ICC correspondence 2007Quad.03 FortyShorty Brian-E 1-0

[Event "ICC correspondence 2007Quad.03.05"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2007.02.22"]
[Round "-"]
[White "FortyShorty"]
[Black "Brian-E"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ICCResult "Black resigns"]
[Opening "Réti opening"]
[ECO "A05"]
[NIC "QP.11"]
[Time "09:38:27"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. O-O g6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bg7 7. c4 Qb6 8.
Nb3 O-O 9. Nc3 d6 10. Bg5 Be6 11. Nd5 Bxd5 12. cxd5 Ne5 13. Be3 Qd8

Up to here it has been a Reti variation with which I am familiar. 13...Qd8 seems a bit passive to me but may not be worse than the usual Qa6 or Qb5.

14. Rc1 Neg4 15. Bd4 Ne8 16. e4 Bxd4 17. Nxd4 Qb6

Black is offering an exchange of both the posted Knights and the Queenside pawns. I don't know if Black calculated out that far, but after the Queens take the Knights, both Queens will invade the enemy pawn structures. However, I don't think the White Queen can be driven from the center of the seventh rank without losing material whereas the Black Queen can be harassed from the Queen side of the second. This is made possible by the fact that Black's retreated Knight interferes with the communication of his Rook's. I calculated that I could win the e pawn and be able to effect an even trade of the a and b pawns. This will leave Black's d pawn backward and a target with White a pawn up.

18. Qxg4 Qxd4 19. Qd7 Qxb2 20. Rb1 Qxa2 21. Qxb7 Ng7 22. Qxe7 Qa6 23. Ra1 Qb6 24. Rfb1 Qd8 25. Rxa7 Qxe7 26.
Rxe7 Rab8 27. Rxb8 Rxb8

Now I just have to convert the extra pawn into a Queen or other advantage. Common theory states that a Knight is more valuable than a Bishop in this type of pawn position. However, I think I have the Knight's best squares covered and the central push of my pawns will necessitate the Knight focusing attention there and negating any value. This is a Rook's position and I think White's Rook is twice as active as Black's.

28. f4 Kf8 29. Rd7 Rb6 30. Bf3 h5 31. Ra7 Rb2 32. h4
Ke8 33. Kf1 Kf8 34. Rd7 Ne8 35. e5 Rb1+ 36. Kf2 Rb2+ 37. Be2 Rb6 38. Bd3
Rb2+ 39. Ke3 Rg2

Going after the King side pawns fails. The Rook is now trapped there and can't help the fight to keep the d pawn from Queening.

40. exd6 Rxg3+ 41. Kd4 Nxd6 42. Rxd6 Ke7 43. Ra6 Rh3 44.
d6+ {Black resigns} 1-0