Automatic play

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Last time I played this opponent I noted that a 20 (ECF) point rating advantage was by no means enough that you should expect to win. It's annoying to prove myself right so soon, but this time round Opponent played a good game, while I didn't do a lot and missed the one clear opportunity when it came. Indeed, in the end I even lost a pawn and was happy to reach a drawn endgame.

During the game I mostly felt rather pessimistic about my position - I often do - but looking at it now, and with silicon assistance, I think that I overestimated the dangers. Opponent didn't seem to share my evaluation - twice he offered a repetition, and at move 24 he explicitly offered me the draw. I played on more through ratings arrogance than anything else; a dangerous game, but actually I would have been vindicated had I been more alert as Opponent blundered almost immediately:



Play went 24. d5 exd5 25. Rxe8+?, when 25. ... Bxe8 wins a pawn, due to back rank tricks. But I missed it. It's hard to say why - I think perhaps that because I believed that I was worse I simply wasn't expecting any such opportunity to appear. I don't record how long I take over my moves (maybe I should), but I'm pretty sure that I played 25. ... Rxe8 almost without thought.

Well, I'm all in favour of analysing your errors, but I don't intend to beat myself up too badly about this. It could have been worse - I did still make the draw, after all - and actually 1.5/2 against this Opponent is roughly what our respective grades predict. So I say: you can't win them all, and on to the next game...

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