf2
Wimping out! I couldn't see how I could win after the obvious plan of doubling rooks. After 31. Rde3 Black has 31. ...Nc8 defending the pawn but I think he is winning after 31. ...Rxf4! 32. Rxe7 Rf1+ 33. Kd2 Nc4+ where 34. Kd3 is losing to 34. ...Rd1+ and if 33. Re1 Rxe7! (not 33. ...Rxe1? where the bishop is immune after 34. Rxe1 because of bank-rank threats) 34. Rxf1 Rxf7 35. Re1 Kg8. [31.Rde3
Nc8
(31...Rxf4
32.Rxe7
Rf1+
33.Kd2
(33.Re1
Rxe7
34.Rxf1
Rxf7
) 33...Nc4+
) ]
31...Re4
32.b3
Preventing any further pieces from invading on c4. At this point Prasun accepted my offer of a draw. I would be interested to see if I have missed anything tactical that would have enabled me to win. (Crafty had a quick look and saw nothing in the game. PB) 1/2-1/2